Introduction:
A study shows that only a small percentage of teenagers aged 14 to 18 have a job. Obviously, during summer, the employment rate among youth is much higher than during other times of the year, but can you actually make money on the side while still having time to go to school and have a social life? The answer is YES, and in this post, I'm going to show you how you can get started and make some cool money on the side.
I don't have a webinar, course, or book to sell to you; I'll give you all the information you need to start making money. I didn't include anything like "go babysit your neighbor's kids", I know you're not here for that.
Now, I know that everyone tells you that your teenage years are the best years of your life, and that's true! But that doesn't mean that you should just float around with no real purpose and do nothing with your life.
In fact, teenagehood is the best time to get started and get ahead of the game, and gain some experience in making money, starting a business, learning how to communicate, and many more.
So if you are interested in making some money this year, keep reading to discover a lot more.
1. Become a Freelancer.
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| source Unsplash |
Freelancing is still one of the best, most relevant, and easiest ways, especially this year, to make money. Just about anyone can do this. Freelancing is, basically, working for different companies, people, etc., autonomously.
It means that you aren't employed, you don't have a boss, and you can work as much as you want. You can even do it from the comfort of your home, so you don't need to worry about commuting. And even if it isn't the easiest thing to do, you can make some cool, decent money, and, who knows, it might just become a career path.
People are doing this all over the world for a living, but you don't have to commit long-term if you don't want to. Now, to become a freelancer, you have to have something to offer, and it could be anything. As long as you know a thing or two about computers, technology, social media, and anything related, you should be good.
Here's a list of services you could offer as a freelancer:
- Video Post-Production
- Animation
- 3D Design
- Logo Design
- Graphics
- Photoshop Retouching and Editing
- Product reviews
- Article writing
- Copywriting
- Blog Writing
- Social Media Management
- Social Media Marketing
- Translation
- And much more
If you can think of something that you can do entirely from home, chances are someone is looking for that service or skill, and probably someone is already making money with those same skills.
Now, I know this won't be that easy at the beginning, getting your first client, but once you get your first client, it's like a domino effect, and it will only get easier and easier for you to get clients.
So here's how you can find your first client, and this is how it works on most Freelancing websites, for example, Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. Someone posts a Job Post, explaining what they need and how they want it done, then all relevant freelancers send their proposal. The client will look through all the proposals, and he'll choose the one that he thinks has the skills or qualities to get the job done.
Before hiring you, they'll read your proposal and check out your profile. This is why it is essential to have a strong, well-crafted profile that makes you the right person for the job. Just be professional and describe your skills and experience.
And here's where most people stop, and get it wrong. So chances are, they won't find a client in the first few days. Nor are they likely to find one in the first week, either. And there's a straightforward reason for this: no one trusts you. And why should they? Your portfolio is empty; you probably don't have any experience.
But all you need is that one first client and that one 5-star feedback, and you'll launch your freelancing activity.
I want you to finish this post with everything you need to get started, so here are some of my best tips on how to find your first clients:
Step 1: Build an Impressive Profile.
First of all, people need to know who they're working with. You're a human being, so please upload a professional profile picture. Selfies aren't the best. Just keep it sober, smile, and upload it to your profile.
The description of your profile is the first thing the client will read. Don't tell a story about how you always like eating grapefruit, no one cares: keep it relevant to your skills and your experience. It's essential for people to really understand what type of person you are, so if you want to make a flawless impression, you can shoot a short video.
Nothing too fancy, you don't even need to edit it if you can't or don't want to. Just professionally introduce yourself, talk about your experience, what you can offer, and how you plan to work. And that's it for the profile.
Step 2: Start Sending Proposals.
The hardest part now is finding your first client. It won't be easy, but if you keep working at it and get better at writing, you'll get the chance to finish your first job.
To write good proposals, first of all, forget about skipping work. You know that you cannot repeatedly paste the same proposal for every job. So, read the entire job description, make sure your skills match, and write proposals that are fun and unique, tailored to the job.
