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{{label}}24 March 2022
Side-hustle culture has been rising in popularity in the past couple of years. As of late, more and more people are getting comfortable with the idea that getting a single, well-paying job for the rest of their working lives is not the only path available to them.
In a survey, we learned that over 54% of professionals from the U.K. and 54% from Singapore have side hustles. Filipinos are taking the lead in this sphere, with 77% of those surveyed saying they do freelance work outside of their full-time jobs.
Currently, an increasing number of working professionals, particularly millennials, even go as far as ditching traditional career paths with stable compensation in favor of taking multiple side-gigs at once.
Business operations came to a standstill worldwide due to the COVID-19 health crisis, causing companies to cut costs by downsizing in different ways. As a result, many employees were laid off, experienced pay cuts, or were forced to go on furlough until further notice.
Side gigs saved a lot of people affected by the economic downturn. Many employees get freelance work these days on top of their regular jobs to ramp up their savings plan strategies.
Finding work that fits one’s skill set requires a certain amount of diskarte. Competition might be fierce, but persistence would surely get you places! Here are some tips to help you find freelance work that can augment your primary source of income.
Tips and Tricks to Find a Side Gig for Extra Income
1. Ask your friends and family for leads.
Tap into your network. Put the word out that you are on the hunt for freelance work by asking your family, friends, and colleagues. The best thing about reaching out to people who already know you is that they are more likely to recommend job prospects that suit your strengths and capabilities.
2. Update your social media to reflect your personal brand.
Hiring managers use social media to help with their selection process. Over 91% of recruiters screen candidates on socials!
It’s not just LinkedIn that can get you leads—companies also post about job openings on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Some professionals even use Instagram stories to promote products or inserting a link in the bio.
The power of being on social media lies in the level of control you have over creating your online image and establishing your overall professional presence. Curate the content you post and ensure that what you put out there reflects your personal brand so that employers can see your potential.
3 Join Facebook Groups related to your niche or the kind of work you’re looking for.
Are you a creative, developmental sector worker, or writer? Chances are, professionals from your industry have set-up Facebook groups that cater to their niche.
Many of these groups have regular postings for job seekers searching for full-time and part-time gigs. The best part is most job posts on established Facebook groups are usually screened by admins. However, you also have to do due diligence to ensure that you are going after legitimate side gigs.
4. Build a simple portfolio page to showcase your work.
If you are a writer, it can be a blog that contains all of your work or something simple like an organized Google Drive of your files. For graphic artists, retailers, or designers that require a more aesthetically pleasing portfolio, SquareSpace is a user-friendly platform where you can exhibit what you have to offer.
Potential clients will evaluate your qualifications based on what you have on your chosen platforms, so showcase your best work for them to see what you are truly capable of.
5. Discover what you are passionate about.
Side gigs can mean different things for people. Others are okay with taking simple data entry work to add to their income, even if they can do more complex jobs requiring specialized skills. Some seek freelance work that aligns with their talents or hobbies to keep things interesting.
If you find joy in baking, maybe it’s time you cash in on this skill by selling your goods online. If you enjoy solving meaningful problems, perhaps you can offer solutions for people or businesses that need your expertise. You are more likely to succeed if you enjoy what you’re working on, so take your hobbies and passions into consideration when finding ways to make extra cash.
Read more: From Passion to Profit: 5 Signs You Are Ready to Start Your Business
6. Decide if you are willing to shoulder initial costs to make it work.
Some side gigs will require initial costs for things like advertising, branding, hardware, software, or domain hosting. Include start-up expenditures in your planning if applicable so you can take things in stride and hit the ground running without breaking the bank.
7. Organize your schedule from the get-go.
You need the income from a side hustle, but do you have enough time to make it work? For instance, if you are working a full-time job that eats up 40–50 hours per week, check whether you can put in additional work hours for freelance work. This way, you can properly decide on the size and complexity of the job you can take and not bite off more than you can chew.
Do the Hustle
No matter what you decide to take on as a side hustle, the level of your success will depend on your skills and willingness to help people solve specific problems. Always remember to present your products and services in a way that highlights your unique selling proposition and follow-through on your promise.
Find out how you can grow your additional income from your freelance job by scheduling a virtual appointment with our Bancassurance Sales Executives.
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