5 Skills You Need if You Want an Odd Job

How many of these skills do you have?

Jen Glantz

Sep 13, 2023

Jen “Odd” Glantz here!

The best advice I can give anyone is to gain as many skills as possible.

Think outside your job, your degree, your resume.

The more skills you can acquire the better you’ll be able to approach anything in life — from getting laid off to starting your own business.

Today I want to highlight five skills you should master before jumping in and starting your own odd job.

5 Skills You Need if You Want an Odd Job

flatlay photography of wireless headphones

Creativity:

Unconventional side hustles often involve thinking outside the box. Creativity is essential for brainstorming unique ideas, solving problems, and finding innovative ways to market your side hustle. Wondering how to get better at being creative? Here are some tips?

Embrace Curiosity: Ask questions, explore new topics, and seek out diverse experiences. Curiosity is the fuel for creativity because it drives you to learn and discover new things.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Challenge yourself to try new activities, explore unfamiliar places, or learn different skills. This exposure to novelty can stimulate your creativity.
Keep a Creative Journal: Carry a notebook or use a digital note-taking app to jot down ideas, observations, and thoughts throughout the day. Writing things down helps you capture and refine creative ideas when they come to you.
Engage in Brainstorming: Regularly set aside time for brainstorming sessions. Try to think of 10 ideas a day.
Experiment and Play: Don't be afraid to experiment and play with ideas, materials, or concepts. Creative breakthroughs often come from trial and error. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from them.
Collaborate with Others: Collaborative work can stimulate creativity by bringing together different perspectives and skills. Working with others can lead to innovative solutions and ideas that you might not have come up with on your own.
Take Breaks: Creative burnout is real. Make sure to take breaks and recharge your mind. Sometimes stepping away from a problem for a while can lead to fresh insights when you return to it.
Adaptability:
Odd side hustles may not follow traditional business models, and they can be unpredictable. Being adaptable means you're open to change, can pivot when necessary, and can quickly adjust to new circumstances or trends. Here are some ways to improve that skill:

Cultivate a Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning. Embrace challenges as opportunities to grow and learn rather than as obstacles. Recognize that setbacks are part of the learning process. A good book to help you is this one.
Build Resilience: Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and setbacks. To become more adaptable, work on building your resilience by developing coping strategies, managing stress, and focusing on your mental and emotional well-being.
Marketing and Promotion:
Marketing is everything. Knowing how to generate interest, build an audience, and get good engagement is one of the toughest skills to master — and it can be expensive to outsource, especially if you want someone good to do it all for you. Take online courses, study marketing strategies, or work with a professional.
Time Management:
Managing your time efficiently is crucial when juggling a side hustle alongside your main job or other commitments. Getting good with your time is super important. Here’s a good podcast about that topic.
Networking:
Building connections within your niche or industry can be invaluable for your odd side hustle. Networking can help you find potential collaborators, customers, or mentors who can provide guidance and support. The best book on networking is this one.