What do you think?
Rate this book
The Gig Economy: The Complete Guide to Getting Better Work, Taking More Time Off, and Financing the Life You Want
Today, most Americans are working in the gig economy--mixing together short-term jobs, contract work, and freelance assignments. Learn how to embrace the independent and self-sufficient world of freelance!
The Gig Economy is your guide to this uncertain but ultimately rewarding world. Packed with research, exercises, and anecdotes, this eye-opening book supplies strategies--ranging from the professional to the personal--to help you leverage your skills, knowledge, and network to create your own career trajectory.
In this book, you will learn how
Construct a life based on your priorities and vision of successCultivate connections without networkingCreate your own securityBuild flexibility into your financial lifeFace your fears by reducing riskCorporate jobs are not only unstable--they’re increasingly scarce. It’s time to take charge of your own career and lead the life you want, one immune to the impulsive whims of an employer looking only at today’s bottom line. Start mapping out your place in the gig economy today!
The Gig Economy is your guide to this uncertain but ultimately rewarding world. Packed with research, exercises, and anecdotes, this eye-opening book supplies strategies--ranging from the professional to the personal--to help you leverage your skills, knowledge, and network to create your own career trajectory.
In this book, you will learn how
Construct a life based on your priorities and vision of successCultivate connections without networkingCreate your own securityBuild flexibility into your financial lifeFace your fears by reducing riskCorporate jobs are not only unstable--they’re increasingly scarce. It’s time to take charge of your own career and lead the life you want, one immune to the impulsive whims of an employer looking only at today’s bottom line. Start mapping out your place in the gig economy today!
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2016
372 people are currently reading
1024 people want to read
About the author
Diane Mulcahy
4 books11 followersDIANE MULCAHY is a Senior Fellow at the Kauffman Foundation and an Adjunct Lecturer at Babson College, where she teaches “Entrepreneurship and the Gig Economy,” a popular MBA course that Forbes.com named one of the top ten most innovative business school classes in the country. Her work in venture capital and entrepreneurship has been featured on NPR and in the Harvard Business Review, The Huffington Post, Fortune, Forbes, The New Yorker, The Economist, and other national media.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
April 21, 2017
As someone the gig economy is working out well for, I think this book is entirely too optimistic. You can't praise low barriers to entry without acknowledging that it will result in a flooded marketplace, but the book avoids societal statistics in favor of success anecdotes. It's clearly targeted toward people who start out pretty wealthy and with a lot of advantages.
September 5, 2017
Technically, I'm giving this book a 2.5.
Initially I was very excited about this book. As of this year, I was on my own personal journey to becoming a gig worker with a diversified stream of incomes and volunteering my time to expand my network.
Kudos to Mulcahy for providing excellent real-world exercises that everyone should do in order to help them find their ideal job or jobs as it were.
My problem with this book (and it's a big one) is that Mulcahy does not offer the downside of the gig economy. I 100% agree with her that full-time 9-5 employment in an office is not the future of work. But hustling for your next paycheck also has significant downsides. Downsides that Mulcahy paints in a rather positive light. As of this writing, I've submitted 6 proposals on UpWork, none of which has resulted in a paycheck. I've also been approached by not one but two scammers via UpWork who presented themselves as recruiters. Luckily I had sense enough to investigate before going down a bad path.
She brings up the fact that traditional employers need to change the way benefits are distributed. Once again I agree with this statement but I think she does a disservice to service industry workers who have been on the front lines of this battle. I get the impression that the upper middle class information workers are okay with fast food workers working 3 jobs with no benefits but now that traditional office employment isn't working for us, now we're raising the flag. I felt that Mulcahy could have done a better job of pointing out how this would be a great topic for all of us to come together as a society for the betterment of all workers, not just us information workers who can make a lot of money in a short time and then spend the rest of the time vacationing.
Happy I read the book and I loved the two excercises about how you define success and how to refine your defition of success but she just seemed a bit over enthusiastic about how great the gig life is. I'm also lucky enough to have a husband with a stable job and benefits, I can't imagine the stress of this lifestyle going it alone.
Initially I was very excited about this book. As of this year, I was on my own personal journey to becoming a gig worker with a diversified stream of incomes and volunteering my time to expand my network.
Kudos to Mulcahy for providing excellent real-world exercises that everyone should do in order to help them find their ideal job or jobs as it were.
My problem with this book (and it's a big one) is that Mulcahy does not offer the downside of the gig economy. I 100% agree with her that full-time 9-5 employment in an office is not the future of work. But hustling for your next paycheck also has significant downsides. Downsides that Mulcahy paints in a rather positive light. As of this writing, I've submitted 6 proposals on UpWork, none of which has resulted in a paycheck. I've also been approached by not one but two scammers via UpWork who presented themselves as recruiters. Luckily I had sense enough to investigate before going down a bad path.
She brings up the fact that traditional employers need to change the way benefits are distributed. Once again I agree with this statement but I think she does a disservice to service industry workers who have been on the front lines of this battle. I get the impression that the upper middle class information workers are okay with fast food workers working 3 jobs with no benefits but now that traditional office employment isn't working for us, now we're raising the flag. I felt that Mulcahy could have done a better job of pointing out how this would be a great topic for all of us to come together as a society for the betterment of all workers, not just us information workers who can make a lot of money in a short time and then spend the rest of the time vacationing.
Happy I read the book and I loved the two excercises about how you define success and how to refine your defition of success but she just seemed a bit over enthusiastic about how great the gig life is. I'm also lucky enough to have a husband with a stable job and benefits, I can't imagine the stress of this lifestyle going it alone.
June 12, 2017
Check, please. Reality check, that is.