Also, remember to include some of your ideas and how you'd approach that project or job.
Only send proposals to jobs that are a good fit for your skills. If you know more than one language, you could also try searching for jobs in the other language you know.
You could, for instance, look for jobs related to German if you are proficient in it. You'll have less competition and better chances of actually getting those customers this way.
Step 3: Perform well at your first job.
I know this doesn't make sense, but here's the thing: the first job you get probably won't pay you enough, and you'll still have to deliver. However, you only need to do this once to ensure that your first client will give you the highest possible rating.
You have to understand that the only review that will be used by all of your potential customers to judge you will be that one, and if that review is negative, it will not be suitable for you. Additionally, it will be harder for you to regain clients' trust. So keep that in mind.
2. Teach the skills you know.
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| source Unsplassh |
You know things that other people don't, so why not get paid to teach them? This one is exciting, almost anyone can do it, and with a bit of patience as a teacher, you can make a decent living from it. You could teach many things, such as how to use email services like Gmail with older people. Or, you can teach them how to use social media, computers, or smartphones.
Surprised, I discovered how many people are willing to pay for someone to teach them this. Many people really want to learn, but they can't do it on their own, so you can solve that problem. You could also teach a foreign language or become a tutor in math, grammar, or any other subject for middle and elementary school students.
3. Sell things online.
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| source Unsplash |
You'll find something in your home that you've been saving for use in the future for at least a few years. You probably have a lot of random stuff you keep for "just in case" moments, but the cases never happen.
Since it's time to get rid of everything, why not make some money? While there are numerous apps available to locate clients both locally and nationally, the Facebook marketplace has enormous potential. Take good pictures of the object, upload it to the Facebook marketplace, write a good description, write relevant tags, upload it, and wait.
You'll get a lot of messages from people all over your country if it goes well, but if it doesn't, you might want to upload more and more content. What then happens if you achieve success and run out of products to sell?
In any case, if you're going to advance to the next level, you could begin flipping, which basically entails buying something and then selling it. You can buy valuable items at one of these garage sales for a ridiculously low price and then sell them for a higher price on eBay or the Facebook marketplace.
4. Social Media Management for Businesses.
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| source Unsplash |
The power of the internet and social media allows businesses to connect with customers more than ever before. It's actually so important that some business owners are willing to pay perfect money to anyone who knows how to craft decent social media posts.
So, if you know how to use Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, you could start a mini-business managing social media and make money from posting content you already do for free. Restaurants, bars, clubs, and similar establishments are some of the niches you can approach.
These establishments are also targeting a younger audience, so they need someone who understands young people and social media to interact with their target audience. To find your first client, there are many things you could do.
You could, for instance, simply send them an email offering your services. If not, you might call them or even meet them in person at their business. Local businesses are much easier to convince than bigger corporations, for apparent reasons.
After the lockdown and the coronavirus pandemic, people are using the internet for almost everything, and if a business isn't online, it won't last long. As you read this post, the need for this kind of service is huge right now. Which one are you going to attempt then? Leave a comment down below and share your experience.
In summary, you could:
- Work on freelance websites like Fiverr and Upwork to become a freelancer and offer your best skills to the market. - Share your knowledge with people who are willing to pay for it: like teaching older people how to use email services or social media networks.
- You could also teach a language or become a tutor in math, grammar, or anything else for middle and elementary school students.
- Get rid of everything you don't need in your home and sell it or start flipping other things: you can buy them at garage sales for less and sell them on Facebook marketplace or eBay. - Manage social media pages for businesses that need it the most, for example, restaurants.
And that's it for this post. Make sure to read more on our website right away if you enjoyed it! We put a strong emphasis on providing you with educational and entertaining content that will improve your social and financial well-being, while also providing value. Leave your thoughts and any additional advice in the comments section, and I'll see you in the next one. Thank you
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