Home computer jobs make up most of these part-time jobs. Depending on the nature of the job, many of them involve working with word-processing software, spreadsheets, accounting software, and data-entry programs. For instance, many home-based workers opt for freelance-writing gigs. They go to online freelance-writing job boards (or “markets”) to search for articles they are qualified to write. Many articles demand marketing copy, while others are Search Engine Optimization (SEO) articles, which involve writing an article with certain keywords to make that company’s article the #1 search result when those keywords are entered in a search engine. Many other articles are more conventional in nature, such as advice articles, product reviews, anecdotes, and news reports. Their pay is typically based on word count, though some jobs are based on hours. Besides freelance writing jobs, many companies offer proofreading jobs to those skilled in English-language usage. Still other jobs may require at-home workers to use special desktop-publishing software, which requires advanced experience with that software. For the most part, these jobs do not require professional knowledge of any subject, just a way with words and knowledge of how to create a good article.
Home-based workers can also profit from survey taking. Many companies, especially large corporations, invest in market research. This research tells them what consumers look for in products and how they spend their money. While companies used to operate an entire consumer-research department on-site, they are finding that doing online market research through surveys is cheaper and gives them a wider demographic.
There is even less training required for survey taking as there is for freelance writing and proof reading. All that the survey taker needs is a computer with a good Internet connection, along with the freedom to spend about 15-20 minutes per survey. However, a person who wants to earn money through surveys should approach them realistically. Of the thousands of surveys available online, only a small fraction of them are legitimate and follow through with payment. Thankfully, doing thorough online research will yield those websites that generally make good on their word.
Naturally, there are many jobs that capitalize on workers’ more specialized knowledge. For instance, there are sales positions that require part-time workers to perform telemarketing from home. These positions are best for those with previous sales experience and knowledge of sales strategies. The company hiring the part-time sales worker will also usually provide special training and product handouts.
In addition, those who have teaching experience can benefit from distance-teaching or online tutoring positions. These positions pair the teacher with a student who is struggling with a school subject in which the teacher has expertise. Moreover, there are teaching positions that coach students who are preparing for college-entry exams, such as the SATs. There are also numerous positions that teach English to non-native English speakers. Again, these positions typically require professional knowledge, past training, and a teaching certificate.
For those who have past clerical experience, data-entry positions are a great way to parlay that experience into another source of income. For the most part, the company provides the part-time data-entry worker with information to be entered into the company’s Intranet or other company-operated database. Data-entry not only applies to survey taking, but also medical transcriptions, bill processing, and typing jobs. Accounting jobs also count as data entry works, though they require an accounting background and, more than likely, accounting certification. Yet, there are an equal number of data-entry jobs, which do not require certification or professional training. In fact, some of the most profitable data-entry jobs entail typing online ads for companies, which earn the worker commissions each time that ad is clicked. In addition, a person of virtually any professional background can take on a mystery-shopping position, which entails shopping at local stores and evaluating retail products as well as customer service—all the while getting, paid on an hourly basis.
Online auction websites are also an emerging part-time or even full-time employer for home-based workers. These websites, especially eBay, have permitted more enterprising Internet users to make excellent money by finding low-price collector items (such as at garage sales) and reselling them online at a profit.
As this article clarifies, there is a part-time job available to any person with a computer and Internet connection. Part-time workers can earn a considerable amount of money while never stepping outside their homes. In today’s volatile economy, more people will turn to this part-time work as an extra crutch to their livelihoods.
