What’s up, millennials? We know you’re tired of hearing all about how horrible you (we) are. We’re tired of hearing it, too. And, honestly, it doesn’t make any sense.
Millennials have brought more racial and ethnic diversity to the US than any previous generation. We’re also more educated than our grandparents’ generation. So, sure, we might not have a lot of money to spend on houses or other fancy things but that’s because uhh...individual earnings for young workers have remained mostly stagnant over the past 50 years!
What’s also cool about what we’re doing as millennials is the fact that we’re paving our own way in life. At least 44% of us do some sort of freelance work, whether it’s a side gig or our only source of income. Simply put, we’re tired of living the life our parent’s strived for (mostly because it doesn’t exist anymore). And, freelancing is a pretty good gig.
If you’re not freelancing yet, then check out this list of some of the best freelance jobs for millennials that’ll be hot in 2022.
Already have a freelance job and just wanna grow the money you’re earning? Download the Wealth Stack app to get started.
What Millennials Need to Know About Freelance Jobs
While we’re not too fond of stereotyping, statistics do reveal quite a bit about the way that millennials live and work. As employees, we tend to look for some of the following (oh, who are we kidding...we’re extreme; we look for them all because we can have it all, right?):
- We want to work in a job that can allow us to make a social impact. Or, we want to at least work in a job that gives us enough space and time outside of business hours to participate in social initiatives that will help make a difference.
- We’re not as motivated by money as previous generations. Give us the choice between being able to work remotely and a $20k a year raise and I guarantee we’ll choose the remote working option).
- We want to work for people and companies who match our values. Again, give us the choice between working with a group of besties who also care about climate change or a large corporation where we’re promised a C-suite and we’re gonna take the bestie option. You’re definitely nodding your head in agreement.
- Millennials are looking for freedom. Ugh, yes, sweet freedom. We want a job that allows us to put in the hard work to make a big impact but that also allows us to travel every couple of months to some new destination. We want to be able to work remotely in Bali for two months a year and not have it be a big deal.
Things to Keep in Mind About the Best Freelance Jobs
Freelance jobs just seem like a good fit for millennials, don’t they? Not only do they allow us to build our own schedules and routines (in most cases), but they give us the freedom to work with people we actually like and to live life on our own terms.
So, when you’re browsing through the best freelance jobs for millennials below, keep all of these things in mind. Some jobs might require you to have a working knowledge of certain software. Others might be a bit more location-independent. When choosing the right freelance career path or side gig, be sure it fits into the lifestyle you’re working hard to create for yourself.
Best Freelance Jobs
1. Virtual Assistant
Average salary for a freelance virtual assistant: $48,000/year
Are you a jack of all trades? Do you know a lot about online organization and love managing tasks and answering emails? If so, being a virtual assistant is a great option for you, especially if you’re just getting started freelancing.
Virtual assistants offer administrative services to clients all over the world, meaning that this is also a fantastic option for millennials looking to work while they travel. Tasks you might perform on a daily basis include scheduling appointments, answering calls and emails, or booking travel arrangements.
2. Freelance Writer
Average salary for a freelance writer: $57,600/year
If you love to write, you can easily become a freelance writer. And, the best part about this gig for millennials is that you’ve got tons of options. You can become a copywriter, which will require that you learn the tactics and rules of copywriting. But, you can also start your own blog, write SEO blogs for other people, or even work as a freelance ghostwriter.
If you want to become a freelance writer, we suggest figuring out which category of writing sounds the most suited to you and your goals. Then, be sure that you’re constantly honing your writing skills and building your portfolio.
3. Social Media Manager
Average salary for a freelance social media manager: $50,800/year
What millennial doesn’t love social media? If you think you’re great at building a following, engaging with people online, and love to help build brands, consider becoming a freelance social media manager.
You’ll usually have to show that you yourself have a large following first. Or, you’ll be asked to show a portfolio of other accounts you’ve managed. But, you get to choose which accounts you want to manage. And, if you feel like you wanna get creative, you can offer social media content creation services, too.
The best part? This is one freelance job that can be done from literally anywhere in the world. In fact, most digital nomads seem to be social media managers or content creators of some sort.
4. Graphic Designer
Average salary for a freelance graphic designer: $55,600/year
While you can find a lot of great jobs with companies as a graphic designer, why not branch out on your own? Create designs to show off in a portfolio and then approach small businesses or agencies looking for graphic design work.
To start as a freelance graphic designer, you can also sell your services on platforms such as Fiverr or Upwork. If you’re brand new to freelancing, this is a great way to build your portfolio and to rack up lots of great client recommendations before looking for clients outside of those platforms.
5. Developer
Average salary for a freelance developer: $110,000/year
Millennials have an advantage over other generations here in that most of us grew up just when the internet became widely-used. So, it’s no surprise that lots of millennials have coding skills. If you work as an iOS or Android developer, you can earn over $100k a year.
However, we will note that learning what you need to learn to become an expert app developer does require a lot more time and practice than the other freelance jobs for millennials on this list.
6. SEO Consultant
Average salary for a freelance SEO consultant: $53,700/year
SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it’s basically the process of optimizing content online so that it’s easily found by a business’ target audience. Due to the pandemic forcing millions of businesses online, SEO consultants are more desired and needed than ever.
Similar to being a developer, though, becoming an SEO consultant would require that you have certain certifications. There are ever-changing tactics and strategies that SEO consultants use, so working as a freelancer in this area is going to require that you’re constantly up-to-date!
7. Web Designer
Average salary for a freelance web designer: $75,400/year
If graphic design doesn’t quite suit your creative needs and being an app developer is a bit too technical for you, think about becoming a web designer.
You don’t necessarily have to understand how to code to build websites nowadays either. Instead, focus on learning how to create sites on platforms such as WordPress or Shopify. Sure, you can do a lot more if you understand how to code, but you can still build great looking sites from templates that perform just as well.
Bonus Freelance Job: Super Star Investor
How much can you earn a year as a super star investor? The sky’s the limit, really. What’s more important is that you ensure you have a solid foundation to build off of first. This means that you’re working towards getting your debt down and your credit score up.
Once you’ve got the basics taken care of, we’ll teach you all of the investment terms and strategies you need to know in order to build wealth for yourself. Download the Wealth Stack app to get started.
