Guest post from Angie of The Work At Home Wife:
It's the dream of many moms to work from home. Perhaps you are looking to transition from a traditional full-time career, or maybe you simply want to start contributing to your household financially.
While finding legit work from home sounds so easy, many newcomers quickly find themselves in a catch-22. Many companies want prior work-from-home experience, but how do you get that experience when no one will give you that first job?
Luckily, there are a few industries and even a few companies known for giving work-at-home beginners a shot. There’s a great variety to choose from based on your skills and interests. Some of these opportunities may not require any specialized experience at all!
1. Freelance Writing
This is always one of my favorite industries for moms. Most companies hiring freelance writers do not have any set schedule, meaning you can work whenever you want whether that be at 3 in the afternoon or 3 in the morning. You also don't need any special equipment. You can write from your existing laptop or desktop. You may even be able to use your tablet, though an external keyboard may help you with production.
Another perk for writers is that you can write from anywhere. You don't need an "always on" internet connection with the exception of when you are conducting your online research or uploading and sending your completed assignments. This makes it a great opportunity for those traveling often or wanting to do a little work outside of the home office.
Crowd Content and BKA are two companies occasionally open to new writers.
2. Tutoring
We have seen a big increase in the need for online tutors, especially English as a Second Language tutors. ESL tutoring companies often do not require a teaching certificate or formal teaching experience. You may only need a bachelor's degree in any subject.
These gigs are typically performed via webcam and with students in other countries. If contracting with a Chinese or Japanese company, this may mean the scheduling demand is in the early morning hours here in the U.S. There are companies working with students in other parts of the world, however.
goFLUENT and Cambly are two companies with students worldwide.
3. Transcription
If you have great typing and listening skills, transcription can be a lifelong work-at-home career. In this role, you are listening to audio files and typing them into text.
While once considered a gig that would go by the wayside with speech-to-text technology, we have seen a little increase in recent years as bloggers and online entrepreneurs turn to video content and podcasting. Many want those video and audio files available to followers as text as well.
Rev.com and TranscribeMe are two companies that periodically hire new transcribers.
4. Search Engine Evaluator
Search and Ad Evaluation are favorite gigs among my followers. These are often flexible positions in terms of scheduling. They also don't pay too bad.
These positions will have you evaluating search results and online ads for relevancy and quality. Many positions ask for a high-speed internet connection. This is one opportunity you may be able to do from your smartphone if the role is open!
The testing can be long and tedious for these positions. There are a lot of guidelines to follow. That being said, once you learn the guidelines the gig's a breeze. I have several readers who have been with the same company for years and still love what they do.
Appen and Lionbridge are leaders in this industry.
5. Customer Service
So, maybe a phone gig isn't your dream job. There are very few people out there for whom it probably is. That being said, if you can swing it I highly encourage giving it a shot. At least temporarily.
The thing I love about customer service gigs is that they can often provide the hours and guaranteed pay many newcomers to the work-at-home world are seeking.
Many companies have both part-time and full-time roles available. Some companies even offer health insurance and paid time off for those looking for a work-at-home job that resembles more of a traditional employee role.
One thing to keep in mind is that not all phone jobs are sales jobs. If that's one of your hang-ups, you have options. Vicky Virtual, for example, hires virtual receptionists. MaritzCX contracts market researchers. There is so much variety in this industry, you can likely find something that will work if you look hard enough.
Final Words
Most of the rates for the work-at-home jobs mentioned in this post are pretty low to start. But, they are just meant to be stepping stones leading to something better.
You should consider them a “foot in the door” and something to put on your resume when applying to those jobs you really want. As your experience and production increases, move into more profitable positions. Apply to better jobs. Continue to better your position in the work-at-home world!
Angie Nelson began working from home in 2007, when she took her future into her own hands and found a way to escape the corporate cubicle farm. Today she shares her passion for making money from home on her blog The Work At Home Wife.
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