Tips to work in a Gig economy

Considering gigEconomy

REMEMBER THESE 3 THINGS

Being an independent contractor is not a straightforward endeavour, but it can lead to more diversity in your work, better income, and greater fl exibility. But, before you make the jump to launching your own freelance business, keep these three things in mind: Do your homework

Research your market to determine your customers’ needs, your competitors, and the range of pricing for your service. If you’re considering offering something that hasn’t been offered on a contract basis before, think about how you’ll actually do this. Then, take each client as a learning experience; for instance, see which type of work you enjoy and which jobs are the best paying. Keep your taxes straight

When you start out and before you incorporate you’re considered a “self-employed sole proprietor.” This means the CRA views your personal income and business income as the same —?both of which you fi le under your personal income taxes. But, this also means you’re responsible for self-employment taxes, such as employment Insurance and Canada Pension. Or, if you need Workers’ Compensation coverage, this again falls on you to provide for yourself. the more you know

even if you’re a sole proprietor, think of yourself as a business. Make sure you get paid by issuing invoices on time. And get a signed contract before you start work on a project. Above all, know the difference between an employee and contractor. One of the main differences being that freelancers pay their own employment taxes, also known as payroll taxes, while employers will manage an employee’s payroll taxes. As your buisness grows, you’ll also want to keep this in mind when you fi nd yourself needing to hire.

To learn more about the differences between employees and contractors, blogs like Wagepoint’s, a small business payroll provider, are an excellent resource. Check out blog.wagepoint.com to see for yourself.

FREE online

learning TOOLS

(Many of us are looking for new things to do to feel entertained and engaged as we prepare for more pandemic closures. But from watching movies and tv shows to video-chatting with family, most activities these days requiring knowing how to use technology.

If you’re having trouble keeping up with the latest tech and software but want to participate in the online world, why not spend time upgrading your digital literacy skills?

A new program called Youth Teaching Adults can help you do just that. It offers free downloadable lesson plans on tools like Skype, GoogleDuo, FaceTime and more. These step-bystep lesson plans are written in clear language to make it easy for anyone to learn how to use these tools.

In addition to offering free lesson plans to individuals, the program also encourages community organizations to sign up to host a virtual workshop. The program offers an honorarium for those who register to run a workshop.

Within the workshops, youth act as volunteer tutors, providing coaching in a safe and supportive virtual workshop environment while also developing their leadership skills and earning community service hours.

Adults can choose what they want to learn from over 50 different lesson plans and topics. These include browsing videos on YouTube, downloading new apps on their smartphone and video-chatting with family.

Learn more information, access free lesson plans and book a virtual workshop in your community at youthteachingadults. ca.