The future of work is being shaped by people who need to turn to side hustles and gig economy jobs to earn extra income. The internet has made it possible to access numerous job opportunities that can lead to extra money, provided that you can leverage your skills to provide much-needed services to clients.
According to a survey by Gallup, over 36 percent of U.S. workers are involved in gig economy jobs. This means there is an entire economy with many opportunities ranging from super flexible side jobs to full-time careers. In this article, you will find the top gig economy jobs that pay well, as well as relevant career advice to set you on the right track.
How Much Does a Gig Economy Job Pay?
With gig economy jobs, the pay can sometimes be irregular. According to Glassdoor, a gig worker makes an average annual salary of $33,453 in actual earnings. The best part about the gig economy is that the jobs can be as simple as a one-off task for an hourly wage or as massive as a $100,000 corporate website design.
How to Get a High-Paying Gig Economy Job
The gig economy is quickly expanding in opportunities, however, this also translates to greater competition, making it more challenging to get high-paying clients. But if you know the right things to do, you will attract clients that are willing to pay favorable prices and even return to you for more work. Here are some of the things you should do to get a gig economy job that pays well.
Step 1: Be Clear on the Kind of Client You Want
High-paying clients are intentional about their needs, and they know what they want when they see it. The same should apply to you unless you want to waste time with underpaying or flaky clients. Being clear about who you’re trying to serve will make it easier to filter through thousands of job opportunities available and select the ones that won’t take advantage of you.
Step 2: Build Each Proposal Around Your Strengths
If you want to land gig economy jobs, identify what makes you unique. What strength do you have that can help you serve the client better? If you know what that strength is, you can design your proposal around it and win over clients. For instance, as a writer, you could offer effective content creation that will intrigue their audience and provide advice that will help the execution of the job.
Step 3: Offer Social Proof
Make sure to always collect feedback from your clients in the form of testimonials or reviews for all of your freelance jobs. You can later use these as social proof of your skills. Clients will be more inclined to hire you for a job if they know you’ve been able to provide results for past clients.
What Gig Economy Jobs Pay the Most? The Highest-Paying Gig Economy Jobs You Should Consider
A gig economy worker can opt for a wide range of jobs in areas as diverse as caregiving, delivery, education, graphic design, coding, transportation, and more. You can be sure of a flexible schedule with gig economy jobs because you have total control over your hourly earnings and working hours. Here are some of the highest-paying gig economy jobs you can consider.
Delivery Gigs
- Average salary: $34,340
- Job growth: 12%
- Companies hiring: DoorDash, Postmates, Amazon Flex, Instacart Shopper, Shipt, GrubHub
This is one of the simplest kinds of gigs, and one you can start right away without any particular skills and experience. Delivery gigs involve working with sellers to transport items or parcels from one delivery location to another.
You can work as a delivery driver for a grocery delivery service, food delivery service, or dispatch delivery. You could also work as a full-service shopper. However, you may need to have good driving skills or own a vehicle to qualify for these job roles. Delivery gigs can be very lucrative for people living in densely populated areas. You can also earn tips as you work.
Drop Shopping or eCommerce
- Average salary: $46,358
- Job growth: N/A
- Companies hiring: Aliexpress, Salehoo, Sunrise Wholesale, Shopify
Drop shipping is one of the best gig economy jobs for people with strong marketing and customer service skills. It involves selling goods online directly to the final customer without having any inventory.
You are like the middle man between the supplier and the potential buyers. You will accept orders from customers and direct the order to the supplier with a shipping label that sends the product to the customer’s location.
Driving Gigs
Driving is another popular means of earning additional income. If you have good driving skills and a vehicle, you could start your own driving business. You can also sign up on ride-sharing apps. Many ride-sharing companies will help you cover the cost of gas and your potential earnings will often depend on your hours of availability.
Blockchain Architect
- Average salary: $110,014
- Job growth: N/A
- Companies hiring: Toptal, MasterCard, CryptoSlam, Citi
Cryptocurrency has grown in the last few years with many gig economy job opportunities. It has evolved into accommodating many job roles like writers, digital architects, and developers. If you have good coding skills in programming languages like C++, Java, Solidity, and knowledge of blockchain architecture, you could work as a blockchain architect and make decent money.
Virtual Reality Designer
- Average salary: $77,675
- Job growth: N/A
- Companies hiring: Google, Cognixion, Oculus, Trigger
Virtual reality designers are some of the coolest freelancers in the world. These creatives are making real advancements in the entertainment industry by creating programs that integrate audio and video to create an incredible user experience. They work to make the experience interactive, hyper-realistic and exciting. A gig job like this one could even be your primary source of income.
Online Tutor
- Average salary: $57,612
- Job growth: 9%
- Companies hiring: Amplify Education, ArborBridge, CareerFoundry
You’ll be surprised how much people are willing to pay to hire tutors who can explain complex topics to them. If interested, you can look for tutoring roles to impart knowledge and help people become better at a skill or idea. You can find jobs by building a profile on freelance platforms, collaborating with local schools, and advertising on social media.
Video Editor
Video editing is a growing field because many businesses and individuals create video content to reach their audiences. If you know how to use software applications to edit videos, this is an opportunity you can explore. You can create a profile and portfolio on freelance platforms to reach out to potential clients.
Content Writer
- Average salary: $50,109
- Job growth: 9%
- Companies hiring: BKA Content, BuzzFeed, Investopedia, Lifewire
Freelance writing is a broad field that has room for workers across industries, as businesses are continuously challenged to create content to communicate effectively with their target audience. As a content writer, you may create blog posts, marketing campaigns, technical content, and more. Freelance writers can earn above minimum wage, depending on the client and their expertise.
