Shifts After 5 PM: How Hanoi Office Workers Turn to Side Hustles to Bridge Financial Goals

Bui Thi Huyen, a 42-year-old resident of Hoang Mai District in Hanoi, works an administrative desk job at a retail corporation, earning roughly 18 million VND (around $720) each month.

While this figure sits well above the national median, Huyen finds that urban living costs in the capital and the expenses of raising two schoolchildren leave little margin for savings.

Roughly five years ago, encouraged by a close friend, Huyen began working as an insurance agent after hours. Initially, she envisioned a flexible part-time gig to capitalize on spare moments without jeopardizing her day job.

However, closing those opening contracts proved grueling. Prospective clients expressed deep skepticism toward unfamiliar advisors, with some outright dismissing commercial insurance as deceptive schemes. During one early consultation, an irate homeowner scolded Huyen and ordered her off the property.

The turning point emerged when a policyholder suffered an accidental leg fracture and received a prompt insurance settlement. That practical outcome shifted client perception in her favor. Satisfied policyholders began referring relatives and colleagues, gradually widening her referral circle.

Five years later, Huyen continues to balance both commitments side by side. Her weekday evenings and open weekends are now devoted to client consultations.

“During high-performing months, my side hustle yields double my primary corporate salary,” Huyen revealed.

For her, insurance advisory work is no longer just pocket money. It represents an established secondary income stream, reinforced by professional credibility and client networks accumulated over years of steady effort.

Bui Thi Huyen consulting a client during an evening insurance advisory session. Photo: Provided by subject

Chasing Homeownership on a Freelance Tour Guide Schedule

For 27-year-old Vu Quang Long, picking up an after-hours role stemmed from a different financial ambition.

Long works as a digital marketer at an educational firm, drawing a monthly salary of roughly 22 million VND ($880). As an unmarried professional, his daily living expenses remain comfortable. Yet when he calculated the capital needed to purchase an apartment in Hanoi’s soaring real estate market, his primary paycheck appeared constrained.

Rather than pursuing an unrelated field, Long leveraged his existing assets: fluent English and sharp communication skills. After clocking out at his office, he leads guided walking tours for a boutique travel operator founded by a friend. On weekday evenings, he guides international visitors through Hanoi’s historic quarters, showcasing street food and heritage alleys. On weekends, his itineraries venture further to scenic hubs like Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, and Ha Giang.

Each guiding day earns Long between 800,000 and 1,000,000 VND ($32 to $40). Depending on tour frequency, his monthly earnings from guiding often match his corporate marketing salary.

“Gratuity tips from foreign guests also help cover my dining and personal transport costs,” Long noted.

Notably, Long has no intention of quitting marketing to guide full-time. Both occupations run in parallel: his corporate position secures steady baseline stability, while his freelance venture generates liquid cash flow toward his property down payment.

Vu Quang Long, pictured in the red jacket, working as a freelance tour guide. Photo: Provided by subject

Rising Living Costs Fueling Secondary Shifts

The routines navigated by Huyen and Long reflect broader trends across Vietnam’s labor force.

Data from the General Statistics Office indicates that during the first six months of 2026, national employment expanded to 52.6 million workers, up by 672,500 year-on-year. The average monthly income of nationwide workers reached nearly 9 million VND ($360), an increase of 717,000 VND over the same period. Among salaried employees, monthly pay averaged roughly 10 million VND ($400). However, the average consumer price index climbed 4.38% year-on-year across that same span.

While aggregate earnings continue to climb, escalating consumer prices and major financial milestones—such as raising children, purchasing real estate, and securing rainy-day savings—prompt many urban professionals to hunt for supplementary earnings.

A research paper from the International Labour Organization (ILO), drawing on national labor force survey data, highlights that Vietnamese workers frequently undertake multiple jobs to improve household earnings. Among multiple-job holders, individuals spend an average of 13.1 hours weekly on secondary employment, with women clocking 12.6 hours and men averaging 13.5 hours.

Consequently, working past 5:00 PM is far from an isolated habit. More significantly, urban professionals are discovering structured ways to monetize their spare hours, professional competencies, and social circles into dependable cash flow.

Professionalizing the Side Hustle

Maintaining a dependable second job requires more than free evening hours; it demands structured skill development and formal professional credentials.

Before counseling prospective insurance buyers, Huyen completed corporate training courses, mastered policy structures, and passed regulatory exams to obtain a mandatory practitioner license.

“I originally thought I could just work casually in my spare time,” Huyen admitted. “Yet the deeper I got, the more I recognized that without technical knowledge and advisory polish, convincing clients is nearly impossible.”

Likewise, Long could not rely solely on conversational English to guide foreign visitors. He had to complete coursework and clear official licensing exams to become a certified tour guide under national regulations. In addition, he spent months researching local folklore, architectural history, and regional culinary roots to deliver compelling itineraries.

“Leading tours requires far more than casual English banter,” Long emphasized. “You must study, obtain proper certifications, and continually enrich your historical knowledge so international guests enjoy an enriching journey.”

Behind these after-hours shifts lies substantial discipline. Converting post-work evenings into sustainable revenue streams requires workers to invest in training, maintain credentials, and operate with the same rigor demanded by their primary careers.

(Source: kenh14.vn)