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The Bad about being a SQL Server Database Gig Worker

The BAD !!!

During my IT career, I owned an IT consulting company that lasted about 5 years. 5 years is the normal for a small business before folding. And the company did fold! Good, bad and ugly times for sure. Sometimes it was good, bad and ugly on the same day or the same week.

Make no mistake, SQL Server database consulting and database GIG work is BIG business

Here’s a list of some of the BAD things about being a gig worker, consultant, 1099 worker,  freelancer, contractor,  self-employed, etc.

  • No job security
    • Budgets get cut and gig workers will probably go first
    • A contract may not get extended
    • Your work is not what was expected
    • Your taking too long to finish a project
    • Your not an employee so you can be let go anytime
  • No free employer benefits
    • You have to pay for all your own health, dental, life and eyeglass insurance
    • You won’t get paid for vacation, PTO, sick days, bereavement days, jury duty days, maternity leave, family leave, etc.
    • 401K retirement matching dollars are lost
  • No unemployment benefits
    • You cannot collect unemployment when gig ends at end of contract or suddenly due to unforeseen reasons.
  • No workman’s compensation for you or your workers
    • You cannot collect disability when you are a gig worker
  • No free office space
    • You may have a temporary space that may be gone tomorrow
  • No company equipment
    • You will need to have your own computer, printer, cell phone, office supplies, etc.
  • No labor protection
    • You are a contract gig worker with little or nor labor protections
  • You must run the business yourself
    • Besides doing the work you are paid for you will need to run the business
    • Lots of record keeping for business expenses
    • Taxes to be filed quarterly with estimated taxes
    • Payroll needs to be done if you hire other workers even if they are also gig workers, you will need to have payroll duties.
  • Discrimination for gig workers
    • Insurance companies do not want to and can refuse to insure you or your workers
    • Lenders do not want to or can refuse to take on your business risk when you need cash flow
  • You must price your services
    • You have a few decisions to make of how will you be paid
      • Hourly
      • Hourly plus expenses (copies, mailings, materials for project)
      • Fixed project price
      • Retainer before you start
      • Performance based
      • Commission
      • Combination of the any of the above
    • At the same time you can’t price yourself out of the market with completion from there places
      • offshore resources
      • other local gig workers
      • gig worker websites
      • consulting firms
      • placement agencies

While all this sounds does not like a perfect career path to make great money fast, read the GOOD post about being a Database Gig Worker from last week. Then read the UGLY post about being a Database Gig Worker next week.

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