You Can Earn Up to $30 an Hour With a Work-From-Home Typing Job: No Degree Needed
If you’re reading this sitting at your computer, you may already have the skills needed to start on your next career or side gig. Remote work-from-home typing jobs and data entry jobs abound. And snagging one isn’t as difficult as it might seem as long as you have the skills, equipment and temperament to get the job done.
Companies use remote typists for several reasons. Transcriptionists, who play audio and video files and type out transcripts, and people who take paper-based documents and type them into a digital format — a job also known as data entry — are two of the most common positions. There are also people who use their typing skills for online technical or customer support. (More about those jobs below.)
There’s decent money in it for those who get started, too. Career site ZipRecruiter says that the pay range for a full-time work-from-home data entry typist is between $11.54 and $31.49 per hour. Work-from-home transcriptionists can earn between $9.38 and $30 per hour.
For more ways to earn with work-from-home jobs, click here and here!
What skills do you need to do work from home typing jobs
There are specific skills you will need to get hired. First and foremost, you need to be an accurate, fast typist. Not sure if you type well enough to start working as an online typist? There are several free-timed online typing tests that assess both metrics, such as Onlinetyping.org, Keyhero.com, and Typing.com.
In addition, you’ll need proficiency in internet skills such as sending and receiving emails, opening and creating email attachments, and uploading and downloading files. You’ll also need a fast, stable internet connection that can handle downloading large files and a computer that has enough storage to put them on. Finally, you’ll need some knowledge of computer software such as spreadsheets and business applications like Microsoft Excel and Google Docs.
Aside from these skills and tools, you’ll also need a few specific interpersonal skills, Laurel Farrer, founder of Distribute Consulting, an international management consulting firm specializing in hybrid and remote work, says. “Certain personality types aren't better or worse for work-from-home jobs than others, but certain personality traits are,” Farrer says. “When working in an autonomous, self-managed environment like a home office, it is imperative that professionals have above-average competencies in discipline, critical thinking, self-motivation, communication, self-efficacy, flexibility and accountability in order to succeed.”
How to find work from home typing jobs
When you first start out you may want to go the freelance route to gain experience and see if you like the job. You can find temporary, short-term, or hourly typist jobs on sites such as Fiverr.com, Upwork.com, and ZipRecruiter.com. Data entry jobs can also be found on these sites, but there are other options that focus on this category completely including Axion Data Services, Clickworker.com, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, and Q-Centrix.
Related: If You Can Type, You Can Earn a Full-Time Salary Doing Work-From-Home Data Entry — Here’s How
There are also sites dedicated to transcription and typing jobs. These include TranscribeMe.com, 3Playmedia.com, Otter.ai, Upwork.com, and Rev.com. LinkedIn is another great resource for finding typing-related jobs — and not just in its official job postings. LinkedIn members often post freelance jobs right on their own profiles. Search “typist jobs,” “data entry jobs,” or “freelance typists” often to see what’s available.
TikTok has you covered, too. There are hashtags you can follow for each of these job categories, with experts who talk about what it’s like to work in these fields and where you can find your next gig.
See just one example below:
Search for the same keywords you use on LinkedIn, and you’ll find a host of work-from-home influencers who can give you the skinny on what it’s like to work in this industry.
One important thing to note: You should never pay to get work from home typing jobs. “Remote jobs are still jobs — the virtual business world is regulated by the same employment laws and regulations as traditional workplaces,” explains Farrer. “If a company is asking for private information, fees or something else that an in-office job usually doesn't, proceed with caution. It's likely an internet scam.”
What is a typical day like with work from home typing jobs
Since there are many different typing jobs, each one comes with its own tasks. For example, if you’re proofreading, you’ll be looking over different written content to find mistakes and correct them.
Data entry operators or clerks take handwritten or printed documents and type them into a computer system or database. The types of information you may be working with are written medical notes, bills, reports or financial records. In some cases, you may have to type the information into an online document or database and then scan and upload the original documents.
Since you’ll be sitting at a desk for long hours, it’s important that your work environment be set up so you’re not putting too much stress on your body, Rowena Hennigan, a global expert in remote work and digital nomadism, explains. (Yes, this is a thing.) “Logistically, many say you simply need a device, internet connection, energy and enthusiasm to start to work remotely,” she says. “That is the case, at a very basic level, but to excel and work remotely with success, we need to ensure from a comfort and occupational standpoint we are able to sustain work for multiple hours without harming our health.”
She suggests getting a comfortable, ergonomic chair and laptop or desktop riser. Other nice-to-have equipment includes wrist-rests, a wireless mouse and a footrest. Finally, don’t forget about the networking aspect of the job. There are many groups on LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook where you can connect with other at-home typists to commiserate, ask for help and find your next job.
For even more work-from-home jobs, click through the links below:
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