How to Get Your Personalized List of Side Hustle Ideas

So much has been written about side hustle ideas that we can end up with a list of possible hustles that we can do. 

While all these are helpful for us who want to earn extra money, it would be great to dig deeper and find out more about what makes a certain side hustle popular. 

How do we find side hustle income ideas that fit our skills? Then, after months of doing them on the side, when do we consider going full-time in doing side hustle?

Yes, you can have a full-time side hustle! I have met more than a handful of people doing many side hustle business ideas which they eventually made as their primary source of livelihood. 

Because of all the things that they can do, some of them have been called Jack (or Jill)-of-all-Trades, but hey, they earn more than your usual 9-to-5 employee! More on that later.

But first, let’s deal with where to look for side hustles and come up with side hustle ideas that can help us earn extra money.

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Getting Your Best Side Hustle Ideas

Finding Your Side Hustle

A quick search online will lead you to the best job search sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Google for Jobs, and Monster, among others. Then you can filter the search function of these job sites to give you results that consist of part-time or project-basis opportunities. 

There are also job search sites that serve the interests of part-timers or those who prefer to do side hustles all their lives, or for the foreseeable future. These job search sites have even been ranked by BalanceCareers, a career advice site, “based on reputation, number of listings, industries served, cost, and ease-of-use.” Check out the following:

Here’s a list of job search sites for finding gigs ranked by BalanceSmallBusiness, a small business advice site “based on reputation, career or job focus, ease of use, and cost.”

For many freelancers, these sites are very familiar. To come up with your own list of side hustle ideas, go through the sites one by one. They’ve helped many freelancers and side hustlers get started and stay busy, especially when they encounter slower times.

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As for getting side hustles, here are three tips from FlexJobs:

Look for opportunities in your own day job. 

Based on my experience, when I was working full-time, my boss, who knows my skills, sometimes threw my way a side hustle or two. What makes this arrangement great is that your network of contacts is getting bigger. So when you’ve done splendid work on your side hustle, expect to get some calls not only from your boss but from your boss’ friends. 

There is one condition in this kind of arrangement: your boss trusts you with companies he knows. You can repay the favor by still being good at your job. Failing deadlines or having the quality of your output suffer because you have too many side hustles can make your generous and understanding boss think twice about helping you out.

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Work Your Social Media and Job Search Accounts. 

LinkedIn and other job search sites give you the option to indicate if you are actively looking for employment. But you can put on your profile that you are specifically looking for side hustles. 

Take time to go through your LinkedIn newsfeed, too. Some of your connections just might advertise for part-time work or side hustles that you are skilled for or interested in.

For your job search accounts, you need to make sure that your profile is searchable by headhunters or employers. A lot of side hustle seekers forget this privacy feature of many job search sites. This feature is usually found in the profile settings of your account. 

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Be Specific. 

As I have mentioned earlier, identify your skills so you can be specific about what kind of side hustles you are willing to accept. Remember to cash in on your skills that are totally related to your work so that the side hustles you will do will be a breeze.

More likely than not, the skills you may have are broken down into different categories in job search sites. So you should be diligent enough to search and select all the applicable job categories being presented in the job search sites you’re going to use.

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Side Hustle Ideas that Suit Your Skills

As a freelancer, I have focused on my skills as a writer and all the things associated with writing. Skills associated like proofreading, editing, scriptwriting, copywriting, copy editing, content writing, creative writing, ghostwriting, typing and promoting content! 

Yes, event typing! I type very fast--75 wpm with 98% accuracy per LiveChat’s typing speed test. Typing is one of the many useful skills a writer can cash in on. So if you possess that basic skill, check out these five job search sites featuring typing jobs!

Can you imagine how many opportunities I can get into, given the skills I have mentioned? These skills have helped me land many projects. I get paid based on the skill I was hired for---and I have many skills that I can offer.

Take proofreading, for instance. According to MoneyTamer.com, “proofreading freelancers make anywhere from $25-$50 per hour.” What about a copy editor? The Savvy Couple says it starts at $15 per hour. 

What about ghostwriting? According to Chron, Houston Chronicle’s website, “Ghostwriting pay varies depending on your writing ability, research experience, reputation and speed.” Depending on his skill level or experience, a ghostwriter can charge ​”$4​ to ​$40​ per page or $50​ to ​$150​ per hour.” Ghostwriters who have made a name can reach the pot of gold at the end of the publishing rainbow: ​$500,000​ writing a memoir for celebrities, industry leaders, CEOs, and other prominent people.

Finding proofreading, copy editing, and ghostwriting side hustles has given me unlimited earning potential for these skills. And that’s just the three skills that I have. Imagine what can happen if I capitalize on my other skills as well.

