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Need extra cash? Get a second job
If you're looking to pay off debt, pile up savings or just need a little extra cash each month, a second job can help you achieve your goal. But not just any second job will do.
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Medical transcriber
Average wage: $17.17 per hour
Enjoy the medical lingo tossed arund on TV shows like "Chicago Med," "Rosewood" and "Grey's Anatomy"? Then you might just like working as a medical transcriber.
Workers transcribe audio recordings created by doctors and other health care professionals into readable reports. Although specialized training is helpful because of the complex medical lingo and the critical need for accuracy, many employers are glad to offer on-the-job training, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Better yet, the job conditions are cushy: Most are in comfortable office settings and telecommuting is common.
Average wages are $17.17 per hour for transcribers at medical and diagnostic laboratories, and some gigs will allow you to wedge the work in during evenings and weekends. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says it expects job opportunities to decline 3% by 2024.
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Grounds maintenance
Average wage: $13.50 per hour
You might have made a few dollars mowing lawns as a kid, and the opportunity to make some cash taking care of greenery may be even better as an adult.
Common tasks for those in the field include mowing, planting, raking and edging. If you're cooped up in an office for most of your working life, spending some time outside while banking some money can be the perfect antidote.
You won't need any special training to pick up a leaf blower or a shovel, and you'll have the satisfaction of seeing the results of your work over time. You won't get rich with this job, with the average wage amounting to $13.50, depending on the site. But a 6% job growth is expected by 6% by 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Bus driver
Average wage: $19.31 per hour
If you've always wanted an office with windows, a position as a bus driver might be right for you. Whether you're driving kindergartners to school in the morning or driving city routes around your town, you'll get a new view of the community.
Some of the perks include part-time schedules, no boss looking over your shoulder, and the ability to help the young and old alike get to their destinations safely and efficiently. You'll need to be sure that none of the routes you pick up conflicts with your work schedule, and be sure that you don't try to pack in too many extra hours. Fatigue can be a serious issue for drivers.
Pay can be good. The average wage for transit bus drivers is $19.31 per hour, and for those who work enough hours, health insurance, sick leave, vacation time and free bus rides are among the benefits, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says. If you have the smarts to follow sometimes-complicated schedules and have a clean driving record, you might excel at this job.
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Customer service
Average wage: $16.62 per hour
Maybe you enjoy chatting with people on the phone or you consider yourself an excellent problem solver. Either way, a customer service job might be just the thing.
While the idea of a customer-service job might conjure visions of angry customers unloading all their complaints, there are also many opportunities for rewarding interactions in which a customer gets a problem resolved quickly and easily.
Typical wages average $16.62 per hour, and the number of jobs in the field is expected to grow 10% by 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Because peak times in customer service tend to be early morning, evenings and weekends, it can be an ideal chance to grab extra working hours. It's also a good way to get an opportunity at a company where you might find a chance of advancement, according to a job outlook summary from the BLS.
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Virtual assistant
Average wage: Varies
Organized, detail-oriented people with strong computer and communication skills are often great candidates for virtual assistant positions. Over the course of their work, they may make hotel reservations, set up appointments and meetings, type letters and buy supplies.
While a typical administrative assistant may do this from an office setting, a virtual assistant gets to work on projects from home. Even outside of normal business hours, virtual assistants can do tasks that aren't time-sensitive, including internet research, data entry, accounting and invoicing. Many employers don't require any special training beyond a high school diploma, but if you're working virtually, you'll have to be proficient with a computer.
Indeed, the best opportunities will be for those who are especially tech-savvy. And you can set your own hours and rates.
