Tag Archives: Gig Economy

Poll Results: The Most Popular Part-Time Jobs

Which job should you choose?

Fulltime work isn’t for everyone. Some workers are at a point in their lives where they want to spend more time with their families and less time at the office. Others need to be able to balance taking care of children or sick relatives with earning a paycheck.

For those looking for something different than the traditional 8-to-5, part-time work can be a great option.

Last month we conducted a poll asking voters what type of part-time work they would consider.

The Results

Professional/office position came in first with over 27% of the votes, followed by data entry with 21%, and customer service/call center in third with 17% of the votes.

Other results included:

  • Food service: 8.5%
  • Warehousing/assembly line: 7.4%
  • Retail industry: 6%
  • Other: 3.5%
    • Choices included house cleaning, working from home, and quality engineer
  • Taxi/ridesharing driver: 1%
  • I will not consider part-time work: 1%

What does this mean?

For much of our audience, part-time work is a great choice for later in life. Industrial positions are harder to do, so desk jobs become attractive. Taking a few hours to work behind a cubicle or in a call center is worth it to be able to spend time with your family.

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Express Employment Professionals is a leading staffing provider in the U.S and Canada with over 800 locations. If you have any questions about part-time work in your area or job search in general, feel free to contact your local Express office or fill out our online contact form.

Are you a part-timer? What kind of work do you do? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

Part-Time Jobs to Do While Job Searching

It takes time to find the perfect job, but you need money now—what can you do?

The job search isn’t quick. Even if you know exactly what type of job you’re looking for, you still have to find an opening to apply for. Next is waiting to see if you get an interview and subsequently attending it. And finally, you wait once again to see if you got the job. That’s a lot of time spent waiting, not considering the hours you spend online or at professional events searching and networking.

Trying to find a great full-time job is a job in and of itself. But one that pays absolutely nothing. And being unemployed doesn’t prevent your bills from piling up. Luckily, a great and flexible part-time job can be the perfect way to escape the job search for a bit, gain experience, and put money in your bank account. Here are our top choices.

Retailer/Cashier

The service industry is always looking for applicants, partly due to many companies not paying a competitive wage. Although this can be hurtful for those wanting to work fulltime in the service industry, the lower wages can mean increased flexibility in a bid to attract applicants. For job seekers looking to earn some sort of income while they’re in the job market, this could be an ideal situation.

Handyman

If you’re good with your hands and looking for something on the industrial side, handyman work might be for you. The difference between being a handyman and a contractor is what is known as a “Minor Work Exemption” or “Handyman Exemption.” Although the particulars vary by state, the main takeaway is that small jobs that rise above a certain price point (or certain types of work) may require a license.

Although it will be up to you to find clients, with handyman work, you can set your own hours, fitting in time to job search as needed.

Administrative/Personal Assistant

Admin and personal assistants are positions like cashiers in that they have fairly high turnover. However, they also can provide exposure to an industry you might be interested in. Looking for a marketing or PR position? Try to find an admin gig at an ad agency or marketing department. Is accounting or finance more your speed? Check and see if anybody is looking for a personal assistant in those departments.

Most every department and business needs an administrative assistant. And if you have to take a part-time job to pay the bills while you’re looking for you dream job, why not choose something in a related industry?

Contact Express

Not sure how to find any of those part-time jobs? At Express, we know that everyone’s job search is different. Some are looking for a career, while others just want something to pay the bills. Either way, whether it’s part time, full time, or something in between, we’re here to help. Check out our online office locator to find a location near you and schedule an in-person visit, or register online.

Have you ever taken on a part-time job while you were job searching? What did you choose? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

 

The New Look of Temporary Work

There’s been a huge shift in the way companies do business today as staffing services have become a more important part of business and hiring strategies. Since the great recession, U.S. staffing firms have created more jobs than any other industry and are expected to grow faster and add more new jobs in the next decade, according to American Staffing Association (ASA). Business owners are increasingly using temporary and contract staffing  to help them quickly react to changing market conditions.

This change in hiring preference can be seen in data from Express Employment Professionals, who conducted a survey of 665 employers throughout the U.S. and Canada and found that many planned on adding temporary workers in the third quarter, especially in the commercial and light industrial sectors.

Should You Consider Temporary Work?

