Thinking about taking part in the gig economy?

We know that jobs and the labor market are changing, with more people doing temp positions, working as freelancers and contractors instead of in a permanent job. Here are 10 jobs with the largest growth projections that can be done part-time, on a freelance basis, as found on MSN money:

1. Interpreter/translator
2. Web developer
3. Occupational therapist
4. Delivery truck driver
5. Multimedia artist
6. Carpenter
7. Broadcast and sound engineer technician
8. Accountant
9. Management analyst
10. Software developer

"Voice-Overs: Now is Your Time!"

HOW THE INSTRUCTOR BEGAN

Dan Levine is a 1992 Tony Award nominee for the score of the Broadway musical “Anna Karenina.” He has won many awards for his commercial productions as well, including a national Clio Award and several local advertising ADDY Awards and nominations. As a successful record producer and music arranger/orchestrator, his arranging and/or production credits include CDs for sing- ers such as Leslie Uggams, several original cast recordings and numerous television shows and commercials. For 17 years, Dan produced commercials for hundreds of clients around the   country.

THE INSTRUCTOR TODAY

Dan’s voice-over seminars, entitled “Voice-Overs…Now is Your Time!” have motivated countless future voice-over artists. He continues to deliver these seminars to packed houses throughout the country. Dan’s unique marketing technique has opened doors for talented individuals who might never have made it using conventional marketing methods. His philosophy of being   who you are and turning your natural personality into a marketable commodity is giving new talented voice-over artists the opportunity to find their inner strengths and to use them in a fun, lucrative and productive way.

REQUIREMENTS

Breaking into the voice-over industry is much more achievable today than it was in years past, thanks in large part to the accessibility of having a home studio and the industry being so virtual now. You don’t need to be in a major market to be a successful voice-over talent. To set up a studio in your home, it’s about $350 for the recording equipment once you have a computer, add in a marketable voice, and strong reading comprehension skills, and you have a great foundation to get started. However, even with all of these tools, to really succeed in voice-over, you need to have proper coaching. There’s a lot more to voice-overs than just having a nice sound and reading a script. You have know how to interpret the scripts and bring them to life, this is where acting comes in. The Such A Voice course, “Voice-Overs…Now is Your Time!” will give interested persons the introduction of techniques and tools to do this.

IDEAL BACKGROUND

While a person with any background may have an interest in voice-overs, there are professions that provide a natural training ground for this career path. Dan says, “having experience in theater, teaching, public speaking or sales creates a great foundation for voice-over work.” Additionally, a business background is useful in managing the logistics of a home-based business. Then, some technical savvy is needed to operate the voice-over equipment. This, like any business, needs to be built. In the beginning it’s expected you’ll spend more time marketing and auditioning than recording jobs, however, once you become established   and land regular clients, it will even out. Self-promotion and auditioning can result in a career with unlimited income   potential.

NEXT CLASS: 

Wednesday 11/9, 7-9 p.m. at CCBC Essex (CRN 32056).  To register, call 443-840-4700 or go to www.ccbcmd.edu/flexreg.

Are You part of the Gig Economy?

I heard a story on NPR, Weekend Edition Sunday this weekend-- How Gig Economy Workers Make A Living.  A gig economy is an environment in which temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements. One of the most-hyped changes to the U.S. labor market has been companies that use smartphone apps to connect workers to gig jobs. The most prominent example of this phenomenon is Uber. Stocksy is another example--it is a cooperative, owned and governed by the photographers who contribute their work. 

The trend toward a gig economy has begun. A study by Intuit predicted that by 2020, 40 percent of American workers would be independent contractors. In this digital age, the workforce is increasingly mobile and work can increasingly be done from anywhere, so that job and location are not as closely tied, meaning freelancers can select among temporary jobs and projects around the world, while employers can select the best individuals for specific projects from a larger pool than that available in any given area.  The sharing economy is also a great fit for people in retirement.  They have assets and skills that were accumulated over a period of their careers and now they can offer them at their convenience, working as much or as little as they want.

Between 2012 and 2015, just 0.4 percent of adults earned income consistently each month using online labor platforms like Uber, the JPMorgan Chase Institute found. Most gig workers supplemented lost income during periods of low earnings or when they were between jobs. As of September 2015, more than 80 percent of workers who used online labor platforms made less than 25 percent of their total income from that work. But over the three years JPMorgan Chase performed its study, the percentage of adults who earned money regularly from online gigs grew tenfold. And the growth of gigs extends beyond online platforms.

In March, researchers at Harvard and Princeton found that from 2005 to 2015, the percentage of workers in "alternative work arrangements," defined as online and offline temporary, on-call, freelance and contract work, went up 50 percent, to 15.8 percent of all workers. That accounts for all the net employment growth in the U.S. economy in that time.

Pretty interesting. What do you think??