Searching for a job is not easy. The high unemployment rate coupled with a COVID-19-instigated global economic crisis has made job hunting very tasking. Needing a job does not negate the fact that you also need to earn. If you don’t have an online business at the moment, this is the best time to monetize your tech skills while searching for a job.

First, trading the hour spent online is better than merely chatting with friends. You can begin your entrepreneurial journey by monetizing your social media accounts. One of the ways you can do that is to offer online training on your tech skill. You can offer your services at a discounted rate and run ads to reach more people.

Another option is to freelance on online platforms like Upwork, Simply Hired, Toptal, and Fiverr. What you need is a comprehensive profile that contains some of your jobs. These online market places give you unlimited opportunity to offer your services to international and local clients. All you have to do is to register an account, create a seller profile, and send offers to buyers. Freelancing also allows you to build an online portfolio and work remotely for outsourcing firms.

The third option is to produce your products. You can make food, artworks, jewellery, or clothes for sale to millions of people using the internet. The good thing about this is that you don’t have to own a physical shop to sell online. You can run ads via your social media accounts to reach more people and establish a sustainable source of income. You can also list your online business on Google my Business online directory.

Selling an online course is also a side business to consider. Identify a specific need, curate course content, and upload to sites like Udemy, Coursera, or even to a link to your social media. Your online course can be packaged as a podcast, eBook, video walkthroughs, or audio tutorials.

If you are passionate about something, you should love to write about it. You can start your blog, provide helpful tips, and earn from affiliate marketing. How it works is that an affiliate link will run on your web page and if someone clicks on that link, the ad owner will pay commissions.

If you know how to code very well, you can build software, advertise in your coding community, and sell to small businesses. You can also help people manage their software and websites for a fee. If the software is not your thing, you can then monetize your hardware repair skill.

The truth is that even if you get a job, you will be doing the same thing for a salary and your employer will make more money off your skills. You have to examine yourself to understand your most profitable skills and how your business creates income from your skillset. Find out if the skill is scalable and how crucial your role is to an organization.

Having said all these, I’d advise you to go ahead and list down 10 of your skills and don’t hold back on your hustle. Your job will come, but don’t go broke applying.