13 high-paying side jobs for people in their 20s
You just graduated and accepted your first job — congrats! That probably means you'll be moving into a real, adult apartment. You'll have rent to cover, bills to pay, and furniture to buy. Oh, you'll also need a new work wardrobe — and you'll probably want to grab the occasional drink or meal at your new neighborhood hot spots.
All of those things cost money — a lot of it. And chances are, that job you just accepted doesn't pay as much as you'd like.
Luckily, there are some easy ways to make extra cash when you're in your 20s and trying to make ends meet.
FlexJobs, an online service specializing in telecommuting and remote work, recently put together a list of high-paying jobs you can do on the side.
To qualify for the list, each job had to be considered "flexible" — and not full-time — and had to pay at least double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, according to the job posting on FlexJobs.
Brie Reynolds, director of online content for FlexJobs, says that "side jobs" are defined as anything part-time, including freelance, temporary, short- or long-term, work-from-home, or in-person-flexible gigs.
We selected the 13 jobs a 20-something could do on the side in their spare time:
Temporary transcript processor
Pay: $15 an hour
Description: Data-entry jobs like transcript processing are great side jobs for people who love to work independently, have solid attention to detail, and enjoy the unique challenges of data entry.
Data-entry specialists are needed to input data from a variety of sources into the correct corresponding fields quickly and accurately, and working well under pressure is a must.
Copy editor/writer
Pay: Up to $17 an hour
Description: Copy editors and writers can be responsible for the writing, execution, and proofreading of materials across digital and print platforms.
Depending on the employer, they may write and edit for marketing materials, editorial content, social media, or other types of material.
Freelance photographer
Pay: Up to $20 an hour
Description: Make no mistake — photography side jobs require someone who is highly skilled in photography and related software for editing and retouching photos. Photography experience is almost always required, and graphic design and Photoshop experience is a plus.
Merchandise coordinator
Pay: $21 an hour
Description: A small amount of merchandising experience is needed for these types of jobs, where you'll support a merchandising team by maintaining and updating information such as reports, samples, and updates from other teams.
Social-media assistant
Pay: Up to $21 an hour
Description: Social-media assistants often work part-time managing social-media channels and assisting companies with content marketing.
Video reviewer
Pay: $25 an hour
Description: For certified teachers in a variety of subject areas, video-reviewer jobs are a part-time way to use your skills and experience for extra income.
Video reviewers observe and assess the classroom and instructional performance of teachers from around the country, who send videos of themselves for review.
Online-communications associate
Pay: Up to $25 an hour
Description: Online community-management positions are a growing area for part-time work. Responsibilities typically include updating web content, managing social media, providing system administration, writing content, and creating reports.
Nonprofit-charity fund-raiser
Pay: Up to $30 an hour
Description: This job entails supporting a nonprofit and its affiliated fund-raising activities. Public-facing work experience is needed.
Software developer
Pay: Up to $30 an hour
Description: Software-development jobs are one of the most in-demand positions available today, and many offer part-time and project-based work.
Depending on the gig, you might be updating existing websites, creating new templates, helping to develop new websites and apps, or other related tasks.
Web designer
Pay: $32 an hour
Description: Web designers are responsible for the graphic-design elements of websites. In these roles, designers create, update, and manage web-design elements, and they need to have design experience as well as excellent client-relations skills.
Sign-language interpreter
Pay: $36.50 an hour
Description: For those with sign-language skills and a license — which are usually state-sponsored — part-time and freelance contracts are often available.
Depending on the employer, you'll help different populations with hearing impairments communicate by providing interpretation.
Online researcher
Pay: Up to $37 an hour
Description: Online researchers support business professionals by researching questions to deliver clients with high-quality answers and personable explanations.
Excellent research skills and the ability to find quality content are a must. Expertise in certain areas as well as general knowledge of business is desired.
City-guide writer
Pay: $50 to $100 a project
Description: Travel and tourism businesses, as well as real-estate companies, often hire writers to write city or neighborhood guides with information about population size, shopping, recreation, culture, entertainment, things to do, climate, transit, and more.
Jacquelyn Smith Editor, Careers Jacquelyn joined Business Insider as the careers editor in 2014. She previously worked as a leadership reporter for Forbes. She is the coauthor of "Find and Keep Your Dream Job: The Definitive Careers Guide From Forbes."Jacquelyn holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Arizona and a master’s degree from Hofstra University. She lives in New York City and can be found on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyptcahZKmZqZ67qHnJqJmsZZakv268xKinpZ1dnrtuwMeeoKtlYmXAbn6Pam1mbA%3D%3D