Jobs for night owls are work opportunities for people who thrive and work more comfortably at night or during the early morning hours.
There are several explanations as to why some people tend to have increased productivity and concentration at night. These factors include quieter surroundings and fewer distractions, to name a few.
In this article, we’ve gathered all the best night shift jobs that can potentially suit your lifestyle and career goal. Let’s see what they are!
Key Takeaways
- The most suitable jobs for night owls are those that enable flexibility in the work schedule and work demands.
- The most high-paying job roles for night owls include air traffic controllers, software developers, digital marketers, and firefighters.
- Some of the most popular remote job roles for night owls include content writer, customer support specialist, data entry specialist, and transcriber positions.
9+ Excellent Jobs for Night Owls
Most jobs for night owls demand high levels of creativity and enable flexibility in terms of work hours and workload. Some of these careers are designed to boost efficiency in a business’s operations and provide 24-hour assistance to customers.
Below are 10 of the most suitable jobs if you prefer to work at night:
#1. Hotel Receptionist
Hotel receptionists are responsible for greeting and accommodating customers who check in at hotels. Other hotel receptionist’s responsibilities include the following:
- Handling, verifying, and updating each guest’s reservation
- Addressing customer complaints and requests
- Providing the guests’ keys and guiding them to their rooms
- Checking guests out
- Preparing the guests’ bills and collecting payments
On average, hotel receptionists make $35,840 annually or $17.23 per hour. Credentials-wise, you must have at least a high school diploma or a General Educational Diploma (GED) to qualify for the job.
To become a hotel receptionist, you must have excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills, hospitality skills, and proficiency in using or working with computers and relevant computer programs such as Microsoft Suite.
#2. Baker
Pursuing a career as a baker can be quite the dream job with all the delicious pastries, bread, and baked goods you’ll be making. Not to mention, baking is also a great way to relax once you become immersed in perfecting your tasty creations.
Baking requires creativity, attention to detail, and organizational skills. To thrive in this role, it would also be beneficial to learn culinary techniques such as:
- Bread making
- Cake decorating
- Chocolate work
- Understanding different flavor combinations
- Knowing how to bake different pastries
A formal educational background isn’t necessary to qualify as a baker. However, it is still preferable to have proper culinary or technical training to boost your chances of getting hired. In the US, a baker’s average annual salary is $34,950.
#3. Bartender
Bartending is among the flexible jobs for night owls that you can pursue part-time, preferably during the weekends when more customers typically frequent bars.
It’s the perfect job if you love multitasking, feel comfortable conversing with people, and have a background in customer service. Just like baking and working as a receptionist, you don’t need a high level of formal schooling to qualify.
However, you can attend a bartending school to expand your mixology knowledge and enhance your skills. Most employers also offer on-the-job training. You can earn as much as $31,510 per year, depending on your skill level.
A bartender’s earnings are also tip-based, so you can potentially generate more income by taking home cash tips from customers.
#4. Security Guard
If you’re a night owl who’s physically fit and is good at problem-solving, resolving conflicts, and surveillance, you might consider a job as a security guard or a security officer.
A security guard’s primary duties include:
- Ensuring people’s safety
- Securing valuables and properties
- Facilitating emergency responses
- Regularly patrolling the premises of a building or establishment
- Assisting and guiding customers by providing directions to find certain establishments, stores, or offices within the building
Working as a security guard is one of the most physically demanding jobs for night owls. It requires professional job training, passing a background check, and gaining an official security license and other relevant licenses, such as an official armed license.
Security guards make $13.70 to $27.60 hourly or $28,500 to $57,400 annually, depending on the kind of establishment or industry where they work.
#5. Uber Driver
Driving for Uber is one of the many flexible night jobs that suit working professionals and college or university students. You can earn at least $11.77 to $28 per hour.
If you’re a student, you must be at least 21 years old and have at least three years of driving experience.
Keep in mind that, in some states, such as California, Alaska, New Jersey, and Tennessee, the minimum age requirement to be an Uber driver is 25.
You will also be asked to provide specific documentation, namely, a valid US driver’s license, proof of car insurance if you prefer to drive your own car or vehicle, and proof of residency in your city or state.
#6. Air Traffic Controller
An air traffic controller is among the highest-paying jobs for night owls. The job entails supervising airport taxiways and runways, managing air traffic at airports, and providing pilots with landing and takeoff instructions.
