Home Side Hustle Basics 10 Best Tech Side Hustles for IT Professionals
December 20, 2024
Editorial GuidelinesYi-Jane is a writer for SideHustles.com. In addition to her writing and reporting work, she also has 3+ years of experience as...
IT is a field in which many jobs are fairly well-paid. However, picking and starting a side hustle is still worth considering. For one, making extra money is always welcome; for another, choosing the right side hustle can provide career growth and development, enhancing your job prospects.
Below, we’ve vetted and hand-picked a list of side hustles that are closely related to your expertise as an IT professional. Read on to find out what they are.
Earning potential: $55 per hour
What it is and how it works: An app developer builds and maintains software applications (colloquially known as apps) for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Occasionally, they may be tasked with creating a web-based app or a desktop version of their app.
Here are the main types of apps to create:
Although many app developers work as full-time employees, some work on a contract or freelance basis.
What it takes: A main part of app development is coding. You must be familiar with the programming languages required for developing the app you’re working on.
As a freelancer, adaptability is crucial. As you can imagine, different clients will ask you to develop different types of apps, and you have to be able to pick up new languages quickly when necessary.
How to get started: In addition to regular online job boards like Indeed or ZipRecruiter, you can try to find work on freelance websites such as Upwork and Fiverr. Be aware that freelance platforms may take a cut (often up to 10%–20%) of your earnings.
You can also look into job boards specifically designed for developers, including Toptal and Arc. Don’t forget to leverage your existing network—post about your service on social media and ask your colleagues and friends if they can refer you to any potential clients.
Earning potential: $45 per hour
What it is and how it works: Web developers focus on creating and maintaining various websites and web-based apps. While web developers can also contribute to the design process, they often will just translate the ideas of stakeholders and designers ideas into code.
As you’re probably aware, web development work can be categorized into front-end (a website or app’s user interface), back-end (behind-the-scenes operation), and full-stack, which includes both front-end and back-end work.
What it takes: You typically need to be knowledgeable in Java or JavaScript. If you’re a front-end developer, you may also need to know markup languages, such as HTML and CSS.
How to get started: Explore the different types of development work and pick a niche that aligns with your skills and interests.
Then, as we mentioned above, you can start looking for clients through your network and by using suitable online job platforms.
Earning potential: $40 per hour
What it is and how it works: The main purpose of data analysis is to gain insight and draw conclusions from specific data. Companies can then use the data analyst’s findings to make more informed business decisions.
Here are some of the main day-to-day responsibilities you can expect from the job:
What it takes: Data analysts typically need to know certain statistical programming languages (e.g., Python or R) to help them handle large amounts of data and complex equations.
In addition, they need to be familiar with database tools (e.g., Microsoft Excel), be adept in statistics and math, and be able to present their findings in a clear manner.
How to get started: Polish and update your resume to make sure it’s tailored for the data analysis position you’re applying for. Once you’re ready, again, you can search for jobs on general job boards and freelance platforms.
One site worth singling out is DataAnalyst.com, a platform built specifically for data analysts to find jobs. Note that most of the jobs posted there are full-time jobs, but there is also some contract work available.
Earning potential: $45 per hour
What it is and how it works: Prompt engineering is the process of designing and creating effective prompts for AI models, specifically large language models (LLMs). This allows the AI models to generate specific output the user wants, whether that’s blog outlines or product ideas.
As a prompt engineer, the prompts you generate should offer AI models context, instructions, examples, and other information required for them to better understand the user’s intent and provide meaningful responses.
What it takes: To become a prompt engineer, you need to learn different language models (e.g., ChatGPT-4 and Google Gemini), specific prompting techniques, and Python or other relevant programming languages.
Data analysis, machine learning, and writing skills are also crucial for the job. Moreover, you have to be able to understand the end-user’s needs to create effective prompts.
How to get started: Check out the following sites specifically for prompt engineers to find jobs:
Earning potential: $45 per hour
What it is and how it works: QA testers follow specific procedures to test websites, applications, or other software products with the intention of finding issues that need to be fixed.
In addition to testing, they have to record, evaluate, and present their findings to their colleagues or employers. QA testers may also use their skills and experience to identify potential problems and come up with ways to prevent them from happening.
In a nutshell, QA testers help ensure products are running smoothly and free of glitches before they hit the market and land in the hands of customers.
What it takes: As an IT professional, you likely already have the educational requirements many employers look for in a QA tester (i.e., an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, information technology, or a relevant field).
Depending on the product or service you’re assigned to test, you’ll have to know different programming languages. However, it’s likely a common one you’re familiar with or have at least heard of, such as C#, Java, or Python.
You may also have to pick up some other useful tools for your job, such as Git or GitHub for code repository and Docker to build test environments.
How to get started: You can start by checking if there are any opportunities on softwaretester.careers, a website that posts QA testing jobs and provides useful information for QA testers.
Many remote job boards, such as FlexJobs, We Work Remotely, and Working Nomads, also post many QA testing jobs you can check out.
