While this is from Forbes magazine in the USA, there is a trend in Australia of recent graduates and highly experienced, well-credentialed workers, getting stuck in a cycle of short-term, contract roles.
Freelancers are now a major force in the United States workforce. A survey found that 36% of respondents, representing nearly 60 million Americans, self-identified as independent workers. By 2028, the number of U.S. gig workers is expected to surpass 90.1 million.
According to the Wall Street Journal, professionals have found they can earn six figures when they enter the gig economy. For some contract workers, gig work is not a choice.
These are the only types of roles that are offered to them. And for each short-term gig they take, it becomes harder for these folks to gain full-time employment. When a hiring manager gets hold of a rèsumè that contains several job changes and short-term roles, some will outright take a pass on the candidate.
In hiring, companies demand job stability. Human resources and hiring managers want a person who has demonstrated loyalty by staying with a company for a substantial amount of time—around five to 10 years.
Employers say, “I don’t feel comfortable hiring a person who moves around so much. They’re too jumpy. Based on their track record, they’ll just leave us after a year or two.”
It’s victim blaming and shaming. Hiring personnel have a bias that there must be a problem or issue that prohibits them from holding onto a job.
This wreaks havoc on their mental health, emotional well-being and finances. The gig worker never knows when they’ll be told their contract is over.
No one blinks at sacking contract workers in tough times. They are not offered health benefits, vacation or sick days. If a person loses their gig, it could take months to find a new contract.
For some, it’s a life filled with struggle, going from one assignment to another and harbouring hopes of landing a permanent job one day.