41+ Home-Based Jobs for Beginners: Get Paid in Today’s Changing World

Julia McCoy

Julia McCoy

Creator and Co-founder

Home based jobs

If the COVID-19 pandemic has changed your life, you’re not alone.

You might be on the hunt for home-based jobs, and making a life change you never dreamed you’d have to. Or, you may have been working from home all along, and you’re just having to change to accommodate kids at home.

No matter the changes, it’s been tough for everyone. We’ve all had to deal with the brunt of it in one way or another.

Some worse than others.

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics:

  • 31.3 million people reported they were unable to work because their employer closed or lost business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 6.5 million people not currently in the labor force were prevented from looking for a job due to the pandemic.
  • Only 13% of employees received pay from employees for hours not worked.

It’s disheartening, to say the least. But, for now, let’s take a deep breath…

…and see where we can go from here. 🏔

Remember one thing:

The COVID-19 pandemic may have stolen your job, but that’s all.

It can’t steal your talent, your skills, and your determination.

Now, all you have to do is take what you have and find amazing home-based job opportunities to match it.

In this blog, I’ve compiled a list of the top home-based jobs for people from all walks of life.

Ready to dive in?

Let’s go!

41+ Home-Based Jobs for Today’s Changing World – Table of Contents

1. Home Based Jobs in Writing

2. Home Based Jobs in Editing and Proofreading

3. Home Based Jobs in Typing and Transcription

4. Home Based Customer Service Representative Jobs

5. Home Based Jobs in Content Strategy

6. Home Based Marketing Jobs

7. Home Based Jobs in Website Optimization

8. Home Based Jobs in Teaching

9. Home Based Virtual Assistant Jobs

10. Bonus: The Best Freelance Marketplaces to Take Your Talent

Home based jobs for beginners

41 Legitimate Home-Based Jobs to Match Your Skills

Maybe you were a savvy corporate marketer pre-pandemic.

Or a profitable sales representative at a large company.

Or maybe you simply have a hobby you’re extremely good at:

  • Editing your vacation photos into IG-worthy images
  • Writing about your funny/sweet/touching parenting experiences on Facebook
  • Tutoring your kids after school

Surprisingly (or not) there are home-based jobs to fit every talent, skill, hobby, or experience you have.

Let’s get into them right away.

1. Home-Based Jobs in Writing

You don’t have to be a Shakespeare or Dickens to make a good living writing.

If you’ve ever convinced a friend to try your favorite restaurant or written a blog post that got a ton of shares, you can nail one of these great writing jobs.

1. Express Writers

Write search optimized blogs, web pages, emails, product descriptions, and more. Pay is between $10-$40 for 500 words, depending on your level (general, expert, authority). Plus, you get a ton of free resources to up your content writing game.

2. Online Writing Jobs

Dive into the world of blog writing, SEO writing, subject matter expert writing (medical, automotive, travel, science, and academia). At Online Writing Jobs, you get to choose the assignments you feel are best suited to you. They also pay weekly, which is great. (Note: They’re only open to U.S.-based writers.)

3. Constant Content

Have content you wrote for yourself saved on your computer? Sell it on Constant Content’s platform and get 65% of the sale. You can set your own rates, starting at a minimum of $7. Aside from selling your own pre-written content, you’ll also find client orders available.

4. Wise Bread

If you have experience in personal finance and credit cards, Wise Bread is looking for you. What they need is a writer who can adapt to different styles (i.g. commentaries and how-to guides). They want easy-to-understand, insightful writing. To apply, you need to submit three 500-word sample posts and five ideas for new posts. 

5. The Freelancer by Contently

Build your writer’s portfolio on The Freelancer and connect directly with paying clients. How it works is editors sift through writers’ portfolios to find “matches” for clients ordering work. If you’re really good, you can get an amazing match…think writing for HSBC or American Express!

the art of online writing

2. Home-Based Jobs in Editing and Proofreading

Have excellent grammar skills?

