Piloting LinkedIn Gigs, an easy way to connect to gig work
At LinkedIn, our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce — not just those in traditional 9-to-5 jobs. With that in mind, we began a project last year to learn how we can play a role in the on-demand gig economy, one of the fastest growing segments of the labor market.
Over several months, we spent time with workers from Lyft, Instacart, and DoorDash to understand why they chose to participate in gig work. We consistently heard from drivers, shoppers, and dashers that they enjoyed the flexibility of their work, and that it helped them earn the cash they needed to pay bills, save for education, and support their families. In fact, many of them worked multiple gigs to further boost their incomes.
Yet many people who could benefit from the option of on-demand work are unaware that it even exists.
That’s why we’re excited to introduce LinkedIn Gigs, a new product we’re piloting in the Phoenix metro area that helps people easily discover and apply for multiple gigs, and equips them with the tools to prepare for their future careers.
Now people can apply to as many as four gigs — driving with Lyft, shopping for groceries with Instacart, delivering food with DoorDash, and pet sitting with Rover — in a couple clicks. And after applicants start their first gig at any one these companies, they’ll receive a free six-month subscription to LinkedIn Premium with LinkedIn Learning to help them build their networks and learn the skills needed to achieve their long-term career aspirations—whether that means starting a full-time job, freelancing on ProFinder, or anything in between.
“Effective job search can be incredibly tough, but LinkedIn Gigs helps connect job seekers quickly and easily to gig work that helps create stability where there may be little. The job seekers I work with daily are looking for ways to help bridge life until their next opportunity,” said Kaliko Martin, Employment Training Specialist with Maricopa County, AZ. “LinkedIn Gigs provides both immediate work and a path to gain skills through LinkedIn Premium.”
Ultimately, our goal is to help give unemployed and underemployed people a flexible way to make money quickly along with the training and education tools they need to achieve their long-term career aspirations. We think that quick on-ramps to the gig economy and access to affordable training and education are key components in the broader ongoing dialogue about best supporting gig workers with greater benefits and other support mechanisms.
We’re excited to see how LinkedIn Gigs helps people in the Phoenix metro area. We’ll share more details on the pilot, our learnings, and ideas on how to better support gig workers in the coming months!
Check out LinkedIn Gigs: opportunity.linkedin.com/gigs