The people most likely to find this book helpful and uplifting are those who have already saved a few hundred thousand or who are partnered with someone with a stable income. It paints far too rosy a picture of the bleak reality. The truth is that the gig economy for most of us is far less like being a web designer with a view of Bora Bora and more like being a hobo, and it’s no way to live.
Mulcahy describes what she perceives as the inevitable reality of the gig economy: a dystopia in which government no longer requires employers to provide employees with a regular salary, health insurance, unemployment insurance, retirement benefits or safety nets of any kind; and in which employers no longer invest in employees but expect them to shoulder the burden of costs (and go into debt) for education and updating skills. When the issue is raised about colleges not training students in the skills employers need, why is it that no one asks why employers are not providing the training they want once they employ the person? In short, the social contract has been breached due to capitalism run amok and insufficient governmental intervention that has put the foxes in charge of the henhouse.
It is rather distasteful that anyone could serve as a cheerleader for this situation, as Mulcahy does, saying: "More time off--hooray! More freedom--hooray!" She has donned rose-colored glasses and admits only part of the downside: living with less money and stability. She actually tells the reader not to own stuff, just access it. Oh, and make do with a few suitcases of stuff and be mobile so you can live in Tahiti or travel from one Airbnb to the other. That’s great if you’re 20 with a trust fund; not so great at 40 or 50, especially if one has offspring.
Moreover, Mulcahy really does NOT do justice to the amount of unpaid time that one has to put forth into acquiring "gigs." She advocates volunteering and speaking for free and blogging, etc. In reality, acquisition of gigs accounts for untold --and unpaid hours-- every day and every week to get a gig that may provide for a bit of income on which to survive. She says to save money when you can. Hunh? When 66M Americans already have zero savings, it’s hard to imagine how that will work.
Time for the government to step in and end the uberfication of labor or better yet, implement a Universal Basic Income and universal health care, which could actually provide for a better quality of living for us all.
The people most likely to find this book helpful and uplifting are those who have already saved a few hundred thousand or who are partnered with someone with a stable income. It paints far too rosy a picture of the bleak reality. The truth is that the gig economy for most of us is far less like being a web designer with a view of Bora Bora and more like being a hobo, and it’s no way to live.
Mulcahy describes what she perceives as the inevitable reality of the gig economy: a dystopia in which government no longer requires employers to provide employees with a regular salary, health insurance, unemployment insurance, retirement benefits or safety nets of any kind; and in which employers no longer invest in employees but expect them to shoulder the burden of costs (and go into debt) for education and updating skills. When the issue is raised about colleges not training students in the skills employers need, why is it that no one asks why employers are not providing the training they want once they employ the person? In short, the social contract has been breached due to capitalism run amok and insufficient governmental intervention that has put the foxes in charge of the henhouse.
It is rather distasteful that anyone could serve as a cheerleader for this situation, as Mulcahy does, saying: "More time off--hooray! More freedom--hooray!" She has donned rose-colored glasses and admits only part of the downside: living with less money and stability. She actually tells the reader not to own stuff, just access it. Oh, and make do with a few suitcases of stuff and be mobile so you can live in Tahiti or travel from one Airbnb to the other. That’s great if you’re 20 with a trust fund; not so great at 40 or 50, especially if one has offspring.
Moreover, Mulcahy really does NOT do justice to the amount of unpaid time that one has to put forth into acquiring "gigs." She advocates volunteering and speaking for free and blogging, etc. In reality, acquisition of gigs accounts for untold --and unpaid hours-- every day and every week to get a gig that may provide for a bit of income on which to survive. She says to save money when you can. Hunh? When 66M Americans already have zero savings, it’s hard to imagine how that will work.
Time for the government to step in and end the uberfication of labor or better yet, implement a Universal Basic Income and universal health care, which could actually provide for a better quality of living for us all.
January 18, 2018
We're not there yet. Most of the book speaks as though the Gig Economy is here and ready for you, but read the final chapter and you'll see that the pretty picture is really a vision of the future, and not currently viable.
This book reads, mostly, like an advertisement for quitting your 9-to-5 and hustling some gigs. I am eager to accept this particular advertising. I'm tired of the bureaucracy and dullness of constant employment, ready to work a little here and a little there. I am an easy mark, ready to buy what Mulcahy is selling.
However, even I see the chinks in her pitch. Now and then, with the same enthusiasm, she throws in a suggestion that you rent out your home on AirBnB (which of course depends on owning a home, which she says is a mistake) or spend your days on Amazon Mechanical Turk (which is a good way to earn $1 per day). These unrealistic suggestions cast suspicion upon her related ideas, such as gigging through UpWork (which is certainly more lucrative for skilled workers than the Turk is, but still fairly low yield from the little math I've done on the example jobs I've seen posted).
Then we get to the final chapter, which doesn't even have a chapter number. It's the chapter after chapter 10. This chapter has a totally different tone, and it betrays Mulcahy's real intended audience. If you're a 9-to-5er who's considering making the leap to gigging, this book may include some pointers, but you aren't the real audience.
Mulcahy is writing to policy makers. She spends the first 90% of the book building up the desirability of gigging, but in the final chapter, lets it all fall down, and lays the rubble at the feet of lawmakers. Here's a sample:
If you're a policymaker, please read this book. If you're determined to Go Gig, maybe read this book. If you're wondering whether you should, then start with the last chapter, because that's where the hard part is acknowledged.
This book reads, mostly, like an advertisement for quitting your 9-to-5 and hustling some gigs. I am eager to accept this particular advertising. I'm tired of the bureaucracy and dullness of constant employment, ready to work a little here and a little there. I am an easy mark, ready to buy what Mulcahy is selling.