A sharp eye for errors and spectacular attention to detail?

Check out these jobs in editing and proofreading,

1. Cactus

At Cactus, your job will be to proofread and edit academic and medical works. Some of these include humanities & social sciences, physical sciences & engineering, and medicine & life sciences. They offer contractual, full-time, or freelance options.

2. Gramlee

Gramlee offers proofreading services to professionals. If you can proofread fast (for example, a 3,000-word document in 24 hours) this job is the perfect fit for you! Don’t worry. Gramlee doesn’t task its proofreaders with making drastic changes in writing (that’s the work of editors). All you’ll be doing is checking for typos, grammar mistakes, and punctuation gaffes.

3. Scribe Media

Scribe Media is a self-publishing platform for authors, and as an editor and proofreader you’ll be working directly with them to polish their work. The best part? You don’t need a degree or specific education to nail the job (although proving you know what works and what doesn’t in the world of literature is a plus).  

4. Polished Paper

Polished Paper is always looking for talented editors. A tad more advanced than the other editing jobs mentioned above, it requires you to have an editor’s basic know-how. For instance, knowledge of the different writing styles will help you pass their 35-question entrance test. At Polished Paper, you’ll be “polishing” a ton of different types of writing – essays, dissertations, business documents, resumes, and more. (You can also apply as proofreader, where you’ll be checking for grammar and typos instead of deep-editing a piece of writing.)

5. Domainite

This company offers both writing and editing jobs. To start, upload a sample of your own writing to prove your excellent grammar and perfect proofreading skills. One thing to remember: This company is referred to online as a “great way to jumpstart” your editing and proofreading career. Since their pay is low, you’ll want to upgrade to another platform as soon as you gain a few months’ experience.

3. Home-Based Jobs in Typing and Transcription

If you have excellent listening and typing skills, a typing and transcription job is something you can do on the side to make extra cash.

Here are three to start with.

1. TranscribeMe!

On TranscribeMe! you can work on your own schedule 24/7. Plus, you don’t need to worry about transcribing hour-long interviews. Most clips you get will be between 2-4 minutes. Since they don’t require experience and you can apply no matter where you’re from, it’s an excellent place to start your sideline career in transcription. (If you have background in medicine or law, you can earn more than $2,000 per month.)

2. GMR Transcriptions

You don’t need any experience to apply for a transcription job at GMR Transcriptions. If you’re interested, translation jobs are also available. Both these jobs, however, are only open to U.S. citizens and you need to have your own foot pedal to get started.

3. Rev

Rev offers work transcribing audio and video files into text, writing captions for videos, and crafting subtitles for foreign videos. What’s amazing about Rev is their huge base of clients, some of which include Google, Amazon, and Facebook! They pay weekly and don’t require experience or a degree from applicants.  

4. Crowd Surf

At Crowd Surf, your job will be to craft video captions to help foreign viewers and the hearing-impaired understand video content. Pay is relatively low compared to other transcription platforms, but you can always try it out if you’re just getting started and want to know if you’ll enjoy transcription. 

5. Atheron

If you have experience as a transcriptionist and are an industry expert (doctor, lawyer, police officer, etc.) you can apply for a job with Atheron. At Atheron, you’ll be required to transcribe 500 lines a day, five days a week. Pay is competitive compared with other transcription platforms, but you need at least two years’ experience as a transcriptionist to get a job here. 

4. Home-Based Customer Service Representative Jobs

Have experience in the communications field?

These jobs may be a good fit.

1. Apple At-Home-Advisor

As an Apple At-Home Advisor, your job will be to provide support for Apple customers. What you’ll do is answer their product-specific questions via phone, email, or chat.

2. Concentrix

Join a savvy work-from-home team, connecting with customers and giving them a stress-free experience. The work you’ll be doing is for sales, minor troubleshooting, and programming.

