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One of the side effects of COVID-19 is that millions of people in the United States (and the world) spend much more time at home. Even when people begin to hang responsibly while adhering to the latest CDC guidelines, you may have some extra time on your hands that you must complete. If you want to turn that free time into a hustle for extra income (or dip your toe in a new career), your best bet is to try some online courses.
The best online learning platforms like Udemy, Masterclass and LinkedIn Learning offer classes taught by professionals and run through an easy to understand study program that you can review before registering. Importantly, these are recorded lectures, not live classes. You can view the entire course, which is divided into different sections, in your web browser or through an application on your phone (iOS and Android) while you are away socially safely.
Conferences are downloadable, so you can stream them online or watch them offline from the comfort of home. And you can easily start, stop, and pause lessons, so you can learn at your own pace and on your own schedule. Many of these classes include supplemental materials, such as course readings and even the ability to contact your instructor, to help you continue learning.
Although online courses are taught in English, some services offer subtitle options in other languages. If English is your second language, or if you would like to work sideways and an additional language, this is a good feature. The best part: There are no exams or tests to study, so the pressure is off.
There are tens of thousands of courses available among these three services, but we’ve selected 10 that can help you turn a hobby or interest into a hustle, or at least a skill that you can put on your resume. Taking an online class does not guarantee success, but you will learn what you need to significantly increase your chances.
1. Instagram Marketing
Udemy
If you want to turn your time spent on social media into something more productive, consider this Instagram marketing course. The goal of the class is to teach you strategies to increase the number of followers of your personal or commercial Instagram account and grow your personal brand. Then you can use these skills to help your employer or to offer your services to other companies online.
Instagram Marketing 2020: Complete Guide to Instagram Growth, $ 159
2. Facebook Marketing
Udemy
Facebook has more than 1.3 billion users worldwide, and this course aims to help you or your small business reach more of them. The class covers how to use Facebook’s Business Manager tool, implement pixel tracking, and send bulk posts to attract more interest. The marketing and public relations tips you learn can also be applied to other social media platforms.
MASTERY 2020 Facebook Ads & Facebook Marketing Course, $ 139.99
3. Resume writing
A clean resume is the first step to getting the right job, but presenting yourself in a clear and professional manner can be difficult. This course will teach you the ins and outs of rewriting your previous resume or starting from scratch. This class takes a step-by-step approach that breaks down the best tactics for each section of your resume, including how to address gaps. This will not only help advance your job, but can help you update other people’s resumes independently. And the course is from LinkedIn, one of the best and most visited online resources for job seekers.
LinkedIn Resume Makeover, $ 24.99
4. Blogging
Udemy
Publishing your writing online is easy, but this course will teach you how to do it correctly. It covers how to build a WordPress site, brainstorm, write engaging content, and help you find the right audience on social media and through email marketing. The objective of the course is to help you generate income from your writing, regardless of your subject.
Blog Masterclass: How to Create a Successful Blog in 2020, $ 109.09
5. C programming
Udemy
Computer programming may seem daunting, but it can also be extremely lucrative. This course is based on teaching you C, one of the most widely used programming languages. Many other programming languages rely on it, so learning C will make it easier to acquire others over time.
The course requires you to have a computer (Mac, PC or Linux) and at least 4 GB of RAM (memory), but it is open to all skill levels. The class breaks down C programming into its most basic elements and guides you through high-quality code writing and finally develops your first application.
Programming C for Beginners, $ 109.99
6. Professional writing
Master class
Masterclass has several courses taught by distinguished writers, but we recommend one by author Malcolm Gladwell. Her class breaks down the research writing process, development, interview techniques, and how to keep the reader’s attention. You will also learn valuable editing techniques and how to title your part for maximum impact.
If you are trying to write a book or submit articles for publication, Gladwell’s Masterclass is a solid starting point. A Masterclass subscription costs just $ 15 / mo and gives you unlimited access and downloads to over 85 online classes with famous instructors such as Martin Scorcese, Shonda Rimes, Anna Wintour, David Lynch, and Pharrell.
Macolm Gladwell teaches writing, $ 15 per month
7. Vlogging on YouTube
YouTube is the largest video platform on the Internet, and the barrier to entry is extremely low. This course explains the entire video workflow, from creating your channel, to editing and uploading your videos, to understanding YouTube Creator Studio. Subsequent chapters explore growing your audience, setting up a live stream, and subscribing to the YouTube Partnership Program, which allows you to earn money from your videos.
Create and maintain a YouTube channel, $ 34.99
8. Podcasting
Show how Serial They have made podcasts more mainstream, and advertisers have begun to take them more seriously. Podcasts aren’t just for listening on the go, as a ton of people listen to podcasts at home, while exercising, or doing household chores.
Related: How to start a podcast: the equipment you will need
This course covers the basics of podcasting, from the equipment you will need, to planning your presentation, and loading so people can listen. Once your show has been published, this course will walk you through how to promote it, thereby continually increasing your audience to eventually monetize it.
Producing Podcasts, $ 34.99
9. Record and mix music
Udemy
If you want to capitalize on the local band scene in your town or city, the best way is to learn to record and edit music professionally.
Logic Pro X (Mac only) is a popular DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), and this course teaches you how to master it. The class guides you through the program interface, how to record MIDI and live music, create tracks, use loops and mix your entire track.
It also covers how to use audio effects like compression, reverb, modulation, and echo to make music sound different. Regardless of the genre the band you are recording plays, it will be useful to apply all of these skills.
Music production in Logic Pro X, $ 139.99
10. Invest
Udemy
If you want your current savings to help you, you will have to learn how to invest properly. This course gives you a complete explanation of how to choose stocks, value companies, manage risks, create a portfolio and track their performance in Microsoft Excel.
You will also learn when buying a stock and how events like IPO (initial public offerings) work. If your portfolio becomes successful, the skills you learn in this class can also help you communicate with professional financial analysts who can manage it for you.
