400K Side Hustle, Salary Negotiation Secrets, Resumes Are Irrelevant - Jan 30, 2025

Hi there, Career Pros! While you’re likely juggling meetings and emails, some are turning side gigs into full-blown businesses — no magic wand needed. Want to see how one woman scaled her hustle? I bet you are…

On the agenda: 

🤩 400K Side Hustle: How one woman built her own pay raise.

📓 A Freebie Planner: To help you strike the right work-life balance.

💀 Resumes Are Irrelevant: Suggests this latest hiring trend.

💸 Salary Negotiation Secrets: An invaluable guide reveals.

SPOTLIGHT 

400K Side Hustle: How One Woman Built Her Own Pay Raise

What started as a pandemic side gig turned into a $400K revenue stream for Chisom Okwulehie. Her design consulting business, started as a way to build up her earnings, grew beyond her full-time salary — proving that a well-planned hustle can change everything.

How it Began: Okwulehie began freelancing in brand design and consulting while still working her corporate job. By 2023, her business had grown so much that she left her 9-to-5 behind. "I realized I could make more working for myself" she told Entrepreneur.

Her company has since hit over $400K in revenue annually, fueled by word-of-mouth referrals and strategic pricing. According to a Side Hustle Nation study, more than 1 in 3 of side hustlers make more than $1K /month. — yet few reach Okwulehie’s level this swiftly.

The Key to Scaling: She credits her growth to niching down, setting high-value pricing, and leveraging social proof. Her advice? “Charge what you’re worth and don’t be afraid to ask for more.” Okwulehie’s story proves that the right side hustle can lead to big things.

Want to explore your own? Have a look at these online side job ideas:

THURSDAY’S STEAL

Your Next Raise Won’t Happen by Accident — The Secret to Getting It…

Most people dodge the discussion altogether simply because they don’t know how to ask. The good news? Negotiation is a skill — and you can easily learn it with this Salary Negotiation eGuide.

Grab this invaluable guide to learn:

🔹 The exact words to use in salary talks
🔹 When to ask (timing is everything)
🔹 How to handle counteroffers with confidence
🔹 The #1 mistake you’ve likely made already

The secret to a bigger paycheck isn’t working harder — it’s negotiating smarter.

PDF format — works on any device. Ends Feb 2 (midnight)

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NEWS THAT MATTERS

The top stories and trends concerning working pros.

1️⃣ Resumes Are Becoming Irrelevant: Latest Hiring Trend

This recruitment trend is shifting focus away from traditional resumes, indicating companies are increasingly valuing skills and experience over formal job applications. [WJBF]

2️⃣ Gen Z Workers More Fed Up Than Ever

Zoomers are experiencing a significant decline in work engagement, even lower than older generations. Factors like AI fears, job insecurity, and lack of clarity are fueling their dissatisfaction. [Business Insider]

3️⃣ Vermont State Workers Buck Office-Return Trend

Vermont state workers are defying the trend of returning to the office, with many opting to continue remote work. This shift highlights changing preferences in the workforce. [The Bridge]

4️⃣ US Labor Market Stays on Solid Footing Early in 2025

U.S. weekly jobless reports saw a small increase, indicating that the job market remains stable despite slight fluctuations. This suggests continued resilience in the economy. [Reuters]

5️⃣ Career "Catfishing" & Ghosting Trends Revealed

Gen Z and Millennials are redefining career expectations with "career catfishing" and ghosting — experiences of disillusionment and shifting job market standards. [Fortune]

CAREER ADVICE

The Ultimate Job Search Guide to Getting Hired

Job searching can be a difficult process — especially if you’ve been in your current position for a long time or you’ve just graduated from college. There are so many things to consider, from your overall career goals to salary expectations to job role titles.

So, where should you start?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this in-depth job search guide, we will walk you through all the steps you need to take to be successful in your job hunt.

Continue reading »

WEEKLY FREEBIE

Striking The Right Work-Life Balance

A huge paycheck isn’t the sole thing that impacts your morale and productivity — a healthy balance can also do wonders. Which is why we’re giving you our downloadable, fillable and printable Work–Life Balance Planner to help you find your happiness in and out of the workplace.

This complimentary planner is made exclusively available for The Dose community, and is made by our very own career experts.

BREAKROOM

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Created with care by the CareerAddict team.