Business Talent Group CEO Jody Greenstone Miller sat down with Bloomberg Businessweek to discusses key takeaways from our 2019 Skills Index—and put more detail around just who high-end gig economy workers are and what they’re working on.
Here are three of our favorite moments:
“Any time you make any big changes in your organization, you need help.”
The Skills Index uses BTG’s proprietary data to rank the most in-demand skills in the independent marketplace.
For the second year in a row, project management was the single most in-demand consulting skill and as Miller explained, this reflects the broad need for experienced resources who can lead workstreams, coordinate stakeholders, and make sure new initiatives are delivered on time and on budget.
“Think about all the initiatives that companies are trying to manage, going digital, new technology, transformations, going agile,” she said. “And any time you make any big changes in your organization, you need help, and it’s not necessarily from people who are right there.”
“I do think we’re a bit of a leading indicator.”
The Skills Index also ranks the fastest-growing skills year over year. Most notably, Miller pointed out that gig economy workers with expertise in cost reduction saw a 250% jump in demand—and warned that this increase could be a sign of things to come.
“Companies are reaching out to us when they need to think about what’s next, whether it’s growth or whether cost reduction,” said Miller. “So seeing that jump 250% year over year is something we should all keep our eye on.”
“It’s a platform that works for everybody.”
When asked about the demographic make-up of BTG’s talent marketplace, Miller explained that the typical gig economy worker in the talent pooled skewed male, with most of them in the sweet spot of their careers and united by a shared desire to work outside the confines of corporate culture.
“If you’re at the later stage in your career, it’s a great idea to come on and be available to use your expertise,” said Miller. Of course, not everyone has decades of experience behind them. “What we’re finding is that millennials really like to work this way and that’s going drive a lot of the talent pool.”
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