Staffing agencies are allowing businesses the flexibility to expand and decrease their workforce to meet demand. Like employers, workers are also seeing the benefits of flexible employment. According to a recent story by National Public Radio, temporary employment is a good way to get your foot in the door with a company. Contingent workers also have the freedom to travel and work in different fields. Working on a temporary basis for different employers allows you an opportunity to increase your skill set, network, and have flexibility in your work life. Because of this freedom, more workers are using temporary work to stay effective in their specific fields. By working in different environments, social settings and businesses, workers have to adapt their specific skills and training to fit in the ever-changing company cultures. This is one reason temporary workers are becoming more effective and experienced in the workplace.

Another trend in this industry is that staffing employees are working for firms longer than ever before. The staffing industry has lately seen an increase in tenure compared to previous years. While employers watch for signs of growth, they are keeping contract workers for extended periods. Workers are seeing this as a great way to potentially be hired on full time with companies later. A recent study by ASA found that when the economy is growing at a normal rate, 53% of staffing employees who remain in the workforce bridge to full-time employment. This is why temporary work could be a great choice for you. It provides you with more opportunities while giving employers a first-hand look at your potential to do well in a company.

In the next 10 years, the U.S. staffing industry is expected to grow faster and add more new jobs than nearly any other industry, according to ASA. And to solidify its proper place, the BLS believes the demand for temporary help will generate a significant amount of employment growth during this next decade. The staffing industry is growing and becoming a more vital aspect of the business environment, and temporary workers are on the front end leading the change.

Have you ever tried temporary work? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

Should You Quit Your Contract Job?

Is a full-time job more your speed?

Gig work (also known as contract labor) can be great for those looking for flexibility. If you have a family to support and prefer stability, however, it might be time to look for something full-time. But first, do some research to figure out what type of labor is best for you. After all, the perfect choice depends on your own unique circumstances and financial situation.

In this blog, we’ll cover some of the key pros and cons of full-time work. And don’t forget to check out last month’s blog to see what we have to say about gig work.

Full-Time Labor

Pros

1.       Stability

When a person is working full-time, they don’t need to worry about where their next gig is coming from. As long as they do their job well and the company stays afloat, they’ll keep getting a regular paycheck.

As a full-time employee, one can expect their employer to be in charge of withholding income taxes and handling social security and Medicare deductions. Many full-time positions also come with additional benefits such as a 401 (k), profit sharing, or childcare reimbursements.

Contractors have to handle all of these responsibilities themselves. This takes both time and money. Although contractors are sometimes paid more to do the same work, it’s may not be sufficient to make up for these additional responsibilities.

2.       Existing Corporate Ladder

The gig economy does not provide a career path blueprint for workers to follow. In order to get anywhere professionally, contractors have to create their own career plan. Since contractors will never receive promotions, they need to create their own opportunities.

As a full-time employee, there will most likely be certain career thresholds in place. Employees can work with managers to set goals and expectations. They are also free to look at other positions in the company and work toward those positions.

3.       You’re Part of the Family

Being full-time means putting a personal stake in the future of the company. It is assumed employees will want to grow and learn with the company and that they are in it for the long-term. As a result, management will usually promote teamwork. Social nights, group projects, group lunches—activities designed to make each employee feel like part of something bigger than themselves.

Contractors do not always get this same treatment. They usually aren’t there permanently, and recognition programs cost money. Although it’s a financial decision rather than a personal one, it can still hurt to be seen as an outsider.

Cons

1.       Less Flexibility

Full-time employees are expected to work a certain schedule, regardless of how long it actually takes them to get their work done. This isn’t neccesarily a bad thing, but some positions come with plenty of down time in between tasks. An employee might even finish all of their work for the day in five hours. This can become frustrating and boring for some workers.

An employee isn’t his own boss with full-time work. Vacation, lunch breaks, sick leave—all of these are controlled by his or her employer. If a set routine isn’t for you, you might want to look into contract work.

2.       More Stress in the Short-Term

Full-time employees are expected to be a long-term asset to the company. To be good employees, they need to constantly up the ante, learn more, and apply it to their position. They also typically have more responsibilities than contractors.

Contractors, on the other hand, typically don’t have to deal with the hustle of full-time positions. They don’t need to worry about who likes them or where they are in their career path (at least as it applies to a single company). They are there to do one job, do it well, and move on. Their stress comes from finding the next gig and managing their life, not the rigors of office life.

Contractors know the terms of their position. They know when it will start, what they need to accomplish, and when it will end. Everything is clearly delineated (in the short-term at least—long-term is a different story). Not so for full-time employees. Goals may be set and worked toward, but the how of it is much more nebulous.