However, even I see the chinks in her pitch. Now and then, with the same enthusiasm, she throws in a suggestion that you rent out your home on AirBnB (which of course depends on owning a home, which she says is a mistake) or spend your days on Amazon Mechanical Turk (which is a good way to earn $1 per day). These unrealistic suggestions cast suspicion upon her related ideas, such as gigging through UpWork (which is certainly more lucrative for skilled workers than the Turk is, but still fairly low yield from the little math I've done on the example jobs I've seen posted).
Then we get to the final chapter, which doesn't even have a chapter number. It's the chapter after chapter 10. This chapter has a totally different tone, and it betrays Mulcahy's real intended audience. If you're a 9-to-5er who's considering making the leap to gigging, this book may include some pointers, but you aren't the real audience.
Mulcahy is writing to policy makers. She spends the first 90% of the book building up the desirability of gigging, but in the final chapter, lets it all fall down, and lays the rubble at the feet of lawmakers. Here's a sample:
Government inaction and unwillingness to update labor policies is causing confusion, distorting the labor market, and forcing companies and workers to take on risk when they opt to work outside of the rigid constructs of a full-time job. Until government labor policies change, workers will continue to have no way to access certain benefits, rights, and protections unless they have a traditional job, and companies will continue to have both the opportunity and economic incentive to hire contractors instead of employees.
If you're a policymaker, please read this book. If you're determined to Go Gig, maybe read this book. If you're wondering whether you should, then start with the last chapter, because that's where the hard part is acknowledged.
October 29, 2018
The author could have taken this book in many different directions, and she caught most of what I was expecting. The book focuses on living the life of a person living gig to gig. The feel is rosy, perhaps too rosy. The audience appears to be those that have safety nets in working spouses, insurance coverage, family support, existing business relationships, marketable skills, and the like. For those looking for validation of value in a gig economy, and an explanation of the paths needed to compete in this area, I believe there are other books that would be a better use of time. This is just too cheerleader-ish, and with a lot of content that is common sense. The variety of content was good and mostly interesting, with many examples of people working gigs.
February 10, 2017
An interesting read, and the author goes into a lot of how-to detail, which is much more useful than just a theoretical, academic look at the concept. However, the premise of the book and the ability for a person to actually to this rides on the fact that they have a skill or trade that easily translates into an entrepreneurial venture. Writing, consulting, teaching, these skills that the author has work well with the concept, but for those that can't pull $50 an hour as a marketing consultant, they will have to work a lot harder than what is presented in the book.
March 4, 2021
This book has not aged well. Even though it was published in 2016, the arguments made in this book that posit precarious, low-paying work as 'flexible' and 'allowing workers to take control of their lives' or whatever has been proven untrue by the myriad studies showing that precarity in the workforce is bad for people's health, for the economy, and for work output more generally. The author's insistence that people can just 'minimize expenses' to save independently of an employer-supported pension for retirement, AND put money aside for interspersed years off from contract work, completely ignores the reality that precarious and contract work is largely low-paying and disproportionately affects young people, women, and racialized people more than anyone else - communities who are already more vulnerable to market swings and who are more often passed over for good-paying, stable work. It made me furious.
August 2, 2017
The Gig Economy
Diane Mulcahy
2017
When a book makes you think it is a good book. This is an excellent book – full of errors (or some things to discuss, at the very least).
The book tackles life as many of been raised to ‘expect’ it.
Unfortunately that ‘life’ was a product of 1950s television. Does anyone still watch TV?
Large Disclaimers
Page 1: Take this job and shove it ~ Johnny Paycheck
Page 4: 10 rules to succeed in the Gig Economy
1. Define your success
2. Diversify
3. Create your own security
4. Connect without networking
5. Face fear by reducing risk
6. Take time off between gigs
7. Be mindful about time
8. Be financially flexible
9. Think access, not ownership
10. Save for a traditional retirement…but don’t plan on having one
Page 5: It tunes out that young businesses – not small businesses, as is widely believed – create most new jobs.
Page 7: The Gig Economy is an economy of skills, and skilled workers are the winners who take all.
Page 9: …platforms like TaskRabbit or Postmates…
Hire a contractor via Upwork, LinkedIn or Flexjobs
Part One: Getting Better work
Page 10:…followed her own interests and desires
EN: Think Read Analysis Plot (Plan) – TRAP method
19: Define your vision of success
21: digital nomads
In the end, money and career success didn’t correlate to greater happiness or meaning – only relationships mattered.
23: “The Dash” by Linda Ellis:
For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.”
29: We can accomplish more of our biggest and meaningful goals if we give ourselves the right amount of time.
Gig economy: Shift from an Employee mindset to an Opportunity mindset
33: You can’t model for the rest of your life, so it is important to diversify your career ~ Tyra Banks
35: Building a portfolio of Gigs
EN: Why not build some IP as well?
• Technology
• Database
• Content
• Systems
• Relationships
o Something that can be monetized at a later date?
Gigs to:
• Get foot in the door
• Experiment
• Learn by doing
• What you really want to do
43: The risk of over-diversification
EN: it is the 80/20, you need to get value from part of what you do – skill, industry, relationships, fixes – so that you are not just a provider of a commodity (ie text) but of valuable solutions. Can’t be an expert in everything! Cost of learning too high!!
Think Value
Chapter 3: Create your own security
Security is mostly a superstition ~ Helen Keller
50: Create income security
• Build skills
• Create a pipeline of opportunities
• Multiple sources
• Keep fixed costs low
• Enter with an exit strategy
• Create exit strategy to leave your job
o Reduce uncertainty
Chapter 4: Connect without networking
The most exhausting thing in life, I have discovered, is being insincere _ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Friendly introductions and warm leads are the currency of the Gig Economy.
66: strong ties too similar to us; best leads come from weak ties….
