gig work
Task-based employment
Gig work is employment consisting of short-term tasks or projects rather than a permanent position with a single employer.
The term comes from musicians' gigs—individual performances rather than steady jobs.
Gig workers include rideshare drivers, freelance designers, and delivery couriers: She pieced together a living from gig work.
The gig economy describes this broader labor pattern.
App-summoned car service
- LyftRide-summoning service
- DoorDashFood delivery service
- InstacartGrocery delivery service
- TaskRabbitFreelance errand platform
Fiverr · Upwork · Deliveroo · Grubhub · Postmates · Handy · Rover
Hired construction professional
- self-employedWorking independently, not hired
- consultantProfessional advice provider
- freelancerSelf-employed service provider
- independent contractorSelf-employed person hired temporarily
project-based · portfolio career · billable hours · proposals · invoicing · rates · retainer · deliverables
Independent decision-making capacity
- on-demandAvailable upon request
- variable hoursWork times that change
- asynchronousNot happening together
- remoteDistant or controller
Lacking additional compensation
- uninsuredLacking protective coverage
- job insecurityUncertainty about continued employment
- misclassificationErroneous categorical assignment
- worker exploitationMistreating employees for profit
Covert additional employment
- supplemental incomeEarnings beyond primary salary
- second jobSupplementary paid work
- passion projectSelf-motivated creative undertaking
- after-hoursBeyond regular closing
Peer-to-peer resource access
- on-demandAvailable upon request
- marketplaceVenue for commerce
- crowdsourcingGathering input from masses
- microtasksTiny units of work
Transporting app-summoned passengers
- package deliveryTransporting parcels to destinations
- pet sittingTending others' creatures temporarily
- dog walkingExercising canines on leash
- house cleaningMaintaining domestic tidiness
grocery shopping · moving help · tutoring · graphic design · writing · data entry · transcription · photography
Uber
App-summoned car service
TaskRabbit · Fiverr · Upwork · Deliveroo · Grubhub · Postmates · Handy · Rover
contractor
Hired construction professional
- self-employedWorking independently, not hired
- consultantProfessional advice provider
- freelancerSelf-employed service provider
independent contractor · project-based · portfolio career · billable hours · proposals · invoicing · rates · retainer · deliverables · contract negotiation
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- on-demandAvailable upon request
- variable hoursWork times that change
- asynchronousNot happening together
no benefits
Lacking additional compensation
- uninsuredLacking protective coverage
- job insecurityUncertainty about continued employment
- misclassificationErroneous categorical assignment
worker exploitation · hustle culture · burnout · underemployment
moonlighting
Covert additional employment
- supplemental incomeEarnings beyond primary salary
- second jobSupplementary paid work
- passion projectSelf-motivated creative undertaking
sharing economy
Peer-to-peer resource access
- on-demandAvailable upon request
- marketplaceVenue for commerce
- crowdsourcingGathering input from masses
rideshare driving
Transporting app-summoned passengers
- package deliveryTransporting parcels to destinations
- pet sittingTending others' creatures temporarily
- dog walkingExercising canines on leash
grocery shopping · house cleaning · moving help · tutoring · graphic design · writing · data entry · transcription · photography · caregiving
- outsourcingoutsourcing, outsource, offshore, offshoring, nearshoring
- employmentjob, jobs, career, careers, interview
- workjob, 9 to 5, jobs, labor, employee
- careersdoctor, lawyer, teacher, engineer, nurse
- job marketjobs, employment, job seekers, job search, job hunting
- workforceworkers, employee, employees, labor force, employer
gig workpermanent employment
Ongoing work with no termination date
full-time employment · lifetime employment · union job · desk job
work, gig, gig economy, gigs, gigging, gigged, contract work, gig worker, gig workers