Your Side Hustle May Help You Land Your Dream Job

Did you know that your side hustle may help you land your dream job? When I say “side hustle,” I’m not only talking about a side business, but I’m talking about all of the little things you do on the side of what may be considered your day job or traditional career. This includes any volunteer work, freelance work, some hobbies, or part time work that earns extra income.

I spoke with two separate clients last week who didn’t mention the extra work they’d been doing because they didn’t think it would benefit their resume. The funny thing is that both clients left off the piece of information that could potentially score them their dream position. When writing your resume, make sure you take note of the different factors that go into the job you’re applying for and the mission of the company offering the job.

When I first started college, I applied for a PR internship in San Francisco. I didn’t have a huge amount of office experience, but I had worked at the front desk in a cupcake shop. I didn’t think much about it and really considered the position a filler for my resume, but it turns out that the PR company had a major cupcake shop as one of their clients, so they were thrilled that I had inside experience. I don’t know if this was the deciding factor of why I landed the internship, but I do know that the job which I thought was just a filler ended up weighing heavily in my favor.

Another great example of where to highlight your side hustle is when you are in between jobs. Almost everyone will be in between jobs at some point in their life, and this is understandable, but what shows your true characteristics is what you do during the interim. If you’re in between jobs, try volunteering for something in your field. If you’re in marketing or events management, offer to help plan an event at your local charity or a local school. While it may not be a traditional job or source of income, it will boost your resume, highlighting your motivation, work ethic, and sense of community. When I see someone hand in a resume showing that their last job ended over a month ago, my first though is “what have they been doing this whole time?”

Everyone needs a break at some point, and there is nothing wrong with that, however if you are in transition for more than a month, make sure you are being active in your industry. Try volunteering, picking up a hobby related to your field of work, (i.e. blogging, coding, editing, etc.) or taking classes. Doing so will greatly benefit you both mentally and on your resume. Today, it is rare to have a perfect career path, and most people do a lot more than just their day job. If you are one of those people, don’t be afraid to show it off and highlight everything you do! Remember, your side hustle may help you land your dream job.