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What Are Good Side Jobs for Earning Extra Income?

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | Mar 31, 2021

What are good side jobs?

Side jobs are a source of supplementary income. They're usually temporary gigs that you do in addition to your primary occupation. Whether you deliver pizzas after work or contribute to a blog site on the weekends, the leading side jobs pay well, and best of all, they're flexible. If you've asked yourself, "what side jobs can I do?" here are some good side jobs for full-time workers.

Driving jobs

If you’re struggling to stretch your paycheck this month, reach your financial goals with these potentially profitable driving jobs:

Rideshare

Use your car and smartphone to boost your bank account. Start ridesharing with companies like Uber.

Food delivery

The number of food delivery driver jobs has skyrocketed recently, opening up a wealth of income-earning opportunities for drivers with reliable wheels.

Grocery delivery

Delivering groceries is one of many easy small side jobs. Just sign up with websites such as Instacart.

Online jobs

Tap into the online opportunities available to you. Working from home is convenient and rewarding for side jobs that pay well, such as:

Tutoring

Many students need academic coaching. As an online tutor, you can teach whatever subjects you’re most knowledgeable about.

Run ads

Some businesses would rather pay you to run their Facebook ads than do it themselves.

Pinterest assistant

Pinterest is a great resource, and some Pinners need help with duties like research and creating pins.

Manage social media

Join the growing group of social media managers for platforms like Instagram and Twitter.

Create a class

The internet offers courses on just about every topic. Create an online class and share your insights.

Website testing

The best side jobs are easy. Make money surfing the web by judging how well sites’ pages function.

Personal services

What’s a good side job to help you supplement your income? Consider working with people and pets with one of these fun and fulfilling gigs:

Dog walking

Dog walking doesn’t feel like work for pet lovers, making it a great way to earn money.

Personal assistant

From ironing to making dinner, busy households and executives need your assistance with various personal tasks.

Caregiver

Offer care services to kids and elders. Babysitters are in-demand, and senior care openings are rising.

Run errands

Running errands like picking up prescriptions or dropping off the dry cleaning is one of many good side jobs for full-time workers.

Party planner

If you have a knack for planning, step into this side job easily by helping set up events like birthday parties and weddings.

Virtual assistant

Many entrepreneurs are looking for help with the everyday tasks that keep their companies running, such as:

Data entry operator

Data entry jobs are a great way for people to put in some occasional work and still make extra income.

Email response service

Email is the preferred communication tool for many busy executives. Staying on top of it is vital. That’s why they outsource their inbox to part-timers like you.

Project management

A virtual project manager ensures that work at companies like construction firms and design studios stays on schedule.

Bookkeeper

A remote bookkeeper is responsible for entering financial information into accounting software, like Intuit’s QuickBooks.

Blog manager

Bloggers often hire a do-it-all manager. You’ll organize, plan, and implement content strategies in your spare time.

Researcher

As a virtual research assistant, you’ll comb the internet for relevant data and churn out reports with your findings.

Digital marketer

Digital marketing is a great job for freelancers. It allows you to use your skills in web development and sales.

Scheduler

Remote schedulers may complete customer registrations, place reminder calls for appointments, and coordinate your company’s calendar.

Dispatcher

Trucking companies and emergency services use remote dispatchers to route workers to job sites.

Transcription

Transcription work is an in-demand side job. You’ll listen to audio clips or videos and accurately type up everything that’s said.

Virtual service representative

Customer service is one of the fastest-growing virtual occupations. You’ll most likely answer phones and field questions.

Creative gigs

Use your creativity to drum up some fast cash whenever you need it. From performing arts to crafting skills, your talents can pay off quickly.

Sell on Etsy

Etsy is the go-to online marketplace for everything crafty. Millions of annual sales come from printables and digital downloads that you create, like wall art, planners, and business cards.

Flip furniture

If you’re good with a paintbrush, flipping furniture may be for you. Start with free and cheap pieces, like discarded curb goodies and Goodwill donations.

Musician

Is that drum set collecting dust in your basement? Polish it up and ask around town about live performance opportunities.

Sell your stuff

If you want extra cash without the interview process, pay yourself to clean out your closets. Here are a couple of popular options for getting started:

eBay

Selling goods on eBay is easy and fast, and you can list almost anything that is lying around your house.

Shopify

Shopify is a user-friendly platform for running an eCommerce store. You select the items you want to sell, and Shopify drop ships them for you.

Rent out your stuff

Consider renting out your stuff and watch your bank balance grow.

Rent out your car

Turo is an online platform where you can find people who want to borrow your car. Customers are prescreened, and you choose the dates and times when your vehicle will be available.

Lease your space

Another self-employment option is to rent your extra space, like a spare room, a garage, storage shed, or the entire house. Check out sites like Stow It and Airbnb.

Designers

If you have design skills, working as a freelancer is a legitimate side job. Companies outsource many projects for creatives such as:

Sound designer

Sound designers add music and sound effects to films and other productions to enhance the mood and atmosphere.

Graphic designer

If you’ve got a creative flair, try your hand at graphic design. You’ll create visual concepts that captivate customers.

Video editor

Video editors select and cut footage, look for errors, and arrange movies into clearly sequenced stories.

Photography

If you enjoy looking through a camera lens, pad your pocketbook by shooting weddings, sporting events, and other celebrations.

Web developers

Developers take web design one step further than appearances. They’re responsible for technical aspects like performance and capacity.

Learn more: Discover if you have a fair job offer. See how your offer compares to other pay packages and if you need to negotiate.

Writer

Writing is a creative role that can pay well. It’s a broad field that can encompass many different jobs, including:

SEO writer

SEO writers implement keywords and phrases within web content to improve a client’s visibility and search engine rankings.

Blog writer

If you’ve got a gift for gab, you’re primed to create, edit, post, and promote online content.

Email newsletters

Newsletters are a popular email marketing tool. Wordsmiths keep a company’s audience engaged and informed.

Research writers

If you enjoy scouring the web for technical data and compiling academic papers, try your hand at research writing.

Catalog descriptions

Writing catalog descriptions is a niche that suits some writers well. The work requires the production of succinct, engaging copy that drives sales.

Ghostwriter

Ghostwriters compose literary or journalistic works that are officially credited to another person.

Novelist

Do you have a marvelous idea for a book? A professional novelist can get started during evenings and weekends.

Screenwriter

Are you sitting on an original idea for the latest Netflix drama? Consider screenwriter as your next side gig.

Grant writer

If you’re passionate about your community, you might want to write grants. Grant writers draft grant proposals to secure funding for non-profit organizations.

Technical writer

Technical writers create documents that show users how a product works, such as instruction manuals.

Resume writer

Help your fellow job hunters out and prepare professional resumes for some side income.

Editor

Do grammatical errors make you cringe? Copyediting might be one of the best side hustles for you.

Other profit-making opportunities

Even little jobs here and there can add up over time, such as:

Focus group

Participate in a paid research study or online focus group.

Organizer

Organized people are needed to clear out closet cutter, set up new offices, and more.

Mover

Put your muscles to work and earn money loading, unloading, and moving people’s stuff.

Translator

If you speak more than one language, get a side gig translating text and audio online.

Work at a market

Many communities have weekly flea and farmers markets. Signing up to help can garner extra income.

General tasks

Consider TaskRabbit for one-off side jobs doing just about anything, from petsitting to waiting in line.

What are good side jobs? Every opportunity on this list of best jobs to do on the side would fit the bill. Side hustles are one of the best ways to increase your income.

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team

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