Inbound connecting
• Writing
o Curate
o Comment
o Create
• Speaking
• Hosting
Outbound connecting
• Join Curated groups
• Leveraging technology
• Your Gig Economy pitch
o What your solution is
Your ask is a request to help you move forward
• Specific
• Thoughtful
• Targeted
• Respectful
Introductions and referrals:
• Respect introducer’s time
• Respect effort
• Respect social capital
Maintain your network
Part 2: Taking more time off
Chapter 5: Face fear by reducing risk
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure ~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Face fear by starting with the worst case
Chapter 6: Take time off between gigs
EN: Make travel part of your Gig?
• Prospect
• Service
• Research
Chapter 7: Be mindful about time
I’m happy to be reminded that an ordinary day full of nothing but nothingness can make you feel like you’ve won the lottery ~ Sudan Orlean
EN: Learn quality and not quantity…but sometimes you need to churn it!
128: Reclaiming your time, Ds can help clear space on our schedule:
• Drop it
• Diminish it
• Defer it
• Delegate it
133: The makers schedule: when you need blocks of focused time to think, strategize or complete tasks and projects
Being mindful about time is the new busy
Part 3: Financing the life you want
Chapter 8: Be financially flexible
146: A check book Diagnostic
1. Revisit priorities
2. Audit spending
3. Evaluate if spending aligned with priorities
148: make more money
Spend less than you make – SAVE
Live on one salary
Bank windfalls
EN: create a business and live – in part – on pre tax dollars
Keep personal burn rate low
Create a financial plan
• EN: this is a must!
Chapter 9: Think access, not ownership
EN Own nothing; control everything ~ Nelson Rockefeller.
161: Ownership and the thief of debt…
Nearly 2/3 of the wealth of middle class Americans is in their homes…overinvested
EN: the reason that home ownership works for most people is:
• Forced savings
• Inflation
Chapter 10: Save for a traditional retirement…but don’t plan on having one
Yet there is no country and no people, I think, who can look forward to the age of leisure and of abundance without a dread ~ John Maynard Keynes
180: financial plan
181: Plan to work longer and retire later…
EN: retire sooner; spend less; work forever
Diane Mulcahy
2017
When a book makes you think it is a good book. This is an excellent book – full of errors (or some things to discuss, at the very least).
The book tackles life as many of been raised to ‘expect’ it.
Unfortunately that ‘life’ was a product of 1950s television. Does anyone still watch TV?
Large Disclaimers
Page 1: Take this job and shove it ~ Johnny Paycheck
Page 4: 10 rules to succeed in the Gig Economy
1. Define your success
2. Diversify
3. Create your own security
4. Connect without networking
5. Face fear by reducing risk
6. Take time off between gigs
7. Be mindful about time
8. Be financially flexible
9. Think access, not ownership
10. Save for a traditional retirement…but don’t plan on having one
Page 5: It tunes out that young businesses – not small businesses, as is widely believed – create most new jobs.
Page 7: The Gig Economy is an economy of skills, and skilled workers are the winners who take all.
Page 9: …platforms like TaskRabbit or Postmates…
Hire a contractor via Upwork, LinkedIn or Flexjobs
Part One: Getting Better work
Page 10:…followed her own interests and desires
EN: Think Read Analysis Plot (Plan) – TRAP method
19: Define your vision of success
21: digital nomads
In the end, money and career success didn’t correlate to greater happiness or meaning – only relationships mattered.
23: “The Dash” by Linda Ellis:
For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.”
29: We can accomplish more of our biggest and meaningful goals if we give ourselves the right amount of time.
Gig economy: Shift from an Employee mindset to an Opportunity mindset
33: You can’t model for the rest of your life, so it is important to diversify your career ~ Tyra Banks
35: Building a portfolio of Gigs
EN: Why not build some IP as well?
• Technology
• Database
• Content
• Systems
• Relationships
o Something that can be monetized at a later date?
Gigs to:
• Get foot in the door
• Experiment
• Learn by doing
• What you really want to do
43: The risk of over-diversification
EN: it is the 80/20, you need to get value from part of what you do – skill, industry, relationships, fixes – so that you are not just a provider of a commodity (ie text) but of valuable solutions. Can’t be an expert in everything! Cost of learning too high!!
Think Value
Chapter 3: Create your own security
Security is mostly a superstition ~ Helen Keller
50: Create income security
• Build skills
• Create a pipeline of opportunities
• Multiple sources
• Keep fixed costs low
• Enter with an exit strategy
• Create exit strategy to leave your job
o Reduce uncertainty
Chapter 4: Connect without networking
The most exhausting thing in life, I have discovered, is being insincere _ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Friendly introductions and warm leads are the currency of the Gig Economy.
66: strong ties too similar to us; best leads come from weak ties….
Inbound connecting
• Writing
o Curate
o Comment
o Create
• Speaking
• Hosting
Outbound connecting
• Join Curated groups
• Leveraging technology
• Your Gig Economy pitch
o What your solution is
Your ask is a request to help you move forward
• Specific
• Thoughtful
• Targeted
• Respectful
Introductions and referrals:
• Respect introducer’s time
• Respect effort
• Respect social capital
Maintain your network
Part 2: Taking more time off
Chapter 5: Face fear by reducing risk
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure ~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Face fear by starting with the worst case
Chapter 6: Take time off between gigs
EN: Make travel part of your Gig?
• Prospect
• Service
• Research
Chapter 7: Be mindful about time
I’m happy to be reminded that an ordinary day full of nothing but nothingness can make you feel like you’ve won the lottery ~ Sudan Orlean
EN: Learn quality and not quantity…but sometimes you need to churn it!
