Freelancers: What Can You Tell Us About The Gig Economy?

You’ve told us a lot about the gig economy by explaining how you find work, what’s worked for you, and how it fits into your overall lifestyle. 

We wanted to take some time to look at the bigger picture that your answers reveal about the future of freelancing. In this post, we’ll talk about the upsides and downsides of working in this new way, as well as whether we can predict an end to it.

Takeaways
1. The gig economy is a significant part of the modern workforce, offering freelancers various opportunities for short-term projects.
2. Freelancers in the gig economy have more flexibility in their work schedules and can choose projects that align with their skills and interests.
3. Gig work allows individuals to gain exposure to diverse industries and build a versatile portfolio of projects.
4. While freelancing offers autonomy, it may come with challenges such as income variability and a lack of traditional employment benefits.
5. Technology plays a crucial role in facilitating gig work, providing online platforms that connect freelancers with potential clients efficiently.

Diversify

The gig economy is an exciting and ever-changing landscape. It’s important to diversify your income sources, so that you’re not reliant on one client or one job. 

You can’t rely on any single medium for making money, either a freelance writer who only writes for print magazines is at a disadvantage compared to someone who also writes for websites, ebooks, and audiobooks. 

The same goes for other types of freelancers: You need the flexibility to adapt to new opportunities as they arise.

Building a successful freelancing career requires choosing the right platform that aligns with your skills and goals. If you’re unsure whether to go with Upwork or Fiverr, check out our in-depth comparison on Is Upwork or Fiverr Right for You? to make an informed decision.

Long-Term Client Relationships Are The Best

When you build long-term client relationships, they’re more likely to trust you. Clients are also more willing to give you more work, pay a higher rate and refer you to other people. These relationships can last for years or even decades. 

Some of the most successful freelancers have built up their businesses by establishing these types of lasting relationships with their clients and in turn, have created more stable incomes for themselves as a result!

Don’t Burn Bridges

While you’re freelancing, you’ll inevitably come into contact with other freelancers. You may find yourself chatting with them at a happy hour or even working with them on the same project. One thing that’s important to remember: don’t be a jerk!

When interacting with other freelancers, try not to burn bridges. When you’re working on projects together, remember that it’s just business don’t take any personal affronts too seriously. 

If a coworker says something that bothers you and makes it difficult for you to work together after that point, consider whether this is worth your time and energy because it’s probably better if they never speak again anyway (and if they do speak again after some time has passed).

Also important: don’t be jerks towards clients! Your client could be someone who is paying your bills every month or maybe even paying rent for an apartment or house where they live. 

It’s important not only because it looks bad when someone acts like an entitled asshole but also because oftentimes there are repercussions down the road when dealing with people who have been treated poorly by another individual (even if unintentional). 

For example; imagine being offered work from someone who knows about all kinds of terrible experiences another person had while working together you’d probably think twice before accepting any offers from them in the future!

Client feedback is crucial for freelancers to improve their services and attract more opportunities. Learn valuable tips on how to make sure you’re getting the best client feedback on Upwork and enhance your freelance career.

Free Work Can Lead To Better Paid Work

The gig economy is a booming new market that’s creating a lot of opportunities for freelancers. But how do you get started? How can you make the most of your time?

One way to create a strong portfolio and build your reputation as a freelancer is by doing free work. By offering your services for free, you can get some experience under your belt, become familiar with the details of various projects, and learn how to manage clients effectively. 

This will help when it comes time to charge for your services in the future and when you do start charging, it’s important not to forget about all that good work experience!

If someone offers free work, don’t turn them down they may have something bigger planned later on down the line (like hiring you full-time). 

If they already have someone else working on their project though…? That’s okay too! Maybe this other person knows someone else who needs help right now…

Always Get Feedback From Clients 

Always ask for feedback by the end of a project, no matter how big or small it is. That way you’ll get an idea of what they think of your work and how they feel about working with you.

