Amid multiple international organizations reporting consistently high rates of informal employment throughout the region, Caribbean Employment Services Inc., the region’s market-leading digital recruitment firm, has revealed its top 3 tips on how to be a successful gig worker in the Caribbean.
The firm acknowledged that the dramatic rise in informal labour was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which unexpectedly but dramatically shifted the status quo in terms of labour and employment in most Caribbean countries.
Many people who found themselves suddenly unemployed and unable to provide for their families turned to informal labour as a means to survive: making lunches or picking fruit to sell, braiding hair for the few tourists that trickled in, performing odd jobs for whoever needed it on an ad-hoc basis and more. But while many were originally pushed into these roles out of necessity, international reports have shown that the number of people in the Caribbean who have held onto these interim jobs remains high even though the worst of the pandemic has passed and economies have either largely recovered or are well on their way to a full recovery.
“As the Caribbean’s leading digital recruitment service, we strongly encourage formal employment as the most secure way to make a living and provide for one’s family,” says Joseph Boll, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. CEO. “However, in case you are navigating your way through gig work for whatever reason, we’ve compiled this list of our top tips on how to have your most successful career in the Caribbean gig economy.”
The first recommendation from the firm was to provide in-demand services.
“One of the most strategic things you can do as a gig worker or informal worker is find out where there is a need, fill that need and do it to a very high standard and with superb customer service,” says Boll. “You should develop or flex your soft skills to build the best relationship with current and potential clients and ensure they have a reason to choose to hire you.”
The second recommendation was to network both in-person and online.
“Building clientele is key to succeeding as a gig worker in the Caribbean, where word-of-mouth referrals still dominate the labour market — or, in other words, people are much more likely to hire someone if a relative, friend, colleague or other acquaintance personally puts in a good word for them,” Boll says.
To achieve this, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. recommends establishing a local presence in the community so that people will begin to recognize you by your service or brand and direct clients your way. At the same time, the firm recommended you develop a strong online presence to establish yourself as a professional and attract new clients.
Lastly, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. recommended that gig workers still remain open to other employment opportunities that may come their way.
“In many cases, what starts as one-time gig work can quickly become a permanent, long-term arrangement that benefits both you and your client. But you may miss that chance if you shut yourself off from all opportunities completely,” says Boll. “Continue to use resources like Caribbean Employment Services Inc. to stay open to new opportunities and see how best you can leverage them.”
