Is There a Difference Between a Gig and a Job?

As we’ve written before, the gig economy is growing fast; in fact, its notoriety is such that it was voted concept of the year by the Financial Times in December 2015.

With all the opportunities of this new way of working comes questions.

What, for instance, is the difference between a gig and a job?

Traditionally, a job has been a long term, ongoing commitment in which an activity is completed in exchange for compensation. Typically, roles, hours and other requirements are dictated to workers by management. Most jobs have not been very flexible, and the nature of this type of employment keeps workers in one or a very few projects in which they maintain a similar role. Gigs, on the other hand, offer much more flexibility. This type of working arrangement is often short term. Thus, workers in this type of employment may find themselves switching between multiple projects in which they hold various roles. Because of the transitory nature of a gig, income can be unstable. Understandably, instability and income don’t go well together. Thus, gigging was never considered a viable employment option for people in many industries.

This is all changing. The line between gigging and working a traditional job is getting murkier by the minute.

We all work

As individuals from many industries, from law to technology to retail, are taking on more gig-like work, gigs are acquiring more hallmarks of a traditional job: deadlines, working hours, particular roles and project requirements. The difference? People can take on multiple gigs, and move on once a gig is over. Not only does this mean giggers enjoy more flexibility than traditional workers, they pick up more skills and strategies on each gig that can help them with the next one.

The Wordsmithie team personifies the concept of gigging. Everyone on the team is a qualified, industry-renown professional. However, we all also have diverse and unrelated interests and pursuits- other gigs- that we pursue outside of our Wordsmithie-related work. And oftentimes, this outside work complements the work we do for our clients.

We’re happy the lines are getting thinner between gigging and traditional jobs, because the two are really one and same for us.

Khaleelah Jones

Khaleelah Jones is a digital marketing consultant who has worked with tech startups, educational institutions and non-profits on acquisition and engagement strategy, implementation and KPI modeling. When she’s not working, she can be found reading, writing, pontificating history, yoga-ing and making up verbs.

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