The gig economy for passion projects is becoming increasingly popular, with more of us taking on work from home either to subsidise our regular jobs, or as our main occupation.
It’s not easy to start working this way, so there are a few things that might help you out.
Use contacts
The gig economy is made up of people who have temporary contracts or part-time work. If you’re looking to do this kind of work because it’s your passion – say, you want to do crafts, or coding, or writing – then you will probably know people with experience in this area who might be able to help you get started.
The people you know could be anyone. It could be a colleague who’s made a similar change. It may be an online group you follow. Even if it’s just someone whose work you’ve admired, they may have some learning resources you could have a look at to help you on your way.
So, reach out to these people and see what they say. You might get ignored, or they say no – but who knows? One of them might be able to kick-start your new career.
Sign up to a recruitment agency
Let’s say you have experience in a skill such as coding or writing. They’re specialist skills and are in high demand. So how do you look for these jobs?
You could consider signing up to a recruitment agency. Those such as Devonshire recruitment can specialise in roles for digital content and creative roles, so would be perfect for you if these are the types of jobs you’re looking for. Once they get to know you, and build your profile, such agencies can match you to suitable roles – including short-term contracts or temporary jobs.
Agencies can either cover a large geographical area, or just a local one. They can either specialise in specific markets or general roles, so do your research and see what works best for you and your circumstances.
Set-up online
If you have physical items to sell, rather than a skill, you could think about setting up your own online shop. Etsy is probably the most well-known of these types of sites, along with eBay.
There are other sites you could look into setting up a shop on, too, including ArtFire, Big Cartel and Shopify (among others). So have a look around and see what best suits your products.
Promote yourself online
You don’t need a big-budget marketing campaign to get yourself out there. Using social media channels can be a cheap yet effective way to show your skills to customers or clients.
It will require a bit of planning, but using the correct platforms in the best way for your audience will build followers, exposure, and engagement. Once people start talking about you, your posts will be shared more and your audience will grow further.
So, depending on what you have to offer, and how much work you want to do, you can make it possible to work from home. It might be just for extra money or a whole new business, but these tips should help.
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