Whether you run a busy household or are looking to spend more time at home, working remotely may be appealing for you.
With the rise of technology, it is now easier than ever to hold a job right from the comfort of your bed or living room. Although not all jobs can be completed from behind a computer screen, there are a decent amount of online job opportunities waiting for you.
Why Work from Home?
Working from home often means that you get ultimate flexibility and freedom.
You may find that you can be more productive in a relaxed environment. Often, these remote jobs have no dress codes, location requirements, or strict office hours. This means you can sleep in later, have more flexibility with traveling, and easily manage your household, all while maintaining a job.
This can be ideal for stay-at-home parents trying make a living or even students looking to earn money without worrying about their class schedules. Even if you don’t need to be home, it is still nice to be able to have the flexibility to travel when you want or go on regular vacations.
We are busy people who have a lot going in our lives. That traditional 9-to-5 office shift just doesn’t work with our modern lifestyles. If you had the choice of driving into the office every day or working from home, a majority would choose the latter. When you think about it like that, it is no surprise that 45% of Americans work from home.
What exactly would you do?
There are a large variety of jobs you can do from home. When you think about it, most jobs really just need a computer and internet connection. Our society is making a rapid digital switch anyways. Shopping, school, and even entertainment can be done on the internet. Why wouldn’t you expect their respective jobs to open up?
There is a bit of a misconception about how online work involves heavy programing or related computer skills. You really don’t have to be a technology genius in order to reap the benefits. It is true that programmers and web designers do tend to get higher salaries compared to other telecommuting workers. However, many jobs available don’t require you to be too tech savvy.
Think about all the articles you stumble across in your social media feed or even the people who have to respond to your emails. These are all jobs someone has to do, and they don’t necessarily need an extensive computer background. Some of these popular jobs would include being a writing freelancer, accountant, call center assistant, and even a financial advisor.
Before aspiring to have a career online, you really should know the basics. That being said, if you can navigate social media sites, use Microsoft Word, and open your email, you pretty much know all you need to know.
How do I go about getting an online job?
There are many ways to get yourself an online job if you know where to look. You always have the option to write companies directly inquiring about opportunities. However, you will be much more successful if you utilize other resources.
There are entire websites devoted to helping you find jobs. You can use traditional job search sites with “remote” or “telecommuting” keywords to find openings. There is also the option to use sites intended to pair up freelancers with employers, although these particular sites often charge a fee for their services.
Keep in mind, though, if you want to sell employers on your skills without meeting, you’ll have to put some serious thought into your online reputation and blog for, tweet to, and connect with people in your industry.
Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of our society. It can only be expected that the job market for remote, online work will increase with it. Having enhanced flexibility and more control over your work schedule allow remote work to be a career for the modern lifestyle.
Bio:
Susan Ranford is an expert on job market trends, hiring, and business management. She is the Community Outreach Coordinator for New York Jobs. In her blogging and writing, she seeks to shed light on issues related to employment, business, and finance to help others understand different industries and find the right job fit for them.
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