Which brings us to ‘functional’ resumes compared to the existing chronological variety where dates play a significant role and not the job you did. It’s time to not only adopt the contract culture but also emphasise the work you did rather than the time you spent at a particular company. Make sure your resume demonstrates not only the quantitative part of your work experience but also the qualitative aspects to them. 

It’s time to be multi-faceted and not wedded to one company doing the same thing over and over again. It’s time to take a break and do something new with your job. You could upgrade your skills and get a better pay at the same company or get into a completely different field just because you can. What’s more, you can do one better. You can work on contract and also become an adjunct faculty to transfer your knowledge to the future generation. It’s your way of giving back what you’ve learnt. And only a fixed term contract job allows you to do that. 

So whether you’ve worked for just a few days, months or years, you can turn that into your unique selling proposition. Focus on the job you did rather than the duration and you’ve landed your next job. Just remember to focus on work that is relevant to the job you are applying for. And don’t forget to talk about the attributes and goodwill you carried into your every job. If your co-worker or boss expresses deep gratitude to the work, your future employer will realise how helpful, creative or hardworking you were. And that could be a great value addition to the job you are applying for. 

If you are a habitual contract employee, it exemplifies traits few possess. That of accomplishing tasks in a brief period and be able to mingle with a new set of people to achieve your goals. It showcases your interpersonal skills and the fact that you worked in a team full of strangers.

Contract jobs are for those who are serious about what they do. They give their best in the shortest possible time, so they can do something better after that: pamper themselves by pursuing a hobby or fulfilling a long cherished dream. 

Just the way contract jobs are redefining workplaces, it’s time our resumes did that too. Focus more on the jobs and attributes you brought to your work and pay less attention to the duration of your work. That doesn’t really matter in a world where you can chase multiple careers. And that’s precisely what WorkFlexi.in offers. A fixed term contract job after which you also get a month’s minimum basic pay, so you can look for a job in the meantime without worrying about your living expenses. Welcome to a new world where you can LIVE and not just EXIST!

Flexibility and gaining a competitive edge is driving the industry to go for a flexible work schedule that fosters part time work and powers contract employees. According to the Indian Staffing Federation (ISF), the growth in contract staffing was 10% in 2017 and is said to rise to 12% this year. “The ISF has predicted that the 2.1 million temporary workers presently in the organised sector will increase to 2.9 million workers by 2018, making India the third largest market in the world,” said Adam Pode, Director of International Research at Staffing Industry Analysts.

That’s not all with flexi jobs. According to one ISF report, the Indian IT flexi staffing industry crossed $3 billion in 2016-2017 and is expected to witness 14-16% growth in the next three years. And this extends to all states and sectors across India. The ISF should know. Some of the topmost companies in India are part of it and make up 20% of the total market share. 

One other study by ISF found that 60% of the companies who were making use of flexi staffing were more capable of withstanding revenue dips and remaining in business. The justification isn’t without reason. The employees get to do short term projects for a limited period, so they can take a break from work, and get back to working on a new project that will give a shine to their bio and also upgrade their skill set. They get the same pay and perks as the permanent employees but they don’t have to remain stuck with one company or job for long. They do have the option of joining the company full-time if the company and the candidate find it mutually beneficial. But otherwise, the candidate could just take a break from the contract job. 

The majority of people opting for temporary jobs happen to be under 30. And it’s understandable. They are new to the workforce and want to try out all their options and also indulge in their hobbies before family life and financial responsibilities take over their life. Although the IT industry is the primary driver of flexi jobs, the other sectors queuing up include retail, telecom, pharma, hospitality, manufacturing and agriculture.