128: Reclaiming your time, Ds can help clear space on our schedule:
• Drop it
• Diminish it
• Defer it
• Delegate it
133: The makers schedule: when you need blocks of focused time to think, strategize or complete tasks and projects
Being mindful about time is the new busy
Part 3: Financing the life you want
Chapter 8: Be financially flexible
146: A check book Diagnostic
1. Revisit priorities
2. Audit spending
3. Evaluate if spending aligned with priorities
148: make more money
Spend less than you make – SAVE
Live on one salary
Bank windfalls
EN: create a business and live – in part – on pre tax dollars
Keep personal burn rate low
Create a financial plan
• EN: this is a must!
Chapter 9: Think access, not ownership
EN Own nothing; control everything ~ Nelson Rockefeller.
161: Ownership and the thief of debt…
Nearly 2/3 of the wealth of middle class Americans is in their homes…overinvested
EN: the reason that home ownership works for most people is:
• Forced savings
• Inflation
Chapter 10: Save for a traditional retirement…but don’t plan on having one
Yet there is no country and no people, I think, who can look forward to the age of leisure and of abundance without a dread ~ John Maynard Keynes
180: financial plan
181: Plan to work longer and retire later…
EN: retire sooner; spend less; work forever
December 5, 2016
The gig economy is the new normal and is defined as the situation where fewer and fewer people have traditional full-time jobs with benefits such as health insurance and accrued pensions. Those jobs are being replaced by workers being hired for the duration of the job, sometimes with some form of limited benefits, but most of the time with nothing in the way of benefits. Even full-time jobs have largely been altered so that company pensions are replaced by individual retirement accounts.
Since this is the reality, you have two coping choices, either complain about it and hope you are one of the lucky ones to snag a traditional job or learn to live and thrive in the new environment. If you make the decision, this book will help you deal with the latter.
The good news about working in the gig economy is that you have much more control over your personal and professional life. This allows you to somewhat control the amount of work you do and manage your retirement funds the way you want them invested. You are no longer at the mercy of a superior that fails where employees take the fall or face the risk of suddenly being told that you are no longer needed.
The bad news is essentially the same list. It is your responsibility to find the work, invest and manage your retirement funds and when something goes wrong, the mirror is the only place to direct your ire. It can be very stressful and you can end up working a lot more. When I was investigating the tactics of going into the gig economy many years ago, the literature was unanimous in saying that you do not do it unless you can survive for a year with no income from your new business.
The author does a very good job in setting the historical and economic context for the development of the gig economy. It is the consequence of many economic forces, from the rise of globalism to the new technological features that allow for the creation of on-demand services such as Uber. This is a critical feature, for it gives the reader the background knowledge to understand why it is happening. Of course, this is the easy part.
The hard part is giving the reader sound advice in how to operate in the environment of the gig economy. To the extent that it is possible, the author succeeds in this as well. Operating in the gig economy is extremely complex and each worker’s situation is unique, so only general principles have value.
As a person that has generally worked in the gig economy for nearly 20 years, I have extensive firsthand knowledge of how to thrive/survive in what is the new reality for most. If you are a worker in the new gig economy or are either planning or being forced into it, this is a resource that will do a great deal in helping you cope.
Since this is the reality, you have two coping choices, either complain about it and hope you are one of the lucky ones to snag a traditional job or learn to live and thrive in the new environment. If you make the decision, this book will help you deal with the latter.
The good news about working in the gig economy is that you have much more control over your personal and professional life. This allows you to somewhat control the amount of work you do and manage your retirement funds the way you want them invested. You are no longer at the mercy of a superior that fails where employees take the fall or face the risk of suddenly being told that you are no longer needed.
The bad news is essentially the same list. It is your responsibility to find the work, invest and manage your retirement funds and when something goes wrong, the mirror is the only place to direct your ire. It can be very stressful and you can end up working a lot more. When I was investigating the tactics of going into the gig economy many years ago, the literature was unanimous in saying that you do not do it unless you can survive for a year with no income from your new business.
The author does a very good job in setting the historical and economic context for the development of the gig economy. It is the consequence of many economic forces, from the rise of globalism to the new technological features that allow for the creation of on-demand services such as Uber. This is a critical feature, for it gives the reader the background knowledge to understand why it is happening. Of course, this is the easy part.
The hard part is giving the reader sound advice in how to operate in the environment of the gig economy. To the extent that it is possible, the author succeeds in this as well. Operating in the gig economy is extremely complex and each worker’s situation is unique, so only general principles have value.
As a person that has generally worked in the gig economy for nearly 20 years, I have extensive firsthand knowledge of how to thrive/survive in what is the new reality for most. If you are a worker in the new gig economy or are either planning or being forced into it, this is a resource that will do a great deal in helping you cope.
November 1, 2023
Not sure what I expected from this book, but this wasn't it. There were a few good exercises worth completing, but mostly it was full of generalities including advice on retirement savings which would apply to anyone, not just someone embarking on a gig lifestyle. And if you are not a college-educated person looking for consultant, public-speaking, or other high profile business-related positions, the book will be useless to you. It also is more useful to the young.
December 20, 2017
Fantastic guide to the modern workplace and ways to adapt for the future of employment/unemployed work. Highly recommended. Lots of resources, ideas to consider. Whether you are ready to make a move or just trying to understand it, you'll learn something!
January 6, 2017
Classified among the must read. Redefines your perspective of a full time job and how to cope with the gig economy. Refreshing.
August 4, 2020
This is a book all smart young people should read.
I first encountered the term "gig economy" in a book by a young man who drives an Uber at night while writing screen plays during the day. He claims the gig economy is a raw deal for workers. This author argues that it's the future for many people and can actually improve your working life IF you know how to use it wisely. After reading the book, I agree with her.
This is NOT the typical, short "how to make a lot of money with no work" e-book, but a dense, carefully researched, well-written book by a woman who teaches college classes that enable bright young people to market their skills profitably. I was skeptical going in (What about health insurance? What about retirement plans?) but she made a believer out of me. The plain fact is that business practices are changing dramatically and those who aren't prepared to deal with those changes will be left behind.
