Sharing Economy in Full Swing

 People with“Slash Careers”

To celebrate the birthday of his parents at home, Mr. Song booked a catering service on Idachu.com. Song discussed the menu with the chefs and personally chose all the dishes to be served, from cold dishes to a fruit plate. The next day, two young chefs arrived on time, dressed in uniform and with all the ingredients and seasonings. Four hours later, Song’s parents returned and were surprised with a delightful dinner. Song said it was not the first time he had used this service and he said it was the best choice for people like him who are busy with work and seldom cook.

Over the last few years, catering service platforms have sprung up like mushrooms. It is no longer the privilege of rich people to hire a chef to cook for them. To meet diverse needs, various platforms at different levels have been established, targeting both high-end and ordinary customers.

Catering services platforms fully utilize idle labor in society. The“Home-Cook” app has attracted many parents who are good at cooking. They enjoy their“work” very much as they can earn money by utilizing their spare time to cook for young office workers who are at a similar age to their own children. Compared with restaurants, these part-time“chefs” are more careful about choosing, washing, and cooking ingredients.

As the sharing economy evolves, the goods and services that can be shared cover a wider and wider range, from cars and houses, to talents and skills. This trend has led to a growing number of freelance workers. Luo Zhenyu, the host of Logical Thinking, an online talk show on social issues, commented on the deciding role of markets, by saying that when you hold a basket of radishes and go to the market, you can sell them all if your price is reasonable.

In addition to ZBJ.com and doumi.com, Lagou.com, an online job market, is confident in the potential of the freelance job market. It has established a platform to connect project work with talents such as developers, designers, programmers, salespeople, and even small companies and studios. Through the platform, enterprises hire employees according to their needs and the employees don’t have to keep office hours. This platform also provides complete legal and social security services.

Therefore, more and more young people become a“slash.” This nickname refers to the many slashes between their job titles, such as“a photographer/illustrator/columnist” and“a private tourist guide/yoga coach/prominent blogger.” They are professional in certain areas, so they can participate in projects anytime and anywhere, enjoying a new model of life and work.

“Now people have changed their understanding about freelance work. In the past, people often had the stereotype that it was not stable,” said Bao Aile, Chief Marketing Officer of lagou.com.