At first thought, a background in graphic design might not seem to lend itself easily to tasking. Graphic designers spend hours sitting in front of a computer, working on the same project for hours, sometimes for days and weeks at a time. Taskers, meanwhile, tackle multiple different kinds of activities every day, all over their map—and most of the time, these tasks don’t involve sitting at a desk.
But if you think about it a little more, design is thinking creatively, and tasking is often creative problem-solving. Tasker Gilbert G. from Seattle found the same to be true, and took easily to tasking from his freelance graphic design work. Not only that, but he found he truly enjoyed the break tasking gave him from his normal routine—a physical, mental, and even social change of pace for him.
Read on to hear more about his unique story, and his great advice!
What did you do before becoming a Tasker?
I worked as a freelance graphic designer and developer.
What brought you to TaskRabbit?
I was looking for a quick side-hustle to break up the time between design work. I stumbled upon TaskRabbit, and it seemed to make managing a side-gig super easy, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
What is your best tasking memory?
One Fourth of July I was hired to act as a “doorman” for an event—essentially greeting guests and showing them the way to the elevator. After the task ended, the Client invited me to join the rooftop party and enjoy the food, drinks, and company, as well as an epic fireworks display. It was such a great experience to get to know wonderful people I likely never would have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.
What types of challenges has TaskRabbit allowed you to overcome?
I’d always been afraid of trying something new and failing. But with tasking, I’ve often been pushed to try things I’ve never attempted before, or to find a creative way of solving a problem. Never once have I failed. It’s a great feeling knowing this, and even better when the Client tells you how impressed they are with what you accomplished for them.
How has TaskRabbit impacted your life?
It has definitely improved my time management and expanded my network of friends in Seattle. Beyond that, I think one of the best things is that it keeps me active. I don’t own a car, so I walk or bike to all of my tasks, which definitely keeps me in shape zipping around the city! It’s such a nice change from staring at my computer screen all day.
What’s the most rewarding thing about your transition to becoming a Tasker?
Not being in a routine. I love that when I’m tasking, my days bring lots of new challenges and lots of different tasks and people. Every day is a new Client and a different task—how could I not love that?
What advice do you have for new Taskers just starting out?
Show your personality in your Skills & Experience pitches! It really helps me stand out in search results by providing a lot of detail about my experience, but also adding some fun. I like to add emojis to mine to add some humor, which I’ve heard from several Clients that they appreciate. Here’s one of my favorites—in a category you might not expect to have an interesting Skills & Experience pitch:
Waiting in Line Skills & Experience pitch: “I have patience 🤷♂️.”
Whether you come from a creative background or a physical one, rest assured that you can put your skills to great use while tasking. We love how Gilbert utilizes his creative background in design for creative problem solving and in crafting unique Skills & Experience pitches. How have you leveraged your background to help with tasking?