I'm strong on youngsters listening to advice from their elders, but the world has changed since we graduated and started working. I grew up with three role models. The married woman who didn't work outside her home. The "company man" who started with one business right out of school, moved up the ladder (or not), and retired at 65 with a pension and a gold watch. And the small business owner who worked 18 hours six days a week and (if he was lucky) kept the business going to pass on to his sons. All three of those models are now obsolete, so my advice is worthless.
Businesses today have no loyalty to employees. Even huge corporations appear and disappear rapidly. Employers no longer value a steady employment record, which is seen as reflecting lack of ambition. Parents mortgage their retirements to send their kids to pricey colleges, sure that the degree and a decent grade average will ensure a hire with a major corporation which trains their employees to do the job. Good luck with that plan! Companies now demand "work-ready" graduates with work experience. Times have changed. Job security today depends, not on your employer, but on your skills and your ability to market those skills.
In every chapter, I learned new things. Did you know that there are professional associations that help free-lancers put together health insurance, life insurance, and retirement plans? Did you know that there's a web site that helps people connect with temporary jobs in their fields, at locations all over the world?
This book is not for the person who dreams of starting his/her own business and raking in the money while others do the work. It's not for the clock-watcher who lives for quitting time. It's for smart, hard-working young people who have the brains and courage to carve out a new path for themselves. I loved the author's emphasis on self-discipline and financial restraint. Both are necessary for anyone who wants to work independently. I have a young friend who recently quit her job to attend an intensive 3-month course on graphic arts. She can afford to do so because she's always lived below her means and put money back. It's a gamble, but the risk is well worth it if it leads to work that's more satisfying and financially rewarding.
The author writes well and livens up the discussion with fascinating stories of people she knows who have taken this route. She includes discussions of the psychological benefits and costs of breaking out of the mold. It's both entertaining and comprehensive. No idea why Ammie "recommended" this book to an elderly retiree, but I'm sure glad they did. I've already mentioned it to a number of friends and I'm looking forward to their reactions. This is an exceptional book.
I first encountered the term "gig economy" in a book by a young man who drives an Uber at night while writing screen plays during the day. He claims the gig economy is a raw deal for workers. This author argues that it's the future for many people and can actually improve your working life IF you know how to use it wisely. After reading the book, I agree with her.
This is NOT the typical, short "how to make a lot of money with no work" e-book, but a dense, carefully researched, well-written book by a woman who teaches college classes that enable bright young people to market their skills profitably. I was skeptical going in (What about health insurance? What about retirement plans?) but she made a believer out of me. The plain fact is that business practices are changing dramatically and those who aren't prepared to deal with those changes will be left behind.
I'm strong on youngsters listening to advice from their elders, but the world has changed since we graduated and started working. I grew up with three role models. The married woman who didn't work outside her home. The "company man" who started with one business right out of school, moved up the ladder (or not), and retired at 65 with a pension and a gold watch. And the small business owner who worked 18 hours six days a week and (if he was lucky) kept the business going to pass on to his sons. All three of those models are now obsolete, so my advice is worthless.
Businesses today have no loyalty to employees. Even huge corporations appear and disappear rapidly. Employers no longer value a steady employment record, which is seen as reflecting lack of ambition. Parents mortgage their retirements to send their kids to pricey colleges, sure that the degree and a decent grade average will ensure a hire with a major corporation which trains their employees to do the job. Good luck with that plan! Companies now demand "work-ready" graduates with work experience. Times have changed. Job security today depends, not on your employer, but on your skills and your ability to market those skills.
In every chapter, I learned new things. Did you know that there are professional associations that help free-lancers put together health insurance, life insurance, and retirement plans? Did you know that there's a web site that helps people connect with temporary jobs in their fields, at locations all over the world?
This book is not for the person who dreams of starting his/her own business and raking in the money while others do the work. It's not for the clock-watcher who lives for quitting time. It's for smart, hard-working young people who have the brains and courage to carve out a new path for themselves. I loved the author's emphasis on self-discipline and financial restraint. Both are necessary for anyone who wants to work independently. I have a young friend who recently quit her job to attend an intensive 3-month course on graphic arts. She can afford to do so because she's always lived below her means and put money back. It's a gamble, but the risk is well worth it if it leads to work that's more satisfying and financially rewarding.
The author writes well and livens up the discussion with fascinating stories of people she knows who have taken this route. She includes discussions of the psychological benefits and costs of breaking out of the mold. It's both entertaining and comprehensive. No idea why Ammie "recommended" this book to an elderly retiree, but I'm sure glad they did. I've already mentioned it to a number of friends and I'm looking forward to their reactions. This is an exceptional book.
July 20, 2018
In The Gig Economy, Diane Mulcahy discusses the future of employment and provides a guide for making the most of the new rules of labor and leisure. The central premise of the book is that full time employment is disappearing as companies pursue cost cutting measures and strive for greater efficiency by hiring contract and part-time workers to complete specific tasks. Dubbed the Gig Economy, the new employment and career model is characterized by more frequent, shorter duration gigs with variable work schedules and more time off between jobs. The author talks about employees possessing more control over their work schedules, less time spent in traditional office environments, and side gigs in which we pursue long held goals and personal development outside of a primary career (a tradeoff with greater job security and stability in previous decades).
Diane branches off this new employment paradigm to explain the future of financial security and the new "Access Economy". She argues that people are increasingly paying for access (think Air BnB rentals and ride sharing vs home and car ownership) in lieu of traditional ownership popular in the baby boomer generation. She advocates forgoing a large mortgage in securing home ownership, the long-held 'American Dream', and argues owning financial assets and renting cheaply as a smarter strategy for long term wealth. Additionally, rather than working multiple decades towards a retirement at the end of our lives, many today our taking years off in between jobs and thus spreading out the retirement block in between the typical working years.
