Get A REAL Job? Why Gig Work Is HERE TO STAY!

Get a real job! Have you heard this when driving rideshare or food delivery? Chances are you have, how do you handle it? Join RSG contributor Kim as she talks about this, why this statement or question is wrong and why gig work is here to stay.

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About The RideShare Guy:

I'm Harry, the founder of The Rideshare Guy. I started driving for Uber and Lyft in 2015 and eventually quit my day job as an aerospace engineer to run The Rideshare Guy full time.

These days, I'm a trusted media expert on all things rideshare and have a number of contributors across the country who are all driving for Uber and Lyft and other gig companies like Instacart, Doordash, and Postmates.

The RideShare Guy has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, CNBC, NPR, 60 Minutes on CBS TV, The Washington Post, Wired, Forbes, SFGate, and hundreds more.

The RideShare Guy has interviewed top gig economy leaders such as:

Tags

#GigWork
#Getarealjob
#Job

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[Therideshareguy]

❔ What do you say or think when people say "Get a real job?"

[vegaswithdrawal]

Unfortunately this is a common negative trait that lots of humans have. Intolerance to anything against the norm.
- Rather work for yourself instead of a real 9-5 job like us? How dare you!

- Rather stay single and travel than to start a family too soon like I did? How dare you!

- Rather be alone than try to fit in with everyone like me? How dare you!

Just ignore them and do you 😎👌

[jimsalmon]

I have a disability that would make me unreliable at a “real job.” Fortunately, I can make ends meet by doing Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. I can safely operate a vehicle, and I have no problem catering to customers — in fact, I really enjoy the social aspect of rideshare. I can see myself doing this for a while, so long as nothing crazy happens.

[Veritas]

I will never again work in a cubicle where I have 5 managers like Office Space. Not for me anymore! I'd rather deliver pizza for the rest of my life and maintain my soul.

[larryzan]

They say that’s because there’s no 401k, insurance, sick time, vac time etc .. but what u gain is flexibility & not having to answer or ask permission from anyone

[micheledoughty]

My kids constantly it drives me crazy I make more money flexibility of scheduling and I work just as hard as someone who has a w2 job. It makes me angry they think we don't have a real job

[Anthony_Cris]

I make over $1, 000 a week working 40 hours. How is this not a real job

[flubberghosted]

Kim makes good points here!

I have more job security with 5 gig apps than I did with a single W2.

I do my own investments instead of relying on a 401k.

I make more money in less time than I did with my old W2 jobs & MOST IMPORTANTLY, I make my own schedule which is amazing and priceless for 1000 different reasons.

[ladystormhealing]

I laugh and walk away because we are already saturated with gig workers / drivers and I'm not sharing the good information anymore 😀

[adrianakessler]

I went to college, so my 17 year old thinks I should work in that field. Until I point out what I wouldn’t be able to do for him-at a drop of a hat 🎩, if I was at a “real job”-then, I show him my pay. What would I make at a “Real job” versus what I make, and although to make good money, you work inconvenient hours sometimes, you do pick your own hours. Now, my husband’s job, of course, doesn’t even compare to my sad wages, but my wages are still good when you consider what average pay is at a job w set hours. I have benefits, luckily, through his job.

[alexsf]

Great posting! I have been driving for a living in San Francisco for over 40 years, including 35 in the publishing industry where I ran my own companies for 27. Once I closed shop in 2018 due to the advent of mobile devices I started driving as a Rideshare driver ever since full time.
The Gig Economy is still a relatively new work paradigm and misconceptions about it abound.
In my opinion the major issue in regards to W2 jobs in the U.S. has been the dysfunctional health care system that before Obama’s Affordable Care Act, if you were an independent contractor with a pre existing medical condition you were uninsurable, and even if healthy you would pay a heavy premium for not being able to be part of a large pool of insured individuals. So many people historically have worked in low paying jobs just to secure health insurance for them and/or their families.
Interesting that you mentioned that in the Gig Economy you can choose to work 1 or 18 hours. So true! Here’s the unspoken loophole of the Gig Economy. In no other commercial driving job in the U.S. this is allowed. The maximum shift hours allowed is for big rig drivers that first requires a much higher threshold to obtain a commercial driver’s license and secondly only 10 hours of actual driving is allowed adding 4 hours for loading and unloading. In Rideshare Lyft allows two more hours of driving than Uber, 14 and 12 respectively with the loophole in both platforms that you can ad up to 5 hours and 59 minutes of breaks. That’s practically 20 hours shift on Lyft and 18 on Uber that for all intent and purposes is akin to negligence, although it’s legal. Not to mention that there’s no barrier for a Gig Economy driver to simply jump Apps if they are so inclined, although if an accident occurs in such case exceeding the allotted time limit most likely there will be no liability insurance coverage.
The greatest advantage as you so well pointed out if that you create your own schedule.
As far as in 2023 Gig workers making 6 figures that’s only reflecting gross income as you mentioned after depreciation, wear and tear, fuel, health & disability insurance and taxes your net is another ball of wax.
Lastly it’s true that in a W-2 your employer pays half your social security and worker’s compensation unless you create an S corporation as an independent contractor and sure your employer can offer a matching retirement plan such an IRA or 401 K but in today’s Macro Economy reality the days where there was corporate loyalty to their long time employees are long gone. So yes, absolutely Gig Workers perform a very real job! 👍🚙

[PicoFromTX]

If you gotta file taxes, it’s a real job.
Now, is it a good job? That all depends on market, and strategy.
For a lot of people, they’re better off working a w2. Unless they truly need the flexibility.

[secretpeace-wpxg]

I'm of the opinion that as long as the work is taxable it is a real job it doesn't matter if its Blue, White or Pink we're all underpaid and overworked for our labor.

They say the same exact stuff when it comes to people in fast food, Retail, as well as Customer service.
As long as someone is able to pay their bills and provide for themselves that's all that matters.

This isn't including how over the top employers have become when it comes to requirements for "entry level" positions even if its something basic like Data Entry.

[lavondawilliams]

In all of my years doing gig work 8 years to be exact. I've never been told that. I'm professional in everything I do.

[mhrichak]

You're exactly right, Kim! You bring up many valid points! I just got tired of the wear and tear on my car and my body!

[micheledoughty]

Tell a plumber who is an independent worker that he doesn't have a real job

[jdmullen]

I don't have a 401(k), but I have SEP-IRA. I don't have company health insurance, but I have very good insurance off the exchanges. I don't have vacation or sick time, but I can take time off whenever I need to without asking anyone for permission and still earn DOUBLE what I was at my "real job." People are just ignorant, but I don't want them to catch on (and become my competition) so they can just stay ignorant.

[zjbell]

Great video Kim! I think as a gig economy community we need to stop using the word salary. That is W2 language. Let's just refer to our pay as earnings.

[yolondaridesharedelivery]

I am so happy you posted this.
We honestly need to speak our truths.

[jbeats]

People think it's not a real job when one doesn't have the government taxes, health insurance, retirement, SSS and etc, automatically ripping itself out of their check without choosing. I am fine with Gig work cuz I choose.