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Gigs or 9-to-5: A Qualitative Investigation for Understanding Students' Career Preferences

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Title: Gigs or 9-to-5: A Qualitative Investigation for Understanding Students' Career Preferences
Language: English
Authors: Alia Athar (ORCID 0009-0004-7020-7274), Feza Tabassum Azmi, Ruhena Reza
Source: Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning. 2025 15(4):917-937.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Part Time Employment, Temporary Employment, Information Technology, Career Choice, Labor Market, Employee Attitudes, Motivation, Skill Development, Income, Competition, Foreign Countries, College Students, Student Attitudes, Barriers
Geographic Terms: India
DOI: 10.1108/HESWBL-11-2024-0354
ISSN: 2042-3896
Abstract: Purpose: This study investigates the motivations and challenges influencing the career preferences of Indian students engaged in part-time digital gig work, examining how their experiences shape career decisions in an evolving labour market. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was adopted, utilising semi-structured interviews with 30 students actively engaged in digital gig platforms. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling to ensure diverse perspectives. Findings: The analysis identified seven key themes grouped into two categories. Motivations for pursuing gig work included opportunity for self-learning and skill acquisition, scope for large income generation and flexibility and work-life balance. Challenges constraining sustained gig engagement involve: limited university support, income instability, lack of regulatory protection and high competition. These themes reflect how students' participation is shaped by both aspirational and structural factors. While many are drawn by autonomy, income and career experimentation, others express concerns about long-term sustainability and institutional neglect. Research limitations/implications: The study offers theoretical contributions to career research by applying a hybrid framework while also recommending curricular, institutional and policy-level interventions to better support young gig workers navigating the evolving digital labour market. Originality/value: By focusing on students in higher education, this study highlights an underexplored segment of the digital gig workforce. It provides nuanced insights into how young professionals navigate precarious yet flexible employment landscapes. The study is grounded in a hybrid career theory, showing how students blend traditional career concerns (e.g. stability) with protean orientations (e.g. adaptability and autonomy).
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1482319
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
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  Data: Gigs or 9-to-5: A Qualitative Investigation for Understanding Students' Career Preferences
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alia+Athar%22">Alia Athar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7020-7274">0009-0004-7020-7274</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Feza+Tabassum+Azmi%22">Feza Tabassum Azmi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ruhena+Reza%22">Ruhena Reza</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education%2C+Skills+and+Work-based+Learning%22"><i>Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning</i></searchLink>. 2025 15(4):917-937.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 21
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Part+Time+Employment%22">Part Time Employment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Temporary+Employment%22">Temporary Employment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Technology%22">Information Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Choice%22">Career Choice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Market%22">Labor Market</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+Attitudes%22">Employee Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motivation%22">Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Skill+Development%22">Skill Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Income%22">Income</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Competition%22">Competition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22India%22">India</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1108/HESWBL-11-2024-0354
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2042-3896
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This study investigates the motivations and challenges influencing the career preferences of Indian students engaged in part-time digital gig work, examining how their experiences shape career decisions in an evolving labour market. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was adopted, utilising semi-structured interviews with 30 students actively engaged in digital gig platforms. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling to ensure diverse perspectives. Findings: The analysis identified seven key themes grouped into two categories. Motivations for pursuing gig work included opportunity for self-learning and skill acquisition, scope for large income generation and flexibility and work-life balance. Challenges constraining sustained gig engagement involve: limited university support, income instability, lack of regulatory protection and high competition. These themes reflect how students' participation is shaped by both aspirational and structural factors. While many are drawn by autonomy, income and career experimentation, others express concerns about long-term sustainability and institutional neglect. Research limitations/implications: The study offers theoretical contributions to career research by applying a hybrid framework while also recommending curricular, institutional and policy-level interventions to better support young gig workers navigating the evolving digital labour market. Originality/value: By focusing on students in higher education, this study highlights an underexplored segment of the digital gig workforce. It provides nuanced insights into how young professionals navigate precarious yet flexible employment landscapes. The study is grounded in a hybrid career theory, showing how students blend traditional career concerns (e.g. stability) with protean orientations (e.g. adaptability and autonomy).
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1482319
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1482319
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1108/HESWBL-11-2024-0354
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 917
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Part Time Employment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Temporary Employment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Information Technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Choice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Market
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employee Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motivation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Skill Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Income
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Competition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: India
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Gigs or 9-to-5: A Qualitative Investigation for Understanding Students' Career Preferences
        Type: main
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    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alia Athar
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Feza Tabassum Azmi
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ruhena Reza
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
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            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 2042-3896
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              Value: 15
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning
              Type: main
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