What career can you work from home?

Working from home is a hot topic, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced millions to work from home. Many employers have since realized that their workforce is productive from home, that a large, expensive office building isn’t necessary for work to be completed, and have since made remote and work from home positions permanent. This is good news for people looking to work from home – more of these positions may now be available.

More commonly found work from home careers are customer service representation, technical support work, website development or design, online teaching, virtual assistance, medical transcription, and transcriptionist work for other industries, writing-centered careers, and accounting positions. With the advent of telemedicine and online platforms for doctors, nurses, and therapists, a medical career may at least, in part, happen in the work-from-home setting.

Customer service representatives assist customers with problems with various companies, helping them over the phone or via video. Entry-level salaries can vary but may range between $12 and $15 per hour. Website development and design work can be more independent. You may work for yourself and set your own rates or take freelance work through websites that connect people needing to hire your expertise. Some positions in this field are available through companies that provide this service as well. Salaries can vary.

Some online platforms hire you to teach courses online if you’re a teacher or have an educational experience. This might include teaching a language online or teaching in a skill you have, or it may involve online tutoring. Salary can vary depending on if you freelance or work through a larger company that provides these services. Virtual assistance takes on administrative work like managing calendars, conducting research, or creating invoices. The amount of expertise you have in the tasks a particular professional requires dictates how much you’re likely to earn in a virtual assistant position.

Transcription work may require training, and salaries for this work can vary depending on your experience. Writing freelance, creating copy for specific industries, proofreading, or copy editing are just some of the writing center career options that can be done from home. Accountants and accounting firms often provide virtual service to clients, and if you are experienced in accounting, such a position may provide you with a work-from-home opportunity.

As with any work, your expertise, the field itself, and competition in the field will influence the amount you can earn in a given position. If you’re curious about exploring these options, join some work-from-home job boards online, and consider speaking with a career counselor about work-from-home options.