Searching for jobs, particularly home-based work, used to be a matter of scanning the Sunday classifieds for offers to get rich quick by stuffing envelopes. Now, working from home is easier than before because exposure to at-home opportunities has multiplied.
A wide variety of job ads are just a click away, but so are the scams.
In 2007, when Rat Race Rebellion -- a company that helps people find home-based work -- began tracking at-home jobs, there were 30 scams for every legitimate opportunity. Now, with 4,500 to 5,000 work-at-home job ads screened weekly, the website finds 60 phonies for every one that's for real.
Nevertheless, there's no shortage of workers who dream of beating the odds and earning a living from home. those interested in work-at-home jobs primarily are:
- Parents who say they want to spend more time with their children.
- Trailing military spouses who, according to Durst, by virtue of their spouse's career need to pick up and move every few years.
- Retirees needing supplemental income.
- People with disabilities.
It's not easy to be a good parent and simultaneously work well at home, says Durst, because most jobs require blocks of uninterrupted time to complete tasks, and children's schedules are less than predictable. For those who do choose to walk the tightrope between paid work and parenting, consider deadline-oriented work. Durst says it's generally better for those with younger children than schedule-oriented hourly work.
An increasing minority" of entry-level workers, are attracted to these jobs. Social introverts make good candidates. They like working with people (but) they like interacting by email and by being on the phone. They dislike working in person with a lot of others, because of meetings and other "time-sucking problems" at an office.
Self-motivation, discipline, job skills and independence are key traits for at-home workers.
A growing number of employers appears to believe telecommuting is a good arrangement for them, as well. It cuts overhead costs, allows access to talented workers who may not be available locally, provides off-hours support and helps retain employees. We've seen a real broadening of the audience of both employers and job seekers.
Consider these 10 jobs -- some rather traditional and others unexpected -- for engaging at-home work and good (if competitive) prospects.
1. Virtual assistant
This is a job with much potential, in part because the title description covers many things. "You can fit your offerings to what you know how to do. One can own a virtual assistant business or work from home for a company that makes you available to other employers or clients. HomeWithTheKids.com, for example, currently features several such companies. Small businesses hire virtual assistants to help when they can't justify a permanent employee. The International Virtual Assistants Association, founded in the 1990s, began with 28 members and has grown to more than 600. They charge from $37 for a six-month student membership to $137 per year for a regular member.2. Medical transcriptionist
Being a medical transcriptionist is a demanding job, and nearly every company seeks applicants with experience and/or training from certain schools. The work involves listening to and typing up dictation from doctors -- some of whom have thick accents, slur words, and even "eat, drink, chew gum (and) talk to other people in the room while dictating. But hearing about medical matters can be interesting, and good transcriptionists are in very high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2015 data, the median hourly rate for transcriptionists is $17.17.3. Translator
People with fluency in more than one language translate audio files or documents, not just word for word, but often with cultural differences in mind. "Companies can access home-based translators with hard-to-find language skills without being held back by geographic location.The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook 2012-13, which groups translators and interpreters, notes a projected employment increase of 29 percent by 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.
4. Web developer/designer
Information technology is the sector where most of the home-based hiring is being done. Terri Orlowski, a virtual assistant and Web developer based in Pittsburgh, offers services such as custom website design, template modification and redesigns, code updates, hosting and usability reviews. She previously held administrative positions in a variety of industries and makes a higher per-hour rate now. Out of the many new monthly work-from-home job postings on Upwork.com, Web developers are in high demand.5. Call center representative
When you phone to order something from a catalog or infomercial, a big office with rows of cubicles may come to mind. But the person on the other end of the line is likely to be sitting in a home office. It's a huge and growing industry. Companies hire independent contractors to take calls from home. The "home-shore movement" started in response to complaints about the many companies that looked offshore for workers.While some websites such as Sykes Home actually hire representatives, most use subcontractors. Just be aware that the pay may be by the minute rather than by the hour, so you may not be paid for time you spend waiting by the phone. A list of companies that hire call center reps can be found at HomeWithTheKids.com.
6. Tech support specialist
Call centers also hire technical support specialists to work remotely. Kate Lister, co-author of "Undress for Success: The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home," names it as one of her top three "best-bet work-at-home jobs." And according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, jobs for computer support specialists (on-site and remote combined) were expected to increase by 12 percent from 2014 to 2024 -- faster than the average for all occupations -- with 88,800 new jobs.7. Travel agent
Scams abound in the travel industry -- particularly organizations that charge for information on how to break into the field. But operating a home-based travel agency can be an excellent business, says Tom Ogg, founder of HomeBasedTravelAgent.com. "Real home-based travel agents have experienced robust growth over the last decade, and there are probably 40,000-plus of them and growing." A growing (although small) number of people earn $100,000 or more a year, he says. "A solid business concept and plan focused on profitability will take you a long way to achieving your monetary goals." There's also the joy of helping others enjoy their leisure time.8. Teacher
From postsecondary education to elementary schools, there are opportunities for students to learn virtually. Along with that comes opportunities to teach (and tutor) virtually. While distance learning is not new, advanced technology, collaborative multimedia software designed for schools and high-speed Internet connections have created more opportunities for teachers and students to work together from afar.We have heard of one professor who works mainly online and makes six figures -- although this type of income depends on how many hours of applying oneself to it and the type of classes you're teaching. A resource center for online teaching jobs can be found at GetEducated.com.
