The talk is that we may be facing a second winter of discontent, with UK workers fighting – and striking – for pay rises amid spiralling inflation and the soaring cost of living.
As well as increased union action, the labour market is cooling slightly making switching roles trickier. Workers are feeling the pinch. Many are looking to supplement their regular income with side gigs to flex around their primary roles.
As more people turn to side gigs to make ends meet, we take a look at the top roles to take outside of your 9-5, including the most abundant and the most lucrative positions on offer.
Steep rise in second jobs
The number of workers with a second job hit a 10-year high between July and September 2022, according to the ONS, with a huge 1,252,000 workers taking on extra roles to supplement their income. This winter will likely drive these numbers higher still.
At Adzuna, we’ve researched the prevalence of these second jobs by analysing the 1.1 million advertised vacancies that were on offer in the UK this November.
For those seeking a temporary top up to funds, there are still around 25,000 Christmas jobs available and nearly 150,000 temporary positions. Seasonal temps can typically earn around £86 per day and roles range from delivery drivers to retail assistants, to lifeguard positions in the summer.
The best paid gigs
Those with in-demand skills can earn the most from side gigs. Translator roles have the highest earning potential, paying an average of £48,648 yearly, pro rate. Freelance gigs are typically paid by the word but even adding small projects at weekends or evenings can prove lucrative. With 22,327 jobs on offer in November for Translators, there are also abundant positions. Similarly, content writers can achieve between £350 and £500 per day.
Offering lessons is another great side hustle. Tutoring can bring in up to £50 per hour and doesn’t necessarily need to be in an academic subject. Cooking and coding lessons are also in demand, with 30,000 tutoring openings currently up for grabs. Meanwhile Music teachers can charge anywhere between £30 and £150 per lesson, depending on the level taught, with 814 openings on offer.
Other avenues include cleaning or gardening roles, or helping out with freelance maintenance gigs.
For those looking for less physical work, there are also options such as housesitting, pet sitting, dog walking, babysitting, mystery shopping, and data entry.
Overall, our research discovered nearly 480,000 roles on offer that lend themselves to be taken on as sidegig.
A word of caution
Supplementing your income by taking on a second job can be a great way to earn extra cash, expand skills and grow your network but it also has its risks – in particular burnout.
You may need to flex with shifts and or work weekends, evenings and bank holidays. This can be exhausting and it’s critical to carve out time to relax and not give over all your free time to your side gig.
There may also be additional admin to think of – invoicing, tax returns, and chasing clients, as well as the need to get out there and find clients.
But with thousands of extra pounds up for grabs, it’s an option more of us are considering as we head into 2023.
About the author
Paul Lewis is Chief Customer Officer at Adzuna, the smarter job search engine.
