A Few Tips to Survive Between Jobs

Being without work can be really stressful. Applying for jobs is time-consuming and it takes effort (rejections can also be quite hard). The best thing to do during this period is to keep yourself busy with a few smaller side-gigs. These will ease the financial burden and provide you with a much-needed purpose and goals. It is obviously preferable if these jobs are somehow related to your actual career because that way they can turn into full-time work, but they don’t have to be- having a diverse resume can also be useful.

Running errands

Online services dedicated to finding someone to run your daily errands have become quite popular. All you need for this line of work is a mode of transportation (which could be an ordinary bike). The type of errands can vary, but most of them consist of waiting in line and dealing with some sort of bureaucracy, which isn’t very fun, but it is an easy way to make money. Have in mind that web services and apps take a percentage of your paycheck so make sure you’ve read the terms and condition of the contract carefully.

Tutoring online

If you have any kind of special skill or knowledge there is someone somewhere out there willing to pay to learn it. Most popular online courses, however, are about IT and programming, with foreign languages as a close second. These lessons could be text based or done over a web camera and they don’t always require you to be an expert. It does take patience and willingness to go over a certain subject several times.  Courses could be organized on your schedule and you work only as much as you need or can afford to.

Writing

There are a few way to earn money from writing and the choice depends on your education level and the amount of time you are willing to put in. There is always a need for ghostwriting academic articles on a variety of subjects. Affiliate marketing is another option. Blogs are easier to write, but it takes time to build the relationship with the audience. The key to this business is to create content that is actually informative and useful and not just a placeholder for advertising. It also helps if you are honest with the audience about the affiliations you have made.

Taking surveys

Taking part in paid surveys is probably the easiest way to make money. All it takes is patience and attention to details. Answer the surveys honestly and pay close attention to the instructions you are getting and that’s pretty much that. Businesses find these surveys to be very useful because they give them an insight into the minds of the customer and clients. The information gathered this way could have a significant effect on the marketing campaign or even on the products themselves.

Pet sitting and dog walking

A lot of dog owners don’t have enough time to dedicate to their pet. The salary for this work is negotiable and it depends on how much attention and time you have on your hand. It is an easy and fun job, especially for animal lovers. There are apps and sites specifically designed for obtaining this services (and they take a percentage), but you can also get into it trough personal acquaintance. Dog training is obviously a whole different skill set and it pays extra if you can provide it as well.

Taxes

Looking for a job, going on interviews and trying to present yourself in the best manner possible can be pretty expensive, especially for someone who is out for work. The costs of job hunting could be deducted from your taxes, so make sure you check with an accountant about all the options available.

Try taking a few side gigs while you are looking for work. It’s good to keep yourself busy and it doesn’t hurt to get some extra money while the times are tough.