Uncommon Jobs for Millennials and Gen Z

By 2020, nearly 40 percent of the American workforce could be independent contractors seeking freelance opportunities. This push towards more freedom in the workplace leads to high salaries, if you're willing to work hard and build a portfolio. Discover seven uncommon jobs for millennials and generation Z as technology makes freelancing more attractive for younger workers.

1. Animator and Designer

Animators and designers have access to all kinds of freelance opportunities that require an artist's touch. You could design artwork for movie posters, websites, invitations, product logos and marketing materials for companies that need brands that stand out from the crowd. Thanks to technology, most of the tools are at your fingertips, including a computer, graphic design software and a portfolio website. Animators and designers can earn up to $30 per hour or more.

2. Social Media Celebrity

Whether you enjoy YouTube, Twitch, Tumblr or Instagram, you can put your social media savvy to good use. Jen Selter on Instagram and Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie) on YouTube make millions of dollars per year. The key to earning celebrity status and starting this type of business is to tell a good story that people want to hear about, whether you play video games, travel the world, eat weird foods or have a kick-butt fitness regimen that keeps you in shape. A sponsored post could earn you $200.

3. Writer

Writing brings freelance opportunities because companies always need blogs, social media posts, product descriptions and sales funnel emails. Use technology to improve your writing skills thanks to spellcheckers, plagiarism scanners and grammar tools while earning $25 to $50 per hour.

4. SEO Expert

Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for companies wanting people to notice their web pages. Learn how to mine a company's content offerings to find strong points and weaknesses so you can improve your clients' bottom line. SEO experts help web pages become more visible to search engines, including Google and Bing. These professionals can earn $50,000 annually or more.

5. Social Media Manager

Social media managers help companies define their brands across a wide range of social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Take your social media savvy to various clients with your knowledge and skills of mastering short posts that bring in more customers for your clients. Social media managers can make up to $95,000 per year.

6. Voice Actor or Actress

Voice actors average $72 per hour to lend their unique voice to videos, narrations, audiobooks, commercials and corporate videos. If you love talking, these types of jobs are for you.

7. Photographer

Instagram and portfolio websites let you showcase your photographic talents. Websites need visuals, and freelance opportunities for photographers and video editors continue to increase by about 20 percent in 2018, and you can make $25 per hour.

Why Freelance Opportunities Are Attractive

Freelancing is attractive because it offers you freedom to achieve a work-life balance while doing something you love. You get to define your career path on the way to financial stability and limitless advancement opportunities. Plugging into the right technological tools lets you increase efficiency and get more clients.

These uncommon jobs and freelance opportunities are the wave of the future for millennials and gen Z. How have you taken advantage of this workplace paradigm shift?

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Copley at Flickr.com