Excessive-skill aspect hustles within the wake of current tech layoffs

With the current swath of tech layoffs — including another 10,000 at Mega announced on March 14 — and the continued demand of workers for distant work, you may be questioning if parlaying your expertise right into a aspect hustle is a viable possibility. Nicely, not solely is it a viable possibility, there’s extra demand than ever for some of these jobs that reap the benefits of tech expertise. The bonus is that every one you really want to get began is a robust web connection and the flexibility to promote your self. 

Many of those high-paying aspect hustles might see you incomes upwards of six figures or extra, relying on how a lot time you wish to put into them —t hat’s one other upside, as a lot of them are versatile sufficient to do by yourself schedule. Work as a lot or as little as you want, or moonlight within the hours round your 9-5. You’ll be in good firm, too. A 2022 survey by LendingTree(Opens in a new tab) discovered that round 44% of Individuals have taken up a aspect hustle, a rise from the 12% of Individuals who had one in 2020. 

As corporations proceed to lean on freelancers to scale back prices, there’s loads of alternative for high-skilled tech staff to launch or increase their aspect hustle — with some jobs paying upwards of $100 per hour or extra.

When you’ve acquired expertise, go forward and create an internet portfolio the place you may share your work with potential shoppers. Checklist your companies on freelance job boards or attain out to prospects straight along with your companies. Getting the phrase out about your companies is vital to making sure you will have a gradual stream of shoppers. 

Listed here are 8 concepts for high-skill aspect hustles. 

QA testing

Issue: Medium

Annual wage vary: $104,000+

QA — or high quality assurance — testers are liable for operating exams on web sites, functions, and even software program applications to make sure there are not any bugs or different points with the code. Whereas the thought of checking code might sound intimidating, you don’t want numerous expertise with coding so as to achieve success and make financial institution. You actually simply have to know tips on how to run the automated exams that examine the code for issues, although you’re certain to choose up some coding expertise alongside the best way. 

Tech help

Issue: Simple

Annual wage vary: $75,000

When you’re acquainted with expertise, contemplate placing these expertise to work for your self or for an organization on a part-time foundation as a technical help specialist. Whereas there are certification applications (like Google’s IT Support Professional Certificate)(Opens in a new tab) that let you be taught extra about tech help and be capable of exhibit your data to potential shoppers, they’re definitely not a prerequisite. Most necessary is your skill to take technical ideas and be capable of clarify them in an easy-to-understand method.  

Net growth

Issue: Laborious

Annual wage vary: $156,000+

To be able to achieve success at making internet growth your aspect hustle, you’ll want expertise with quite a lot of software program and coding languages, together with WordPress, CSS, PHP, MySQL, and HTML. Staying updated with the most recent tech and programming requirements is what makes this a high-skill aspect hustle. There are free tutorials on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript obtainable on websites like Codecademy(Opens in a new tab) and w3schools(Opens in a new tab) that may aid you get began, even with little expertise. 

Net design

Issue: Laborious

Annual wage vary: $156,000+

Net growth is the precise constructing of internet sites themselves, however internet design focuses on what the web site will seem like. This covers every part from the general feel and look of the location, to the precise structure for internet, cellular, and pill viewing. You’ll seemingly want expertise in applications akin to Photoshop and Webflow. Be ready to make suggestions to shoppers — and to push again on these concepts that don’t make sense. When you can mix internet growth expertise with internet design expertise, you may supply a full-service freelance choice to potential shoppers. 

Cell app growth

Issue: Medium

Annual wage vary: $105,000+

To be able to achieve success as a cellular app developer, you’ll want expertise in iOS and Android app growth, in addition to person interface (UI) design. You would possibly create apps for small companies, or assist out with work on different apps already in growth. When you’re feeling actually impressed, you would possibly even develop your personal app to fill a necessity out there. Simply needless to say there’s rather a lot that goes into monetizing an app, and if advertising and marketing isn’t actually your factor you could be higher off merely doing cellular app growth for different companies. 

Recreation growth

Issue: Laborious

Annual wage vary: $200,000+

Recreation growth requires numerous time, creativity, and persistence, however could be a nice aspect hustle for somebody with the fitting data and expertise. You’ll additionally flex your expertise in IT, problem-solving, time administration, communication, and staying updated with the most recent trade developments and applied sciences. When you’re doing this as a aspect hustle, be ready to work additional time, weekends, and holidays to meet challenge milestones or deadlines. 

Copywriting

Issue: Simple

Annual wage vary: $140,000+

Not everybody can write nicely, however for individuals who have the abilities it may be a reasonably profitable aspect hustle. When you can cost by the hour, many copywriters work on challenge charges. Which means that the extra expert (and quicker) you get on the work, the extra you herald per hour. Copywriters which are most in demand are those that even have data of primary tech expertise like HTML, WordPress, and web optimization fundamentals along with their writing chops.

web optimization technique

Issue: Simple

Annual wage vary: $135,000+

Talking of web optimization (aka search engine marketing) that is one other high-skill aspect hustle anybody reeling from the current tech layoff of selling groups can go after. Whereas there’s definitely talent and technique that goes into web optimization work, it’s not tremendous difficult for most individuals to choose up. It’s additionally a talent you may develop whereas studying different digital advertising and marketing expertise on this record — akin to web site design or copywriting — making you an much more engaging rent for these in want of expert staff. 

As you may see, there are a number of various high-skill aspect hustles which are good for these recovering from current tech layoffs, on the lookout for a extra versatile work schedule, or simply eager to pursue their passions whereas making use of their expertise. For extra sensible recommendation and inspiration for turning a interest right into a enterprise, try the remainder of our Self Made collection.