If you know your way around a sewing machine, can quick-fix a washer/dryer, fridge, boat or car, have an eye for antiques or possess some other random – even quirky – expertise, you could make tens of thousands of dollars working from home within the next month or two. True story.
Unemployment rates are at the highest peak in decades, and 1 of 6 people in America are out of work. Families are trying to figure out how to survive the pandemic and look for a new job. Here’s something very few of the newly unemployed realize: There’s work out there. A lot of it. And it might be just a few clicks away.
In-demand experts earn as much as $60K a month
A handful of experts at a website called JustAnswer – a site where people can ask questions that they need skilled professionals to help with – broke all kinds of records last month. The average payout to JustAnswer freelancers for the month of April was $2,700 – 23% higher than any previous month. Some of the most prolific experts, including lawyers, auto mechanics, and antique appraisers, made as much as $60,000 in one month.
Normally JustAnswer experts field questions around technical, legal, medical and other common topics. People who use the site say they don’t want to roll the dice with an answer through a Google search or YouTube tutorial and often need more personalized real-time help. For that service, site users pay $5 to $40 a month to save time, hassle and money versus going in-person to a lawyer, accountant or other pros.
As a result, the site needs to fill expert spots – fast.
JustAnswer signed on more than 800 freelance experts in April, and Kurtzig said May is on track to blow right past that figure. He said the site needs experts – with at least five years of experience – in DIY appliance repair, home improvement, sewing machines, veterinary medicine, mental health, boat and car mechanics, technology and personal effects appraisals. As long as applicants pass a stringent vetting process and background check, new experts can start earning money in less than two weeks after they apply.
“We expected to see medical, health-related and finance questions skyrocket during this time, and they have,” Kurtzig said. “But it’s a surprise to see an 800% increase in questions around boat repairs, or get a few thousand more questions a week on how much an old family heirloom might be worth.”
Apparently, the masses sheltering at home are having a tough time fixing appliances that go on the blink, setting up home offices without the help of the IT department and are desperate to make some real cash selling treasures they uncovered during spring cleaning.
The freelance fix
JustAnswer isn’t the only company looking for more workers. There was a 24% increase in freelance jobs available from March to April, according to FlexJobs, a job search website that specializes in remote, part-time and freelance positions.
“Although the pandemic has driven overall unemployment numbers up dramatically, that’s not the case with remote work,” FlexJobs Career Development Manager Brie Weiler Reynolds said. “Across the board, remote jobs are really strong. Freelancers let companies fill a need that may be temporary or project-specific, without having to take on the added expense of a long-term employee.”
FlexJobs analyzed its database of more than 54,000 companies that offer remote work options to highlight the companies with the most job postings as of May. Reynolds said there’s a major hiring surge in customer service jobs, which are often a natural fit for people with experience in the pandemic-leveled travel and tourism industries.