3. Alorica-at-Home

With Alorica-at-Home, you help create amazing customer experiences as you sit in the comfort of your own home. What’s more, you get paid training and a bunch of freebies when you start.

5. Home-Based Jobs in Content Strategy

As a content strategist, your job will be to ensure that every piece of content a brand publishes works together to achieve content marketing goals.

If you have excellent organizational skills, you’ll be perfect for these jobs.

1. Coinbase

As a Coinbase content strategist, your job will be to oversee the creation of long-form SEO-driving content. You’ll oversee social media content and create editorial calendars.

2. Hopin’s

At Hopin’s, what you’ll do as a content strategist is to collaborate with a team to create content that builds engagement and drives sales. Working for Hopin’s, you’ll reach hundreds of thousands of people with the mission of educating them about the company.

seo course

6. Home-Based Marketing Jobs

If you’re a talented marketer, you don’t have to leave your home to get the job of your dreams.

Check out the home-based marketing job options on FlexJobs. Here are a few positions as examples:

1. Digital Marketing Coordinator

This job is all about analyzing metrics and creating campaigns, but done on a completely home-based basis. If you know how to use Google Ads and Excel, these skills will be a plus as you apply for the job.

2. President of Marketing

A top-tier job, this one is about managing marketing campaigns and testing ads. This isn’t an entry-level job, as it requires you to have at least 6 years of experience in marketing.

7. Home-Based Jobs in Website Optimization

Do you know a tech thing or two? Experienced with optimizing websites for SEO?

Check out these opportunities.

1. EY

If you know what it takes to optimize a website for SEO, this might be the job for you. Experience using Google Search Console and Ahrefs is a plus. No, this isn’t an entry-level job, but it offers great rewards and benefits (like 401(k) matching, medical plans, and retirement packages).

2. Verizon

At Verizon, you’ll coordinate with the CMO team to drive the right SEO strategies for the company. This isn’t an entry-level job either, requiring either a bachelor’s degree or four years of experience in SEO.

8. Home-Based Jobs in Teaching

If you’re in the communications field but you’ve never taught anything to anyone in your life, don’t worry. There are teaching jobs which don’t require anything but mastery of the English language.

1. GoGoKid

Based in Beijing, GoGoKid connects Chinese students with native English speakers. If you’ve never created a lesson plan before, don’t worry. The company has their own well-developed curriculum, and all you need to do is go along with it.

2. DaDa

The requirements for working with DaDa are a little higher. You need TEFL certification, a bachelor’s degree, and at least one year of teaching experience. Give DaDa a shot if you have those. They pay up to $23 per hour and you can pick the schedule that suits you best. 

3. LatinHire

LatinHire is a growing community with tutors from across the globe. It offers tutoring services in English, math, and science. To begin working with LatinHire, you’ll need reliable internet connection and a background check. What’s great about it is they pay for both working hours (when you’re actively teaching students) and waiting hours (when you’re simply staying online waiting for students to drop in your “classroom”).

4. Lingoda

Know another language besides English? Lingoda is hiring teachers who know French, German, or Spanish to teach their native language to online learners. If you want to teach adults instead of kids, Lingoda is the place to work. You’ll get a fully-structured curriculum, small classes (up to four students only), and a fully flexible schedule you can design around your life. 

5. Magic Ears

Want to teach younger kids aged 4-12? You’ll love Magic Ears, where you can earn up to $26/hour. They offer excellent training resources you can use to polish your teaching skills, a superior curriculum design, and flexible hours.

9. Home-Based Virtual Assistant Jobs

A virtual assistant is like an online secretary. What you’ll be doing is assisting your boss with tasks assigned to you daily, weekly, or even monthly.

Some of these tasks include calendar management, CRM, taking phone calls, and email management.

Here are some job ideas for virtual assistants.

1. Boldly

At Boldly, you can get a job as a virtual assistant, marketer, or writer, depending on your experience. What Boldly does is to match your skillset with employers looking for talent online. You’re paid on an hourly basis with no contract, which is great if you’re looking for freelance-based work.

