Demand for home-based jobs is on the rise since technology has allowed us to work from anywhere that has an internet connection. Besides better work-life balance, working from home is also proven to increase employee productivity as less time is wasted in unnecessary meetings and water-cooler gossip. If you are looking for employment in the technical field that allows remote work, consider the 5 following home-based jobs:
Technical support
Call centers constantly look for technical support staff, regardless of their location. Companies usually have a system in place so that you can take customers’ calls, resolve issues and answer their questions right from your home. Technical support and call center jobs however do not offer a lot of time flexibility as you have to work in shifts. The advantage is that you get to choose the shifts that are the most suitable for your schedule upfront.
Web design and development
In this age of technology, every “mom and pop” business needs to establish an online presence, at least through a simple website, which results in increasing demand for web designers and developers. If you have acquired solid experience and knowledge in web development, you are professionally irresistible to employers worldwide. Web developers can choose to work as freelancers, in a high tech company or a multimedia agency.
Software programming
Software programming has and will still be field with high labor demand. A quick search on Indeed.com or Careerjet reveals hundreds of companies looking for home-based programming staff. Programming is also among the highest paid home-based jobs as it requires specialized knowledge and training. Even though there are a few companies looking for freelancing programmers to build software applications, most programmers work for agencies and companies developing their own applications. In addition to freelancing platforms such as Elance and Odesk (now Upwork), you can find home-based programming positions in job boards such as FlexJobs, WeWorkRemotely or straight from companies’ websites.
Technical writer
Technical writers typically write user manuals, software tutorials, white papers and articles on technology trends and news. This type of job is perfect if you have technical skills and a knack for writing. Not all writers possess technical knowledge and skills, therefore this is still an open niche with a lot of opportunities. You can either apply for technical writing positions from writing agencies, big technology blogs, magazines or traditional job boards. Be creative with Google searches, for example a simple search for “tech tutorials” AND “write for us” generates a good list of websites that are looking for writers for technical tutorials.
Technical tutor/teacher
Your technical skills are a great asset to leverage, and if you can communicate in a concise, easy-to-understand manner and enjoy sharing knowledge to others, there is an endless supply of home-based jobs for you. You can teach others to use advanced programs such as Illustrator or Photoshop, offer programming tutoring sessions and courses. Platforms such as Udemy, Codementor and Skillshare are great places to get your online teaching career started.
The 5 home-based jobs above are only a starting point to help you kick start your work-from-home job search. Technical skills are always needed in various industries and thanks to technology development, now you can offer your hard-earned skills to companies that need them the most, regardless of location and at the same time enjoy the work-life balance you have always dreamt of.