I am talking about looking for side hustles that suit your profession. For example, if you’re an accountant, here are some side gig ideas for accountants: bookkeeping services, CPA online tutorials, tax consultancy, tax preparation, etc. 

The side gig ideas here are all about finding the skills you can readily offer and which you can capitalize on. That will set you on your way to earning extra from side hustles that you can do very well.

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Introvert side hustle ideas
Introvert side hustle ideas

But What About My Personality?

Here comes the introspection that happens when you start thinking of side gig ideas. Do you like talking and dealing with people? So you ask yourself if you’re an extrovert or an introvert. Are you outgoing enough to network with potential clients? Or would you instead send out proposals or apply online for possible gigs?

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Introverts and Side Hustling

Merriam-Webster describes “introvert” as a characteristically quiet person who is comfortable spending a lot of time alone. If he or she does have to interact with people, an introvert would prefer small groups instead of large ones. 

According to EduAdvisor, an online education comparison site, there are four types of introverts:

  • Social introvert who likes spending time alone by himself and/or a close group of friends instead of going around town or attending parties and other events with dozens of people. 
  • Thinking introvert is more reflective and pensive than others, but not averse in social situations. He can even tolerate the company of many people.
  • Anxious introvert has self-confidence issues. He or she avoids the spotlight on purpose because he feels awkward and insecure. 
  • Restrained introvert can act, speak publicly, and even whip out in front of a crowd. He just needs time to prepare for it. 

If you’re any of these, you’re an introvert which may impact your side gig experience. A Medium article offers suggestions for introverted freelancers who are thinking of side gig ideas. Here are some of them:

  1. Be a freelancer in your field of specialty. Map out a strategy in taking on side hustles, especially if you have many skills derived from your field of speciality. By picking and choosing your side gig, you can also select the number of people or the groups you will interact with.
  2. Use technology in dealing with clients. Webinar platforms, teleconferencing, and email can be comforting for some introverts because these allow lengthy meetings with clients without having to do personal interactions. Tech can also be a training ground for more F2F meetings: the more you interact with your clients, the more you get comfortable with them. So just give it time.
  3. Confidence is everything. The fact that you’re looking for side gig ideas should fuel your self-confidence. The idea that you will be working on multiple side hustles and dealing with different clients may be daunting, but you wouldn’t have taken the first step of sending out your intent to take on the project/s if you didn’t have that self-confidence.

Another way to boost your confidence is to read success stories of people who have overcome huge challenges to make freelancing a career. You can also ask leaders you trust to mentor you. Close friends and colleagues can also tell you about your strengths that you can sharpen.

That’s why I have been vocal about identifying the skills that you’re confident in. Skills that you can do with your eyes closed, so to speak. 

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Extrovert side hustle ideas
Extrovert side hustle ideas

Extroverts and Side Gig Ideas

In contrast, Merriam-Webster describes “extrovert” as “a person who actually thrives on social interaction. Parties, sports games, and other events are a must for him because these bring out his communication skills, and he loves networking and making new connections.

It’s the direct opposite of what an introvert is. That said, you may think that many extroverts are great at doing side hustles. That depends on the situation. Remote side hustles usually see a lot of extroverts dealing with the prospect of being alone and cooped at home. They have to deal with that solitary situation, which can drive them nuts.

Freelancer Sara Robinson puts it perfectly: “If you’re an extrovert, you might be less productive on your own. In a traditional setting, even without people hovering over you, there’s a collective sense of “we’re here to work”- you can’t recreate that at home.”

Here are some tips for our extrovert side hustlers:

  1. Be a freelancer in your field of specialty, We cannot overemphasize this part, which applies equally to extroverts. 
  2. Interact with clients. Many extroverts tend to dominate the conversation. Self-confidence is not their issue. Listening to the client and knowing when to suggest ideas are skills they should develop because insensitivity to clients and pushiness can break a deal. 
  3. Network. Here lies every extrovert’s strength. Whether extroverts know it or not, extroverts can quickly establish connections. What they should develop is nurturing this network and maintaining their clients--and then determining the time when they should meet more people and expand their network.

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Popular Side Hustles

U.S. News has identified five great side hustle ideas for 2021. What makes the list interesting is that all of these gigs can be further specialized according to skills or service. 

  • Delivery Driver. Aside from delivery, you can become a personal shopper.
  • Writer/Editor. As sampled above, you can do proofreading, blogging, content editing, etc.
  • Accounting/Finance Professional. Bookkeeping, financial advisor, a tax specialist. 
  • Software Developer/IT Consultant. iOS developer, android developer, web designer, graphic designer.
  • Environmental, Health and Safety Worker. Caregiver, pet sitter, babysitter, house sitter, etc.

You’re also welcome to check out our article about side gig apps. You might just find the perfect side gig ideas suitable for your skills.

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