Rise of the five-to-nine workers – online ‘side hustles’ are turning Gen-Z passions into profit
There are widespread reports that the number of people with a side hustle is increasing at an unprecedented rate, and google searches for the term ‘side hustle’ up 62% from 2017 to 2018, there’s plenty of evidence that more people are embracing their entrepreneurial side.
However, new research by mobile tech brand HONOR has revealed that young Brits in particular are making money in more creative ways, with a little help from their smartphones.
Over half of those surveyed (55%) revealed that they have a side hustle, including jobs such as buying and selling clothes or blogging. Among those with a side hustle, almost a third (27%) use it as a way of supplementing their income with a further 89% arguing they couldn’t successfully do their side hustle without the use of a smartphone.
The research, conducted among 2000 18-24 year olds, identified some of the most popular ‘side hustles’ the younger generation are turning to, to turn their passions into profit.
Top 5 ‘Side Hustles’
In this list, some of the more traditional part time jobs associated with younger people such as paper rounds, babysitting and bar work are nowhere to be seen. Instead, young Brits are turning to the internet in order to make money from more creative pursuits across a wide range of different skillsets.
Smartphones are not only turning passions into profit, but also helping young people identify and hone their creative interests in the first place, with half (50%) of 18-24 year olds saying they have uncovered artistic talents through the use of their smartphone devices.
It’s clear that younger people see more benefits from using their phones for work, with 37% of those born after 1996 saying they make them more flexible, 34% saying they can multi-task better and 36% saying their time management benefits from using their phones. In contrast to this, 44% of over 55’s said that having a smartphone has not benefitted their work in any way at all.
Perhaps this is part of the reason behind three quarters (76%) of 18-24 year olds feeling that their smartphone usage is totally misunderstood by the older generation.
Olivier Dobo, HONOR UK Marketing Director, said: “Our research shows that young people are getting more out of their smartphones than any previous generation, and we’re proud to help them continue to do so. Phones like our new HONOR 20 PRO mean young people can start to change their world as easily as they change the track they’re listening to, so the fact that so many of Gen Z are embracing the opportunities smartphones offer is really great to see.”
The HONOR 20 PRO was designed to meet the ever-evolving needs of the world’s youth, featuring one of the best all round creative camera systems available in the market. It features HONOR’s first ever AI Quad Camera, and comes with Ultra-High ISO Sensitivity, which provides a better low-light photography experience.
Following its global launch in London earlier this year, the HONOR 20 PRO is now on sale in the UK for £549.99.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