Ask for feedback before starting a project, so that you can make sure you’re both on the same page regarding expectations, timing, costs, and more.

Ask for feedback at the end of each day (and even multiple times during) while working on a project with someone so that they can tell if something isn’t going well early enough to adjust accordingly without wasting time or money.

Ask for feedback at the end of each week/month/quarter if possible so you don’t have any surprises later down the line when checks are written!

Quality Matters More Than Quantity

While you may be tempted to rush off and find as many gigs as possible, remember that quality is more important than quantity. Quantity can indeed lead to better pay, but good work habits will also help you earn a higher rate of pay.

For example, if you have good work habits, then you know how to get your tasks done on time and with high-quality results. 

You’ll also enjoy staying at the office longer because there are fewer interruptions or distractions (and we all know how much time can be wasted when there are distractions). 

If your work environment is relaxed and productive then it makes sense that anyone who works in such an environment would want their job as much as possible! In addition to having great work ethics and being able to communicate effectively with others

Building an impressive profile on Upwork is essential for freelance success. Discover the strategies used by top freelancers in our article on The Best Upwork Profiles for Freelance Success and take your freelancing journey to new heights.

Don’t Think Of The Gig Economy As A Gig Economy, But Rather A Project Economy

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you’re not working for a job, but rather a project.

You can’t think of the situation as a gig economy. It’s just not going to work for you that way. You need to look at it as a project economy instead, where everything revolves around completing this one specific task and getting paid for what you do at the end of it.

You Can’t Work 9-5 Anymore, But You Can Work 8-12

You can work from anywhere. You can work from home, in coffee shops, coworking spaces, and even in hotels. And not just because you’re a freelancer if you’re in the gig economy, this is the norm for your daily life. 

With the rise of mobile technology and apps like Slack (for communication), Trello (for project management), and Google Docs (for document collaboration), there’s very little reason to be tied to an office anymore.

One study found that 68% of millennials prefer working remotely over being confined to an office desk all day long.

Customize A ‘Day In The Life’ Schedule Just For You

If you’re a freelancer, you probably know that the traditional 9-5 workday doesn’t exist anymore. There are no longer any set hours in which you have to be at your desk or office, and there’s no one keeping track of how long it takes you to complete a task or project. 

This freedom is great for some people who need flexibility with their schedules but if you’re not used to being on your schedule and working at home, it can feel like chaos.

But don’t sweat it! You don’t have to be chained down by an arbitrary system of going into an office every day of the week instead, think about what works best for YOU! Maybe having complete control over when and where we work makes us more productive (or maybe not). 

For example: If I wake up at noon every day and want something done by 4 pm because I won’t get off work until then anyway? Then perhaps my ideal schedule would look something like this: 

Wake up at 1 pm. Lunch break from 2 pm -3 pm. Work until 4 pm. Dinner break from 5 pm – 6 pm. More work until 7 pm…and so on. This might seem crazy compared with other people’s schedules but hey, who cares? It works for me!

Work On Your Game Face And Mindset By Doing Things Like Creating A Checklist, Working With Your Strengths, And Using Productivity Tools

If you’re working on your game face and mindset, try creating a checklist to help get you in the right frame of mind before starting any work. You could also work with your strengths, by identifying what tasks come more naturally to you than others. 

Finally, consider using productivity tools like Trello or Wunderlist to help keep track of all the various things that need doing for your project to succeed.

Freelance writing and copywriting are popular career choices, but are they right for you? Delve into the details with our comprehensive guide on Are Freelance Writing & Copywriting Good Jobs? and decide if these paths align with your aspirations.

Find Hobbies That Separate You From Your Job

You’ll be spending a lot of time at work and taking care of clients, so it’s important to have hobbies that keep you engaged but are also low-cost or free.

Hobbies that are not work-related. It’s great if you can use your skills from other jobs in your new gig economy life, but you’ll need some hobbies that don’t involve any work. 

For example, instead of going out for drinks with friends after work every week (which might lead to drinking too much), try taking up a low-cost hobby like walking or cycling together.

