Millennials are the masters of the universe — the gig universe, that is.

Even as all generations seem to be increasing their ventures into the world of the side job, millennials are really pursuing gigs with a vengeance.

That’s according to a CareerBuilder survey that found that, while workers of all income levels are taking on side work and 29 percent of workers overall have a side hustle, millennials are doing the most to nail those extra snippets of income.

While 19 percent of workers 55 and older are landing gigs, along with 22 percent of those 45-54 and 29 percent of those 35-44, the younger folks are out chasing jobs in far greater numbers: 44 percent of those aged 25-34 and 39 percent of those 18-24 have a side gig.

And about those income levels: You might think that folks making more than $75,000 wouldn’t feel the need to hit the road for Uber or Lyft, or take on some other gig, but 18 percent of them are doing just that. Even more surprising is that 12 percent of those making more than $100,000 currently have a gig outside of their full time job. This is compared to a third of workers making below $50,000 (34 percent) and 34 percent earning below $35,000.

The trend is most common among workers in the south, where 34 percent of workers have side gigs. In the west, just 29 percent are out hustling after office hours, while 27 percent are out chasing rainbows in the Midwest and 23 percent of northeasterners are looking for additional income on the side.

Related: Freelance nation

So what are all these workers doing outside of their day jobs? Broken down by industry, leisure and hospitality (34 percent); retail (33 percent); and transportation (32 percent) workers are most likely to have a side gig, followed by health care, at 30 percent; sales, 30 percent; IT, 27 percent; financial services, 24 percent; and manufacturing, 19 percent.

The most common gigs are survey taker; childcare, consultant, freelance writer, house sitter, blogger, bartender, photographer/videographer, website designer, and tutor. More oddball gigs include mystery shopper, BBQ contest official, firewood processor, trailer checker and tattoo apprentice.

Overall, workers who have a side hustle are more passionate about their day jobs (39 percent) than their side hustles (36 percent). And 71 percent of workers with a side hustle do not want to turn their side gig into their day job and 76 percent don't plan to own their own business in the future.

Ironically, what many are doing to relieve the boredom or drag of their day jobs could turn out to be a big lure for recruiters. While 80 percent of gig workers say their day jobs are not their dream jobs, and 44 percent say they don't think they ever will be in a dream job, CareerBuilder found that those side jobs do boost the attraction of a gig worker’s resume.

“Side hustles not only provide financial benefits to workers, but they make them more attractive candidates to employers, especially in a competitive job market,” Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder, said in a statement. She added, “When you’re applying to jobs, especially when you’re at the start of your career, other applicants could have more experience in your particular field. If you bring more skill sets to the table and have a unique perspective on how things can be done, you’re sure to stand out from the crowd and be seen as a valuable potential hire.”

Instant Insights /

Side hustlin': Millennials find work outside day jobs

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