Earning potential: $60 per hour
What it is and how it works: You may already know that consultants give expert advice to individuals, businesses, or other institutions. However, you might be wondering what consultants do exactly in their day-to-day life.
A consultant’s exact duties will vary depending on their niche and the services they provide. Common responsibilities include assessing the client’s current situation, identifying the problems, and finding solutions for the client.
A tech consultant is a broad term that encompasses many different types of tech-related consultants. You can potentially become a consultant in whatever field you specialize in. For instance, if you’re an experienced developer or software engineer, you can work to become a software consultant.
What it takes: To become a tech consultant, you must be highly experienced and knowledgeable in your field. As a rule of thumb, you should at least have 2–4 years of work experience under your belt before you start looking for clients.
Moreover, having excellent communication and interpersonal skills is important, as you have to explain ideas to your clients clearly without sounding condescending.
How to get started: The first step to starting a consultant side hustle is to spread the news about your business. A quick and easy way to get the word out is to simply tell your colleagues in person and post about it on LinkedIn.
It’s also a good idea to create a professional website for your tech consulting business, so people can find and contact you easily. In addition, you can gain more exposure by sharing your knowledge on relevant online forums, such as subreddits r/learnprogramming or r/CodingHelp.
Earning potential: $25 per hour
What it is and how it works: A technical support specialist’s main role is to help their clients troubleshoot and resolve technical issues and maintain computer systems. They ensure that their clients can operate tech-related tasks smoothly.
As a technical support specialist, you can work anywhere from schools and government institutions to startups and corporations. Some jobs may allow you to work partially or fully remotely.
What it takes: Having a bachelor’s degree isn’t a must for all tech support jobs. Some employers will hire tech support professionals with an associate’s or high school degree as long as they have the required skills.
The main quality that employers look for in a technical support professional is the ability to identify problems and resolve them efficiently.
How to get started: The quickest way to find tech support jobs is to use job boards, such as Monster Jobs, Robert Half, and others that we’ve mentioned earlier. There are also a few sites that focus on IT-related jobs you can check out, including Dice and TechCareers.
If you have a specific company or institution you want to work for, you can visit the careers page of their official website directly to see if they have any relevant job openings at the moment.
Earning potential: $20–$25
What it is and how it works: The main responsibility of this job is very straightforward—you repair computers and mobile phones for other people.
Almost everyone nowadays owns a computer and mobile phone, but not everyone knows how to fix them when an issue crops up. This is where you come in—you can start a side hustle fixing computers and mobile phones locally in your spare time.
What it takes: Your credentials aren’t very important, especially if you’re working independently. The main thing people are concerned about is whether you can fix their technology.
Provided that you have the skills, you can gradually build your reputation as you land more clients and expand your business. To be able to do that, you need to market your services and actively look for clients.
How to get started: Consider starting a Facebook or Instagram page for your business. You can also post about your services on local Facebook groups or Craigslist.
Don’t undermine the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Let your neighbors and friends know about your side hustle and ask them to refer you to people who may need your services.
Earning potential: Widely varies
What it is and how it works: If you enjoy fixing computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices, another route you can explore is refurbishing and selling these items.
You can purchase old electronic devices on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace, refurbish the items, and then resell them at a markup.
There are many platforms for selling products online, and the selling process is generally quite straightforward. For instance, to sell on eBay, you just have to create an eBay account, and then you can start listing your refurbished items. The catch is that many selling platforms, including eBay, charge a selling fee.
What it takes: In addition to having the skills required to refurbish items, you need to know where to purchase electronic devices that need fixing at a discounted price. Often, you’ll be able to find good deals at thrift shops, yard sales, flea markets, and online marketplaces.
Marketing also plays an important part in making sales. Some platforms offer specific marketing tools you can use to promote your listing, such as eBay’s Promoted Listings Standards. You can also market your items on social media for free.
How to get started: Pick a legitimate and reputable online marketplace to list your items. eBay, Amazon, and Facebook Marketplace are good options, as they have large user bases.
Earning potential: Widely varies
What it is and how it works: Pursuing certifications and keeping them current is important for finding jobs in the tech industry. This means there’s always going to be people looking for tips and tricks to study for those tests.
If you’ve obtained a few tech certifications yourself, you can create and sell tech certification study guides to help others. As a cherry on top, you can do this side hustle from anywhere with a computer and stable internet connection, making it a good side hustle you can do from home.
What it takes: Possessing the required knowledge itself isn’t enough. You need to have good writing skills to create well-structured and easily understandable study guides.
How to get started: Do some research online to see how much your competitors are charging per study guide to set a fair rate. It’s also a good idea to ask people on social media or relevant subreddits how much they’re willing to pay for your study guides.
You can sell them on online marketplaces like Etsy and eBay or your own website. Another option is to use sites that focus on selling study notes and guides, such as Studypool and Stuvia.
Picking a side hustle that aligns with your expertise is a wise decision. However, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to think about your job 24/7, you may want to explore other ideas.
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