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Why You Really Need a Side Hustle as a Software Developer

Your 9 to 5 job is not enough.


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Piero Borrelli

2 years ago | 2 min read

Your 9 to 5 job is not enough.

This is a quote I repeat to myself every day of my life. And I love my job. I wanted to become a programmer since I was a kid. However, since I tried the benefits of having a side-hustle on my skin, I never want to go back to do one thing anymore.

Let’s see together what benefits having a side-hustle as a dev can bring to every aspect of your life.

You Shouldn’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

I hate to cite overused quotes, but unfortunately, this rule is valid. After 4 years of professional experience, I learned that nobody in a company is unreplaceable.

You could lose your job one day. You could need to take a break from work due to family problems, or a global pandemic could put down the company you work for.

Having a side-hustle is simply a safer way to live, and as a dev, the opportunities to find one are everywhere. You can write tech articles, record live-coding streams, you can open your own tech Youtube channel. The opportunities to monetize your skills as a dev are simply endless.

You Can Make a Ton Of Money

I see developers doing a lot of money with their skills all the time. If you don’t believe me, take a look at these two articles below:

So as you can see, with your coding skills, you can make wonders. You just need to put the effort in to build a new income stream over time. I’m doing this myself as a writer, and I’m finding slowly my success on this platform too.

The earning of one of my articles here on Medium

Build Authority, Make Connections

Thanks to my side hustle as a tech writer, I’ve been able to build a small authority online. This is an occasion for me to feel useful and build connections that can result in possible work opportunities.

For example, in two of the companies I worked with, during my interviews with them, I used my articles to prove my passion for the field and skills in specific languages. Those articles and my effort were highly appreciated by employers, and they helped me land the job.

Remember, if you can create yourself a meaningful side hustle in the tech field as a dev, its result will also positively impact your 9 to 5 job. More authority means more connections, and the proper connection can lead to a new job opportunity. Moreover, a great side-hustle will impact other people’s lives, and sometimes you could receive messages like this in your inbox

Conclusion

Working on your 9 to 5 job is great, but focusing on only one possibility in your career can be limiting. Don’t put obstacles to your potential and explore the chance to build a side-hustle that can generate money, career opportunities, and new connections.

— Piero

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