2. 24/7 Virtual Assistant

No experience? No worries. At 24/7 Virtual Assistant, all you need are basic skills like research, email, and PowerPoint. Since this company has clients all over the world, make sure to update your resume if you speak other languages besides English.

3. Fancy Hands

Fancy Hands has thousands of clients looking for virtual assistants who can do simple tasks like making phone calls, tracking down the cheapest price of a product or service…or even making restaurant reservations! Since they’re looking for staff who can be online 24/7, you can pick a schedule that’s perfect for you (whether that’s 9am, 4am, or whatever time you’re free).

4. Vicky Virtual

Love spending time on the phone? At Vicky Virtual, your job will be to answer the phone for small business owners who are too busy to pick up themselves. You’ll be answering customer questions, upselling, delighting callers so they convert into fans, and using your empathy and great communication skills to build strong customer-brand relationships. Requirements don’t go beyond U.S. residency, a good computer, and stable internet connection.

5. VaVa Virtual Assistants

VaVa Virtual Assistants is great if you have an extra set of skills like web development or digital marketing. If you have experience in management, you can also apply for their account manager position. (Knowledge on using Google Suite, Microsoft, Slack, and Basecamp is a plus.)

10. Bonus: The Best Freelance Marketplaces to Take Your Talent

If you have a special talent and want to market yourself on your own terms, here are excellent freelance marketplaces to try.

All you need to do is create an attractive portfolio, and you can negotiate with potential clients directly.

1. Upwork

Upwork is the perfect place to land freelance-based gigs with real clients, if you’re just starting out. Don’t stay here long-term, because the project fees the platform takes from your paychecks are 20% of what new clients pay you – rather steep for a platform cut. However, the trade-off is that it takes five minutes to complete your profile and begin searching for paying gigs.  

2. Fiverr

On Fiverr, you can find all kinds of freelance jobs from data entry to logo design, translation to SEO. Simply create a profile and list your “gigs” and buyers will contact you if they’re interested in what you’re offering. Note, though, that Fiverr takes 20% off whatever clients pay you. It’s great if you’re just starting out and building experience, but again, don’t plan to stay here unless you’re okay with that deep cut.

3. FlexJobs

FlexJobs is a huge platform serving over 49,000 companies worldwide. There are over 50 career categories, so chances are you’ll find the job to match your expertise. The platform does require monthly membership ($14.95 per month), but that’s to ensure they have a staff of hardworking professionals spending 100 hours a day weeding out scam postings.

4. Indeed

Indeed has been around since 2004, and it’s available in 60 countries. To get started on Indeed, simply post your resume on the site and wait for your ideal client to contact you. You can also use the search bar and use keywords to find jobs posted by employers.

5. Glassdoor

Glassdoor has a wide variety of tools for job seekers. You can use it to search average salaries, read reviews written by company employees, and search job posts. However, Glassdoor doesn’t provide a way for employers to find jobseekers, so it’s up to you to reach out if you’re interested in applying for a job.

6. Guru

Guru has hundreds of thousands of jobs available. You can find categories like sales and marketing, writing and translation, and design and art.

7. Freedom with Writing

Freedom with Writing is a resource for more advanced writers. When you sign up, you get email newsletters delivered straight to your inbox. These newsletters list writing gigs for magazines, short story contests, and more. (Payment for each gig depends, but there are gigs that go up to $5,000).

The Best Home-Based Jobs for the New World

home based jobs quote

Yes, the world has changed.

A large number of savvy professionals have lost their careers.

But this doesn’t mean you’ve lost your talent and skills.

And when you further hone them and take them to the online world, you’ll be surprised to find how many jobs match what you can do.

Now is the time to level up your skills so you can seamlessly transition to the world of home-based, digital jobs. Invest in your SEO content writing skills and become an in-demand freelancer by enrolling in the Expert SEO Content Writer course.

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