Want to work from home this year? These are the skills that are in demand.
Working from home has never been more popular, especially in the aftermath of the recent pandemics — more than half of all employees worldwide work remotely at least once a week, and regular remote work has increased in popularity by 173% since 2005.
Thanks to improved technology and fast internet access, there has never been a greater variety of jobs that can be done from home. More businesses are also recognising that many of their jobs no longer require an office.
We’ve compiled a list of ten of the best jobs and industries where you can advance your career without leaving your house.
If you’re looking for a home-based job, check out our list of the best US job sites, or look into the best freelance opportunities right here.
Writing
Because of the sheer volume and variety of written material required by every industry, writers are always in high demand. And because you only need a PC or laptop to get the job done, writing is an excellent choice for home workers.
Copywriting is a great option for anyone looking to make money in the advertising and marketing industry. People with journalistic skills can pursue careers in reporting, product reviews, or blogging, and editors and proofreaders are always in demand to polish copy.
There is money to be made in technical writing, grant writing for universities, medical organisations, and non-profits, and transcription, in addition to these mainstream writing occupations. In short, if you have a strong command of the written word, you will be able to earn money from home.
Development
The technology industry has long been on the cutting edge of remote and hybrid working arrangements. This is good news for anyone with development or programming skills because it means that more people will be able to work from home.
The web development sector is expected to grow by 8% over the next decade, so if you have the necessary skills — whether in HTML, CSS, or another language — it’s a great move. Similarly, software development is a big deal, and it’s just as lucrative as web development, and jobs like programmers and website testers are popular work-from-home options.
Home-working is an excellent option for this type of task because developers tend to do their best work when they are allowed to focus, and these positions are also among the most lucrative remote work options.
Marketing
Marketing jobs have traditionally relied on the office and close teams, but in the last two years, many of these jobs have been forced to move online. If you’re good at marketing and want to work from home, this is a fantastic opportunity.
As a marketing manager, you can work from home: with a laptop or a PC, you can organise a team, analyse trends, create marketing campaigns, and handle all of your networking needs. If you don’t mind not working for one company, you could work as a self-employed consultant, which is often more lucrative.
Drill down further, and you’ll find specialised marketing positions that can also be done from home. Social media managers can work effectively from home because everything is done online. Similarly, SEO specialists are always in demand, and you could also work in market research because almost all company, industry, and product information is available online.
Design
You can work from home as a designer if you have creative ideas, the necessary qualifications, and a powerful PC or laptop. You’ll be able to find work for companies that need a creative touch, especially in the marketing, media, and advertising industries, whether you want to create logos, magazines, book covers, or advertisements. And, with tools like Zoom and Slack at your disposal, communicating with clients is a breeze.
Photographer
This is yet another excellent option for creatives and photographers. If you have a spare room at home, you can easily convert it into a photography and video studio and earn a good living without leaving the house.
Of course, there’s portrait photography, which is always in high demand from families looking to capture special moments. Aside from that, photographers who work from home can keep a busy schedule by creating product imagery and selling images on stock photo sites. It’s never been easier to make a living as a photographer at home if you have the right equipment and skills.
Voiceover
This option isn’t for everyone, but if you have a smooth, commanding, or distinctive voice, it’s worth thinking about a career or side hustle as a voiceover specialist. There is plenty of work in this field, ranging from traditional acting jobs to voicing commercials, promotional videos, and dubbed media from various countries. The sky’s the limit if you have a good voice and a good microphone.
Customer care
These more traditional jobs are shifting from call centres to people’s homes. If you have a computer, reliable internet access, and excellent communication skills, you’ll be able to find work as a customer service agent in almost any industry.
Because these positions do not require many qualifications, more people can work in them, and if you have technical knowledge, you can also work from home as a technical support specialist. However, keep in mind that these positions typically have more rigid hours and more monitoring than many other home-working roles.
Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping tasks are frequently outsourced by corporate finance teams. If you have previous experience in accounting departments or the necessary qualifications, you can easily find work in a bookkeeping role where you will handle payroll, income, and expense information in addition to other traditional accounting tasks.
To succeed in a bookkeeping job, you’ll need excellent organisational skills and confidence with numbers, but there’s a lot to be said for working from home in this type of role — you can focus on the numbers without being distracted.
Data management
This isn’t the most exciting opportunity, but it is a home-working opportunity that is open to almost anyone, regardless of experience or qualifications. Companies are always looking for people who can handle data-entry tasks, and if you’re willing to accept potentially tedious work, it’s simple to do this work from home.
To make the most of data entry opportunities, you must be tech-savvy, detail-oriented, and organised, but there will be no shortage of home-working opportunities if you are willing to accept this type of work.
Tutoring
Because of technological advancements and the increased likelihood of people staying at home, learning no longer takes place solely in the classroom or lecture theatre. Instead, you can find work as an internet tutor by giving lessons via Zoom, Skype, or other video platforms.
If you have experience and knowledge in a specific subject, you can establish yourself as an online tutor — and if you already have teaching experience, that’s even better. There is also a high demand for English tutors, and people who can teach mainstream Math and Science are always in high demand among parents.
Keep in mind that if you want to work with children, you’ll need the appropriate checks and certificates in place, as well as the relevant qualifications in your chosen subject. Consider working with a staffing agency if you need assistance finding work. When it comes to creating their own schedules, online tutors have a lot of freedom, and you can also sell courses instead of participating in live tutoring sessions via video.
Dante St James is the founder of Clickstarter, a Facebook Blueprint Certified Lead Trainer, a Community Trainer with Facebook Australia, a digital advisor with Business Station, an accredited ASBAS Digital Solutions advisor and presenter, and the editor at The Small Marketer. You can watch free 1-hour webinars and grow your digital skills at Dante’s YouTube Channel.
