Telecommuting is all the rave today, and it is no surprise – both parties, the employer and employee, benefit from the arrangement. While a lot of companies are offering telecommuting opportunities these days, not all jobs are suitable for the arrangement. The need for the chance to work at home is quite apparent these days, though.
Mothers who wish to be nearer their children, young adults who prefer to work at their own pace, older individuals who prefer not to have to commute to work – the list can go on and on. No matter what your reason for wanting to work from home is, there is a host of opportunities available to you, and many of them are just a click away.
You do have to realize, however, that for every legitimate opportunity posted out there, there are more scams. That’s the sad truth, but with a little careful investigation and some experience, you will be able to find a work-at-home job that can give you the lifestyle that you want. Here are the best – and for real – work-at-home jobs that you can look into today.
Call center agent
Not too many people want to be call center agents. After all, why would you want to sit in a cubicle all day answering calls or making them? The good news is that many companies are now hiring call center agents to work from their homes. Most of the time, the only requirements are a stable broadband connection and a PC.
While working at home as a call center agent may be more relaxing than having to go to a real office, there are certain rules: no crying babies, no barking dogs, not even doorbells! The solution is actually simple: if you have a spare room, turn it into your office and make sure it’s soundproof.
Some companies looking for home-based call center agents include Alpine Access, Arise, LiveOps, and West at home.
Writer
Writers are very much in demand these days. Just check your local Craigslist and you will find a host of opportunities for writers. There are many kinds of writers needed – from web content writers to bloggers to technical writers to copywriters to grant writers. If you have had some experience in writing, you ought to take a look at what’s needed out there. With a steady stream of clients and job orders, you can very well live comfortably off of your freelance writing.
Sell stuff on eBay and other sites
You can sell practically anything on eBay today. I know this person who used to work with a book publishing company. To this day, they would send her book copies which they don’t need anymore. Instead of throwing them in the dumpster, she would post them on eBay for sale. She now has a steady stream of cash coming in from her sales.
Other people find a cheap source of products that they can sell online. From trinkets to gadget accessories to organic products – they find a niche and then sell a steady supply of products online.
Another option is for those who are good with arts and crafts. Visit Etsy and you will get inspired by the countless products that people sell on the site. You can make organic soaps, jewelry, bags, clothing, and other things that you can sell online.
Mystery shopper
Believe it or not, companies do really pay for mystery shopping, and some pay very well. While this may be prone to scams, there are legitimate mystery shopping opportunities out there. The payment for each opportunity varies widely, but can be anywhere from $5 to $100. Sometimes payment comes in the form of goods as well.
Along the same lines, you can try out filling online surveys. There are still legitimate groups offering online survey opportunities today. Check out American Consumer Opinion, National Family Opinion, and Survey Savvy.
The important thing to remember about online surveys and mystery shopping is that you cannot expect to earn big at once. You have to start small and work your way up. Also, you might want to explore alternative sources of income.
Virtual assistant
The term virtual assistant is used for a wide range of services, so it really does hold huge potential. A virtual assistant may be needed for data entry work, for secretarial work, administrative work, technical work, and more. Again, your local Craigslist can provide you with a lot of opportunities. You may also want to check out Homewiththekids.com for job openings. The pay depends on the nature of the job and the qualifications and can be anywhere from $15 to more than $100 per hour.
Medical transcriptionist
Medical transcriptionists are in high demand as there aren’t very many who take on this job; and that is for a very good reason – it can be a very arduous job! For one, companies needing medical transcriptionists require specific training. Familiarity with medical terminology is a must. Excellent typing and listening skills are also at the top of the list. Still, being a medical transcriptionist working from home does have its perks. The least experienced transcriptionist will probably earn $10 per hour (sometimes less), but as you get more experience, you can earn more than $20 per hour.
Translator
Interaction between nations has become so high in the past years that the need for translators is also increasing. The good thing about being a translator is that you can work from home – the documents are merely sent to you and you send back the finished work. The demand for translators, however, is dependent on the language. In the United States, Spanish translators are much in demand.
Teacher
Continuing education is the trend all over the world today, and in this realm, English language education is definitely at the top of the list. People from all over the world are yearning to learn English for one reason or another. You can easily find work-at-home jobs as an English teacher – all you need is a stable Internet connection. Naturally, those with English teaching background are preferred. However, there are companies which look for native English speakers with backgrounds in other fields to cater to professionals in other countries who need English for Specific Purposes.
Web designer/developer
Web designers and developers are quickly going freelance as they can earn more from direct clients and they can have better control over their time as well. In fact, studies have shown that this field has the highest density of people working from home. Considering that everything can be done remotely, and considering that technology allows people to easily communicate wherever they are, this is really no surprise. If you are trained in this field, maybe it is time for you to start your own web design/development business.