Web Developer
An online presence is a must for any organization these days. Hence, there is high demand for web developers. Web developers design and maintain sites for their clients, helping them reach their audience and offer their services and products online.
Virtual Assistant
- Average salary: $48,099
- Job growth: N/A
- Companies hiring: Belay, Zirtual, Google, Walmart
Virtual assistants are in high demand. They perform administrative tasks remotely as opposed to in a physical office. They help with tasks such as responding to emails, preparing reports, simple digital marketing duties, social media management, and many other office duties. It may be a good fit for you if you have special administrative, organizational, and business skills.
Best Gig Economy Jobs: Top Companies that Hire for Gig Economy Jobs
As the world keeps evolving, companies are beginning to see the need for gig workers. You can find hustle jobs in almost any field today. Below is a list of the top companies that currently employ gig workers.
- Airbnb: Airbnb is one of the top gig companies in the home renting space. It has a massive workforce of over 12,000, and millions of homeowners choose it to monetize their homes.
- Care.com: Care.com is a platform that employs gig workers for highly skilled, caregiving tasks. They also hire certified care professionals for requests for elderly care and special needs care.
- Amazon Flex: Amazon Flex is a delivery service company hiring licensed drivers to perform delivery tasks.
- Shipt: Target is the parent company for Shipt, which has a solid reputation in the retail industry. It is a gig economy company for personal shoppers and grocery delivery personnel.
- Fiverr: Fiverr is a gig platform to bring freelance workers and businesses together. It offers several niches, such as design, writing, video production and editing, social media marketing, and voice-overs.
Where to Find a Gig Economy Job
You can get gig jobs almost anywhere these days. From dedicated freelancing platforms to social media, opportunities abound if you know where to look. Below are some of the common ways you can land gigs that are suited to your skills and career goals.
Freelance Websites
Freelance websites connect talent with businesses and individuals. The most popular include Upwork, Fiverr, Blogging Pro, and Freelancer. These platforms help freelancers find numerous jobs that they can apply to depending on their expertise, skill level, and requirements. They guarantee payment safety for both parties, eliminating some of the risks involved in freelancing.
Social Network Platforms
You can also get gigs through social networks like Linkedin, Instagram, and Facebook. LinkedIn is designed as a professional networking site and allows companies to post openings and workers to apply directly.
Other social networks can also be leveraged to find job opportunities and network with other freelancers and potential employers. This option requires that you build a level of connection with your network so that they can trust you to do a great job.
Referrals
Once you have a few projects under your belt, you’ll have enough social proof and a network of happy clients who will be happy to refer you. Make sure you actively seek out reviews and let clients know that you are open to more work. The more you participate in the gig economy, the more you will be able to leverage the power of referrals to your advantage.
Skills Required to Land Your First Gig Economy Job
The gig economy is evolving into one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. This makes it a market that is highly competitive and requires freelancers to be highly adaptable. Below are some essential skills you’ll need to cultivate in this line of work.
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Strong Persuasion and Selling Skills
As a freelancer, you must learn to ride on your strengths and sell them appropriately. You can’t just say you offer a service, you must be able to sell it, brand it, and tell your story in a way that will differentiate you from others in the market.
Confidence
Your confidence can help the client see that you know what you are doing and have what it takes to do the job. One of the ways you can project confidence is to offer suggestions and advice even before you are given the job. Identifying a problem and offering a solution before even being given the job shows you are reliable.
Excellent Technical Skills
On top of the skills needed to secure gigs and maintain relationships, you’ll need to have the proper technical skills for your chosen field. Make sure you have proof that you can do the job. Have samples, testimonials, and portfolio pieces that show that you have the necessary information and expertise to get the job done.
Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Get a Gig Economy Job?
Yes, a coding bootcamp can help you get a gig economy job. If you plan to delve into IT or a coding career, then a coding bootcamp can equip you with the necessary skills for a variety of gig jobs, such as web development.
Coding bootcamps also offer job assistance services to help students land jobs after completing the program. Likewise, you will also be able to network with potential clients that will fast track your progress in the industry.
Is a Gig Economy Job For Me?
If you have a passion for continuous learning and marketable skills that you can market to organizations or independent clients, then yes, the gig economy is for you. It is also for you if you need a job with a flexible schedule or you are looking for an opportunity to explore varying degrees of expertise in your field.
Gig Economy Jobs that Pay Well FAQ
What Gig Economy Jobs Pay the Most?
Freelance writer, blockchain developer, and web developer are some of the gig economy jobs that pay the most. Gaining in-demand tech skills is a good way to increase your chances of landing high-paying gig jobs and excelling in a freelance career.
Can You Make a Good Living in the Gig Economy?
Yes, you can. Many workers in the gig economy make a solid income that is comparable or superior to what they would make in a regular 9-5 job, especially if they have strong technical skills.
What is the Downside of Working in the Gig Economy?
The downsides of working in the gig economy include a lack of job security and of social protection and attractive perks that come with traditional jobs, including insurance and retirement plans. Working in the gig economy can provide extra money and the flexible work schedule you desire, but it can be difficult to find jobs that pay a living wage.
What is the Future of the Gig Economy?
The gig economy promises to continue growing. It allows workers to escape the 9 to 5 grind and work according to their passions, skills, and personal as well as professional goals. New technologies are facilitating this type of work, which is becoming more widely accepted with each passing year.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
