When you find an hour or two of free time during your week, how do you like to fill it? Hobbies are a part of life that can make things more interesting. You choose an activity that you are passionate about and dedicate your time, energy, and sometimes money to it. Having hobbies is proven to be beneficial for mental health.
In some cases, your hobby could become a full-blown passion. Maybe you are super into the mechanics of computers, or you really enjoy playing video games. The tech industry supports hundreds of different hobbies that you could pursue.
When you want to do something more with your hobby, it might be wise to consider turning it into a career. This would allow you to get paid to do something that you are passionate about. Here are a few tech hobbies that could become careers and how you might go about making that transition.
Tech Hobbies That Can Turn Into Natural Career Paths
The list of tech hobbies that could interest an individual is very long, and many of them could translate smoothly into a career.
Gaming
There are a lot of gamers out there. Playing video games is a chance to experience a different world and discover incredible stories. It is also an alternative way to connect with friends. If you are a huge gamer, then a career in the video game industry might make sense for your future. Perhaps you could become a video game tester. Maybe you have the creativity of a video game developer. You might even be able to become a professional gamer.
Computer Hardware/Software
Some people love the mechanics behind computers or the behind-the-scenes of software development. Maybe you have even built your own PC from scratch for personal use. A career in computer science could be in your future. This industry will continue to grow as we depend more and more on computing as a society.
Drones
Drones have become more versatile in the last decade. There are more applications with each passing year, and therefore, there are plenty of ways to make money if you can fly a drone. You could take photos and videos for various clients, including real estate agents and professional sports teams. Teach a course on drone photography where people can learn the mechanics of flying combined with capturing great images.
Graphic Design
Perhaps you like to hop on the computer and make art. This hobby can translate directly into a full-time job. Many companies hire graphic designers for their marketing needs, but advertising is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of career opportunities. If you want a little more control over the clients you create for, you could always pursue a freelance career.
Getting Started on a New Career Path
Let’s say you love the idea of turning your tech hobby into a career or just a side hustle. How should you get started?
Broaden Your Education
First, you need to delve deeper into your hobby to start becoming a real expert on the subject. A great place to learn more about tech topics, especially related to computing, is on Usenet. This discussion forum has multiple computing newsgroups where users can discuss and teach others about this subject. Simply find one of the best Usenet providers and get plugged into this network to further your education. Otherwise, you could take online courses or even go back to school to learn more about your hobby.
Study the Market
Pursuing a hobby as a career path should not be done without understanding the job market. Perhaps certain roles are in much higher demand than what you initially wanted so it would make more sense to pivot toward those positions. Find who the major players are in the industry and what kind of positions and salaries they are offering so you know what to look for.
Highlight Your Passion and Experience When Applying
When companies look at potential candidates for a position, they want to see people who are passionate about the role. Since this job is related to a hobby of yours, it should be easy to talk about your interest in the subject and how it has benefitted you in the past. Highlight your passion for the topic so that employers understand your deep interest in learning more.
Consider if a Career Might Take Away From Your Hobby
One last thing to consider before you transition to a career is what it will do to your passion for the hobby. What makes hobbies special is that you are choosing them during your free time because you enjoy them. A job forces you to engage in certain activities, which could take the enjoyment out of them. Think about how a job in this tech field might impact your interest in the subject before you decide to do it full-time as part of a career.
