Freelancing is the new normal. There are more people in the active workforce who prefer to be consultants than people seeking regular full-time jobs. It has become the norm owing to the flexibility that comes with taking short-term assignments. Work today is no longer a drag; it is more like a passion project. This has given rise to what is known as a ‘Gig economy.’ A phenomenon where people are on the lookout for projects, those are for a maximum of 6 months in duration. This has been widely discussed as a boon to the economy as more and more people are willing to take up assignments on a consultancy or part-time basis.
This is ideal in terms of making the best use of peoples’ talent minus the exhaustion and dissatisfaction associated with staying in a regular day job putting in 8 to 10 hours of work at least per day. These stints work really well for those who aspire for a lifestyle, that is off the beat. Work to be financially secured and independent and then go out and explore everything that you ever want to do. Gone are the days when people would save up and work for years together to fulfill a long overdue dream. Now, every day is another chance to broaden your horizon and put a tick against yet another item on your bucket list.
It is extremely refreshing to try your hand at new things instead of restricting yourself to a particular type of work, which becomes monotonous and cumbersome. There are so many opportunities, which allow you to work from the comfort of your own place and the nature of work is also interesting. Be it content writing, translation, social media strategizing, online teaching or any other new-age requirement, the economy is booming with such opportunities.
There has been an attitudinal shift in the way such gigs are looked upon. Companies too need not invest in measures aimed at retention of employees. As and when a requirement arises, they can look for ‘partners’ who will assist them for specific projects. This has proved tremendously instrumental in ushering fresh blood into the workforce bringing along with them innovative ideas.
So let’s embrace the change and accept that ‘scope’ and ‘job security’ are all what, we make it out to be and if we put our passion, to play, not only can we secure ourselves a stable monetary position but also enjoy the work that we do.
Very true. Life is short and it is not fair for a person’s life is to be determined by scope. People need to be passionate about what they are doing. We need to be in places where we love what we are doing and not merely where we can make money. Freelancing offers the best of both worlds and so what’s not to like about it.