For so long, people have viewed globalization and the Internet as a threat. According to the World Internet Usage Statistics, however, the number of Internet users from 2000 to 2008 increased by a whopping 338%. While the reasons for going online may be for business, education, entertainment, or social networking purposes, a number of people now make a living by working online. With the economy on a downturn, the threat of job loss leads many to seek work-from-home jobs to cushion the fall just in case.
What is a home-based worker?
This simply refers to a person who works from home. In contrast to a "home worker," which is usually taken in the context of domestic work and care, a home-based worker earns a living by performing job tasks at home, which serves as his/her office. Traditionally, jobs that allow people to work from home include envelope stuffing, handicraft, and even babysitting. Nowadays, the globalized market and the Web has provided a variety of jobs for home-based workers.
What types of jobs can I do if I want to work from home?
- Data entry/Data processing - Most data entry jobs are paid by the number of forms you are able to fill out, so if your fingers are good on the keyboard, this might be a good start for you. Not only do you need to work fast, your typing skills should be matched with accuracy. However, be wary of bogus data entry jobs. Many people were reported to have been victimized by Internet frauds promising work-from-home data processing jobs with payment rates that are much too high. So, how do you tell fake jobs from real ones? This can be really tough, as some of the websites that the fake jobs are posted on may have very professional-looking layouts. Usually, these websites require you to make a payment to "register" as a data processor. Also, their rates are often too good to be true. Before you make a go for it, make sure that you check out several websites so you can at least make a comparison of the rates and estimate the pay for data entry posts in the job market. You may also visit Work-From-Home-Directory.com to help you with your search.
- Paid surveys - If you are opinionated or like answering online quizzes, then what could be better than getting paid for what you willingly do for free? Paid surveys may require you to have a PayPal account where your payment can be sent. In addition, some surveys are available only within certain territories/countries.
- Research writing - If your written English communication and research skills are above average, then you may want to check out sites where writers can receive research projects from all over the world. It would help if you have some experience in using style guides, such as the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). However, there are some intellectual property issues associated with this job, because it is a form of "ghost writing," where somebody else (your client) passes off your work as his/her own.
- Blogging - If you are a prolific writer, then blogging could be your thing. Blogs, or web logs, are online journals, similar to what you are reading now. It is a "push-button publication," so you do the research for your topic, writing, and editing all by yourself. You may only earn from your blog by allowing related ads to be displayed on your site. First, you need to apply for advertising services programs, such as Google Adsense. Usually, bloggers earn revenue based on the number of actual clicks on the ads. However, some options allow bloggers to get paid fixed rates based on site traffic. The application to Google Adsense is free, but once it is approved, make sure that you do not violate any of the terms and conditions. Otherwise, your account will be terminated, and you will no longer be able to file another application.
