Existing with your 9–5?
Moonlighting may just give your existence a new meaning!
What, once was considered as moonlighting, where a full-time employee might take on some extra work, is now considered an absolute necessity and is respected worldwide. Also known as gigging, picking up a side hustle or simply creating a personal brand- taking on work outside your traditional 9–5 is more popular than ever.
Amidst the social media noise leading to digital anxiety, which expects you to do something “more” in order to exist, moonlighting is a great option for anyone who wants to pick up something on the side either to kick-start a freelancing career, or make some extra cash or find a better job, or simply explore a passion to get rid of the monotony in life.
Most of us in our late 20’s and 30’s, are either waiting for the right time or the right idea to strike us, but believe me, you wouldn’t know if the idea works unless you give it a shot, and the right time was Yesterday!!!
The most common challenge of picking up something on the side is finding the time. We manage a career, a family, some friends, and all we have is 24 hours! So how does one go about managing all this and a side hustle too? We find time if we want to get into shape, or read the latest bestseller, or catch the latest on Netflix, so adding another thing isn’t much of an issue! It doesn’t take a lot to build a side hustle-30–40 minutes in the beginning is good enough, and as it progresses, it becomes a part of you.
Here are a few reasons on why moonlighting or picking up a side hustle is important for reinventing oneself and survive in the professional world.
Advance your skills
You may already be great at multi-tasking between projects and responsibilities at work, but isn’t that a norm with every job role? However, once you add a side hustle to your current career, from an average multi-tasker, you become the master and that’s what to world wants to see.
With a growing Indian population of 1.2 billion and a majority of people below the age of 35, there’s a larger possibility of you being obsolete.
The recruiter and employer want the best talent and there’s no dearth of supply. So, professionally you may have a similar set to the next person, but he just landed the job because he had an additional career too.
Pursuing a side hustle is a great way to enhance your skills, boost your career options, since it pushes you to get out of your comfort zone, research, study and do something absolutely new.
Create a personal brand
Ever googled your name? What pops, if you do? Does it interest you, or you seem to be someone who just exists for the heck of it? If you have an online presence (that’s how you may be reading this), your brand exists. It is a part of you, and whether you like it or not, it comes out one way or the other!
Rather than letting your online image be controlled by some random algorithm, it’s a better idea to take it in your own hands. Personal branding is more about your legacy, what you want to be remembered for. Picking up a side hustle helps you bring out your expertise and skills, show a different side of your personality that may not be visible otherwise. Your online presence, your interests, what you do outside your regular job and how you do it, is a great reflection of your personality.
Like every brand, you are unique too! All you need is to recognize your selling point, and side hustles are a great way of finding that. Whether you are meeting clients, a potential employer, colleagues or even going on a date, a strong personal brand makes it easier. Believe me, I learnt it the hard way!
Make extra cash
Remember the last time when you boasted to your colleagues about a little cash you made by selling an old belonging, or the cashback you won by using a particular app or credit card. It’s not really about the amount, but the joy of making that extra buck. It may or may not have helped you pulling through the month, but is definitely worth something.
A side hustle, may or may not make you enough cash in the beginning, but if you have the talent and are good at it, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be making money out of it. In this digital era, with so much social media buzz, anyone and everyone can be a digital marketing wizard and sell themselves online.
Social Diversity
What happens when you are in the same profession for a long period of time? You end up moving around in the same professional circle, you kinda know everybody and somewhere you begin to feel the lack of perspective, leading to a point of stagnation and monotony.
“Your network is your net worth”- Tim Sanders
As rightly said, but what’s the point of a great network with no diversity. A mix of people from different backgrounds is vital to avoid redundancy and ensures fresh exchange of ideas leading to professional as well as personal growth. Picking up a side hustle, not only helps to interact with people outside your professional circle but also opens up new opportunities.
The Era of Gigs
Not a very long time ago, being a freelancer was seen as a negative, someone who showed a lack of commitment and had been rejected by mainstream employers. But the financial crisis of 2008–09 in the US changed things forever. With no jobs, families to feed and bills to pay, people moved towards alternate career options and freelancing. There hasn’t been any looking back since then. According to the Freelancing in America Survey released by the Freelancers Union and Upwork, a giant freelance platform,
50.9% US population will be freelancing by 2027 if the gig economy continues to grow at the same pace
India seems to be catching up with this trend and according to ICRIER report titled Future of Work in Digital Era, is home to the 2nd largest market for freelance professionals 15 million freelancer constituting 40% of the global gig economy workforce.
According to a study by Paypal, 1 in 4 freelancers are from India and the gig economy in India has a potential to grow up to $20–30 million by 2025.
While freelancing and picking up side gigs is part time for many, a large number of people are making it as a full time living. In most cases, moonlighting or gigging act as pre-cursors of being an entrepreneur and a full-time freelancer.
A Fulfilling New Career
The millennial generation has a very different attitude to careers. Change is constant and its widely accepted today. So, you are not expected to spend your entire working life in a single company moving up the ladder, and get applauded for loyalty at the time of retirement.
Without the major commitment of leaving your current work, or investing all your time into something you are not certain of, moonlighting lets you test alternate career options that could be risky, but give you joy. You can turn your side hustle into a job that you love, or could open the doors to a new career altogether.
It is never too late to start something new or dig in to a lost passion, all one needs to look for is opportunities. If nothing, a side hustle gives you a creative outlet, gets you out of the monotony of daily life, gives you a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment and above all, gives you happiness and joy.
Taste of Entrepreneurship
You may love your job, but as an employee, you are limited. You have to work within the rules of the organization, make sure your objectives are in line with the company’s objectives. Going beyond boundaries, require appropriate approvals which you may or may not get. As a side hustler, you make your own boundaries, you get out of the comforts of working in a gated community, you are your own boss. It helps you test your own entrepreneurial abilities, and at times helps you with the decision of going out as a full-blown entrepreneur.
Make a start
Change always begins with an idea. With so many side hustles out there, choosing one is as easy as making coffee which suits your taste. All you need to know is what you like, what matches your skill set and get on with it. Make sure you are ready to learn and commit.
Most importantly, don’t forget to check your employment contract for moonlighting clauses or inform your employer in case you don’t have one. You definitely don’t want to ruin what you already have, for something you could have in the future!
