This quick article in TecRepublic gives some new insights into the Gig economy. What is interesting is that they refer to a watershed moment that we believe will have a significant impact on how it is viewed both by employers and by the Gigsters themselves. It involves a shift in mentality about work.

This is essentially a shift from seeing oneself as an employee to becoming a business operator. As a Gigster, your business is yourself: your skills and expertise are what you are selling to those who need them and everything you do is purposeful to your success. All your education and work experience now become critical as you create a business showcasing your expertise.

This shift is often difficult to make because we are psychologically reluctant to make it. For those of us in our 40s and over, we likely started working at a company where we expected steady income growth and benefits that would last until retirement. We would stay at this one job to build up a good living, pay for a house, a car, a growing family, and eventually retirement, all from this one job. These jobs are disspearing as employers look to cut the costs of benefits. Successful Gigsters understand this and price themselves accordingly.

Another factor is that in the old 9-5 jobs, concerns like benefits, the computer network, job assignments, etc. were all handled by other people or departments at the company, so those were not immediate concerns. As a Gigster, those are now very real concerns and require additional work on their own to do. Again, successful Gigsters know how to price these into their fees.

The changes in how Gigsters understand work can be daunting, but here is the key: it is also incredibly empowering. Taking control of all aspects of one’s success becomes not just a necessity, but also something that puts Gigsters in complete control. It gives them control over things they previously had no control over, including clocking in & out, the dreaded employee reviews, demotions, firing, office politics, abusive bosses, and yes, also the common harassment issues based on gender, race, beliefs, etc.

It is a trade-off, but the evidence seems to suggest that now more than ever, people young and old are choosing the Gig option instead, and this includes making this mental shift. Once Gigsters make that shift, they begin to put structures in place to ensure that they are paid what they are worth, they manage their own schedules, and chose work that is more fulfilling to them. In a way, they become the architects of their own success.

Will this be the year that the Gig economy becomes the dominant paradigm? Maybe not yet, but Gigsters, and especially Collegiate Gigsters are becoming more self-aware of their worth and this is incredibly encouraging. We at the Colégas Group fully support this and we want to provide as many ways to assist Gigsters in realizing their own success.