Name: Slashies.
Age: As old as work itself, although the term has only been around for a decade or so.
Appearance: Empowered!
Whatever this is, it sure sounds cool. It is! Nothing says: “I am a hip young creative” like being a slashie.
Just so we’re all clear, what exactly is a slashie? You know, a multi-hyphenate! Someone with a portfolio career! A side hustle!
Right, I get it. God, this all sounds so glamorous. It is. Imagine getting to follow all your dreams at once. Your hobbies are your work. You’re a pirate! A slave to nobody! You’re living the dream!
Hold on, are we talking about people who have got more than one job? Sure, yes, that’s one way to describe it. But …
Like when my mum had to supplement her income from working in a supermarket by cleaning in the evenings? Well, no, not exactly. This is more aspirational than that.
But that’s the gist, right? Not being able to pay your bills with the job you’ve got? No, you’re misunderstanding me. A study by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) has revealed that more than 320,500 self-employed people in Britain have two or more jobs.
OK. They must be doing it because they love being in control, right? The BBC interviewed a bunch of slashies, and one of them said: “I feel refreshed by how I work now. I don’t do anything long enough to get bored with it.”
Seems a bit weird, if you ask me. Chloé Jepps from IPSE says that people want to become slashies. “It’s to pursue a passion, try something new and get some extra income while doing something they love,” she said.
So, what are the jobs on offer to a slashie? Well, you could have a podcast, or …
Hold on, podcasting isn’t a job. But it could be part of a job! Imagine if you combined podcasting with running a supper club, writing a blog and maintaining a successful Instagram account.
Would that be enough to make a living? God, no! Of course not! Are you crazy? You’d be dead from starvation within a week.
OK, so what else do I need to do? I mean, you could have really rich parents. That often seems to help.
But slashies are real? They’re not just fictional figures of unattainable aspiration that drive freelancers to burn out under a deluge of towering admin and multiple responsibilities? I’m sure there are many who would disagree.
Do say: “I love being a writer/influencer/DJ.”
Don’t say: “I would also love to be able to cover my basic monthly expenditure, but I guess you can’t have it all.”
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