31-Year-Old Scoops Ice Cream for $16.50 an Hour to Make Ends Meet

At 31, Kaila Curry found herself taking work she never expected: scooping ice cream for $16.50 an hour to help cover monthly expenses. Trained and prepared to work with teenagers, Curry instead discovered she was surrounded by peers who’d already built careers and are now navigating a volatile job market. The experience, she says, is practical and humbling — but not shameful.

Curry’s choice to pick up a part-time role in food service reflects a broader trend of mid-career professionals taking on side jobs to bridge income gaps, adjust to changing industries or simply regain stability. For some, these roles provide predictable pay, flexible hours and a manageable way to pay bills while searching for a better-aligned position. For others, they are temporary stopgaps during periods of uncertainty.

While scooping ice cream is a far cry from the work Curry expected to do, she notes the social and financial benefits: steady shifts, immediate pay and a workplace routine that helps with budgeting. She is candid about the compromises — lower hourly wages than many full-time professional roles, limited benefits and the physical demands of service work — but emphasizes the dignity in honest labor. “There is zero shame in it,” she says, underscoring that practical decisions often take precedence over pride when financial obligations are pressing.

Curry’s story is a reminder that career paths are not always linear. Economic shifts, sector contractions and hiring slowdowns have pushed some professionals to expand how they define work and income. Taking a part-time job outside one’s trained field can also provide soft benefits: new interpersonal skills, a different routine and opportunities to network in unexpected settings.

As the labor market continues to adjust, workers like Curry are redefining resilience. For policymakers, employers and career advisers, these personal accounts highlight the need for flexible employment options, affordable benefits and clearer pathways back into full-time roles that match workers’ training and aspirations. For Curry, the immediate priority remains practical: pay the bills, stay steady and hold no shame in the work she’s doing while plotting the next step.