Should I put my side hustle on my resume?
Alicia Fairclough, Founder of EA How To, answers your questions.
Yes, yes, yes. Probably. Like most things, there is some nuance here and we will get into it.
In my opinion, there are two reasons why you should put your side hustle on your CV.
Number one.
This is real work and you have valuable skills as a result of this work. Whether you’re selling art on Etsy, doing bookkeeping for your partners business or freelance social media gigs, these are skills that directly transfer to your career and they need to be showcased.
Now I’m going to add a little disclaimer here. If there is a chance your side hustle could negatively impact your career. If your art is controversial or your side hustle is say, Only Fans or something like that, then do not put anything about this on your CV. You know whether or not the skills you are developing are marketable in relation to your career goals.
The second reason why I generally recommend putting your side hustle on your CV is that it is one of the few ways you can show some of your personality. You don’t need a lengthy explanation. For example, with EA How To I list it as a current job, underneath my other current full time role. I put a sentence explaining what it is and a link to the website if they would like to take a look.
Now, this has been a double edge sword. On the one hand, I have made some incredible contacts and got my foot in the door for some brilliant roles as a result of my side hustle (and this is even true of my previous business that had nothing to do with being an EA, employers found it really interesting, it made me stand out and secured me some great roels). On the other hand, I am constantly asked. How can you possibly manage it all? And it’s a frustrating question because if my hobby was knitting or football, I would not be asked this.
How do you fit in work with making beautiful scarves? Or how can you possibly keep up with football practice and training and being an EA? But because my hobby is so connected to what I do professionally, this does come up.
Sometimes I’ve managed to sell myself really well. I explain that it’s a professional passion project and my employment will always be my priority. I’ve been doing it for years and it has never interfered with my work and in fact I believe it is one of the things that keeps me going and helps me maintain so much enthusiasm for what I do. Not everyone has been convinced though and I have not been selected for some roles. You can’t please everyone and you can’t convince everyone. All you can do is put your best foot forward and accept that the choice is out of your hands.
If putting your side hustle on your CV is putting your best foot forward then put it on there and be proud and confident. The right people will recognise you and your efforts.
There is a link in the video description. If you have a question you would like me to answer then pop it in the comments below and I’ll be sure to answer it very soon.
Bye for now.
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To become a EA How To Plus member, click here!
