* Guest post by Joyce Wilson
There’s no doubt teaching is a rewarding career. Unfortunately, it rarely earns you the big bucks. The same rings true for writers, who can often go long stretches without a paying gig. And that’s why many teachers and writers are choosing to augment their salaries with side gig income. If you’re considering a side hustle, Joyce Wilson of Teacher Spark offers six awesome jobs you should consider.
First Things First – Create A Legal Business Entity!
An important step in launching your new side hustle is making it legal! Three main considerations when choosing an entity type include protection for you as the business owner, flexibility in running your business, and ease of set up with your state. Whether you choose an S, C or Nonprofit corporation designation, know that you can easily file for your formation online.
Become A Test Prepper
This is one market that never goes away; students are always preparing for their SAT or ACT exams. Spread the word on social media and hand out flyers in adjacent neighborhoods to promote your service. Most families will pay around $30 an hour for your services.
Scholarship Expert
As students start applying for colleges, most are also looking for scholarship opportunities. Be an expert for families who are just starting the application process.
Give Lessons In Your Specialty
If you’re a creative writer, drama teacher, or music teacher, after the pandemic, you might want to consider setting up your own studio to give lessons to children. According to journalist Morgan Rush, there are some key elements to starting up your own drama school.
- Determine your niche. Will you be focusing on helping children with monologues for auditions or working with adults to get cast in commercial work? Take a look at what competition is in your area and choose the niche that has the highest need.
- Choose a location. You’ll be taking less of a risk if you can run your business in your home.
- Share your curriculum. Be able to identify for potential customers exactly what you’ll be teaching them.
- Decide how to promote your business. On a social media site? By building your own website? Through word-of-mouth marketing?
- Keep it legal. Know the legal requirements to run your business.
Sell Your Educational Materials
If you’ve been a teacher for a while, you’ve likely managed to collect a large amount of lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes, tests, and other materials you’ve used to teach with. Various sites, like eNotes and Teachers Pay Teachers offer a great place for you to sell your work to other educators. Some teachers have even become millionaires doing this.
Become A Tutor
Today’s tutors can work out of the home or online as virtual tutors. So if you have a specialty, like math or writing, you can take your knowledge and turn it into some extra cash, and it’s relatively easy. Check out the best online tutoring sites and see which one is in need of your services.
There are lots of great ways to earn cash without leaving your teaching job. Even better, many of these opportunities, such as being a test prepper, selling educational materials, and being a virtual tutor, are great for any teachers or writers with disabilities because they can be done virtually. All around they’re great opportunities for boosting your income. Choose wisely by finding something you’re passionate about, so your side gig will be fulfilling and less like work.
Joyce Wilson is a retired teacher and enjoys sharing lesson plans, resources, and teaching tips on Teacher Spark.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
theOFFICE 