Market Changes Result In Americans Struggling To Find Employment While Forced To Take On Side Hustles

Newsweek reports that the number of Americans forced to find a side hustle to make ends meet has increased as the market has presented a struggle to find jobs.

A report from LinkedIn says a third of Americans in the job market are applying for more jobs but hearing back less. One in five potential employees searching in 2024 are still looking in 2025, while 26% have put the job hunt completely on hold in lieu of the limited opportunities.

Human resources consultant Bryan Driscol blames the lack of hiring on heavy automation and artificial intelligence (AI) avenues. “Job seekers not hearing back is a failure of the system and modern hiring processes. Companies have leaned heavily into automation and AI to screen resumes, often filtering out qualified candidates before a human ever sees their application,” he said.

“This is inefficient and demoralizing. We’re telling job seekers they need to put in more effort while simultaneously creating systems that disregard that effort entirely.”

Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, is not surprised that employees are looking elsewhere for jobs since increased responsibilities do not correlate to more pay. However, the reasoning behind those giving up may relate to repeatedly having to send the same documents.

“It’s no surprise with a higher cost of living and many employee roles facing increased responsibilities that so many are eagerly applying for new positions in the hopes it will lead to better pay and less stress,” Beene said.

Higher living costs have increased the number of people forced to take on a second job or a side hustle. According to The Washington Post, the share of U.S. workers with more than one job in 2024 went up to 5.3% of the workforce, the highest number since 2019. In states like Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Hawaii, the percentage of workers with multiple jobs was approximately double the national average of 10% in 2024.

Naomi Kowald, who lives in Cambria, Wisconsin, has a master’s degree in social work and works for a pharmaceutical drug trials company. She also secured part-time employment as a distributor for water ionization systems. However, even with two incomes, Kowald still needs more to keep up, so in spring 2024, she started selling fresh eggs to friends and family to earn more money and utilize the 16 acres of land she lives on.

The reasons behind Americans picking up side gigs vary from desperation to opportunity, in addition to increased opportunities with remote jobs and jobs on platforms like DoorDash and Uber. Another reason is keeping sanity amid chaos. Grace Wilbanks, a public relations specialist at a credit union in Atlanta, says making collage art isn’t about money but giving her more of a work-life balance. “Once I got a cushy corporate gig, I had more flexibility and freedom on afternoons and weekends to make art,” Wilbanks said.

“The money is nice, but I think the best way to put it is it keeps me sane. If I don’t go to the studio, I will go crazy at work.”