Have you given some thought to taking on a side hustle or weekend gig to supplement your income?
A side hustle can be a great way to make a little money outside your normal work hours, and it can even benefit your full-time career.
What is a side hustle/weekend gig?
These are the jobs you have in addition to your normal job, and they require fewer hours than your full-time career. Side jobs are usually freelance or piecemeal, and you don’t work for a boss; you do something on your own to generate extra income.
Side jobs typically offer a flexible schedule that you generally define yourself, and the hours will vary, depending on how much extra time you have.
What are some examples of side hustles/weekend gigs?
You could drive for Uber or Lyft, be a mystery shopper, sell crafts on Etsy, deliver food for DoorDash or PostMates, sell items on eBay or Craigslist, rent a room on Airbnb, or take on a babysitting or pet-sitting job.
These are all useful ways to make some money in a pinch and require little training, but they won’t necessarily help your career.
If you want to benefit your career, you should find a skilled side hustle, like answering professional questions in your field on JustAnswer. Or you can pick up freelance jobs on Fiverr or Upwork, which post short-term jobs for people in many different professions.
You can also create YouTube tutorials on a subject on which you’re an expert. These types of jobs will help you expand and cement your professional knowledge, because you’ll have to do research in your field in order to be successful.
How can I make my side hustle work for me?
If you want to get the most professional bang for your buck, you need to use it to expand your capabilities so that it benefits your day job. For example, if your job requires you to keep up fluency in a foreign language, you could take on a tutoring gig on the weekends. This will help you keep up your language skills and bring in some extra cash.
Or, if your job includes a lot of writing, you could write freelance articles on websites like Freelancer; honing your writing skills by using them outside work hours will benefit your career immensely.
What other benefits will a side hustle/weekend gig have for my career?
Beyond the professional gains you can make with this type of endeavor, you will learn some important skills, including better time management and on-the-fly learning. You’ll also be able to add the side job to your résumé — a definite plus.
And you’ll be keeping your professional knowledge current, which isn’t always a given once you’re on a career path.
A side job can also provide stress relief, especially if it is something you enjoy. Even though it’s work, it’s “extra” work, so you probably won’t feel a time crunch or need to worry about deadlines.
The bottom line
Choose your side hustle wisely, and you’ll be on your way to making more money and amplifying your performance at your day job all at once!
