The gig economy has been a growing trend for a number of years. It is continuing to thrive in the current circumstances as companies look to find people to fill the increased demands for certain roles.
The gig economy includes freelancers and contractors who carry out specific tasks or projects for a company. It provides flexibility and in many cases, you can do this work remotely. Whilst some skills are currently less in demand, others have increased demand, for example, warehouse staff, supermarket staff and delivery drivers. As the demand for online shopping has increased whilst people have been at home more, and some stores have been closed intermittently, it has provided a boost for many roles within the gig economy. Certain websites that help pair skilled, temporary workers with companies have reported a 25% increase in the demand for their apps, and a higher hourly wage since the pandemic broke out. Here are tips on how to adapt your CV to take advantage of this new job market, and gain some gigs of your own to steadily boost your income.
Focus on skills relevant to the gig economy
There are many specific skills needed for roles in the gig economy. The ability to work independently, stay motivated and keep on task, and being able to meet deadlines, juggle priorities and take feedback are all especially important in an industry which often has a tight turnaround time. Make sure that your CV reflects the key skills relevant to the gig economy. Giving evidence of how you have successfully demonstrated these skills in the past will help you to stand out with the qualities that employers need in their temporary workers.
Flexibility and Adaptability
In the current job market, two key skills that employers will be looking for in their workers are flexibility and adaptability. These last months have been a period of rapid change, and workers will need to be able to adapt swiftly to new rules, regulations and working environments. Companies will want employees that are resilient and can be flexible when unforeseen changes arise. Use your CV to showcase times when you have adapted quickly to a change in the workplace, and how you shifted to a new way of working to account for the change. In a post-Covid world, showing your versatility and how you adapt to new demands will greatly impress employers.
Quantify your accomplishments with numbers and results
Make sure to back up your claims on your CV with quantifiable results. If you were responsible for driving more traffic to a company’s website, state the amount of extra traffic you drove. If you significantly built a company’s social media following, state how many followers it grew by. Numbers speak volumes about your achievements and the value you could bring to a new company. Be specific and quantify your accomplishments wherever possible.
Transferable Skills
You are likely to have lots of transferable skills from the gigs that you have already completed. Ensure you are including these on your CV. These may include communication and people skills gained from customer service roles, or the ability to stay calm under pressure from a project you have worked on. If you are applying for new gig work, think of how the transferable skills you’ve gained in other areas can support your application for new roles.
Keep a portfolio
If relevant for the industries you are applying for, have a portfolio ready to share with employees if needed. For example, if you’ve created graphic design work or written copy for company websites or campaigns, keep a record and add these examples to your portfolio. This will allow you to produce a proven track record of quality work.
Learn new skills to fill the gaps in your CV
Read through your CV and compare this to a job specification for a role you would like. Identify if there are any gaps in knowledge or skills on your CV that would be useful for the industry that you want more gigs in. If so, now is the perfect time to learn new things and brush up on those skills that you have been meaning to but have never found the time for. Currently, there are many low-cost, or free, courses available online which will help you to plug the gaps on your CV. Whether it’s Excel courses or presentation skills, adding more strings to your bow will help you to stand out, and give you more relevant skills to secure more gigs. Many conferences are now taking place virtually whilst travel restrictions are in place. Take advantage of this and find ones to attend that you may otherwise not have been able to. This will increase your knowledge and understanding of the industries you want to get more work in.
Network
Once you have a shiny updated CV, get it out to the world! Give it to the right recruiters for you, ensure your latest CV is on your LinkedIn profile for people to see, ask friends if their companies are looking for any temporary workers, arrange zooms with potential clients to get the word out and ensure you and your CV are visible. That is the best way to secure gig work and to get people to come back to you in the future.
The gig economy is increasingly embraced by many companies as it provides the flexibility now needed in a workforce. Capitalise on this and ensure your CV gives you the best chance of winning more gig work by being up to date, supported with evidence and previous work examples, and showcasing your many skills.
