Whether you’re a millennial, a Gen Z or even a Gen Xer, there will be times in your career when you may think that you’re undervalued for the work that you do or maybe you’re battling with black tax & high cost of living and you’ve read so many articles on how to budget your money but you still struggle with money on a monthly basis. This may be a time to self-reflect and think outside the box!
Thinking outside the box when you’re faced with a challenge provides an opportunity to be creative and think of new ways to make money. So, in this case, thinking outside the box could be acquiring a new skill that will increase your monthly revenue and cater for your expenses without stress.
What are high-income skills?
Certainly, this isn’t the first time you have come across the phrase “high-income skills”. Well, from the name, high-income skills are exactly high-income skills (no pun intended). Simply put, they are skills that have a high market demand and can command significant compensation or income. These skills are valued in various industries, allowing individuals who possess them to earn above-average incomes according to industry standards.
Criteria for Selecting a High Income Skill
Whether you are just entering the job market or you want to learn a high-income skill to negotiate with your employer or even change jobs, there are certain criteria that you must put into consideration before choosing a skill.
- Interest & passion: while you’re searching for a high-income skill, it’s important to put your interest & passion in the forefront as it will make you enjoy the learning process and increase your motivation to succeed in your job.
- Market demand: research on skills that are in-demand and likely to remain relevant in the future.
- Income potential: research average salaries, freelance rates, or earning potential for professionals with expertise in that skill. Choose a skill that has the potential to generate a high income or offers opportunities for lucrative career paths, entrepreneurship, or freelancing.
- Time & resources needed: This is the time for you to be realistic with your goals. Assess your current commitments, your ability, gadgets needed etc and see if it is the right skill for you. You may also need to acquire new gadgets if you do not have the required one. (Apply for HerVest loans today and enjoy low interest rates)
7 high-income skills that are currently in high demand
Here are 7 examples of high-income skills that you can put into consideration and start learning from today.
1. Data Analysis
In the world today, there is a growing need for data specialists and according to the British Mathematician, Clive Humby, in 2006, “data is the new oil” but data, like oil in its raw state, is not useful but can become useful when refined. The data industry is growing on a daily basis as humans generate data in different forms daily and because of this growth, data specialists are needed in almost every industry in order to make sense of the data generated and to help businesses make better informed decisions.
Data analysis involves the use of various tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from datasets. Key tools include Excel for basic analysis and visualization, Python for advanced data manipulation and statistical analysis, and SQL for database querying and management. Each tool serves different purposes and offers unique capabilities, catering to different aspects of the data analysis process. Data analysis opens doors to high-income career paths in various industries and domains.
Roles in data include; data analyst, business analyst, data scientist, data engineer etc. You can as well work in industries like finance, healthcare, e-commerce, tech, marketing etc.
If you’re looking to get started in data analysis, the video below will serve as a good start for you.
2. Content Writing
In the world today, content writing is the cornerstone of all online communication and it’s used to inform, engage and educate people worldwide. I’m sure that many people, including you, have heard about the popular saying: “content is king”. If content is king, what exactly is content writing and why is it such a valuable skill?
Content writing is the art and science of crafting compelling, informative, and relevant written material for online platforms like websites, social media platforms etc. Examples of content writing can be found in blog posts, articles, social media posts, website content etc. Content writing is so powerful as it can be used to establish authority, visibility, drive meaningful engagement, connection, brand building, lead generation etc.
In essence, content writing is not just about stringing words together, it’s about driving meaningful action for any brand you will be working for.
Below is a FREE course on how to get started with content writing.
3. UI/UX Design
UI stands for User Interface and UX, User Experience. Thus, UI/UX design refers to the crafting of digital products, designs and interfaces that are visually appealing and provide seamless experience to the user. UI design focuses on the visual aspect of the digital product by addressing things like colours, layout and typography while UX design focuses on the overall experience of the user.
UI/UX design is a high-income skill because of its important role in driving business success, the continuous demand for exceptional digital experiences and the ever continuous growth of digital products.