The book provides many interesting ideas for thinking about a career (jobs can be more varied and customizable than we think) and making the most of our working years. Central to the book is the concept of personal agency in our work schedules, personal lives, and career paths in creating and financing the life we want.
Diane branches off this new employment paradigm to explain the future of financial security and the new "Access Economy". She argues that people are increasingly paying for access (think Air BnB rentals and ride sharing vs home and car ownership) in lieu of traditional ownership popular in the baby boomer generation. She advocates forgoing a large mortgage in securing home ownership, the long-held 'American Dream', and argues owning financial assets and renting cheaply as a smarter strategy for long term wealth. Additionally, rather than working multiple decades towards a retirement at the end of our lives, many today our taking years off in between jobs and thus spreading out the retirement block in between the typical working years.
The book provides many interesting ideas for thinking about a career (jobs can be more varied and customizable than we think) and making the most of our working years. Central to the book is the concept of personal agency in our work schedules, personal lives, and career paths in creating and financing the life we want.
June 11, 2017
Very nicely laid out case to document the shifting patterns of American employment and a sensible and clearly laid out guide for how to adapt, survive and thrive in the new order. The author is thorough and devastating with data and examples of how these shifts have been happening from the traditional, static career at a single company to a diversified portfolio of flexible work. The implications and recommendations are very practically offered with excellent step by step checklists and how tos. The organization of the book is very solid going through each phase and aspect of becoming a successful gig worker. However there are some gaps here as far as realistic elements that are not spoken to. For instance being as nimble and flexible as recommended here does not seem to be a lifestyle compatible with children's a 20 something childless couple. Likewise, as others have noted, having skills that are marketable is key to much of the setup. Overall though, it is inspiring and a great resource with many take always to chew on for all.
February 2, 2025
There were parts of this book I enjoyed, but it certainly wasn’t groundbreaking. The first 4-5 chapters (or “rules to succeed”) were most interesting, specifically in their emphasis on broadening how you’re defining “gigs” and what networking can look like (inbound vs. outbound connecting). In contrast, the later chapters on time management and financial planning felt like generic life advice and less relevant to the gig economy specifically. The first part of the book also seemed better at defining gigs as only a portion of your workload (i.e. perhaps you work a full-time job and do contracting on the side, so if you were to lose your job you may lose 70% of your total income, not 100%). As the book went on, it seemed to shift more heavily to those doing gig work full-time, which seemed out of reach for me. I’d be more likely to pass along the few nuggets of wisdom I gained than recommend the book in its entirety.
July 26, 2024
Valuable and Insightful Read
Insightful book highlighting the evolution and coining the term "Gig Workers". I found this to be a foreshadowing as the pandemic lock downs opened the door to more remote workers, freelancers, consultants, and a variety of Gig Workers. The need for specialized skills, knowledge, experience, and expertise has opened doors to new opportunities and more flexible work environments. I agree with the author's assessment that the majority of workers will still be full-time employees. I also see the need for more flexible and remote worker options as the lines of employee productivity have blurred and the need to be on-site in an office is no longer a limitation, requirement, or reason to have employees come to the office. The Gig Economy offers supporting evidence and logical explanations for the value of remote workers.
Insightful book highlighting the evolution and coining the term "Gig Workers". I found this to be a foreshadowing as the pandemic lock downs opened the door to more remote workers, freelancers, consultants, and a variety of Gig Workers. The need for specialized skills, knowledge, experience, and expertise has opened doors to new opportunities and more flexible work environments. I agree with the author's assessment that the majority of workers will still be full-time employees. I also see the need for more flexible and remote worker options as the lines of employee productivity have blurred and the need to be on-site in an office is no longer a limitation, requirement, or reason to have employees come to the office. The Gig Economy offers supporting evidence and logical explanations for the value of remote workers.
July 26, 2017
If you have ever considered freelancing, starting your own business, or just are sick of your restrictive 9-5 job -- read this book. It's a really great explanation of why freelancing or "gigging" is the only true way to job security and the only real way to construct a LIFE rather than a career. Whether you like it or not, the model of working for one company for your entire career and retiring with a comfortable pension is extinct.
As someone who has been freelancing full-time for the last five years, I felt like I could have written this book. It was nice though to have some of my anecdotal personal experience validated by economic and scientific data. I will be recommending this to people who ask me about my lifestyle.
As someone who has been freelancing full-time for the last five years, I felt like I could have written this book. It was nice though to have some of my anecdotal personal experience validated by economic and scientific data. I will be recommending this to people who ask me about my lifestyle.
August 4, 2017
I am really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I picked it up as a sort work-related professional development activity to help me better understand a work style I am uncomfortable with. I found myself marking pages and telling people about this book much more than I do many novels.
What struck me in this book were the exercises around defining your values and ensuring that your personal and professional activities both reflect and support those values. There were similar activities with finances, asking if you're funding a life you want or a lifestyle you don't even enjoy. As someone who struggles to define long-term, concrete goals, both personally and in my relationships, the way author Diane Mulcahy frames these exercises was great for me.
By the end of it was I ready to run out and join the gig economy? Nope. Does it still freak me out? A little. But do I get it? Definitely. I'm envious of my friends who have already adopted this employment style and no longer as concerned about them and their future well-being.
What struck me in this book were the exercises around defining your values and ensuring that your personal and professional activities both reflect and support those values. There were similar activities with finances, asking if you're funding a life you want or a lifestyle you don't even enjoy. As someone who struggles to define long-term, concrete goals, both personally and in my relationships, the way author Diane Mulcahy frames these exercises was great for me.
By the end of it was I ready to run out and join the gig economy? Nope. Does it still freak me out? A little. But do I get it? Definitely. I'm envious of my friends who have already adopted this employment style and no longer as concerned about them and their future well-being.
