Thriving in the Gig and Contract Job Economy
Written by Nurul Nabilah, YouthTech Trainee
The gig and contract job economy, where people take on time-limited work and assignments, is not a new concept. With the pressures wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic however, it has become even more prevalent. The concept of work itself is shifting, in that it is now more digital, fluid and fast-changing than ever before.
In past generations, aiming to land a full-time permanent position upon graduation used to be the standard attitude, and indeed was an expectation taken almost for granted. Yet, with the Covid-19 pandemic narrowing the pool of job vacancies, gigs and contract jobs seem to be the new norm.
Curious to get my own sensing of youths’ perceptions on gigs and contract jobs, I launched a poll, gathering 18 responses from Bold’s Instagram and 22 responses from the YouthTech online community.
Indeed, the majority, 65%, associated gigs and contract jobs with instability. Nevertheless, most (73%) were still open to the idea of taking on gigs or contract jobs. This could be because many of them do see the advantages of gigs and contract jobs, with 64% of the YouthTech respondents saying that they are beneficial for gaining new experiences and expanding their skills and 18% seeing the potential that they can lead to full-time employment. However, the last 18% acknowledged that they would still rather get a permanent job.
From the responses, it is evident that gigs and contract jobs come with downsides such as instability and a lack of progression. Yet, like it or not, the gig economy appears to be here to stay, at least for now. So, the question is, what does it mean for the young worker graduating into these jobs and how does he or she make the most of the advantages of gigs and contract jobs?
In the course of writing this article, I sat down with Hafizah and Maxine, two fellow YouthTech trainees at Bold at Work, to mine their perspectives on the gig and contract job economy. The interesting thing is that they both can be said to be thriving in said economy, enjoying the opportunity and making the most of it. In doing so, I discovered that there are certain reframes and attitudes that can help one make the most of such a stint. Read on to find out more!
Hafizah is well aware of the stigma against contract jobs, particularly among the older generation. She has faced the continuous struggle of receiving negative comments from her family members on how “contract jobs are bad as they have an ending” and fronting questions on why she would go for a contract job instead of getting a “real” job after graduation.
However, she refuses to let that get to her. In fact, overcoming the doubts cast by naysayers to persist in her own path, is a practice in building resilience. She is of the opinion that there is nothing wrong with a contract job, and it is in fact useful for helping her to figure out what kind of work is best for her.
A helpful reframe: instead of bowing to the false pressure that one is supposed to have had it all figured out upon graduation, Hafizah sees herself as a lifelong student who is exploring her options in the working world. She believes in trying all the possibilities around her, stating, “I need myself to trust the process and grow as I go. I can always take the lessons I have learned and apply them in the next task or project that I’m involved in.”
With this mindset, she sees a contract job not as a bad thing, but rather, it is an opportunity to gain valuable on-the-job training while getting exposed to different industries. With this, Hafizah walks on in faith, that this gig is simply a milestone and step, in her journey towards reaching the best outcome for her career.
On the other hand, Maxine is a mid-careerist who previously worked in the procurement industry. So what would make an individual want to choose a contract job instead of staying on in a stable position?
Maxine was clear of her intentions, stepping into this contract job opportunity with YouthTech. She knew she wanted to explore a new area of work, where she would be able to exercise creativity and innovativeness. Moreover, she had dabbled in some digital marketing work but could not find the opening to further it. She also had the side intention of picking up enough skills and experience to help her father digitally market his food stall.
For Maxine, gaining relevant experience is more important than whether a job is temporary or permanent. In fact, she considers that time-wise, contract jobs are more advantageous as they can be considered as trial periods, whereby she gets to gauge whether the field is right for her. It suits her as she is always curious about trying things and gaining new experiences.
She acknowledges that on the downside, she is bracing herself for the end, should she come upon a contract job and colleagues she really likes, but is not able to stay on when the contract expires. She also thinks there may be a time when she wants to dive deeper into a specific skill and industry. Always looking on the bright side, she adds, “The good thing is, you would not appear to be a job-hopper on your resume, but you are just taking on contract gigs.”
So what strengths and superpowers do Maxine and Hafizah have that has enabled them to ride the wave of the gig economy with such positivity?
Based on Bold at Work’s 12 career archetypes, both of them are “seekers”. This is perhaps why they are both so embracing of the gig economy, and indeed, are keen to keep on exploring possibilities through contract jobs.
“Seekers'' are equipped with a curiosity for trying new things and gaining new experiences; and the key strength that they exhibit in these uncertain times, is that they are not afraid of challenges, instead choosing to view them as opportunities for learning and growing.
The nature of the job does not matter very much, rather, what is important is how they define success on the job. For Hafizah, success is becoming a better person than she was before starting a new role and always retaining the desire to do better. As for Maxine, she defines success as performing well in her new job after making a career transition, and picking up transferable skills along the way.
To thrive in the current short-term job economy, ownership is key. In essence, you are the designer of your own career and path. Hafizah shares that she has learnt the importance of being goal-oriented and building doors for herself, as each job could be a stepping stone building towards the future. There are also basic things like the importance of giving your best, doing your tasks sincerely, and understanding that you may need to play many roles in a new job.
Likewise, Maxine maintains that staying marketable is the key. This includes putting in the effort to revise her resume and setting up a portfolio for herself. She recommends using websites like Fiverr.com, which serve as online marketplaces for offering freelance services to worldwide consumers.
“If you are in the gig economy, it can be both good and bad. In a way, you are more accessible to more job opportunities as both locals and even people from other countries can hire you based on your skills.”
Additionally, she stresses the importance of having more discipline in your schedule, as being in the gig economy equates to managing your own time.
To conclude, the archetype of “seekers” helps us learn to navigate and explore new and different worlds, and what it takes to thrive at the edge. While not all of us may be “seekers”, each of us can learn from the strengths and attributes of “seekers” who show us the importance of a spirit of exploration, and how the practice of ownership and self-management can help us thrive in an uncertain and fast-changing world.
#BeBoldAtWork is a Design Your Workplace series that seeks to covers practical tips, stories and tools that would serve employees and employers to better design how you choose to think, feel and show up in workplaces so as to improve the performances of not only your organisations but also the lives of the people you work with.
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