[sleavey]

That's the crux of this whole gig economy debate - for some people, these kinds of jobs are ideal: zero hours contracts, with the ability to work more or less depending on what else is going on in your life.

That being said, some people take these jobs because they're the only ones they can get. I don't know your circumstances, so I'm going to guess here, but from what you write it sounds like you have the safety net of your parents if things go wrong. While you study you may also have access to a student loan and/or support from your parents mandated by law (let's not get into an argument about how crappy student loans are, but at least they're an income during your studies). Since you're attending university, I might guess you're at an age where you don't yet care about paying into a pension. Again - making wild assumptions here - but if you don't have kids, you probably don't care if your work-life balance is skewed heavily towards studying and earning, at the expense of sleep and general health.

For some others, though, their job is all they have, and "gig economy" jobs are the only ones they can get. This creates the perfect environment for exploitative working practices, where dodgy loopholes are used to underpay and overwork staff, who can be dropped at an instant if the company needs to save money or if workers start to complain about conditions.

If Deliveroo and other gigs were worked by students in their free time, I don't think this would be such an issue. The problem is that, increasingly, people without safety nets are joining these companies and working effectively full time, and no longer just for occasional "gigs" a few times a week. That, in my book, requires that they are given the same rights as any other full time workers: holidays, sick pay, pension contributions, grievance procedures and other benefits.

[danielfoster]

Companies like Uber and Deliveroo have become a full-time job of last resort for many people, even though they may have been intended only as part-time gigs. Isn't it technically society's fault, and not Deliveroo's or Uber's, that no other full-time employment exists?

People working in the gig economy deserve a safety net and also deserve better pay, but you can't solely blame Taskrabbit, Uber or Deliveroo for these issues.

[ue_]

That's true, I have my parents if things go wrong; the thing is that before I started university last year my parents convinced me not to get a student maintenance loan (i.e what pays for my living expenses and rent). Instead I get a sum of money at the start of each month and that's supposed to subsist for the utilities in the house where I live and any other expenses I have, except rent which my parents pay. I have no children or dependents nor do I pay any taxes.

It's also true that I don't need a job, but I'm being pressured to get one for the idea that my parents will at some point stop giving me money, and that I need something to put on my CV/resume (I don't think Deliveroo is all that impressive personally).

My other options are things like working in a fast food joint, or something like a cinema. But I don't know if I can do that and fit in my education at the same time plus have some free time to relax myself, play a video game or whatever. It's honestly worrying and I feel pushed into a corner by all this.

[sleavey]

I was in a very similar situation to you a few years ago when I went to university. I had a summer job working in PC World before I started, and I was lucky enough to transfer to the shop in my university city. I worked Wednesday evenings for 4 hours (16:00 to 20:00) and Saturdays (09:00 to 18:00) which gave me 12 hours income a week at a little above minimum wage at the time, or about £300/month. Essentially, it paid my rent and my student loan could cover everything else. Later when I entered my honours year I dropped down to just Saturdays.

The job was shitty in the sense that you had to try to sell junk computers and software and insurance to unsuspecting people for what felt like long hours and not much money, but I feel like the experience was ultimately worth it in many ways. I gained a work ethic, having to get up and be on time, wash and iron a uniform and take responsibility. I learned what it was like to be someone working there full time (and how it can destroy your soul). Again, for some people these jobs are all they can get. I also learned about the attitude of the average member of the public, which I think has given me some small insight into recent election results. I've got 5 years experience in retail sales in a complicated field (not just selling coffee or clothes) to put on my CV, which shows to employers in my profession that I have actually had what some call a "real" job, and all the life experience that goes with it.

I think it's worth judging a sales/delivery/misc job at such an early stage in your career as beneficial life experience, instead of only trying to find something relevant to your future career (if you can find a job that has both, though, then great!).

[murukesh_s]

Seems like you are interested in programming. Why don't you try some job in that lines, like an internship or if that's too early, some freelancing like in upwork?

If you feel you aren't ready for programming professionally, you can try taking up SEO, content writing etc..

I don't know which subject you are pursuing but it might give more weight to your CV.

Btw, if you think of doing your own startup at some time in the future, then try to gather as much of sales experience as possible, even doing a door to door sales. I really wished I had done that in my student days..

[ycitm]

If you've got any experience or interest in programming, I'd recommend having a stab at Google Summer of Code[0].

[0] - https://developers.google.com/open-source/gsoc/