In a global online job market, just where do you begin?
With little or no experience, it is understandable why many people think finding work-from-home jobs is frustrating at first. On one hand, we all want to avoid those bogus websites and scam companies offering work that are too good to be true. On the other hand, legitimate ones always seem to require a proven track record or special expertise. Thankfully though, there are actual entry-level jobs for the remote work beginner offered online. You just have to know what to look for and where to look for remote gigs.
So without further ado, here are some examples of entry level positions you can try to break into the world of remote working:
- Language Teacher
- Virtual Office Assistant
- Data Entry Specialist
- Call Center Rep
- Translator
- Content Writer
- Fitness and Health Coach
- Lifestyle Coach
- Social Media Manager
Language Teacher
If you like talking with people and have the patience to teach others your language, then this job is for you. Whether you are a native speaker or a fluent foreigner, there are various websites that are always on the lookout for language teachers.
It helps if you know how to teach English to little kids as most apps and programs are geared towards them, but other than that all you need is a phone. The teaching platforms generally provide an itinerary.
Websites such as Qkids and 51Talk require you to teach young Chinese students English using standardized materials. Meanwhile, sites such as Cambly and iTalki hire people who can engage their students in simple conversations. English is always in demand, but you’ll be surprised to know that there are people out there studying minority languages. Rates for this job varies from $10-$26 per hour, depending on your experience, mother tongue and education.
Virtual Office Assistant
This job does not require you to make coffee, but it often involves the most menial tasks. The work varies depending on your employer. More often than not, the job requires you to organize documents, book flights, update schedules, and answer emails. It’s pretty much basic stuff, but often in large volumes.
Companies value remote workers with experience, but there are those who accept newbies willing to work for
If you want to sharpen your skills and be prepared, take the Work From Home as a Virtual Assistant course.
Data Entry Specialist
This job is pretty easy, but the competition can be tough. If you wish to begin a career in data entry, expect to transcribe audio, type information, and do repetitive tasks. Speed and accuracy are prized in this job, with companies often paying by the sheet instead of hourly. Though typing and transcribing may sound simple, they do require a certain skill that can be developed through time.
You should also make sure to have a number pad and that your typing speed is high enough .
You can try to get a data entry job through websites such as Birch Creek Communications and Sigtrack. The rate of this job is less than the others on this list, $1-$15 per hour, but the ease of the job pretty much guarantees stress-free work.
Call Center Representative
This job is taking up countries in Asia by storm, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t join the bandwagon if you live elsewhere. As a call center representative, you’ll have to interact with a company’s clients via email or call. Usually, your job is to confer with them regarding orders, requests, complaints
Though at times you may have to deal with pushy or disgruntled customers, this job is great because it’s always in demand and there’s always an opening somewhere. Hiring clients are also mostly large corporations that offer benefit packages and career advancements.
Check out clients such as Nexrep and Sitel for open positions. The rate for this job varies from $8-$32 per hour, depending on your experience and location. This is a great
Translator
Yes, you can make bucks out of your high school French or native Spanish. If you can handle the speech, grammar, slang and written word of a couple of languages, then this job might be for you. Knowing English is almost always required. Translation to European languages such as German or French is often in demand, but there will always be those requiring conversion to Japanese or Chinese.
If you want to try this job, clients such as
Content Writer
Writing gigs always seem to be available online. A degree in creative writing, journalism, or any other related field is a plus, but there are clients who hire people based on talent alone. If you love working on blogs, writing for online magazines, or creating reviews, then this work might just suit you. People with this kind of work often get paid by the number of words or articles they churn out. Pay sometimes starts small, but work is regular and there is a possibility to advance to become a copywriter or editor.
If you learn some higher-level skills like Content Strategy you can ultimately demand higher rates and set up yourself apart from all the other self-proclaimed content writers.
Expertise in a particular field is a plus, as there are some companies that hire technical writers or legal assistants. Check out employers such as Textbroker or job brokers such as Freelance Writers Den for openings. Or better yet, try starting your own blog and make money out of it. To show how much you can earn, a technical writer can command from $15-45$ per hour, but it really depends on your background, writing capacity and location.
Fitness and Health Coach
If you have a degree in nutrition, sports science, or any health-related course, then this job is perfect for you. As a home-based health coach, you’ll often be tasked to help clients maintain their diet or exercise regimens, devise wellness programs, and pilot coaching techniques through the use of technology.
Beyond physical health, there are also abundant opportunities for behavioral specialists. Health websites such as Vida or insurance companies such as Cigna hire home-based health coaches and pair them up with clients.
Or if you have an entrepreneurial mindset, you can start your own blog, video series or website to go freelance and score your personal clients. Pay ranges from $15-30$ per hour, but may increase depending on your certifications and educational background.
Deepening your knowledge, and gaining certifications like through the Holisitic Coach Academy’s Health Coaching Certification on Udemy can help you feel more confident, attract new clients, and demand higher rates.
Lifestyle Coach
Beyond health, there is also an opportunity offering counseling services in a variety of fields. If you have sufficient experience and skills, you can offer coaching services for finances, religion, relationships, business or careers. The challenge would be in establishing your expertise, but sometimes “talking the talk” is enough to get people to follow you. You can also develop your skills by participating in seminars, conventions
Social Media Manager
This one may not sound like a job at all, but you’ll be surprised how much some companies are willing to pay for someone to take charge of their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.. This position rarely requires a degree, but a background in marketing or advertising will surely come in handy.
As a social media manager, you’ll be required to update social media pages, respond to customer comments or complaints, and drive user traffic to your client’s web page. You have to develop good grammar, excellent customer service, time management and a knack for sharing
You still have to put in the work – but you can do it
Overall, scoring an entry-level, home-based job is not as easy as it sounds. You will still have to put in the time, effort and energy to market yourself and look for opportunities everywhere. It is possible, however, to live comfortably and earn sufficiently without having to commute away from home. Openings abound everywhere on the net, but you have to make sure you look at legitimate and trustworthy websites to ensure you’re not being duped.
Are there other entry-level jobs for remote workers you’ve tried out? Feel free to share with us in the comments section.
