Working as a courier has a range of advantages, including how you can often operate in a freelance capacity, picking your hours and even working around a pre-existing job. Courier is a popular “side hustle,” but it can also be full-time. If you manage to source work in your local area, you’ll even be able to operate close to home, making the job even more convenient.
1. Use apps
Apps have completely changed how couriers operate. Food delivery is the big area of interest here. Apps like Just Eat and Deliveroo promise food deliveries from local stores in double-quick time. The list of takeaway stores on these apps always seems to be growing, which means that there’s a perpetual demand for delivery drivers. Better still, these drivers don’t have to venture too far from home. You’ll be able to work in your local area, delivering food from nearby takeaway restaurants to private homes. Food delivery also means choosing your own hours and setting your
own schedule.
2. Go fully freelance
Couriers have the option of working completely for themselves. It’s nowadays possible to source courier jobs from private clients, essentially running your own delivery business. This setup promises the most flexibility, and it can be more lucrative as you don’t have a third party taking a cut of your earnings. Couriers use shipping jobs search engines to browse for extra work, sorting jobs according to various criteria, including pay, location, and the type of items being shipped. Aggregator sites pull together job offers from hundreds of potential clients, making it extremely easy to find work. Control over your schedule, pay, and working conditions are just three of the many reasons that so many couriers opt for this route.
3. Approach newsagents
Delivering newspapers sometimes has the reputation of being a “starter” job for school kids looking to earn a little extra cash, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, all newsagents need people to deliver newspapers. Even with the advent of the internet and online news services, that demand hasn’t really slackened. You’ll often find courier jobs advertised in shop windows, but there’s no harm in going into a shop and asking whether they need drivers. You’ll usually be pleasantly surprised, and delivering newspapers is about as local as you can get. Some newsagents will also ask you to deliver things like fresh food, generating additional income.
4. Consider courier companies
These come in all shapes and sizes and will usually allow you to set your own hours. Popular delivery firms including Hermes, FedEx, and even Amazon are always looking to hire new drivers. Although you’ll retain control over scheduling and usually stay local, these jobs can be somewhat more stressful than the others on the list. Delivery times are often nail-bitingly short, with precious few moments to spare. If you can take the stress, however, there won’t be any shortage of work and nor will you need to source your own clients.