Retirement: Britons struggling to find work could earn £58k a year | Personal Finance | Finance
More and more people are ditching the office for opportunities that allow them to work on their own terms. The UK’s gig economy was made up of 4.7 million people in 2019, more than double the number of 2.4million gig economy workers in 2016.
As for downsides, the catch is that the work isn’t guaranteed but for Paul this isn’t a deal breaker because he also runs a hotel business.
He says anyone can become a ‘tasker’ and advises people to only accept the tasks they know they can do and enjoy.
“I don’t do painting as I hate it and I don’t do plumbing because there could be terrible consequences if something goes wrong.
“I enjoy helping people in all sorts of ways, and TaskRabbit is my way of doing things for people that they don’t have the time, skills or tools to do themselves.”
Catia Durao, tasker success manager for the UK said the site is becoming more and more popular because there is something for almost every skill level, no matter what age they are.
She said: “When registering their skills on the platform, Taskers set their hourly rates, schedules and work areas and have no obligation to accept tasks.
“This makes it perfect for retirees as they have the flexibility to take on as many or as few tasks as they wish, on a schedule which fits around their lifestyle.
“Taskers in the UK offer services across more than 50 categories, spanning from furniture assembly and cleaning to minor home repairs, organising, and many more.”
She shared five top tips for new Taskers such as:
1 Upload a photo. “Clients tend to select Taskers who have a clear, friendly profile photo. It also helps them to identify you when you arrive for a task. Make sure your profile picture is a high-quality image that is authentically you.”
2 Draft a compelling profile. “Your profile is your first opportunity to make an impression on a client and promote your business. Ensure this puts across why a client should hire you (listing your skills, experiences, tools etc) while also conveying a sense of your personality.”
3 Mark your Availability. “On TaskRabbit, you have the flexibility to set your own prices, schedule and work area. You can set your availability calendar up to two weeks in advance, so be sure to keep this up to date and only set your availability for times and areas that you can complete tasks.”
4 Encourage clients to leave a review. “This will help your profile to grow and encourage more bookings. It will also give future clients an idea of the kinds of tasks you have previously completed which can give them confidence in your skills.”
5 Ask your clients to “Favourite” you. “When a Client saves you as a “favourite” Tasker, it makes it easy for them to re-book you again in the future. At the end of a task, why not ask the client to log you as a favourite, so you can work together again in the future.”
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