Why your best marketers might be working for me

Side giggers are getting more attention and are growing in number.

Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork and others let them easily find side projects, earn a little extra income, practice their craft and/or feed their passions. 

Over the last seven years, I’ve spoken with (and hired) many side giggers, freelancers and independent contractors. Here’s what I’ve learned about fully employed people looking for a side gig, why they aren’t satisfied with their day jobs and how you, as an employer, can help them fill the gap in what might otherwise be missing. 

Why your employees are side giggers

If you’re trying to retain top talent, it’s worth examining what pushes professionals — especially marketers — to seek opportunities outside your organization.

Money

You might think the primary reason is additional income, but in my experience, it rarely is. While some use the extra earnings for things like vacations, engagement rings or home deposits, money isn’t the only thing that drives them to seek side work.

Purpose/meaningful work

The number one reason stay-at-home parents seek outside work is to fill their days after the kids are off to school. Platforms like Upwork give them the ability to have a say in the work they choose, which is also a driver for many side giggers.

Recognition

Side giggers’ work gets attention because we contract for their deliverables. Good work is rewarded with more opportunities. It’s their work, not the team’s or the company’s, so they take pride in what they produce.

Experience

Experience is the primary reason for the creatives. They want to expand their portfolios and/or pursue areas of interest. Too often, their agency or organization pigeonholes them, and they look for opportunities to spread their wings.

Passion

Passion is a big motivator for creative talent. They may be trying to build a base of work or clients so they can pursue this full-time. A recent Wall Street Journal article found that side giggers are three times as likely to start a business as the general work population.

Boredom 

This one seems to be a post-COVID response and may be related to the return to office life. Full-time employees working at home can be more productive because there are fewer interruptions, so work doesn’t fully occupy their time throughout the day.

Dig deeper: Skills-based hiring for modern marketing teams

Who’s side-gigging — and why

Several of our side giggers’ employers know they have a side hustle. One even negotiated her side projects into her employment contract when she took the job.

From what I’ve seen, creative talent — designers, copywriters and digital marketers (search and social) — are most likely to seek side gigs. Designers and copywriters typically want to expand their portfolios and pursue their passions. Digital marketers are often motivated by additional income and experience.

Project and account managers are usually looking to fill extra time. They’re often in full-time roles unrelated to account or project management — many are heads of marketing or media and tend to be high-energy, fast workers, which may explain their boredom and drive to take on more.

Keeping passionate talent engaged

Regarding passion, here’s the potential concern — or opportunity — for employers. Let them take on work outside their usual wheelhouse to develop new skills and gain experience. Start by understanding what they’re passionate about. What do they truly enjoy doing? Is there space for that within your department or organization?

Don’t mistake retention for engagement

The Big Resignation a few years ago was one of the rare times when the job market favored workers. As a result, employers did more to retain their staff, offering training, better benefits and, occasionally, more money. The pendulum has now swung in the other direction. Employees don’t have the leverage they did, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take an interest in their career development. 

Given the economic conditions, they may not be looking for another job but for something missing from their current one. Feeding their passions or showing that you want to can often result in a big reward.

If you don’t, they can always work for me. 

Dig deeper: How to use project management data to inform your marketing hiring strategy