Not interested in an office job or the farming life? Then why not consider an online job? The gig economy, as it’s called, has been growing at an astounding rate in recent years with more and more businesses and individuals joining in. As of May 2017, the economy consisted of 34% of the American economy. And most of that can be done online.
Of course, if this is the kind of work you’re interested in doing then you’re going to want work in a job where you’re actually going to make decent money. And some jobs certainly do a better job of that than others. For that reason, let’s go through a rundown of some of the better paid options out there, so you might be able to shift towards those.
Sound good? So here goes.
Software programming
Every company and your uncle Billy are looking for programming help. That’s because you can’t just pick it up on the fly. You have to invest a lot of effort to learn it up to an acceptable level and to know the languages you need. In the lingo they call those high barriers to entry. The higher those barriers are, the more the individual that has managed to surpass them can ask for work they’re doing.
Interestingly, the barriers to entry in Software programming are thought higher than they are. There are plenty of opportunities to learn how to program. Many of them are even for free. Like Code Academy, for example.
Of course, that will only teach you the basics and you’ll have to get a lot better than that before you can pulling in the big bucks. Nonetheless, you have to start somewhere. So why not with the free stuff? At least then you’ll know if you actually like it before you invest serious dough.
Web Design and Development
Similar programming, helping people build their websites can make you serious money if you play your cards right. Do note, it is pretty crowded at the bottom of the field, so you really need to be in in it to win it if you’re going down this route.
If you can get above the noise at the bottom, however, then it’s a good way to make some really serious dough. The best place to start it is to simply start building some websites with the guides that are out there. This will give you some much needed hands on experience, will make sure you don’t screw up an actual paying client’s stuff and – when you get good – gives you a finished product you can showcase. And that’s important. After all, it doesn’t matter how good you are if you’ve got nothing to show it.
Translation
There is a lot of talk right now about how computers are going to take over translation. And one day they very well might. The thing is, that day is not here yet. In competitions humans still beat out the computers hands down.
And as long as they do, which might be for a while longer as human language is notoriously difficult, there is serious money to be made in translation. Even better, it’s not all that hard to get into translation. You just need to speak two languages relatively fluently and you can get going.
What’s more, if you specialize into, say, corporate, medical or legal translation then the fees you can charge can be astronomical, as a translation service guide will show.
Would I bet my long-term freelancing success on it? No. With computers breathing down your neck, that can dangerous. At the same time, it’s a good way to make really good money and stay afloat, while you’re learning one of the other skills listed so far.
Graphic design
Are you a star with photoshop and light studio? Do you have a natural talent for creating images, graphics and do you really understand color? Then the obvious job is to go into graphic design. There is a lot of money out there for you if you do.
What’s more, it turns out that photoshop and its ilk aren’t actually that difficult as they might at first appear. Once you get the hang of all those buttons, the layer stuff and everything like that, you’re going to grasp it very quickly. Plus youtube is just phenomenal for learning more about it.
The reason it pays well is similar to the software programming I mentioned above. People start off on Photoshop and things like it and think it is hugely intimidating. It is nothing like picking up a pencil or a paintbrush. It’s almost equivalent to learning how to code if you want to be able to use the software well. And then, of course, there is the price tag associated with image manipulation software. In the past getting a good copy of Photoshop could cost you 700 up front. That’s more than most people are willing to pay (fortunately, now you can get it for 10 bucks a month, which is far more affordable).
Social media manager
Are you great at drawing attention to yourself over social media? Do you think you could do that just as effectively for other people and companies across the different platforms they’re using? Then social media marketing is a great way to make your money.
Here the big advantage is that it’s still a relatively new field where a lot of people don’t really understand what it contains and what is expected. That means that there are plenty of companies looking for talented individuals to manage their social media, but not yet that many high-quality experts out there to fill those positions. And as you know from economics 101 when there is a high demand and small supply, prices are high.
Of course, that might well change in the future. This isn’t that hard of an industry to get into, after all. All the same, if you’ve positioned yourself well and are at the top of the field by the time it gets flooded, your income shouldn’t suffer.
Last words
So there you have it. Five different freelancing gigs you can start learning right now which can make you serious money if you play your cards right. Do note, there is a huge amount of variability in terms of how much people get paid in the field. If you’re going to make the big bucks, you have to get out from the bottom end of the field. You’re going to have to be able to show you’ve got serious quality and ability and you have to keep learning and teaching yourself new skills.
Because otherwise, though these might be well paying freelance position, you’re still going to be earning peanuts.