The traditional 9-to-5 job is no longer the only path to financial success for many young Americans. Instead, a growing number of gen Z individuals are turning to side hustles to explore their passions, make extra money, and navigate an increasingly unstable job market. According to recent Harris Poll research, 57% of gen Z Americans have a side hustle, compared to 21% among boomers.
Aashna Doshi, a 23-year-old software engineer at Google, is a prime example of this shift. On top of her day job in the tech giant's security and artificial intelligence department, Doshi also publishes social media content about working in tech and her life in New York City, and records podcasts – sometimes all three in a day. For Doshi, her side hustles are not just a way to make extra money, but also an outlet for her creativity and a means to express herself without constraints.
As The Harris Poll notes, this trend is part of a larger generational shift. Many young adults are no longer willing to throw everything into a single career, instead choosing to use their main job as financial bedrock while directing their passion and ambition elsewhere. Sen Ho, a 25-year-old who works in a stationery store and creates digital illustrations in his spare time, echoes this sentiment. "If I wasn't doing my side hustle, I would be very lost in life," he said. "It is what keeps me going."
Redefined Notions of Work and Success
The Harris Poll survey found that most young professionals no longer see a 9-5 job as essential for achieving financial success. Instead, they are turning to side hustles and investing. This shift is driven in part by a desire for flexibility, freedom, and purpose, which a traditional corporate job may not be able to offer. As Mark Valentino, Citizens Bank's president of business banking, notes, "Gen Z is thinking in terms of what I call a 'portfolio of careers' – not just one path, but a bunch of different things that bring them fulfillment."
For Ho, his side hustle is not just a means to make extra money, but also a way to pursue his passion for art. He has been creating art since middle school, selling sketches to classmates for candy money. Today, his illustrations help cover everyday expenses in New York City, where the annual cost of living approaches $64,000, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The Impact of Economic Uncertainty
The rise of side hustles is also driven by economic uncertainty. The tech industry, in particular, has been vulnerable to layoffs in recent years, with over 150,000 jobs cut across 550 companies last year. For Doshi, her side hustles are a safety net in case she loses her job. "The job market is cooked," she said. "You might have a job today, but tomorrow you might be laid off. Side hustles are about security and control, in such an unpredictable economy."
Yeong Yuh Lee, a 23-year-old freelance illustrator in New York, was recently let go from her full-time job. Without her side hustles, she would have been without income. "I don't know what I would've done if I didn't hustle for clients outside of my in-studio job," she said. "Right now I am living off of my side hustle, while trying to find a new job. But it's already been six months and no luck."
The Challenges and Opportunities of Side Hustles
While side hustles offer a sense of freedom and fulfillment, they also come with challenges. Ho, for example, has to juggle his day job with his side hustle, often working long hours without much downtime. "In a sense, I am never off the clock," he said. "It does get tiring, I do admit, but at the end of the day it's like I got to do what I got to do. I just love drawing so much that I cannot imagine not doing it no matter how tired or exhausted I may be."
Daniel Zhao, chief economist at Glassdoor, believes that employers should embrace their employees' side hustles, provided there is no conflict of interest. "A happy workforce is ultimately an engaged workforce," he said, predicting that more young workers will pick up jobs on the side as time goes on. Valentino, on the other hand, cautioned that corporate America faces a reckoning, with a fundamental shift in the way people work and define their careers.
As the barriers to entry for starting something new continue to decrease, it's likely that the notion of a traditional career will continue to evolve. For gen Z, the rise of side hustles is not just a response to economic uncertainty, but also a reflection of their values and aspirations. As Valentino noted, "The onus is on corporate employers to figure out how to attract young people into jobs where they feel passionate, where there's a mission and a sense of purpose, where there's flexibility." The future of work is likely to be shaped by this shift, with side hustles becoming an integral part of the way people work and define their careers.
