Gig work can be a blessing or a curse depending on how its used.
To avoid falling into that second category, youll eventually want to quit your side job.
And to do that, your side gig needs an exit plan.
Since the Great Recession, its become commonplace to have two, sometimes three jobs.
There are benefits, no doubt, to these types of alternative work arrangements.
Chief among them are flexibility and on-demand hours.
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At first, the work was welcomed and convenient.
People who thought they would leave… are still doing it.
Make a Plan to Quit Your Side Job
So whats a gig worker to do?
Did you know?
How are you going to get out of what it is youre doing?
How long do you plan to stay?
Is there a component of it that could be furthering your career?
Whatever your goal, it needs to be attainable and specific.
He said working nine-hour shifts at the library made it hard for him to find additional employment.
The ridesharing app provided him the flexibility to make some extra cash during his downtime.
Brown did everything right.
He needed a set amount of money and gave himself a clear deadline.
He was determined to pay off the loan.
After work and during the weekends, he started taking rides.
The additional work started creeping up on him.
It was kind of addictive.
After months of 12-plus-hour days, Brown reached his goal.
He paid off his car.
Even with a clear financial goal, gig work almost sucked him in anyway.
I was working 80 hours a week for a long time, he said.
It messed up my personal life, honestly.
I have other talents I can take advantage of.
After a stint in the financial services industry, she started thinking about striking out on her own.
I was spinning my wheels to make someone else really, really rich, she said.
And so she did, using freelance platforms as her springboard.
During a four-month transition period, she experimented on Upwork and Fiverr.
She was always good at marketing, but she wanted to do something a little different: presentation design.
Little by little, she racked up projects.
Clients left positive reviews and that led to bigger projects.
Thats when her business really took off.
Johnstons exit plan doubled down on that momentum.
She used search engine optimization techniques to drive more clients to her own website rather than her freelance profiles.
Another strategy to wean yourself off websites that take a cut of your earnings is good ol fashion networking.
Poole suggests looking for potential clients at associations or conferences in your field.
And bonus points if you’re free to score a presentation at those events.
If it’s possible for you to present something useful, they will remember you, she said.
Better than handing out business cards.
Better than even placing an ad.
Already Stuck?
Work when you want, they say.
Financial freedom awaits you!
Thats because W-2 employees get workers comp if theyre injured and workplace protections from harassment.
The pay is usually more stable, too.
A part-time or full-time job can work as a reset.
Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
He specializes in ways to make money that dont involve stuffy corporate offices.
Read his latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter@hardyjournalism.
Probably not as good as youd like.
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