3.       You’re Part of the Family?

Here we are again. This one is both a pro and a con. Families aren’t always happy after all. Being a full-time employee necessitates bonding with managers and coworkers. Otherwise an employee can be seen as a loner.

However, if the girl in the cubicle across the way hates them because they took her friend’s job, there isn’t really anything they can do about it. Same goes for finding out that the company culture is completely against their values.

Contract workers are more or less free from these office politics. If a contractor does run into a toxic work environment, they just have to wait it out until their next gig. A full-time employee, on the other hand, has to either suck it up or once again plunge into a complicated job search.

Is a full-time position for you? If you find the very idea of a set schedule hair-raising, you should probably look into gig work. But if you hate surprises and crave consistency, full-time work can provide that for you. You’ll become part of a community, with its own rules, regulations, people, and culture. It’s far less volatile than contract work, and you usually know what to expect in the long-term.

Have any opinions on full-time work? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Should You Quit Your Full-Time Job?

Is the gig economy right for you?

Close-up of business people hands shakingWhen you’re working full-time in a position that isn’t your favorite, it can be tempting to take on a short-term contract job that pays more than what you’re currently making. The same thing applies to those who are fed up with the gig economy and want to try out full-time stability. But each type of work comes with its own set of challenges. The perfect choice for you depends on your personality and current economic situation.

In this blog, we’ll cover some of the key pros and cons of gig work (aka contract work). Tune in next month to see what we have to say about full-time work!

Contract Labor

Pros

1.       Flexibility

Contract work doesn’t lock you into a company long-term. It provides the freedom to try a company and a career on a trial basis. Maybe you find out customer service isn’t your thing, or maybe a family-owned company is too small for you. Instead of being trapped in a full-time job, you’re free to try something else as soon as your contract ends.

2.       Less Cultural Pressure

When you’re in it for the long haul, you need to forge relationships and ingrain yourself in the company culture in order to be successful. Otherwise you’ll be seen as a loner, and will most likely not progress.

Although being a contract worker does not give you the right to be apathetic or rude to co-workers, it does allow for a bit of freedom from the hustle and bustle of the office. You can limit your socialization to contacts needed to perform your job, since you won’t be there forever.

You’re also already seen as a bit of an outsider, which allows you to set yourself up as an observer. Introverted or just not into socializing? Contract work can help you gain valuable skills without the need to build a “work family.”

3.       Gain a Wide Skillset

Becoming a member of the gig economy means setting your own career goals. Decide what you want to learn on your schedule. Think of it as a continuing education—each job is like a class, where you are free to learn new and interesting skills from a wide variety of disciplines. One day you might be learning an in-demand website building program, the next how to excel in Microsoft Excel.

Cons

1.       Can Be Difficult to Set a Career Path

When you’re constantly doing contract work, there’s no prototype career path to follow. You won’t get quality of living raises or promotions. The burden is on you to figure out what your ultimate goal is, and work different jobs towards that goal.

Not setting an end goal puts you at risk of floundering from job to job, staying stagnant in your skillset. If you keep taking the same type of job and aren’t being challenged anymore, it may be time to make a change.

2.       You Might Feel Like the “Other”

As a contract worker, you may sometimes feel left out of office situations or events. This can be great if you like your space, but awkward if you’re a more social person. Usually it’s nothing personal—there may be various laws or regulations that prevent the company from letting you come on certain business trips, for example.

Other times your co-workers may not take the time to get to know you purely because they know you won’t be there very long. Again, it isn’t anything personal—you just might not be there long enough for them to get close to you.

3.       Lack of Stability

In order to have a dependable source of income, you need to be extremely vigilant when it comes to contract work. Since you don’t know in advance where your next job is coming from, you should get in touch with your contacts or recruiter about six weeks before a job ends. Otherwise there may be periods of unemployment between jobs. Meaning contract work might not be the best choice for those with families to support.

Contract work also necessitates finding your own insurance and retirement account, as those will not be offered by companies. You will also miss out on other potential company perks such as profit-sharing or paid childcare. And if you’re ever let go, there won’t necessarily (depending on the contract) be unemployment to fall back on.

So, who is gig work best for? Someone who wants to explore what’s out there without being tied down. Someone who isn’t always looking for their next raise or a chance to climb through the ranks of a company. Or even someone in the military whose spouse could move at a moment’s notice. Basically, someone who wants the flexibility to do what they want or try jobs on a trial basis at the cost of job stability.

Have any opinions on gig work? Let us know about it in the comments below!