What are one of the best aspect hustles for tech staff?
In the event you’re trying to translate your in-demand expertise into an additional revenue stream, you’re in the best place.
On this submit, I’ll share my high tech aspect hustles based mostly on:
- My 15+ years of aspect hustle expertise
- Conversations with actual tech staff
- Schedule flexibility and incomes energy
Despite the fact that tech staff earn a mean of $111,000 a year, a aspect hustle can nonetheless be a approach to enhance your financial savings, enhance money movement, or pay down debt.
Prepared? Let’s do it!
1. Half-Time Distant Work
If you’re in search of a tech aspect hustle, your easiest and quickest possibility could also be to choose up some versatile, part-time work. You’ve received in-demand expertise and different corporations are in search of your experience.
That is the place FlexJobs is available in — it’s the main work-from-home jobs web site.
FlexJobs has over 50 profession classes, together with:
- Laptop and IT Jobs
- Engineering Jobs
- Science Jobs
- Software program Improvement Jobs
- Net Design Jobs
- and plenty of extra
And you may filter particularly for the roles which are freelance, part-time, or versatile schedules.
2. Actual Property Investing
A standard query from IT professionals is the place to take a position their cash. It’s the “how can I receives a commission time and again from work I do as soon as?” query.
And a standard reply is actual property. My buddy who works at Google is a major instance of this, taking a portion of his wage and shopping for rental properties.
However homes are costly — and like several landlord will let you know — they nonetheless require upkeep and a spotlight.
Fortunately, new platforms like Arrived make it straightforward to spend money on hands-off income-generating properties—with as little as $100.
The corporate swimming pools cash to purchase rental properties, manages them, after which distributes the money movement each month.
3. Net Design Service
You may be stunned, however many companies have a extremely outdated-looking web site — or they don’t have one in any respect.
In the event you don’t have internet design expertise, it’s straightforward to study, particularly when you’ve got a tech background.
My recommendation: choose a distinct segment to specialise in, and change into the go-to supplier for companies in that area.
For instance, Ryan Golgosky from 180sites.com primarily builds websites for pressure-washing corporations. (Actually!)
Once we spoke, he shared how this technique — and a singular pricing plan — constructed his web design business to $100,000 a month.
4. Construct a Useful Web site
Whereas constructing web sites for shoppers is a superb tech aspect hustle, it might be even higher to construct one for your self.
Now to be completely upfront, there’s rather a lot to study to make this enterprise work, however when it does, it may be extraordinarily profitable.
For instance:
Their websites are monetized with promoting and affiliate partnerships, which scale as your site visitors will increase.
Need to begin a weblog of your individual? Take a look at my free 6-part video course on the best way to begin your individual web site.
5. Tutoring
With a nationwide concentrate on STEM curriculum, tech staff are well-positioned to tutor students in these topics.
I’ve met IT professionals — together with my neighbor who works at Amazon — tutoring math, science, and coding on the aspect. And since these are sought-after fields, they command charges of $50 an hour and up.
Platforms like Tutor.com and Wyzant can assist join you with college students.
6. Educate an On-line Class
Whereas one-to-one tutoring could be rewarding and even fairly profitable, it’s nonetheless buying and selling time for cash. One aspect hustle with a little bit extra scale is to show a web based group class by means of a platform like Outschool.
The peer-to-peer schooling market focuses on college students ages 3-18, and has programs on almost each subject conceivable. On The Facet Hustle Present, Jade Weatherington shared how she was incomes $10,000 a month on the platform, primarily educating center faculty English writing lessons.
I even related with an Outschool trainer with a sequence of standard video game classes!
You possibly can train a category on the tech expertise you have got or on any subject wherein you have got experience.
7. Immediate Engineering
AI instruments are popping up all over. If you are interested in AI, this may very well be an amazing tech aspect hustle for you.
AI instruments like ChatGPT and Midjourney spit out no matter immediate you give it, however the outcomes fluctuate drastically. For instance, should you ask Midjourney to provide you a picture of a wolf within the forest, you’ll get totally different photos of a wolf within the forest.
However should you requested Midjourney for a wolf within the forest within the fashion of Synthwave with colours X, Y, and Z, you’ll possible find yourself with higher, cooler-looking outcomes which are nearer to what you’re in search of. That’s the kind of immediate that folks apparently pay good cash for.
Marketplaces like PromptBase have already sprouted as much as give folks a spot to purchase and promote their AI prompts!
8. Software program Consulting
Is there a software program software you’re an skilled in? One you’re an early adopter of?
One standard aspect hustle is to “piggyback” on the recognition of a selected software program software, and supply coaching and help for it. My buddy Brad Rice does this with Salesforce and earns over $200k a yr half time!
As extra folks and firms use the software program, there’s a rising demand for certified coaching. This may very well be the right praise to your tech job.
Plus, new software program comes out on a regular basis, which suggests even should you don’t have a software program in thoughts at this time, it may very well be a aspect hustle concept for you down the highway.
Take a look at this free challenge to see if an identical path is best for you:
9. White Label Software program
Software program companies are among the most worthwhile on the earth, nevertheless it’s tough to try to create your individual software program from scratch.
The choice is to become a software reseller, like Chris Lollini. The self-proclaimed “recovering engineer” reported incomes multi 6-figures a yr white labeling reputation management software program to native small companies.
The way it works is you purchase “seats” to a software program product at a reduced or wholesale fee, and resell them at retail costs. Begin with an trade you’re conversant in and see what widespread ache factors may very well be solved with present software program instruments.
The benefit of this tech aspect hustle is you have got nearly no upfront danger or expense.
