There has never been a better time to work from home. More people are working remotely and freelancing, which means the number of open positions for those looking to work at home is growing. But many new remote workers are unsure if they should seek an entry-level job or try it on their own first.
In this blog, we'll help you figure out what it really takes to earn money working at home, plus provide some resources you can use in your own journey.
What Does It Take To Work From Home?
In general, you need to have some basic skills, a flexible schedule, and the know-how to get things done. If you meet these criteria, your chances of working from home are good. These are what we consider the absolute minimum requirements for the job:
- Resume that demonstrates that you have relevant experience for the position you're applying for.
- References (if sharing with employers outside of work via social media) - Proof of income in the form of tax documents (W2s), bank statements or paycheck stubs
Most entry-level remote jobs require that you have 1 or 2 years of experience in your field and/or within a specific industry if applicable. Some companies are willing to bring on new hires as apprentices and teach them the ropes while they're on the job.
- High school diploma or GED - Ability to pass a drug test, background check and reference check
If you have some of these skills, they'll be considered an asset and will give you a competitive edge in your job search. Keep in mind that some employers will want specific experience (for example, working with Virtual Assistants requires that you have at least 2 years of administrative experience) - so if you think you're all set, but realize that your last few positions have been completely related to the work-from-home position for which you're applying, do some digging into why your resume doesn't match up exactly.
You'll also want to be prepared to discuss your prior experience at the interview stage. There are a few ways to do this:
1- Use self-stating details or conversation starters such as: What did you like most about working with that client? What were your responsibilities? How did you feel you were able to help them get things done?
- Get references and ask for feedback on your resume or current job
2- Ask questions during an interview - Let's say you've been working in a graphics department and they make CAD drawings. You may be able to explain that you've been over the art director's shoulder and took detailed notes on all their ideas.
- Have a positive attitude and be enthusiastic
3- Get your manager involved during a project
4- Ask for feedback on your current job - Let's say you're currently working as a graphic designer for a company that does product launches. You may be able to mention that there are some things that need to be worked on or added and you'd like the opportunity to do so.
- Be knowledgeable, and be proactive
Now, let's talk about the different types of work-from-home jobs out there:
1- Telecommuting - This means that you work from home full time or occasionally from a designated place but are most often moving your office around a lot just to make ends meet. You may have clients who need help for some tasks, but usually it's not your main responsibility. You'll have an office but no coworkers or managers to interact with. If this is the route you're going down, make sure you're comfortable with it before you dive in.
2- Virtual Assistant (VA) - This is an entry-level job in which you'll take on a few roles including administrative, project management and even marketing. You'll typically be assigned a specific niche or industry and will follow instructions from your manager to guide you through your work day.
3- Freelance - Compensated for services delivered rather than time spent working, such as consulting or part-time/full-time independent contractor positions. You may also work for multiple companies at once.
4- Corporate telecommute - A mix of telecommute, VA and freelance. In this scenario, you'll have a small team you're working with, but still working from home most of the time. You'll likely have to visit the office every now and then to check in with your team. This type of job is usually more stable than telecommuting or VAs because essentially you're a remote employee with a larger team to help you out.
5- Independent contractor - A person, business or party that performs work at their own risk and expense under the direction and control of another business, which has the right to direct what work is done where, when and by whom.
6- Other types of work-from-home jobs - Some companies may have other options not listed here that would fit with your skills set. For example, you may be a project manager who would like to take time off occasionally but still work. You may also have an accounting job but need to spend more time with your family than working 9-5. We don't have space here to go through all these types, but know that you'll want to tailor your resume and job interview answers appropriately.
What Kind of Work Can You Do Working From Home?
Some of the jobs that are great for work from home include:
1- Virtual Assistant - The essential tasks here include organizing your inbox, scheduling meetings with clients and communicating with vendors/clients externally such as updating documents in PDFs or uploading files without the hassle of sending them via phone or email. An addendum to this would be project management and depending on the role, you may also need to handle human resources duties such as invoicing and tax submissions.
2- Content Manager - This is essentially copy-editing, proofreading and writing nonfiction content for your company. You'll be involved with meeting deadlines and making sure the information you're gathering is accurate. This can range from long-form blog posts to short social media updates and everything in between.
3- Graphic Designer - This could mean creating logos for companies or designing flyers. You may be asked to design a new website from scratch or just create graphics for posts/pages on an existing site.
4- Advertising Manager - This role would typically include brainstorming ideas, writing and researching ads, preparing budgets and working with printers to perform the printing.
5- Social Media Manager - This job could include posting updates to blogs on a regular basis, creating photo content for company pages, creating graphics for social media posts and monitoring analytics. You may also be involved in creating tweets from time to time or taking part in polls/surveys.
6- Content Editor - One of the biggest things about working from home that you'll need to take into consideration is having enough hours in the day to keep up with all your responsibilities. You'll need good organization skills, some basic writing skills (HTML code) and the ability to multitask .
Conclusion
Working from home is an amazing opportunity that many people crave. It's a chance to make your own schedule, meet new people and grow in ways you never thought possible. However, it's important to be realistic about what will be expected of you and how the job may be received by others if it's not exactly the traditional 9-5 experience. Finding a good work-from-home job is just like any other job search-- you need to do your homework and prepare yourself well for the process. This article should get you moving down the right path!
What types of work from home jobs have you had (or are thinking about trying)? Comment below!
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