3 Ways to Apply Your Skills for Making Extra Cash

Underemployment has always been a challenge for workers. But layoffs and a tight job market can also mean a lack of income altogether. Whatever your cash flow struggles, odds are, you have a marketable skill that’s not yet earning its keep. Consider these ideas for applying your existing skills to gig work. Then, you can fill the financial gap while shifting between jobs or searching for a way to climb the corporate ladder.

What Are Marketable Skills?

The truth is, almost any skill can be marketed and utilized to earn you an income. But it can seem impossible to pull money-making talent out of things you’re already doing (and not thinking much about). 

To uncover your lucrative talents, think about your hobbies first. Do you enjoy crafting or making things? You may be able to sell your wares. Maybe you prefer searching the web for answers to queries that help you improve your life. In that case, maybe blogging could be your income ticket. Next, consider your existing (or previous) job or career field prowess. Marketing abilities in a corporate setting can translate into gig work for small brands. In-person customer service skills could segue into remote work for big-name companies. Don’t discount soft skills, either; being able to communicate and empathize with others is a valuable workplace trait.

Inventory your interests, skills, hobbies, and anything you’ve been wanting to learn about, and get started experimenting (and seeking prospective employers).

1. Translate Social Media Surfing Skills Into Promotional Gigs

Anyone can skim social media and garner a few likes or reactions. But being able to promote your own work or events to a wider audience is a valuable skill. If your social media surfing has resulted in wider networking opportunities, successful events, or just a massive friends list, think about using that background to your advantage.

For example, you can offer to develop ads and promote posts for others’ events. Offering music promotion services is one way to segue your skills into a lucrative job. Create an online profile on a freelance job board, sketch out your delivery time, costs, and other details, and wait for the customers to start queuing up.

2. Convert Administrative Abilities to a Varied VA Role

If you’re the one cubicle dweller whose lightning-fast typing speed has offed a keyboard key or two, you may have a future as a VA. Virtual assistants are the new “secretary,” helping all kinds of clients to achieve their administrative goals. Quick typing speed, heightened organizational abilities, and solid time management skills are all prerequisites for VA jobs, notes The VA Handbook. If you hit those metrics, it will be easy to fill your schedule with one or multiple clients who need you to complete tasks like booking appointments, following up with clients, orchestrating travel arrangements, or just handling bills and household needs.

Becoming a virtual assistant is also as simple as joining a job board, but you’ll also find work opportunities on standard job boards by searching the right key terms (‘remote’ is a good one).

3. Dive Into Commerce and Open Up (A Literal) Shop

For talented folks who are more into handling tangible things, ecommerce may be your next calling — or at least, it might be while you’re hard up for cash. Do you love fashion and are great at hunting down the best wardrobe pieces from across the globe? Would you enjoy stocking specialized products that you’re already a fan of? Or do you like the idea of making your own handcrafts to sell?

No matter your unique passion, eCommerce can offer you a straightforward way to monetize it. From drop-shipping models where you don’t hold any inventory at home to creating items to sell in online or in-person marketplaces, there are tons of retail options for the entrepreneurs out there. Statista highlights that the best-selling products are clothing, shoes, and consumer electronics, but there’s a niche for every taste.

Monetizing your skills may not come easily at first. But once you recognize that your talent can help fill your wallet, you’ll be more open to marketing yourself and your abilities. Ready to land your next job? Visit Black in Jobs for inclusive opportunities across every industry.

By Stephanie Haywood

Image via Unsplash