I’m fascinated with alternative ways of selling and procuring services. The recent trend towards self employment rather than having a fixed contract is a mixed blessing, and we’re seeing new vocabulary to describe it. There’s even a helpful article on BBC News to explain it.
So one night last week I sat down and introduced myself to the gig economy. I don’t expect to make any money from this but it’s an exercise is trying the principle out and seeing what happens. Right now, users of fiverr.com can offer to pay me £3.98 ($5 in GBP at today’s rate) to either write them a 500 word story or design a bespoke card/dice game.
As a new user with no ratings, I won’t appear on the most popular or most recommended boards, and I have picked two fairly busy sub sectors to advertise in. Needless to say, there has been no interest to date. Short of making a bit of beer money, I doubt there ever would be.
It also strikes me, looking at the website, how easy it would be to discover by accident that I’m suddenly popular and then feel as though I had to accept every offer of work going to make up for the next lull. As a part time thing to fill in the odd hour I can back this and be part of it, but I feel strongly it’s not the whole solution. It’s not really even one that can cover the basics of paid employment. I think I’d hate to be dependent on a pipeline of “gigs”, with one eye on the bank balance all the time.
I’ll let you know if I get any interest.
Andrew Clayton 