Air traffic controllers are also responsible for providing pilots with critical information that may affect their flight, such as weather conditions and runway closures.
You will need more than a high school diploma to become an air traffic controller. You must earn a bachelor’s degree from the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative and complete the necessary training under the Federal Aviation Administration.
Once you pass all the requirements and commence your air traffic controller career, you can potentially earn an average of $137,380 yearly.
#7. Flight Attendant
Flight attendants have both a very rewarding and, at the same time, a highly demanding job. Their job description includes:
- Communicating information about turbulence forecasts, weather updates, and other relevant details about the flight to the passengers, as instructed by the pilot
- Accommodating passengers and assisting the elderly, families, parents with children, and passengers with medical conditions
- Ensuring that possible safety hazards are minimized and monitoring in-flight conditions
To become a flight attendant, you need at least a high school diploma or a GED certificate, have undergone on-the-job training, and be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Depending on the airline where you want to work, you must also pass their minimum height requirement, which typically ranges from at least 5’2” to 6’2”. Being a flight attendant means earning an average annual salary of $68,370.
#8. Warehouse Operative
A warehouse operative receives, inspects, and sorts items and supplies in a stockroom. On average, they make $29,480 to $50,280 annually.
The role of a warehouse operative is essential in ensuring customers receive their orders or packages in good condition. Aside from that, warehouse operatives are also responsible for the following:
- Updating the records and documentation for the warehouse’s stocks
- Loading the goods and delivering them if needed
- Storing and packing goods
- Moving the goods or stock either by using machinery or by hand
- Maintaining cleanliness and orderliness in the stockroom
If you’re interested in working as a warehouse operative, you should acquire licenses and certifications relevant to the job, such as:
- Forklift certification
- Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety Certificate
You can also undergo an apprenticeship to ensure you are well-equipped with the necessary training and background.
#9. Firefighter
Out of all the jobs for night owls we’ve listed in this article, a firefighter’s job is probably the most action-packed. Earning approximately $57,120 annually, firefighters primarily respond to emergencies such as fire, flooding, search and rescue operations, and entrapment.
Firefighters also educate the public on the proper safety measures they can take in case of fire and facilitate seminars or activities on emergency prevention.
Being a firefighter entails passing the following requirements and tests:
- Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
- Computer-based test (CBT)
- Psychological evaluation
- Drug test
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification
- Attending and completing training in a fire academy
- At least a high school diploma or a GED certificate
Physical and mental fitness, adaptability, and good decision-making skills are also a plus.
#10. Veterinary Technician
Here’s a job position for night owls that’s a perfect fit for animal lovers—assisting veterinarians in providing animal healthcare. One of the main roles of a veterinary technician is to provide emergency or regular care to animals confined in a hospital or clinic.
Additionally, veterinary technicians organize the patient’s medical records, prepare medical reports about the animal or pet’s condition and behavior, and perform the necessary diagnostic tests the animals may need.
The requirements for a veterinary technician include:
- Completing veterinary technician courses in schools accredited by the Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) or American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Committee
- Acquiring a state veterinary license and certification
- Undergoing specialized training for veterinary technicians
The average yearly salary of a veterinary technician is currently $43,740.
7+ Remote Jobs for Night Owls
Aside from on-site work, there are also remote jobs you can do at night from home. As long as you have a dedicated home office setup and a stable internet connection, you can explore the following good-paying remote jobs for night owls:
#1. Content Writer
The job of a content writer mainly involves creating content that helps businesses reach their target audience and promote their services and products. In truth, the scope of a content writer’s job is extensive, depending on the type of content or writing style a business needs.
For instance, there are long-form content-writing and copywriting jobs. Some businesses need scriptwriters for their YouTube videos, while some employers need ghostwriters, editors, and social media content writing specialists.
If you want to become a content writer, you must have a good command of the English language, possess excellent research skills, and have a keen attention to detail. You can also start your own blog, focus on a specific niche to write about, and grow your content from there.
A content writer can earn $35.43 per hour or $73,690 annually.
#2. Data Entry
Data entry work is an example of the many flexible remote jobs for night owls that you can easily do with or without experience. You can potentially earn $19.29 per hour or up to $40,130 per year as a data entry clerk.
A data entry job mainly entails encoding numerical and text-based data, updating databases, reviewing data for possible errors, and editing any mistakes in the database.
