Explaining your gig to interviewers

To gig or not to gig, that is (sort of ) the question. The actual question, which giggers everywhere should respect, comes from interviewers in this form: “Tell me about this work you’re doing on the side.”

Before we get to the strategy for handling that question, some definitions are in order. A gig, in today’s vernacular, is what used to be called freelancing. Before that, it might have been called moonlight

ing, although that term was often used for second jobs, as opposed to the shortterm assignments that make up the core of the gig economy.

Which brings us to another definition. “Gig economy” has been tossed around so much that we for- get it might not be as dominant as we’d thought. Luckily, we have the Bureau of Labor Statistics to set us straight. As the BLS explained in a recent report, the percentage of people earning their living from alternative work arrangements has actually decreased slightly from 2005 to 2017, while still hovering around 10 percent.

One reason this sounds counterintuitive is t hatm ost of us know someone in the contingent workforce, whether they’re doing temp jobs, or driving for Uber or selling handicrafts. Indeed, multiple sources peg the percentage of people working this way at 30 percent or more of American workers. But most of these folks have a job as well, which means the gig is not their primary income source – which is what the BLS was tracking.

Fun with numbers, as they say. Here’s what the situation means for you: If you’re going to gig, you’ll probably need a job as well. And if you’re interviewing with your side hustle plainly evident on your resume or LinkedIn profile, you should expect to be asked about it.

I have some tips for handling this situation, but first a couple of warnings.

One, don’t assume potential employers will be excited about your side jobs. That’s because there’s almost nothing employers like less than competing for their workers’ attention. Imagining that you’ll be taking calls from clients or leaving work early to complete an assignment is enough to chill any job offer.

And second? Don’t expect a potential employer to admire your enterprising nature based on the fact that you’re gigging, because they won’t see it that way. They’ll be too busy won

dering whether you’re going to use their company resources to supply your personal business.

If that sounds downbeat, take heart. I really am a fan of this concept and I believe it can work well for nearly everyone who dips a toe into the waters of the gig economy, however we even- tually define it. But you’ll need strategy if you want to ease your futu re employer’s mind. These tips should help.

No. 1: Be strategic about publicizing your gig. If you have a gap in your work history and you can legitimately close it with a resume entry for your contingent work assignments, then it might make sense to do so. If that’s not the case, consider not bringing it up at all. No. 2: Be prepared for the obvious questions.

If you do note your side work on your materials, or if it’s easily found in social media, yo u should expect interviewers to ask about it. They’ll want to know what you do, how often you do it, how long it’s been going on, and other questions you’d expect about any other part of your work history. No. 3: Be ready to answer the unasked questions. This is tricky because you don’t want to overexplain the situation. But know ingthaty o ur future boss might be concerned about how you’ll handle multiple work obligations means that you should be proactive. A simple sentence about frequently turning down gigs when you’re busy, or only doing this work on the weekends might be enough.

No. 4: Be cautious about asking for accommodations. If you do need schedule flexibility or some other accommodation related to your side work, wait until you’re close to an offer to broach the topic. Too early, and it will seem like hiring you would create hassles.

No. 5: Highlight what

you’ve learned. Hasyour freelancing honed your scheduling skills or helped you develop contacts you can use on the job? Are you up to date on certain software because of your assignments? Choose the points t hatwouldmost relate to this job interview and let those be the focus if the conversation turns to your gig.

And if you want employers to know you’re enterprising? Dig deeper to provide examples of creating profits for past employers, rather than success stories from gigging – because what really wins o verafuture boss is knowing what you’ll be doing for them, not what you’ll be doing for your side hustle. Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@ prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102.