10. On-line Focus Teams and Paid Market Analysis
Websites like User Interviews and Respondent assist match you up with paid research research on-line—and infrequently pay $100+ an hour!
Whereas there are some “basic inhabitants” research, most are geared towards trade professionals—good for individuals who work in tech.
The corporate takes a 5% processing payment, however the remainder of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account inside 8-10 days of your research.
I’ve earned $395 by means of Respondent to date! Take a look at my full Respondent review to study extra.
11. On-Demand IT Help Service
John Rouda is an IT supervisor close to Charlotte, North Carolina. He’s constructed a range “for-profit hobbies,” small aspect hustles that herald further money.
Amongst these is an area IT / pc upkeep service enterprise. He expenses round $200 a month to be the “on-call” tech man for companies like automobile restore outlets.
After an preliminary set-up, he’ll deal with web site updates and troubleshoot different points that come up.
12. Freelance Writing
Freelance writing within the space of your technical experience may very well be an amazing aspect hustle. Many publishers are in search of folks with technical experience who can write about tech in an approachable manner.
The place can you discover work? Listed below are some sources to take a look at:
- ProBlogger – A free distant jobs search web site particularly for freelance writers.
- BloggingPro – A free job board that’s up to date each day with paid running a blog jobs, weblog writing jobs, and freelance writing jobs.
- Freelance Writing Jobs – A listing of paid freelance writing and writing-related jobs which are hand-picked from varied job websites, categorised advertisements, and firm web sites.
To study extra about making a living as a author, try this free guide from the American Writers and Artists Institute:
13. Video or Audio Tutorials
By day, Bryan Orr helps run an air-con firm in Central Florida, and by evening he’s a father of 10. But one way or the other he’s discovered the time to create the super-popular HVAC School podcast in his spare time.
Tasked with coaching technicians at his day job, he had the thought to place the fabric into an on-demand audio format. On a whim, he determined to publish the content material on-line and make it accessible to a wider viewers.
“It simply exploded. I by no means thought there can be an viewers just like the viewers that I discovered,” Bryan mentioned.
As his viewers grew he began negotiating sponsorship offers with giant corporations within the HVAC area of interest.
In below a yr, he’d constructed an e mail record of over 7500 subscribers, generated greater than 500,000 podcast downloads, and was incomes $11k a month in sponsorship income.
Tech tutorials are very talked-about as folks attempt to discover ways to do issues for themselves.
14. Check Web sites
As a web site tester, you file your pc display and your voice as you utilize a sure web site or app. You may additionally want to jot down survey responses as a part of the job or use a webcam.
This tech aspect hustle could be performed in little pockets of time you have got all through your day or after work.
Basically, you’re giving your opinion in regards to the usability of a web site or app with the purpose of enhancing the person expertise. You talk about your likes and dislikes, recommend enhancements, and talk about any difficulties you have got with the positioning or app.
Study extra about distant web site testing jobs at these websites:
- User Testing – Rewards fluctuate based mostly on the task, however common within the $20-30/hour vary.
- TestingTime – Earn as much as $65 per each 30-90 minute research.
- Trymata – Earn $5-30 per take a look at.
15. Answering Questions
Websites like JustAnswer provide a versatile aspect hustle for tech staff, the place you may earn $2,000-$7,000 monthly.
When you apply as an skilled, JustAnswer connects you with individuals who have tech questions. You possibly can set your individual hours and the forms of questions you’re best-qualified to reply.
You’ll receives a commission for every buyer you assist, however the massive benefit is that JustAnswer does all of the advertising and marketing for you.
16. Flipping Telephones
The idea of flipping phones is straightforward—folks purchase used cellular gadgets and resell them for a revenue.
For skilled flippers like Jeff Duhon, it will possibly flip into a full-time revenue stream. He targets $100 in revenue per flip, and does dozens a month.
As with different niches, there’s a studying curve to determine the totally different fashions and carriers to know which phones have the highest resale values.
In case your tech job offers with {hardware}, this aspect hustle may be price a shot.
17. 3D Printing
Anybody with a 3D printer would let you know it’s a number of enjoyable to construct three-dimensional objects out of a wide range of supplies.
However what many individuals don’t know is that you may generate profits with a 3D printer by creating and promoting prints.
As Facet Hustle Nation’s resident 3D printing skilled, Nikko Mendoza, put it, 3D printing is a excessive margin aspect hustle.
“It actually is determined by the area of interest, nevertheless it’s vastly underrated,” he defined.
A few of his college students have earned $2,000 in a weekend promoting 3D printed toys. One other earned $30,000 in a month promoting 3D-printed cookie cutters!
18. Begin an E-mail Publication
An e mail e-newsletter is a low-cost aspect hustle to begin. (Instruments like Substack, SendFox, and Beehiiv make it simpler than ever.)
One mannequin to contemplate is a each day or weekly “curation” e-newsletter. The way it works is you supply probably the most attention-grabbing tales in your area of interest, and share these together with your subscribers.
For bonus factors, add your individual perception and commentary to every headline.
Because the subscriber base grows, most newsletters ultimately monetize with advertisements or paid subscriptions.
A well known instance within the tech area is Dan Ni’s TLDR Newsletter.
With over 1.2M subscribers, Dan earns as much as $30,000 every time he hits send!
What’s the Finest Tech Facet Hustle for You?
We’ve thrown out a number of totally different IT aspect hustles on this submit. Did any resonate with you?
As you select the best tech aspect hustle for you, your expertise, experience, and pursuits will aid you decide the place to focus your time.
For some, it’s about flexibility and freedom. For others, it’s a change of careers or an entrepreneurial problem.
It’s time to take motion. Choose one and begin. In case your first one doesn’t work, you may at all times strive a special one. Which one are you going to begin first?
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