September 2020 finds us at a 7.9% unemployment rate. Recently a friend lost their job and asked, “where do I find a job by the end of November?” and although hiring processes are slow, there is hope.
The gig market!
Freelance and Contract (gig) work is a $1.2 trillion dollar industry in the U.S. and many start almost immediately. But where do you find your piece of the pie? Keep reading.
Gig Job Websites
UPwork https://www.upwork.com minimal annual fee applies
HR Lancers https://hrlancers.com Human Resource specific
We Are Rosie https://www.wearerosie.com Marketing/Creative
Do agency recruiting on your own
Scout is a recruiting marketplace that allows you to recruit on open jobs and serves as the sales side of recruiting. Requires a signup and approval process, but fairly quick and easy.
https://www.goscoutgo.com
LinkedIn ProFinder
LinkedIn Pro Finder is where people post project work and a great way to get some side money or project work
https://www.linkedin.com/profinder
How to apply https://www.linkedin.com/help/profinder/answer/80443/applying-to-be-a-professional-on-linkedin-profinder?lang=en
Staffing Agencies
A great place to find contract work is staffing agencies. Here is a list of national groups and you probably know several in your area.
List of Top 20 Staffing Firms in 2020
https://www.thesmbguide.com/staffing-agencies
Final Thoughts
Tap into your LinkedIn network and spend a day just scrolling though the stream. Reach out to people who are posting about hiring or are in decision making roles for your specific skills and send them a message!
Here is an example of a message I sent during my corporate search and found a hidden gem of a job! The job was not posted and only shared with two people, I just happened to be connected to one of the two and sent them the following message which was forwarded.
“Hey I am seeking my next gig and wanted to reach out. If you hear of anything local and human resources related that may fit my background please let me know. My expertise is in compensation, recruiting and generalist work. Thank you for keeping me in mind!”
Hang in there and please feel free to comment with any resources you have utilized in your gig search!