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Real Jobs You Can Do From Home
The internet has opened up new opportunities to make it easier to find, research
and communicate with others about real jobs that can be done from home. Finding
and landing a legitimate, money-making job still isn’t easy, but now there are more
real options than ever before.
1. Perfect your phone skills as a call center agent
Thanks to the Internet and better call-routing technology, more companies are finding
they can outsource their order-taking, sales and problem-solving calls to home-based
agents.
The number of home-based customer service agents in the U.S. is set to explode over
the next four years. Based on a study by research firm IDC, home-based call center
agents are expected to number 300,000 by 2010, nearly triple the current figure
of 112,000.
Depending on experience, call volume and accounts, you can make between $8 and $15
per hour but be prepared to work a minimum of 20 hours per week. The jobs that simply
require taking orders often pay the least, while the better-paying jobs typically
require that you have sales skills.
In addition to having a pleasant voice and customer-service skills, you must have
high-speed Internet access, a computer, a dedicated phone line, and a quiet place
to work.
Start your search with a few of the top call center agent companies:
2. Share your expertise as an online guide and writer
As a subject-area expert, you can make money by sharing your passion and knowledge
with the rest of the internet by writing articles, creating search results or answering
questions.
By writing articles, you won't make big bucks but you can build an online portfolio
of published work while at the same time making some money. Some article websites
pay around $10 per approved / published article while others share the advertising
revenues on your article pages.
You can also create search results for
Mahalo, a search engine that uses people to build search results for popular
search terms. Mahalo pay guides $10 to $15 per search result that they’ve identified
as worthwhile. Chacha is also a
search engine that pays live guides $5 to $10 per hour to assist users in real time
with online search.
You can also agree to answer questions online for a price.
JustAnswer.com pays experts on a variety of subjects based on accepted answers.
Check these websites out and see if one is good for you.
3. Be the decision-maker as an online juror
Help lawyers decide whether or not to accept a case or give feedback on case issues
before they go to trial. Online jurors function much like traditional live mock
juries or focus groups except that the e-jurors participate online.
Online jury participation allows for a greater number of participants on each case,
giving lawyers the type of feedback normally associated with large and expensive
focus group research, but at a much lower cost. The results give the lawyers something
they can use to promote settlement and/or prepare for trial.
Depending on the length of the e-trial, you can make $10 to $60 per verdict. Check
out the companies below for possible opportunities as an online juror.
4. Shop until you drop as a mystery shopper
Mystery shopping opportunities have been around for some time, but the Internet
has made finding them a lot easier. Mystery shoppers get paid to eat at restaurants,
shop at stores and try out services. They then report back on the level of service
and cleanliness to help improve the experience for future customers.
Research companies that hire mystery shoppers look for reliable, articulate, detail-oriented
people to become mystery shoppers.
Mystery shoppers can make $5 to $100 per assignment to pose as average customers
and then critique a store, restaurant or service. In addition to the cash, mystery
shoppers often receive free goods and services.
To learn more about mystery shopping and its opportunities, check out the companies
below.
5. Put your education to the test as an online tutor
Can you teach math, science or social studies to fourth grade through college level
students? If you can, then being an online tutor could be for you.
You must be able to convey key information to a student through online instruction,
rather than face-to-face. You must know your subject and some online tutoring companies
require that you have a college degree and have been educated in North America.
Online tutors can make $10 per hour and up by teaching students, depending on the
subject and student.
A few online tutoring companies to explore:
6. Reach out and call as a telemarketer
Many companies and organizations are now outsourcing their cold-calling campaigns
to third party companies who hire full-time and temporary telemarketing agents --
many of whom work from home.
As a telemarketer, you may be asked to persuade customers to agree to try a product
or service, book an appointment, commit to making a donation, or collect debt.
You can make $8 to $25 per hour as a telemarketer, depending on the type of call
and your results. Many telemarketing campaigns include an hourly base pay, plus
performance-based commission. While some training may be provided, candidates are
expected to have some customer service and/or cold-calling sales experience.
Among the companies to explore:
7. Connect with clients as a virtual assistant
Some small business owners and executives need an assistant to help with their administrative
tasks but either can’t afford to hire one on a full-time basis or don't have the
space in their office. Therefore, they hire home-based virtual assistants on a part-time
basis to do their work for them.
Virtual assistants handle bookkeeping, administrative duties, travel arrangements,
transcription and correspondence, and other support services that can be done remotely
via e-mail and phone.
Compensation for virtual assistants varies depending on the task and employer but
is typically $8 to $20 per hour.
To learn more about becoming a virtual assistant, take a look at
International Virtual Assistants Association. Job listings and related information
can also be found at:
8. Make wishes turn into reality as a virtual concierge
If you’re experienced with high-end customer support, travel and/or hospitality,
you may want to try your hand at being a home-based concierge agent at VIPdesk.
A virtual concierge handles phones, e-mail and online customer inquiries for services
that range from making dinner reservations to planning vacations for busy executives.
Requests can vary from planning a child’s birthday party to booking a vacation at
the Four Seasons to finding a host for an event.
You can make $14 to $20 per hour as a virtual concierge, depending on the task and
client.
9. Verify calls for accuracy as a verification phone operator
Have you ever changed your long-distance service or your cell phone plan? It's likely
that you were asked to hold for a verification operator to come on the line to confirm
your choices.
VoiceLog.com hires home-based
operators to verify calls for telephone companies and other service industries focused
on combating sales fraud. Those calls are recorded for quality assurance and compliance
purposes. Another set of home-based workers listen to Web-based files to review
the calls for accuracy.
You can make $8.50 to $9.50 per hour as a verification phone operator.
10. Hone your writing skills as an editor or proofreader
Writing experts can get paid to provide editing and/or proofreading help for documents,
manuscripts, resumes, technical documentations, etc.
Edit and proofreading companies typically test candidates for the job and make sure
they fulfill the qualifications (skills and sometimes education level). These companies
hire writing experts who concentrate in specialty areas like the resume to the personal
statement to academic, business, and technical writing.
Proofreaders check for all types of spelling, grammar and structural errors. Some
proofreaders proofread manuscripts with an editorial eye.
You can make $15 to $35 per hour an editor or proofreader. Check out the following
companies for job availability.
The choice to pursue a home-based job is about freedom and flexibility. The internet
is a great place to find options but don’t expect to make a fortune, and be prepared
to work hard. Any opportunity that promises huge rewards for little effort is suspect.
A legitimate job opportunity is based on your experience, interests and background
and should not cost you money. With all the new options out there, there is a new
world of opportunities.
