When I think about it, almost everyone I know who is underemployed has some way that they make money on the side. I know people who rent out buildings they own, do free lance photography, write, and design web sites.
Even while I was preparing to move to my current location, I was thinking of ways I could make money on the side but still have time to write and do the other things I like to do with my time. Enter Adult Ed.
My boss hooked me up (he teaches adult ed courses and I expressed an interest) with the director of our area adult ed. I decided to start out teaching one night a week to see how it would go. Within a week, I was signed up to teach two, four week long courses (3 hours each- hello 11 hour workday!). The first course was Microsoft PowerPoint, which I found to be fairly straight forward. This second session, which began this evening, I began teaching Microsoft FrontPage, a web design class. Tonight, I taught them everything I know about the program but I’m too tired to panic about this right now. I have a feeling that I can figure out enough to make a majority of people satisfied with the class. But not tonight. Tonight, I enjoy that the first class went well and everyone upon leaving said "See you next week." Few! I hope I don’t disappoint.
I, of course, don’t think adult ed alone will be entire plan of making money on the side. I hope to try out other "gigs" and write about them on this blog. I’d like to encourage others who make money on the side to share what they do as well so we can all get more ideas.
Gig At A Glance
Gig: Adult Ed Teacher
Pay: $17/hour, though I have no idea how this was determined.
Qualifications: Know about something: there are adult ed classes on everything! Friendliness. Infinite patience for the slower learners or general crazy people.
Pluses: Get to work with people who think you’re a genius, realitively easy and painless. Well paid for what it is. Looks great on a resume.
Minuses: Classes are often at night. You will have at least one student who knows next to nothing and constantly struggles and one who is so advanced they know as much if not more than you do- Can you deal? Not compensated for preperation time spent outside the classroom.
Overall: Great for the money if you already know a lot about the topic and are on the patient side.