The holidays are always a busy time of year, particularly for gig workers who want to boost their earnings and generate extra income. Whatever your specialist skills are, you’ll find that a variety of businesses need your support during their busiest times.

Whether you’re looking for work-from-home gigs, babysitting jobs, driving routes, or hospitality roles, working over the holidays can be a great way to enhance your career as a gig worker. For inspiration, take a look at the types of roles that are routinely on offer over the holiday period and start planning your work now:

Parcel Deliveries

The rise in online shopping means that delivery drivers are in high demand throughout the year but when the holidays are approaching, you’ll find even more opportunities on offer. Depending on the firm you choose to work with, you may be able to use your own vehicle or gain access to a branded, company bike or car. Providing you have a valid driver’s license and appropriate insurance, parcel deliveries are an excellent way to generate income as a gig worker.

There are many different arrangements in place when it comes to how much you earn as a delivery driver but, often, gig workers are paid according to how many parcels they deliver. This means that you can work as often as you like and boost your earnings accordingly. What’s more – the demand for super-fast deliveries means that you can often deliver parcels outside of normal working hours.

If you want to supplement your regular income with an evening or weekend freelance gig in the run-up to the holidays, for example, parcel deliveries are a superb option.

Food Deliveries

If you want to increase your income with a freelance driving role but parcel deliveries aren’t right for you, how about food deliveries? A large number of restaurants and cafés now offer a delivery service and it’s only via specialist delivery networks that they’re able to provide this service to their customers.

Major companies are already in operation and it’s easy to sign up as part of their team. You’ll work as an independent contractor and retain a significant amount of flexibility, which is why so many gig workers love to do these types of jobs.

Food deliveries are most popular during the evenings, so there’s plenty of work available from 5 pm onwards. However, a considerable number of eateries are open throughout the day too, so signing up for food delivery work from 11 am or 12 pm onwards can be a savvy way to beat the competition and generate income.

Chefs and Food Prep

For restaurants and bars, the holidays are the busiest time of year, which means they need as many staff as possible. Of course, business owners rarely want to hire permanent staff for a seasonal increase in custom, which means gig workers are the ideal solution. You’ll find that many hospitality venues are hiring freelancers on an ad hoc basis, so you can choose which shifts you’d like to work and essentially build your own schedule.

You’ll need to have experience and relevant certifications to undertake some roles in a commercial kitchen but don’t panic if you’ve never worked in this environment before. Plenty of venues will be looking for extra front-of-house staff too, so use your skills to work as a freelance waiter, hostess, or server.

 Office Work

Although some offices shut down for the festive season, the build-up to the holidays can be a busy time for many businesses. Employee absences often increase during this time of year as the cold and flu season arrives, which means that a significant proportion of companies are short-staffed. Additionally, a lot of firms require their employees to use up their allotted holiday hours before the end of the year, which means staff are eager to take days off.

The drive to get projects wrapped up and tasks completed before the end of the year also means that businesses are under pressure to be extra efficient in the run-up to the holidays, which is why they rely on gig workers to provide the extra support and expertise they need. Whether you want to work remotely or on-site, you’ll find plenty of opportunities available at this time of year.

From specialist tasks, such as graphic design, web development, or digital marketing, to more general roles, such as virtual assistants and administrators, freelancers can work until their heart’s content at this time of year!

Pet Sitting

If you’re responsible and you love animals, pet sitting could be the ultimate side hustle. Taking care of people’s pets while they’re out of town or working long hours can be a fun – and lucrative – way to supplement your income.

Pet owners will want to be confident that they can trust you, so do everything you can to enhance your reputation and, when you take on more clients, ask them to recommend you to their circle of friends. Once you become known locally as a reputable pet sitter, you’ll find that your services are in high demand.

Of course, the holiday season means that many people are away from home for longer periods, which is why they require the services of a pet sitter more often. From dogs and cats to rabbits and reptiles, there is a surprising amount of seasonal work available for talented and trusted pet sitters.

Taxis and Rideshares

Becoming a fully-fledged taxi driver can take time but signing up as a driver for well-known rideshare companies like Lyft or Uber is a fast-track way to launch your career as a gig worker. During the holiday season, people are far more likely to leave their own vehicles at home and use a driver instead, so you can earn a significant amount by choosing this type of gig.

When people are enjoying a night out with friends, celebrating with family, or attending a work do, for example, they routinely use rideshares to get from A to B. Similarly, if people are out shopping for the festive season, a rideshare service enables them to avoid the hustle and bustle of public transport. As a result, demand for drivers increases throughout the holiday season, and you have the opportunity to expand your role as a gig worker.

Securing Seasonal Work

With a variety of different gigs available, it’s important to be ready if you want to secure seasonal work. Refining your CV ahead of a holiday season can be a good way to ensure that you’re hired quickly while completing your online profile and setting up notifications will enable you to respond quickly when jobs are available.

Furthermore, you’ll want to consider the types of events that occur throughout the year and how they impact gig workers. There is always an increased demand for gig workers or temporary staff in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, but this isn’t the only holiday season to consider.

In the summertime, for example, there are plenty of outdoor gigs available, such as garden maintenance and lawncare roles. Similarly, marshaling at major events, working a food truck, or providing fitness training, are popular gigs during the summer season.

Whatever time of year it is, you’ll find that there are plenty of seasonal roles available for gig workers. By using your skills to provide the support that businesses need at critical times of the year, you can secure as much work as you like and enjoy a varied and exciting role as a gig worker.