Earning While in Between Jobs and Scoring a New Position
Leaving a job can lead to a quite uncertain and stressful time. You may apply to multiple positions, but landing a new role can take longer than you wish. In the meantime, you don’t need to live solely from your savings or other support systems.
You can take a more proactive position and see this time as a way to explore new options and start earning through other sources. Maybe you’ll spend it acquiring knowledge from a different industry. Moreover, you can consider earning independently, without getting hired!
Freelancing with your current skillset
Freelancing is a popular choice for people during their job hunt. You work on tasks given by your clients and get paid an agreed amount. Multiple online platforms facilitate the client search, letting you apply for jobs or be discovered via search. The pay you can expect highly depends on your skills and field.
For example, Upwork lists its average hourly rates for each category. As a graphic designer skilled in Adobe Illustrator, you can expect to earn $15-$30 per hour. Back-end developers require $20-$40 per hour, and affiliate marketers ask for $25-$50 per hour. So, if you’re just creating your freelancing profile, setting your rate a bit lower could help you score your first clients.
Take a temporary position
Sometimes, you need a quick option to support yourself throughout this period. In that case, you may apply for temporary jobs that don’t require long-term commitment. It could be jobs as retail salesperson, delivery driver, office assistant, data entry specialist, or substitute teacher.
Also, look for options when an employee is taking some time off due to various reasons (such as illness) and the company needs a replacement until they return. Besides being a means to support yourself, it can help you hone new skills, such as the experience of interacting closely with customers as a salesperson or a customer support specialist.
Start side hustles or online jobs
Besides freelancing, there are plenty of ways to earn money online. You can join platforms offering micro-jobs/micro-tasks that don’t require any special skills or long-term commitment. These assignments can be anything, be it to test products, answer surveys, watch videos, or play mobile games. The participants get paid for each task and can usually receive their money after reaching the withdrawal limit.
Additionally, the online space offers numerous opportunities, including the chance to position yourself as a social media creator. You can start different channels, share content, and use available monetization to earn from your audience and views.
Of course, before starting any channel or account, consider your angle and what content you shall publish. With so many content creators out there, it’s crucial to distinguish yourself and present something unique or entertaining.
Offer tutoring services
Take advantage of your knowledge and skills by sharing them with others! Offer face-to-face or online lessons to students or adults who require assistance. An easy way to advertise these services is by posting ads and looking for forums/communities aimed at connecting learners with potential teachers.
Of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to local communities. You can host meetings without any effort with a person across the globe. However, ensure that you can receive payments safely and establish a payment plan if you’re not using a dedicated platform.
Share online courses
If you’re not interested in communicating with students directly, you can avoid this by recording lessons or online courses. Share them on platforms like Udemy to see how many people will purchase them. Of course, to increase your chances and earn more, you should learn how to edit them properly. After all, students will feel more inclined to purchase courses that have smooth voiceovers and interactive course elements.
How to land a new stable position faster
Of course, your main goal is scoring a new position. Whether you will continue with any of these additional earning options is entirely up to you. However, sometimes, you can pair them well with your role and discover the attraction of multiple sources of income.
But before that, you do want to get hired for a position that reflects your current career goals and salary expectations. Here are some tips for landing that role faster and moving forward with your professional growth:
- Before sending your resume and cover letter, try to customize them for each position. Sending default versions doesn’t increase your chances, and mentioning aspects directly related to the job shows that you express additional interest in the company.
- Update your LinkedIn profile and resume to showcase your strengths. You can also follow the current resume trends, discovering what the hiring teams best respond to.
- Prepare for interviews by preparing questions that do not only relate to general curiosities. Dig deeper into the company, what it does, team structure, aims, and other details that will show the hiring manager that you did your homework.
Conclusion
Job search can be stressful, but you do have options for supporting yourself financially during this time. Try freelancing, taking temporary positions, side hustling, tutoring others, creating online courses, or exploring other online earning opportunities! Then, you can take your time landing the position that reflects your personal preferences and corresponds with your professional needs.