As a UI/UX designer, you contribute to a business success by enhancing user satisfaction, increasing conversion rates, foster customer loyalty and set the business apart from its competitors.
4. Social Media Management/Marketing
Social Media Management/Marketing involves the strategic planning, execution, and monitoring of a brand’s presence on social media platforms to build brand awareness, engage with audiences, and drive business objectives.
Social Media Management focuses on the day-to-day activities of managing social media accounts, including content creation, scheduling, community engagement, and analytics tracking. It aims to maintain a consistent brand voice and image across various social platforms while effectively communicating with the target audience.
Social Media Marketing, on the other hand, involves leveraging paid advertising, sponsored content, influencer partnerships, and other promotional strategies to reach specific marketing goals, such as increasing website traffic, generating leads, or driving sales.
Social Media Management/Marketing is a high-income skill because of its growing demand, the impact it has on business growth and the ability to freelance with it thereby having multiple clients and this gives you the flexibility to set your rates and take on projects that align with your expertise and interests.
The video below by Simplilearn will give you an in-depth understanding about Social Media Marketing.
5. Tech Sales
Tech Sales is short for Technology Sales and this refers to the process of selling technology products or services to businesses or end users. Tech Sales professionals leverage their understanding of the product or service, business needs, industry trends and customer needs to identify opportunities, build relationships and close deals.
If you possess a passion for technology and a knack for sales, pursuing a career in tech sales will be highly rewarding for you.
Here is a course on introduction to tech sales.
6. Consulting/Coaching
If you are currently an expert in your field of work, there is nothing stopping you from providing consulting/coaching services to people who are highly in need of what you have to offer. Consultants provide expert advice, analysis, and recommendations to clients on specific issues or challenges within their industry or business while coaches focus on personal or professional development by helping their clients to reach their full potential.
Consulting or coaching can be done as a side hustle or you can fully transition into these and get multiple clients while determining your rates and work conditions.
Get started with consulting by watching the playlist below.
7. Virtual Assistance
Increasingly, businesses are in need of administrative support without the need for an in-house employee in order to cut costs. Virtual assistants provide administrative, technical, or creative support to clients remotely. Virtual assistants provide services like email management, scheduling, webinar setup, social media management, data entry, customer support, and more.
Virtual assistants can work remotely from anywhere as they leverage online tools, project management softwares and video conferencing tools to provide their services in an efficient way.
Anyone can work as a virtual assistant and transferrable skills like strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a desire for remote work flexibility are very important in attaining success as a virtual assistant.
If you would like to work from home as a virtual assistant, this course is a good place to start.
Some platforms where you can learn these high-income skills
One of the major goals of someone learning a high-income skill is to secure a well-paying job afterwards. As such, we won’t just leave you hanging without pointing you in the direction of where you can search for jobs once you’re done with learning. Some of the jobs you’ll come across might be remote, on-site, hybrid (remote and on-site) and some might even come with visa sponsorships.
Below are some sites that you must look into while searching for a well-paying job
- Remotive.com
- Remote.co
- Wellfound.com
- LinkedIn jobs
- Indeed
- Flexjobs
- Google Jobs
- Justremote.co
- Weworkremotely.com
- Workingnomads
- Upwork.com
- Fiverr.com
An important thing to note is that you also need to maintain a good online presence, stay professional online and ensure that your social media profiles are up-to-date and optimized. Here are 20 Tips to Optimize your LinkedIn for Maximum Visibility.
The list of high-income jobs above is not exhaustive. There are many high-income digital skills that you can learn in 6 months or less. Please do your research while considering some of the criteria listed above.
After you have learned a new skill and gotten a new job, it’s important you become more self aware with your expenses so that you don’t get into the hole of lifestyle inflation. It’s also important that you find ways to save and invest with a legitimate platform. HerVest is here for you to save and invest wisely. Over 40,000 women use HerVest to meet their financial goals. Join us today.
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