This one’s for our new readers, especially those who are only starting to dip their toes in the work-from-home waters. We all have to start somewhere, yes?
So, do you dream of working in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home? Well, you’re not alone. With the rise of technology and the gig economy, people are turning to work-from-home jobs. But it is a predatory market, and finding a remote job can be intimidating.
That’s why we decided to provide you with our guide to finding legit work-from-home jobs. From understanding the benefits to avoiding red flags, we’ll provide the knowledge you need to land a remote job for your skills and lifestyle.
So, if you are looking for a change, read on, and let’s dive into the world of work-from-home jobs together.
Benefits of Work-From-Home Jobs
Environmentally Friendly Alternative
Remote jobs are environmentally friendly and help decrease our carbon footprint. A study by Global Workplace Analytics estimated that “if those who have a work-from-home compatible job and a desire to work remotely did so just half the time, the greenhouse gas reduction would be equivalent to taking the entire New York State workforce off the road”.
Enhanced Life-Work Balance
Remote job seekers are well aware of the positive impact of online jobs on personal life in general. Remote employees can schedule working sessions according to their life routines and interests. Since they lack the need to be present at their job sites, they have more control over their daily routines, and in general, they have more time to invest in family and personal growth.
Better Health
Remote jobs have multiple benefits for our physical and emotional health. For example, when we avoid commuting, our stress levels decrease because there’s no need to face the traffic and long travel times that can lead to emotional distress. Working from home helps us prioritize healthy habits like exercising regularly, eating healthy homemade meals, and staying hydrated because remote allows us to have better control of our daily routines.
Related: Health Insurance for Freelance Writers
Budget Friendly Alternative
Remote employers and employees can improve their budgets thanks to this model. Companies offering remote positions can invest their budget efficiently, cutting their rent, energy, and maintenance expenses.
Improved Focus and Productivity
Remote work improves your focus and productivity for several reasons. To begin with, it eliminates the distractions of a traditional office, like noise and interruptions from coworkers or meetings. The increased flexibility of remote opportunities helps remote workers structure their schedules to work during their most productive hours and schedule breaks as needed.
Location Independence
Remote jobs give location independence, enabling you to work from anywhere. Remote companies and freelance platforms offer the freedom to move your office as you move. A remote employee can become a digital nomad due to an online job.
Diversity and Inclusion
Remote and work-from-home job opportunities contribute to diversity and inclusion and reduce bias-based recruiting decisions. It also improves access for employees with disabilities that would not be a good fit for office jobs but can benefit from remote work life.
Types of Work-From-Home Jobs
We’re all about freelance writing, sure, but we also realize that a freelance writer may have other skills that can open up different types of work-from-home jobs. Let’s take a look at a few.
Software Developer
Due to the nature of the work, many software developers don’t need to be physically present in an office to perform their jobs. Companies tend to have a team of individuals who are distributed globally. The increased demand for skilled Software Developers has helped expand the pool of potential candidates, especially for companies considered unattractive to local talent. Unfortunately, remote developers may not have access to the same equipment they would in a traditional office.
Freelance Writer
Remote jobs for writers are an excellent option if you are already an accomplished writer or have a decent set of writing skills that you’d like to polish. It is legitimate work you can do anywhere while leveraging a high-income skill that is in high demand in today’s job market. Beware burnout! Remote writers face long hours of work, tight deadlines, and a high workload, which increases their chances of neglecting self-care and free time, leading to potential burnout.
Virtual Assistant
Do you have experience working as an administrative assistant? Then consider moving your skills to a virtual environment. Virtual assistants can earn a steady income online and have the option to specialize in social media management, scale with email communication, or customer service. However, the job is isolating due to the lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues and clients. The workload is unpredictable, and there may be times when no work is available. Another drawback for virtual assistants is the stress of dealing with difficult clients.
Digital Marketer
Most freelance digital marketing tasks are online, allowing professionals to work from anywhere with a stable internet connection. Plus, digital marketing has a high earning potential, as businesses are willing to invest in marketing to increase their online presence and sales. However, there are some drawbacks to working from home in digital marketing, such as the need for time management skills to deal with multiple clients and projects.
Social Media Manager
Social Media Manager it’s a role that can be performed remotely with minimal supervision. While working as a Social Media Manager remotely, one can manage social media platforms and campaigns from anywhere with an internet connection, which is advantageous for companies that pay for advertising. One of the biggest challenges is staying motivated and productive without the structure and routine of a traditional office environment.
Online Teacher or Tutor
Online tutoring offers advantages for the teacher and the student. With multiple job listings and platforms, aspiring teachers can offer their services to an infinite army of global students. The biggest challenge to online teaching and tutoring is the lack of face-to-face interaction, which makes student engagement harder to achieve. Other technical issues, such as poor internet connection and faulty equipment are common drawbacks to teaching remotely.
Graphic Designer
Graphic design is a requested remote work because it only requires computer design software. However, collaborating with other designers or clients can be difficult. Constant communication is essential to accomplish deadlines and fulfill your customer’s requirements. Perfect your communication skills to succeed in this online job.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
Remote jobs offer an excellent opportunity to improve our work-life balance and other advantages that make it an attractive alternative for people of multiple professional fields. However, many remote jobs trick inexperienced professionals into delivering results without ever paying for their services.
So, how to find legitimate remote jobs? Remote job seekers, let’s start with the red flags to consider to land your dream remote job.
