Why a Side Hustle Makes a Great Addition to Your CV

Why a Side Hustle Makes a Great Addition to Your CV Why a Side Hustle Makes a Great Addition to Your CV Finding good employment isnt easy in todays world. More people are alive than at any prior point in the history of human civilization and US unemployment rates are down again at 4.7%. The level of competition is intimidating.With the days of lucking into a great position with an underwhelming CV far behind us, we need to recognize the importance of showing our value before we even enter an interview room.Thats where side hustles enter the equation. Filling out your CV with a secondary pursuit or two (as opposed to, say, your Frisbee skills) is a fantastic way to make your application a lot more interesting.But what makes side hustles so worthy of your time and attention? Good question.Theyre Forward-Thinking PursuitsIf I had to describe the verfaulen business world in one word, it would be changeable (or even volatile).It isnt just that automation is destroying and creating entire industries, or that the influx of powerful analytical tools has changed how we view performance its also that the speed of operation has massively increased. Advancements in digital technology have granted us devices that are flexible, powerful, and capable of keeping us connected and communicating across the entire planet.Now we need to be faster and smarter than before just to keep up with the pace of life.In short, a potential interviewer will consider what you bring to the table and wonder, Can this person leid only keep up but be at the front of the pack?If you can point to a side hustle independent of any traditional employer, youll mark yourself as someone capable of thinking ahead, establishing an advantage over those who never operated outside of a 9-to-5 system.Side Businesses Suggest Skill DiversityIts easy to get into a rut following a set career path and find your skills stagnating. Taking on a new gig outside of that path (even if it falls within broadly the same field ) presents a totally new challenge with its own sortiment of risks and rewards.Managing your time, dealing with new people, overcoming the hurdles that come with being your own boss these things all expand your abilities in ways that prospective employers will find very appealing. After all, just about every business wants to expand and become even more successful, and thats an endeavor that greatly benefits from different perspectives.Even something that doesnt sound like it would prove useful in other areas like a detailed understanding of acquiring, storing and shipping crickets can produce sparks of inspiration.They Make Your Story More InterestingEvery professional adult has a story to tell about their working life. Their successes, their failures, their confusions, challenges and solutions.Taking on a part-time money-making scheme is a great way to flesh out your story. Youll have the opportunity to write and talk about how it began, what experiences it led to, and how it too k you out of your usual routine.Imagine having gone from a relatively-typical job on a goat ranch to setting up shop as a professional skull cleaner, as Carla Brauer of Dermestidarium did. Thats a memorable narrative to have on your side when youre at the final interview stage and the other candidates are more experienced.Effective talking points.You might not find yourself doing anything that fascinating, but even if youre just washing cars, youll have something to say about how the whole process made you feel and taught you about who you are.Side Hustles Demonstrate DriveDrive is an extremely important thing to possess. Its what separates those who fail and give up from those who keep trying and failing until they find success.And even in those who never quite achieve the success they aimed for, its better to be pushing ahead than succumbing to inertia (think of sharks, or even Regret Iyer, a figure I find particularly inspirational).With a side hustle on your record, you show you that you have the drive to keep going when life throws some roadblocks in your way, something successful businesses all look for. They dont want to hire people wholl just roll over and concede when placed under pressure.They want employees wholl always search for ways to keep going, do more, find a new solution, because theyre the ones you want around you in a crisis.They Can Be As Big (Or As Small) As You WantEven if Ive sold you on the overall merits of running a side hustle, you might think it isnt something you can realistically pursue. Perhaps you think youll never have enough time to operate around your regular job, or that the operating costs will be prohibitive.Well, you should consider that theres a huge amount of flexibility in how you can go about setting something up, and it might not be as hard as you think to find something that will suit your personal circumstances.If youre concerned about stress, for instance, you can come up with an option that doesnt require all t hat much attention on a daily basis, allowing you to keep a good amount of time reserved for relaxation.Automation is your new best friend. Even if you already know that you can easily set up side hustle stores through platforms like WooCommerce, Magento, and Shopify, you might not be aware of the existence of practices like dropshipping, something that allows you to skip 99% of the practical aspects of online sale by leaving them to wholesalers (leaving you to focus on branding and marketing instead).When you can set up a store that handles most of the retail process for you and requires only minimal management, can you really make the claim that you dont have the time to run a side hustle?What might your side hustle be? Selling a product, providing a service, sharing your expertise? Think carefully about what might enrich your life, make you some money, and ultimately make you a more attractive employment candidate.Victoria Greene is an ecommerce marketing expert and freelance wri ter who likes to stay busy. She can usually be found trying to work on ten projects at the same time.You can read more of her work at her blog Victoria Ecommerce.Have a couple minutes?Learn how Jobscan can help with your resume and LinkedIn profile.How to Scan a Resume with Jobscan (208)How to Scan a LinkedIn Profile with Jobscan (253)??Full text tutorialFull text tutorial