July 29, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! It’s meant to be used as a workbook in a sense. I learned so much and It didn’t have a textbook feel at all. I read through It in whole and will reread and go through each question and use it as a workbook. It really plays an emphasize on what the gig economy is, where It is going, what It means for everyone and the business world, and how to survive! I read a lot of reviews stating how It was too optimistic, as someone who is going through transitioning into the gig economy, I found this optimism reassuring and not in a false sense. It gives you the realistic view of both sides and actually explains what things mean with examples so you can have an opinion for yourself.
February 24, 2023
I did not like the book. It may be the reality… it may be where we are headed… or, where we already are… but I do not like the ideas presented here. These younger people come in, see the job they’ve taken as a “stepping stone,” and show no dedication to the job they applied for… and get promoted by doing a few things here and there that catch a boss’s attention, while the bulk of the work that needs to be done continues to be done by the older workhorses of a company… or, they quit and move on having used the position to serve their temporary purpose. I cannot wish such people well, as I do not think what they are doing is good for companies, good for the economy, or good for society. But who cares what I think?
December 21, 2017
This is a great book for someone who is looking into freelancing. In three parts, the book first helps you define your idea of success and goals, then plan for more time off (more important than you think!), and finally, how to determine your finances to fit your lifestyle. Even in the financial section, the writing does not get bogged down by business jargon; it is written so that any reader can easily understand it. Whereas blogs focus on networking and promoting oneself in the freelancing world, this book looks to ground the reader first by stating their future goals and making a strong plan. This is a must-read for prospective freelancers!
March 4, 2018
Very good look into a not so distant future
The Gig Economy was a very enjoyable read. It fit exactly with what I believe is true about the way the world of work is changing. Full time jobs are not as secure as they used to be, and for good reason too.
It embraces this change, and shares what we can do as individuals to survive and thrive in a changing economy.
This is exactly the type of book any worker in today's economy should pick up and read. You may not agree with everything within, but the writing is on the wall that things are indeed changing. Do you want to be left behind?
The Gig Economy was a very enjoyable read. It fit exactly with what I believe is true about the way the world of work is changing. Full time jobs are not as secure as they used to be, and for good reason too.
It embraces this change, and shares what we can do as individuals to survive and thrive in a changing economy.
This is exactly the type of book any worker in today's economy should pick up and read. You may not agree with everything within, but the writing is on the wall that things are indeed changing. Do you want to be left behind?
October 29, 2018
A good explanation as to how the new economy works. There are fewer jobs one can work for 25-35 years and retire with a nice pension. One must adapt and diversify one's skill-set. As a man with two side-gigs on top of a full 40 hour per week job, I understand the necessity to have at least one part time side hustle just to provide a little buffer in the bank account between paychecks. What's unclear, and not just in this book, is how to go about this process. The landscape for online business and services is constantly changing. There isn't one method to approach it, which means there's room to play, but little framework.
September 18, 2017
An excellent book on how the world of work SHOULD be. Read this book and it will expand your mind to new possibilities outside the realm of a stagnant corporate culture. Put YOURSELF in control of your lifestyle. Make YOURSELF wealthy, not others. Take time off when YOU want to. Work when YOU want to. Stop the hell of commuting with all the other "sheeple" that work in the same antiquated way (just because that's the way it's always been done. Ugh!) ...and why wait to retire? If you take a leap of faith and believe in yourself, the gig economy can do wonders for how you live your life.
September 24, 2017
An interesting read on the changing way we earn money and how we see work in the 21st century. This book talks about ways we can look at doing gigs, and provides some case examples of people who have shifted from the traditional model of work to the gig approach. This has given them more freedom in their lives and also redefines how they work and manage finances. I do wonder about the implications of such a system in society though, especially on the point on a base payment for all workers in the gig economy - how would that be calculated? And how would HR policies be redefined?
October 30, 2021
Definitivamente el trabajo tradicional va de salida, y ahora con los esquemas mixtos o de home office nos hemos dado cuenta que no se requiere estar sentados en la oficina para ser "productivos". Además claro que la revolución digital ha traído muchos empleos que antes ni se pensaban, traffikers, copys, communitys, afiliados, etc. Estamos ante una evolución económica y laboral en todos los sentidos y quién no se suba al barco quedará obsoleto. Le pongo 2 estrellas porque no me gustó cómo está narrado y se me hizo un poco lento, esperaba más. [Audiolibro]
September 11, 2017
Easy read. I think it could have been a little stronger but overall a good book on the overview of changing your life to fit you.
The book gives you a lot to think about, I am not sure why I finished but don't feel overly excited about the content. Perhaps because a bunch of the people discussed in the book gave jacket reviews? Or some of the stories came across as unique when the aim was universal.
Not a terrible book by a long shot but not as good as it could have been.
The book gives you a lot to think about, I am not sure why I finished but don't feel overly excited about the content. Perhaps because a bunch of the people discussed in the book gave jacket reviews? Or some of the stories came across as unique when the aim was universal.
Not a terrible book by a long shot but not as good as it could have been.
December 15, 2018
This book was a disappointment to me. It was informative but it didn't offer any real guidance for how to go about getting freelance work even though it says it is a 'Complete guide to getting better work' among other things. There was no practical information on how to get a freelance job, and since that was what I wanted it for, it was little use to me. If you're interested in knowing how and in what ways the job market is changing though, you'll probably like this book.
Read
December 9, 2020A book that covers the type of job that is going to replace traditional long term job. Does a fantastic job of explain the subject. Got a lot of information that I can use to increase my career success now and especially in the future. The advice is very practical and doesn't require you to do something that just isn't easy for everybody like starting a business (Although it also covers that too).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews