Are you done with time-tables governing your lives? Dreaming of a job where you can work in your pajamas? Interested to pursue the career of your dreams without the hassle of rushing to work? And what if all of this was possible in the comfort of your home? Enter the ‘gig economy’. 

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines the ‘gig economy’ as an economic activity involving the use of ‘temporary’ or ‘freelance workers’ for specialized and piecemeal tasks. Consider the following scenarios. 

• Shaina loves to eat bagels and she would trade anything in the world to sit in her room and gulp them down with cold coffee. She enjoys her work as much as she enjoys binge-watching online series. She designs videos for a living and maintains a portfolio of her work done for various companies. She also charges her clients based on the kind of service required, determining the deliverables and negotiating the fee accordingly. She doesn’t have to go to a physical office space; she can either work from home, or out of a cafe with a stable internet connection. Shaina advertises her work through word-of-mouth publicity and showcasing her work online.
• Vishesh manages his work by turning up at his workplace thrice a week. He curates content and designs websites for a living. He loves escaping to the mountains whenever city life gets hectic for him. His life doesn’t follow a monotonous schedule, but there are still deadlines to be honored. He dreams of opening a company with his friends and any industrial exposure he gets helps him refine his skills. Vishesh has also signed for some advanced online courses on coding. 

As you can observe, the gig economy makes work fun and incorporates creativity into otherwise mundane workspaces. Its  growth can be linked to the penetration of technology in the production processes across industries. With the onset of technology, several companies also prefer serving as platforms that moderate and mediate the procurement of labour from the pool of job seekers “just-in-time” for their clients. The existence of the gig economy means that job seekers will have to upgrade their skills and brace themselves for the world more than ever. And so, informatthe generation that will shape the future of work, 

Preparing for the gig economy

First and foremost, one needs to spend time researching where one’s interests lie. The next step is to hone skills with training, workshops, internships, etc. One can undertake specialized learning programs to distinguish one’s profile and stand out among a pool of candidates. We recommend starting with a wide array of skill sets and then picking a few strengths to dive in further, becoming more confident in them as you go along in your journey. Also, discover what you are good at and highlight your achievements. Here is an example: 

“I have not continued in academics after my Master’s as I felt I needed some industry experience if I am to make any meaningful contribution to my area of study. Several times during my time at academic institutions, I felt like I was in a bubble: I was not aware of what was happening in the real world where companies develop technologies day in and day out. I did a two-month stint with a tech giant and then switched to another company that was doing more pioneering work.

I have taken up a job in the same area as my area of specialization and intend to stay for at least a year or until I feel like I’m in a position to make a mature contribution to my area of study at which point, I will pursue a Ph.D. But I know that a Ph.D. is not the only way to contribute to a field. I can start my own company as well. So, I’m not ruling it out without even trying.

In the end, practical experiences teach you a lot more than rote learning. Becoming an independent worker involves taking charge and focusing on the ‘how to’ aspects of education.