Online Jobs – Working From Home

For many of us, working from home is the ultimate dream. Thankfully, that’s something I’ve been able to achieve for almost 9 years now. I’ve had a few work-from-home jobs – some have been fantastic, whilst others haven’t worked out. So I feel I know a little about the kind of online jobs that will and won’t work.

Is working from home for you?

Although it may seem like the ultimate goal, working from home won’t actually suit everyone. Working from home can actually be incredibly lonely. There’s no office banter, no office parties, and no dress-down Friday. If you’re a social, outgoing kind of person, then you may find that you miss the social aspects of going out to work. However, this is changing somewhat, with digital nomadism more popular than ever before, remote internet connections more stable and affordable, and tools that help you transfer money online to keep your funds available. There’s also the never-ending list of distractions when you work from home too, from the housework to the television, there’s always something to take your mind off the job in hand.

The benefits of online jobs.

For me personally, working from home suits my personality perfectly.

The main reason I initially sought a work-from-home job was because there’s no need to pay for childcare. This was a biggie for us. When I first became self-employed, we had two children under the age of 3. It simply wasn’t an affordable option for me to go out to work. We didn’t have any family that could help us out with childcare at the time and I would have been working simply to pay for somebody else to look after our children. At the same time though, we couldn’t afford for me NOT to work. It was a tough situation!

Another reason working from home works well for me, is that I suffer from really nasty migraines. When a migraine hits, it is incredibly difficult for me to function, but I NEED to hold down a job. Working from home enables me to work in short bursts when I need to and then go and hide under the duvet for a while. There’s no way I could hold down a full-time job where I had to leave the house and commute. I just wouldn’t make it into work at least 3 days out of every month.

I’m also a fairly anxious person and I’m much happier in my own surroundings. I’m not sure why this is but as I’ve got older it’s become more of an issue. When I’m having a down day, I can just get on with my job without having to actually speak to anybody!

I do find that there is a lot of support online for people in my situation – in particular, bloggers are a friendly bunch. As my blog has grown, so has my confidence and I’ve met and talked to some lovely people.

Online jobs – the options

There are LOADS of online jobs available – the difficulty can be finding them!

Here I’ll share some of the online jobs you may want to consider, the qualifications you might need, and where to find the jobs.

Proofreader

I work as a proofreader in my paid online job. I’m employed 25 hours per week to check, edit and publish posts on a website.

Many websites now won’t have offices as they’re trying to keep their overheads to a minimum. In my case, the website I work for did initially have an office, but the majority of their staff were home-based.

I saw the job advertised in a forum that I was involved with. I applied and was called for an interview. Initially, I didn’t get the job and I was really disheartened. BUT it was the first interview I’d been to for almost 10 years so I knew I was in a poor position to begin with. However, after a week or so I received a message that they’d like to give me the job after all. Initially, I started on only 12 hours per week – and now I’ve increased that to 25 hours per week.

Proofreading doesn’t generally require any specific qualifications. However you will need to have a really great knowledge of the English language. I had to complete some tasks to prove that I had a good understanding of the subject matter, and my work was closely watched for the first few months.

You can find work on sites such as Upwork and People Per Hour.

Virtual Assistant

Now that more and more businesses work online only and don’t have a business premises, using a Virtual Assistant is becoming an increasingly popular way to outsource tasks.

The requirements of a Virtual Assistant will vary depending on the client.

A Virtual Assistant may be required to undertake tasks such as:

• Social media management – scheduling posts & responding to messages
• Responding to emails
• Answering calls
• Typing
• Writing content

As a Virtual Assistant, you’re likely to be self-employed, which means you can set your own rates and you’ll be responsible for your own taxes.

You can find work on sites such as Upwork and People Per Hour.

Blogger

Blogging is becoming a fantastic source of income for me – and there’s no reason why you can’t establish you’re own lucrative blog too.

Bloggers make their money in a wide range of ways – and some have turned their blogs into six-figure business.

Blogging isn’t a quick and easy way to make money. As with any business, it takes time to build up. But it’s definitely worth it.

You’ll need determination & a lot of dedication.

For me, blogging is something I absolutely love to do – and that’s how I stay motivated. As the children get older and when they’re all at school, I’ll have much more time to dedicate to my blog. Whilst I’m definitely not wishing away the time with my children, that’s something I’m really excited about because I have so many ideas, just not enough time to implement them!

Bloggers make money in a variety of ways – you can read more about how to make money blogging here.

Freelance Writer

If writing is your strength, then you could make a living working from home as a freelance writer.

You’ll need to put in a lot of work in the early days in order to build up a portfolio of work. Potential clients will need to see examples of your work before they’ll be able to offer you paid work.

Freelance writing jobs won’t just land in your lap. Initially, you may find that you have to accept lower paid jobs in order to build up a reputation and a back catalogue of work. But put in the leg work in the beginning and you’ll soon be able to increase your fees and earn decent money.

Find out more about how to get started here.

Translator

Translators can demand really great rates of pay – particularly if they’re offering rare languages!

Working as a translator can be really varied and you could work solely from home in an online jobs capacity, or you could branch out into contracted work for companies too.

Obviously, as a translator you’d need to be fluent in a foreign language – both written and spoken. You’ll probably need some formal qualifications along with references and examples of your work.

Data Entry

Data entry jobs are pretty self-explanatory, they involve handling data. The work can be quite monotonous and low-paid, but there can be quite a lot of work available.

You’ll need to be able to demonstrate that you’re computer literate, and you may need to undertake some sample jobs before you’re hired.

You can find jobs in a variety of places online, including Upwork, People Per Hour and job sites such as Monster.

How to boost your chances of getting paid online jobs

There is A LOT of competition in the jobs market, particularly when it comes to work-from-home jobs. You need to make sure that you stand out from the crowd in order to stand any chance of being noticed. This might sound daunting, but there are a few simple ways you can do this:

• Work for low fees initially – this allows you to build up a reputation & build up your portfolio.
• Join forums relevant to your niche & make connections – get your name known.
• Search for Facebook groups – there are lots where jobs such as freelance writing jobs are advertised regularly (you’ll need to sift through a few of the rubbish ones).
• Sign up to Upwork and  People Per Hour and make sure your profile is thorough and up-to-date.
• Create a website so that you can direct potential clients there – showcase your work and have a detailed “about me” page.

Online jobs can be fantastic, and incredibly lucrative, but the work and the benefits aren’t just going to land in your lap. You’ll need to have dedication and motivation in order to have any chance at succeeding! If you’re looking for more ideas check out this article about jobs from home.