Most people think of a gig as something associated with hiring a band. However, a gig is really just a temporary job that pays daily or at the end of the job. Gig labor is a temporary labor job. Often times a contractor or landscaper may need temporary help with a particular job, but not have enough work to hire a full time crew so they hire a temporary person. Gig labor is different from a temp service in that there is no third party agency between you the worker and the guy needing your labor help. I found my gig labor jobs on Craigslist. Here are the three benefits of gig labor that I have discovered.
Gig labor pays cash
Most of the time, a gig labor job pays me cash daily. This is great. There is no start up cost except for some protective gear such as gloves, maybe safety glasses. From day one I am earning money which I invest into my other money making side hustles.
Fitness
Normally, I spend an hour or so in the gym, but in the COVID 19 pandemic of things, the gyms are not open. However, between hitting the streets for my normal cardio and my gig labor job, I have lost ten pounds not even trying. My gig labor job of choice has been mulching flower beds, because a hobby farm is part of my retirement plan. Even though I thought I had a great gym routine, mulching has introduced me to muscles that I did not know I had. Loading the wheel barrels helped tone my core and all the bending and squatting really works my butt and thighs. Plus I am sweating for six hours at a time.
Sharpening My Communication Skills
Normally, in the corporate world I manage around twenty five employees. Effective communication skills are essential. Everyone knows that effective communication involves transmitting a message and that message being received as intended. Receiving the message is the part that is being sharpened with a gig labor job, because each job is different, so too are the instructions. Working a gig labor job is a great exercise in practicing your ability to follow direction. Sometimes I have found the instruction so vague the crew is confused. Other times the instructions are so exact the progress of the job is delayed. Demonstration is helpful beyond words. As I work whatever gig job, I strive to understand the direction given and follow it to perfection. This is probably the most fascinating exercise of all. My goal is to take the listening side of communication and apply it to the next time that I must transmit directions.
Another communication skill that I noticed sharpened is effective is body language. For me it is pushing as hard as I can to do the job as instructed as fast as I can get the job done. The body language and performance that I give off, is transmitted to and influences the rest of the team. The last skill or reminder should I say that is improved by doing gig labor, is that I am working with people from all walks of life. I never talk much about where I am in my life, but I always remember that I had to work hard to get here. Therefore, I never look down anyone working hard. Its just all about getting the job done.
Conclusion
Working a gig labor job can be hard work and may not be for everyone. Not every person hiring you for the day will be easy to work with. I started my gig labor jobs a while back. I found one landscaper on Craigslist, that just keeps calling me every time he has flower beds to mulch. For me this has been great. Mulching is no fun, but it has paid me cash daily, improved my fitness, and sharpen my communication skills.
