For a long time, the world (i.e. ‘expert’ columnists on the web) didn’t understand millennials. One particular puzzle was their refusal to be tied down to a job. Instead, they’d flit from one to the other, whether they were waiting tables or holding down corporate internships.

Initially, ‘social commentators’ blamed it on impatience.  They assumed this generation was unwilling to put in the time. They were accused of expecting instant raises and promotions, of wanting to leap frog into management. They were described as upstart know-it-alls that disregarded authority and disrespected the old guard.

Their approach to life has been blamed on a culture of ‘participation awards’ and raising ‘snowflakes’. Society was quick to blame how they turned out, taking no responsibility for bringing them up that way. And then an interesting thing happened … people from other generations began to adopt the millennial way of thinking.

The new migrant worker

They came in all shapes and sizes. There were stay-at-home mums who needed mental stimulation and empty nesters. Both missed the sense of achievement that comes with earning income. Some were late-in-life divorcees trying to jump-start their world view. Others were teenagers looking for weekend gigs. Some wanted to work in pyjamas and have more time for videogames, others wanted to travel the world and learn new cultures.

All these people need flexible work hours with enough income to sustain their lifestyles. Online business offers a viable solution, because they can work from anywhere, as long as they have access to the internet. The kind of work available varies. You can use an app to charge scooters. You can write SEO articles. You can sell photos to sites like Shutterstock.

You can open a shop on Etsy. You can trade forex or bitcoin. You can work as remote customer care or tech support. You can become a social media manager, or a campaign influencer. You could be hired as a virtual assistant or freelance designer. Or you could come up with some new niche that no one has considered, like pet sitting.

Making it work

You need two things to survive from gig to gig. One, you need a strategy for finding work. And two, you need to drastically limit your living expenses. If you’re a backpacking freelancer, you can stay in hostels, couch surf, use Airbnb, or live in camp sites. Just make sure your selected option offers internet access and charging ports.

On the other hand, you could move to a smaller residence or a more remote city where rent is cheaper. You might even build yourself a tiny house if you have the capital, or go off grid. There are plenty of guides on paring your cost of living down to essentials. You’ll also learn how to stretch every dollar, so you can survive between gigs.

Join a work platform to find jobs, or walk around your current neighbourhood talking to people. Observation is the best headhunter, and as long as you’re not looking for millions, there’s always some unexpected gig you can do for money. Good luck!