Just 10 years ago, working at home was a relatively new concept. However, with an increasingly fast internet and a growing number of companies offering remote work, parents can find plenty of online jobs that can be completed from a home office.
Do these jobs really pay?
Yes, they do! That said, for some gigs, you will have to be flexible about when you receive the payments. At the very least, you can expect one payment per month, while the best companies pay weekly or bi-weekly.
Okay, sounds good! What type of jobs can I expect to find?
Great question. Here are 10 great online choices:
1. A Work-at-Home Mainstay: Tutors
If you have spare time and sought-after skills, tutoring might be the right option. Sometimes you are not even required to have a degree, believe it or not. Many companies only require applicants to pass tests to prove expertise in their chosen fields.
Once you are approved, you will undergo a practice session during which you tutor a staff member. After passing the practice sessions, you will be able to choose your schedule based on the needs of your students.
2. Life as a Graphic Designer
Designing graphics for use on a website or for print purposes will require proficiency in the use of Adobe software, such as Photoshop or Illustrator. For multimedia, you will often use Adobe Premiere or After Effects to create motion graphics.
To compete for jobs, you will need to have a portfolio of your current work. For many companies, the portfolio and software proficiency is more important than your formal education.
So, self-taught graphic designers can compete for lucrative jobs. The best part is that you can learn the required skills absolutely free through a variety of YouTube tutorials!
3. Online Writing Jobs for Stay at Home Parents
Content writing is one of the jobs projected to remain steady or increase over the next few years. That said, to make a sufficient living as a freelance writer, you should be able to type 60 words per minute and write in-depth on a variety of subjects.
Of course, the content varies. But, if you are a relative expert on at least one subject, you can often find a company with content demands that fit your niche.
Also, you will do well if you know a little about SEO. That’s because most of the writing you do will end up on someone’s site.
Being able to fill requests for SEO will help people’s content reach the top of Google search results. That’s something every web administrator needs.
Of course, freelance writing might also involve starting a blog. If this is the case, you need to either write SEO-optimized content or hire someone to do it.
With a blog in mind, you should know how to use or be able to create the following things:
- Different ways to use short-form and long-form content
- SEO content that reads naturally
- HTML tags
- Metadata
Finally, in order to be considered for online writing jobs, you will need a portfolio or references of work you have ghostwritten. However, not all companies require a portfolio. There are some who will give you a writing prompt as a test to evaluate your writing.
4. Are You an Extrovert? Be a Social Media Specialist
When it comes to social media, helping other people reach as many people as possible is your goal as a social media specialist. If you are outgoing and love to connect with people, then this position might be a great fit for you.
You need to know how to use sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Also, learn to create videos that have an impact to build brand loyalty on social media.
5. Web Designer Jobs for Stay at Home Parents
In terms of web design, you need to know more about social marketing and sales than actual design. The reason is that most websites are made using templates, and modern templates are more like apps.
The coding that goes into them is very complex and requires a designer to have functional knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. That said, you need very little technical knowledge to be a web designer!
You might be a little dubious about this statement. However, most programmers design templates, and their primary job is providing customer service to their clients.
That could be you. For instance, once a template is done, the programmer’s job is to help people like you implement the template and customize it.
As an independent remote designer, your job is to sell design services. With every design sale, you install the template and modify it to match the client’s needs. If you also do content writing and graphic design, you will have most of the skills you need to make a great income.
Of course, if you want a position as an actual remote web designer who codes templates, you will need to know the aforementioned coding languages. You will also want to create a profile of your work for prospective employers. As this is one of the hottest industries, you can grow it as large or keep it as small as you want.
6. Helping People as a Health Coach
As a health coach, you will assist people with both nutrition and fitness. In terms of nutrition, you will educate people on how to make healthy meal choices and how certain foods impact overall health.
In terms of exercise, depending on your experience, you can use teleconferencing to oversee people’s exercise routines and provide answers to their questions. You might also provide coaching on yoga or meditation.
Most companies look for applicants who meet the basic fitness and education requirements. They want someone versed in customer service to provide ongoing support for fitness clients attempting to reach individual health goals.
If you are a work-from-home parent with a background in fitness or nutrition, this remote job could be right for you. It offers regular income and job security based on excellent customer service.
7. Real Estate Agent
As a realtor, you can enjoy one of the time-tested paths toward financial stability and independence. One benefit of this job choice is that anyone can take on this role. It requires some preliminary certification, and a lot of people-oriented work.
In terms of the certification, you can obtain your license in the state or province where you live. Ideally, you will purchase a licensing-preparation package that includes sample tests to improve the chances of passing the exam.
You can then study at your own in-home pace and sign up to take the exam in-between making breakfasts and homeschooling your ids.
Once you are licensed, you will want to apply to various local or national brokers. Once you apply, the interview process and hiring decision typically happens within 30 days. As a remote sales agent, you will have to maintain an online profile and begin pursuing leads.
