Need more money? Office skills can deliver a handy income online

Skills from the office are in demand and online platforms allow people to find businesses that pay. See how much the jobs earn.

Anthony KeanePersonal finance writer

@keanemoney

3 min read

October 18, 2023 - 1:55PM

The Australian Business Network

Families working multiple jobs 'just to make ends meet' amid cost of living crisis

National

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The cost-of-living crunch is driving more people toward becoming a back office for businesses in their spare time.

New figures from global freelancing platform Fiverr show strong demand and growth in people taking on administration and other back office jobs – similar to surging demand for technology skills.

Proofreading English was Fiverr’s second most sought after job, with demand up more than 1200 per cent in a year, while social media virtual assistant jobs – including managing repetitious tasks – saw a 758 per cent rise.

Tech-related roles rounded out the top 10, including 3D rendering, Google SEO, TikTok promotion and chat bot development, although bookkeeping, personal assistant and data analytics roles also generated increased demand.

Fiverr Australian manager Oliver Woolrych says cost-of-living rises had prompted more people to seek side-hustle income, from young singles to seniors seeking extra income in retirement.

“What we have seen is more businesses embracing freelancers to fill in the resource gaps,” he says.

HUMAN TOUCH

Woolrych says the future of business will be a blend of new technologies such as AI and a human touch.

“Even in the back office that’s really important,” he says.

“You may use AI to generate an email but you still want a virtual assistant or someone there to read over that email to make sure that it speaks to the tone and voice of your business.”

Woolrych says many back office tasks can 1be self-taught and honed through short courses, and skills are transferable from nine-to-five office jobs.

Skills from the office can transfer to freelance work at home. Picture: iStock

“People are surprised about how quickly they can get onto a freelancer platform and start generating revenues,” he says.

“Think about what knowledge and skill sets you already have at hand.

“Side hustles don’t happen overnight but they do happen, so showing some patience at the start is a really good piece of advice.” After 20 gigs, peoples’ profiles typically flourished.

“Make the time in your life … and be brave to take your skills from an office environment and on to a platform.”

Retired IT and English teacher Michele Berner, 67, has been using Fiverr since 2015 for proofreading jobs since 2015 and has so far earned $126,000 from thousands of orders.

She says jobs came from all over the world including the US, Canada, Britain and Indonesia, and range from essays, emails and blog posts to 300-page erotic fiction novels.

“Follow your passion if you want to make extra money, and look at all the different ways to make money,” Berner says.

CHECK REVIEWS

“Do your research. Where are the gaps in the market you are in? On Fiverr I looked at the comments people gave – including the negative comments to see what people didn’t like.”

MyBudget director Tammy Barton says people need to make every dollar stretch further and alternative forms of income are great ways to get extra cash.

“There are plenty of side hustle opportunities out there and if you can get in and start honing your marketable skills, you could create another steady stream of income that can help ease the rising financial pressures,” she says.

“We are seeing some clients engaging in Uber driving and food delivery … in addition, we are also seeing clients picking up extra hours or overtime shifts.

Michele Berner, 67, earns extra income from proofreading. Picture: Supplied

“Apart from a time investment, side hustles for the most part can be low risk, especially if you have a sought-after skill that you can monetise.”

Barton says people considering a side hustle should create a budget, determine what they want it to achieve, and set realistic goals.

Choose a side hustle that matches your skills and interests, she says.

“It won’t feel like too much of a daunting proposition when you’re doing something that you enjoy.

“Determine your time commitment – particularly if you have a full-time job. How much time are you willing to invest in it? What problem are you solving? Who is your target audience? How will you find them and communicate with them? Know your competition.”