The Start-up Opportunity
It is used across industries. An individual with a new and profitable business idea is searching for a team but is unable to pay money for their services. It is a common scam faced by freelancers who get blinded by the offer of lucrative participation in their business. Chances are you will never get paid in any way. Find out more about these schemes and other popular scams for freelancers here.
Pro Tip: Ask for advance payment or at least a portion of the fee.
If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Is
Trust your instincts! When something sounds wrong, it probably is. Use your common sense and understand that you are not paranoid, online jobs are a predatory market with a fair share of scammers and liars.
Pro Tip: have an assessor you can go to for affordable legal assistance.
Samples of Free Work
A potential employer wants to see how your work is to know if it is suitable for their brand, so you must submit a sample of original work that potential employers can use at their discretion. Do not provide your services for free. Any serious business must have the budget to pay for sample work.
Pro Tip: have a portfolio ready to showcase your talents.
A New Payment Processor
A common scam for freelance writers is the I can’t get the money scam, where the employer only wants to pay you using a new or revolutionary payment processor you haven’t heard of. The employers claim they paid, but you did not get the money, and they save their reputation while leaving without your money.
Pro Tip: Always accept payment processors with a good reputation, do not settle for less. You can learn more tips on avoiding freelance writing scams here.
Where to Find Legit Work-From-Home Jobs
Freelance Writing Jobs
Of course, we’re part of the list! Providing freelance writers with support, especially in terms of freelance writing jobs, has been our mission from day one. Decades later, we’re still committed to the same ideals.
Virtual Vocations
Virtual Vocations is a job board that specializes in remote work opportunities. They offer a wide range of job listings from various industries and provide job seekers with resources to improve their job search. The website also has a blog with helpful tips and advice for remote job seekers.
Flexjobs
Since 2007, Flexjobs has promoted remote jobs by helping companies and professionals connect to establish valuable professional relationships, making the job search easier. It is a platform with flexible jobs for “anyone who wants a job with some kind of flexibility.”
Upwork
The marketplace for experts in writing, graphic design, web development, and more helps professionals connect with clients in need of remote workers for their projects. Upwork is an ideal platform for newbies and experienced professionals searching for reliable employers and a safe virtual working environment.
Indeed
Indeed provides job search tools for free. Create your account, upload your resume, and begin your job search by navigating its extensive job listings. The advantage of using this platform to find remote work is you can find remote jobs with reliable employers, avoiding the stress and awful experience of a fake online job.
Tips for Applying and Interviewing
Finding the right remote job is an art, and preparation is fundamental to becoming part of a remote team. So before you apply and head to your interview, check our list.
- Tailor your cover letter and resume: think about the role and the position you are applying for, don’t overstuff your resume with useless information, and highlight only your best skills and experiences.
- Emphasize your ability to work independently: remote jobs require self-discipline and independence, proof you can work independently and fulfill your deadlines.
- Display your best communication skills: Freelance work and work-from-home jobs demand excellent communication skills. Let your communicative skills show and shine.
- Clear all your doubts: before the day of the interview, verify you understand the job description. Remote companies what to have flawless communication with their workers.
- Be prepared for technical issues: remote job search means a remote interview. Check your internet, computer, sound devices, and other related equipment. If possible, have a backup plan in case your equipment fails.
Tools and Resources for Remote Workers
To be efficient, productive, and profitable, remote workers need the right set of tools. We look at a few must-haves below, but for a more comprehensive (and when we say comprehensive…🤯) list, visit our post “Tools for Freelancers Around the World.”
Slack
It is a collaboration platform for teams and organizations to communicate, share resources, and work together as a team, even though they work remotely. Slack integrates with other tools and services, such as Google Drive, Trello, and GitHub, and offers features for voice and video calls. There is a free version with limited capabilities, and paid plans start at $ 7.25.
Zoom Video Conferencing
Zoom is a tool for individuals and organizations to connect using video conferencing, text, chat, and screen sharing. The features include file sharing, virtual backgrounds, whiteboarding, and integrations with other apps.
TeamViewer
TeamViewer is an application for remote access and control of computers and other devices. It is available for remote jobs for multiple devices and operating systems and has commercial and noncommercial versions. The license is charged annually, and the pricing starts at $50.90 per month.
Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a cloud-based time tracking and productivity tool to help workers manage their time effectively. It provides a detailed vision of how much time users spend on a project, plus the specific time invested in each task. The features include automated time tracking, manual time entry, project tracking, reporting and analytics, invoicing, and integrations with various third-party applications. The pricing plans start at $7 (monthly) per user.
Enjoy Your Work-From-Home Journey!
When you are ready to work from home, the best option is to go to trustable platforms to find reliable offers and avoid the bitter experience of a fake remote job offer and other types of scams. A remote job is a rewarding experience and can improve your personal and professional faster than other methods.
Are you ready to work remotely? Then take the chance and join the rebellious remote working tribe. 💪🏾
About the author Joe Troyer
I’m one of the founders of Virtual Valley. We own and grow profitable bootstrapped ventures that are entirely bootstrapped and funded by customers, forcing us to focus on building products that customers, not investors, love. Our latest venture Review Grower aims to compete in a market with competitors doing hundreds of millions a year. Our goal is simple: By creating enterprises that address the most pressing issues affecting tomorrow’s top firms, we enable growth in marketers, agencies, and companies.
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