As a beginning agent, consider working with a mentor for guidance. You will be responsible for generating leads or following up on leads that come through online markets, such as Realtor.com or Zillow.com.
Although this profession is a work-from-home position, it usually requires traveling to homes and showing them to potential buyers. That said, online home viewings are already becoming more popular. That is why it’s included on this list of online jobs for stay at home parents.
Tips to Do Well as a Realtor
Top tips for new realtors to successfully land clients include:
- Dress professionally
- Do research on comparables to provide prospects with an immediate estimate on the listing price
- Be positive in regards to the potential of the home’s sale, even if it requires renos
- Have all the contractual paperwork with you
- Answer questions about what the seller can do to improve the chances of selling the home for the best price
- Let sellers know you have a network of people who can help them with improvements or repairs
- Join a remote Chamber of Commerce
- Stay on top of online listings and contact FSBO listings
As with anything, the secret is good customer service. Those who do well in this area of employment love the local area and enjoy helping people sell their homes.
If you are good with completing contracts and maintaining tight schedules, you can make a significant income. There is a lot of job satisfaction in finding the right houses for people too.
8. Online Bookkeeper Jobs for Stay at Home Parents:
A bookkeeper can offer accounting services to startups or established mid-sized businesses. In this role, you would help people prepare taxes, pay vendors, and maintain accounts receivables. Being proficient in QuickBooks or another type accounting software, as well as Excel, is essential.
Your skills should include excellent customer service too while on the phone with vendors and clients regarding accounts. Finally, if you have a rudimentary knowledge of online tax filings, you will be able to provide comprehensive services to people who do not want to hire a CPA.
9. Sell Hand-Crafted Items on Amazon, Etsy, or eBay
One of the best online jobs for stay at home parents is one you can create yourself. That is, selling your stuff or commercializing your ability to find or make stuff. For instance, if you are a crafty, you can sell your goods on Etsy and Amazon.
Creating a shop on Amazon also opens up the possibility of offering an affiliate program later. That means you would pay a commission to others who can sell your products and gain more sales overall with their help.
On Etsy, as an artisan, you can sell crafts and even reach retail outlets via the platform’s wholesaler program. If you also create a website and post SEO content, search engines will gradually find you.
Once the search engines find your shop, you can gradually build up a stream of visitors to your sales pages. As traffic to your Etsy site increases, you can eventually start a waitlist for handmade products.
As an eBay seller, you can find items to buy and then sell on Craigslist or Facebook groups. If you also keep apprised of what is selling on eBay, you will know what products move and which ones take longer to sell there.
The only real requirement is to buy a collector’s handbook or a price guide. With a price guide, you will know how to buy low and sell at a markup. Additionally, if you have room to keep your inventory, you can easily set up a process to fulfill orders and make room for more.
10. Get Multiple Revenue Streams as a Photographer
As a photographer, you can earn an excellent income through fun and creative revenue streams. For instance, you can learn to sell stock photos on sites like Dreamstime.com as one of your stay at home jobs. These types of sites specialize in images that people might use on their websites or videos.
Consequently, instead of photographing things, you will want to learn how to take photographs of concepts, such as success, happiness, or frustration. For instance, someone raising their hands in joy might convey success. The photo might be used as a background for a website promoting test-taking.
Frustration might be a frowning person with folded arms folded. The picture might be used on a site that portrays people with anger problems. In either case, the idea is to take photos in such a way that websites can then use to promote or sell their products, services, or ideas.
Of course, traditional photography can result in commercial artwork, which you can sell on various art sites. You will need to be versed in photography concepts, such as composition and lighting.
Another opportunity is traditional wedding photography. Find clients by promoting your portfolio and meet with them easily via teleconferencing software.
As a photographer, broaden your services by learning about 360-degree photography. That can be used for reunions, weddings, or birthdays. Finally, traditional portrait photography is alive and well, as is the business of senior portraits.
Even though some families might be hesitant to send their child to a studio due to health concerns, you can social distance using the right camera equipment. Then, you’re able to establish a healthy and profitable niche.
Additional Considerations
Working from home means using your own equipment. So, before applying for any jobs, make sure your equipment meets the established standards. Some examples are:
- Web camera: Minimum resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels
- Internet speed: 5MB to 10MB per second download speeds
- Computer with 16GB of RAM
- A 17-inch screen for best visibility
- Nvidia graphics card for graphic design jobs
- PayPal account for online payments
Pitfalls to Avoid: Online Jobs for Stay at Home Parents
When looking for online employment, it is important to remember that some jobs are just plain scams. Before applying to any job, do your due diligence to ensure the company is legit. This process involves:
- Read reviews on the company
- Avoid jobs that require you to compete for pay
- Don’t agree to jobs that require you to submit work that may or may not be purchased from a customer
- Avoid jobs that require some type of financial payment
- Put off purchasing any type of equipment that you cannot return until you obtain a particular job
Looking for more stay at home jobs? Check out what creating a virtual insurance agency involves – It might be right for you!