If you have been stuck inside due to the coronavirus then you have experienced the lull that is working or sitting around at home waiting for the world to open up again. Note this important distinction. Remote work isn’t segregated to just your home. A home base is just the most common location for remote work, especially in 2020.
However, remote work can be done from anywhere. You could be writing a report from the comfort of your lounge room in your pajamas or take an important call while taking your dog for a walk around the block. You could give a presentation from your dining room. The point is that the work gets done.
Remote work means that there usually isn’t a central office for the purpose of the position, which opens up a lot of flexibility and opportunity for a number of occupations that don’t require employees to be in one particular place to complete their tasks.
There are plenty of jobs that are available to anyone who wants one in the remote work sectors. The only thing that is usually required is a computer with a strong internet connection, and perhaps buying a number of software programs or investing in digital apps that allow you to work from home while also staying connected to colleagues virtually.
Can anyone do remote work?
Many of the jobs are focused in the tech sector. This is good and bad for the general public. It does mean that you will need to know a few extra skills, but there is guaranteed job security in the tech sector. Further, if you wanted to transition into a non-remote position, your tech education and experience will easily land you a job in any number of companies that are improving and developing their tech departments. For a list of example remote positions the five jobs from home listed below are a great place to start your search.
1. Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant isn’t like being an in-person assistant. Instead you will be helping any number of people with their digital work and online requirements. It could be that you help people apply for jobs on a jobs board. It could be that you are an executive assistant to a mobile business manager. You could be more like an administrative assistant without an office to a remote manager. These jobs require you to have excellent creative communication skills and critical thinking skills. It could also mandate you be proficient in certain software programs like Excel or Powerpoint. If you have a flexible schedule and are able to work in multiple time zones, then this may be perfect for you.
2. Web Developer
As a web developer you would work on some aspect of websites. It could be that you learn to build them from start to finish. It could be that you only work on the backend or the frontend of a massive infrastructure. Regardless of the type of work, you could easily work from home as long as you had the equipment to power this type of coding. Experience is key in this market and landing clients is a whole different story. But, if you work at it, you could manage your own small or local web development company catering to clients that don’t know how to build a website for themselves.
3. Travel Agent
Do you know how to fly to Iceland for the cheapest fare? What is the best time of year to travel to Europe? Can you tell me the trends of travel to the best beaches? If so then you should be sharing this skill with the world. There are plenty of websites that allow you to book travel arrangements. However, few of those sites tell you if you are getting a good deal. Instead, a travel agent finds the best deals and advises clients on how to travel on a shoestring to the best places, giving you a personalized experience when making a booking.
4. Freelance Writer
With the growing popularity of online content more and more companies require consistently developed content on their websites and blogs. Not all companies have in-house writers and the pandemic has opened up more opportunities in this area for writers. It generally requires being in front of your computer for long periods of time doing research, pitching and writing articles, procuring sources for your pieces, and having certain communication tools like Slack, Gmail, Whatsapp and more to communicate with the rest of your virtual team. Many writing jobs center around deadlines and timeliness.
5. Social Media Manager
Just like blog articles, most companies have a dedicated social media account. Some of the more progressive and larger companies have social media managers, but not all. If that is the case, they will need someone to help manage the accounts. This includes posting, outreach, and growth management. You would be responsible for growing the social media accounts and managing all outreach to influencers, fans, questions, and other competitors. A number of large companies now look to social media and influencers for more cost-effective marketing strategies.
These are just 5 virtual jobs to consider in your work-from-home job search. But with the world the way it is right now, it is a great time to take advantage of the virtual job landscape that can offer flexibility, financial independence, and potentially new skills.