Hobbies that are relaxing. Your new gig economy life is going to be stressful at times because many people won’t understand what it’s like and will make assumptions about how much money freelancers earn or how they do their jobs. 

So having some downtime will help keep everything in perspective! Consider looking into meditation classes or yoga classes near where you live; these types of activities will relieve stress while increasing self-awareness and mindfulness.

Stick To The Basics And Stay Elegant & Simple

There are a few simple things you can do to keep your freelancing gigs running smoothly. Here are some of the most important tips:

Stick to the basics and stay elegant and simple. The goal is to provide great value and make someone’s life easier, so keep it simple. 

Choose your words carefully, be clear and concise, be honest (your client won’t appreciate being lied to), kind (it’s okay if they don’t like your idea but they will appreciate you being respectful), and patient (clients often ask questions that have already been answered). 

Polite (be respectful of their time too!) professional (always maintain a high standard of professionalism) respectful (don’t talk badly about anyone or anything), selfless (don’t expect anything in return for doing good work except appreciation), grateful for what you have this day…and maybe even humble!

Read Business Books

If you are on the lookout for some good business books to read this year, here are some recommendations.

How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

This book is a classic because it teaches powerful techniques that can help anyone become more influential in their social interactions. The basic idea is that people enjoy doing things for those who make them feel good about themselves by showing appreciation or flattery. 

Our ability to be kind and generous with one another is limited; therefore, if someone can charm us into doing something we would not normally do (like lend money), then they have an advantage over us. 

This book teaches how you can use these skills yourself so that people will like you better and be more willing to work with or hire you. 

It also has advice on how to create strong relationships with other people to improve your business prospects as well as enhance your personal life

Wondering which freelancing jobs pay the most? Check out our list of What Jobs Pay the Most as a Freelancer to explore high-paying opportunities in the freelance world and pave your way to financial success.

Conclusion

After reading this post, I hope you’re feeling more confident about the future of the gig economy. Even if you’re still unsure, one thing is certain: freelancing has changed the way we work forever. 

If nothing else, it’s forced employers and employees alike to think differently about traditional labor practices. And that’s a good thing!

One final note: I want to say thank you for reading and for sharing your experiences in the comments section below. 

It’s been incredibly inspiring to see so many people sharing their stories with such openness and honesty. If any of these tips helped you out as well, I’d love to hear from you too!

Further Reading

TechTarget – What is the Gig Economy?: Explore a comprehensive definition and explanation of the gig economy and its impact on the modern workforce.

Corporate Finance Institute – Gig Economy: Learn about the gig economy’s economic aspects, including its growth, challenges, and opportunities.

BetterUp Blog – What is Gig Work?: Delve into the concept of gig work and how it is reshaping the way people approach their careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Gig Economy?

The term “gig economy” refers to an emerging trend in which individuals have more control over the type of work they do, and when and where they do it. It’s also sometimes called the sharing economy, or the on-demand economy.

Who Is Part Of The Gig Economy?

Anyone who is self-employed or works remotely can be considered part of the gig economy. Many freelancers consider themselves part of this group! Freelancers typically work for multiple clients at once and often use online platforms to connect with those clients. 

These platforms include Upwork, Fiverr, and TaskRabbit.

Why Are People Leaving Traditional Jobs To Become Freelancers?

Many people choose to become freelancers because they want more flexibility in their schedules and careers they want to be able to work from home or remotely without having to ask permission from an employer every time they want a day off or vacation day.

Who Can Participate In The Gig Economy?

Anyone can participate in the gig economy! As long as you have an internet connection and some basic skills, you’re good to go! 

The only thing you’ll need is some experience working in your field of choice you don’t need any special training or certification before starting.

What Types Of Skills Do Freelancers Need?

Freelancers typically need skills that are transferable across many different jobs and industries: communication (both written and verbal), problem-solving ability, excellent time management skills, and critical thinking skills are all important ones!