Australia’s “gig economy” is flourishing but what is it and is it for you?

3 months ago I had never heard the term “gig economy” and I certainly did not know what it meant.?

I knew what freelancing was and I understood the difference between being engaged on a contract vs permanent employment.?

However, it was only once I joined Expert360 in early May that I learnt there is a whole world of opportunity out there for professional freelancers who enjoy the flexibility that freelance work affords combined with attractive day rates that keep them coming back for more.

Fast forward to the present day: Every week, my network expands as I meet more and more people who choose to take advantage of Australia’s “gig economy”.

Some have been a part of the Expert360 community for years while others have recently signed up to the Expert360 network and have become valued members of the Expert360 community.?

But who is Expert360 and who am I??

Expert360 is APAC’s #1 skilled talent network.?

Firstly, top tier professionals from various industries with wide-ranging skill-sets sign up to the Expert360 network (membership is completely free) and create their profile.?

They upload their photo, write a brief bio, outline their work experience and finally, they list their skills and work preferences, such as preferred industries and type of work.?

Once a freelance professional signs up with the Expert360 network, we then refer to them as an “Expert”.

We strongly encourage Experts to add their skills to their profile because each time a new project is posted to the network, our AI matching algorithm will recommend suitable projects for each Expert based on the skills they have selected. The recommended projects will appear on their personal dashboard and will also be emailed to the Expert.

In addition to utilising the AI matching algorithm to learn about new projects, Experts can browse various freelance projects and apply directly to projects through the network. Contracts are issued and payment is also orchestrated through the network.

Where do I fit into all this??

I am an Expert Relationship Manager at Expert360 and I am responsible for all Experts in the Management Consulting and M&A space.

I provide the human element of the Expert360 experience for Strategy and M&A Experts.

Instead of merely being an anonymous user of a job seeking platform, Experts are not only given access to our network and community, they are also provided with the additional service of direct, personalised support from me - essentially I am their point of contact for all things Expert360.

I answer their questions, I give them tips on how to get the most out of the Expert360 network, including offering advice on writing their applications and I love to hear their feedback on their experience of being part of the Expert360 community.?

The product development team loves hearing it too, and they often implement new features or improvements to the network off the back of feedback I have passed on to them from the Experts.

I maintain close contact with the Experts once they are engaged on a project through Expert360, working with them to facilitate contract extensions (this happens regularly) and I keep an eye out for suitable upcoming projects for when the Experts are available again.?

I’ve learnt a lot from meeting with 5-10 Experts every week for the past 3 months. One key question I always ask them is “What brings you to freelancing?” and there are some recurring themes emerging.?

Experts may use freelancing as an efficient way to supplement their income while they work on their own startup.

Or perhaps they want to take advantage of the flexibility of freelancing to travel for months at a time whenever they want.

Sometimes Experts leverage freelancing to break out of the pigeonhole they’re in. One Expert I know has many years of experience consulting in the healthcare industry. They don’t mind healthcare but found that they grew a bit tired of always being staffed only on healthcare work.?

Freelancing has enabled them to gain exposure and experience in other industries such as financial services and retail which they find challenging and rewarding.

Freelancing also allows Experts to buy themselves time as they plan their next career move without paying for it with a loss of income.?

I have met Experts who have left a toxic work culture at their last permanent position and are wary of jumping straight back into another permanent role. Freelancing gives them the space to evaluate what they really want and also offers exposure to different companies and industries - which is helpful for deciding next steps.?

Sometimes Experts do such a great job on a project and have such a positive experience that they are offered a permanent opportunity with that company.?

Then there are the Experts who are living their best life through Expert360 and have sworn off permanent opportunities entirely! As one Expert, who has declined a permanent offer from the client where they continue to freelance put it “Why would I take on a permanent role when I get paid much higher as a freelancer, I have the freedom to travel whenever and for however long I want, and I don’t have to put up with so much internal red tape and politics as I would if I were permanent - I’m never going back!”

Hopefully these anecdotes have provided some colourful insights into the fun, flexible and lucrative world of Australia’s “gig economy” - particularly, a gig with Expert360.

Now the only question you have to ask yourself is “Is Expert360 for me?”?

Click here to visit our website where you can find the different job types that we cater to - just scroll down the page to find them. The area that I look after as an Expert Relationship Manager is Management Consultants.

If you’re tempted but not entirely sold just yet, you can watch a brief demo of the Expert360 sign-up experience here.

There is no harm in signing up. It’s quick, easy and obligation-free. Once you create a profile on our network, you will receive a brief phone call from our vetting team to ensure you meet the criteria to become an Expert. Then you will be able to browse our available projects and see for yourself the types of day rates you can earn - they are always listed on every project ad.?

There’s really no reason to hesitate.

We can help you do the best work of your life.