#3. Customer Support Specialist
A customer support specialist assists customers by answering their queries and addressing any issues they may have while using a business’s product or service.
Customer support is one of the more versatile jobs for night owls because there are different types of customer assistance roles.
For instance, a call center representative’s skills focus on answering customer calls and referring them to the appropriate department or personnel in the company based on their concerns.
Meanwhile, a tech support specialist focuses on helping clients operate specific types of technology and software. You can also be a billing specialist, managing and processing customer payments and invoices.
You might also consider becoming a bilingual or multilingual customer support specialist if you are well-versed in speaking multiple languages. You can earn an hourly rate of $19.08 or an annual salary of $39,680 by pursuing a career in customer support.
#4. Transcriber
A transcriber is someone who converts or encodes video and audio recordings into spoken or written text. It is a simple job for night owls that you can do part-time, along with other remote or on-site jobs.
As a transcriber, you may be tasked to convert audio and video files, such as meetings and interviews, edit and proofread transcriptions, and verify the accuracy of information translated from an audio or video.
The job entails basic typing and computer skills, a good command of the English language, and excellent listening skills.
Transcribers typically earn $11.79 to $46.29 per hour. Meanwhile, medical transcriptionists earn an average of $17.82 per hour or $37,060 per year.
#5. Digital Marketer
A digital marketing career might suit you if you are creative, tech-savvy, love multitasking, and have excellent leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
A digital marketing job for night owls has broad coverage because it entails the following responsibilities:
- Identifying suitable channels to boost traffic and conversion rates to the client’s website
- Discovering lead generation opportunities
- Implementing email marketing campaigns
- Preparing monthly content calendars for different marketing strategies
- Analyzing the success rate of each campaign based on key performance indicators
- Generating performance reports
- Working closely with other professionals or departments in the company, such as web developers, social media specialists, and graphic designers, to create copies, websites, and ads that align with the campaign
You can earn up to $156,580 to $166,410 annually or higher as a digital marketer, depending on your skill level.
#6. Voice-Over Artist
Perhaps one of the best jobs for night owls that you can think of is one that aligns with your interests and hobbies. Voice-over artists use their voices to bring life to fictional characters in radio dramas, films, video games, animation, and television programs.
They also narrate documentaries and productions and help brands promote their products and services in TV commercials, corporate videos, or audio.
A voice-over artist job is perfect if you are passionate about bringing different stories and narratives to life with your voice. You don’t necessarily need certification to start as a voice-over artist, but having a background in drama acting or theatre is a plus.
You can also attend workshops to hone your skills and explore different types of voice acting. On average, you can earn as much as $26.13 to $101 per hour, fulfilling different voice-acting jobs.
#7. Animator
Speaking of jobs for night owls that bank on creativity and passion for storytelling, an animator’s job is to create 2D or 3D animations for television shows, motion pictures, games, and other visual presentations.
Some requirements to consider if you want to pursue a career in animation include acquiring a degree in any related field, such as Fine Arts or Graphic Design. You can also look up online animation courses.
Learning how to operate different software for animation, such as Adobe Animate, Blender, Autodesk Maya, and Cinema 4D, will also help boost your skills.
Moreover, preparing a portfolio of your best work will help increase your chances of landing your dream job at your studio of choice. You can earn as much as $47.63 hourly or $99,060 annually as an animator.
#8. Software Developer
A software developer falls under the more technical jobs for night owls. In a nutshell, software developers use different programming languages to write code, build frameworks, and test designs.
They are also usually tasked to address and resolve technical issues detected after the deployment of software or applications. Finally, software developers are responsible for implementing system upgrades and maintenance as needed.
To qualify as a software developer, you must complete a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or any related course. You must also be proficient in various programming languages like Python, C++, or Java.
Most employers also require a minimum of two to three years of professional experience in the field. The average annual salary for software developers in the US is $130,160, but it may vary based on your experience and skill level.
Final Thoughts
The different jobs for night owls can be just as rewarding and worthwhile as the career opportunities for people who are used to working during the day.
Whether you prefer to take the creative route, want easy jobs that you can incorporate into your lifestyle, or aspire to further your career growth, there is a specific type of job that will suit your needs.
All you have to do is take a closer look at each career opportunity described in this article, focus on what motivates you to work, and compare it with your current skill set and professional experience.
