Last updated: April 22nd, 2024
I dislike TED talks. Mainly because TED has become a mouthpiece for narrowly curated neo-liberal propaganda while pretending to be a brand that embraces – and champions – the full spectrum of thought.
But recently, I watched a cool TED talk by the CEO of Expert 360, Bridget Loudon, who provided a refreshingly apolitical analysis of the Australian work culture, its origins and future.
- No feel-good personal development gibberish. No trigger warnings. No gender pronoun debates.
Instead, she pointed out that it wasn’t until 200 years ago, during the Industrial Revolution, that we started putting rigid structures around how work could – and couldn’t – get done.
She painted her vision for a more flexible, more – dare I say – natural approach to work. One that offers people the freedom to plug into, and plug out of, our economic opportunities, as required.
(Related: 13 Best Home Business Ideas).
What Are The Best Work From Home Jobs?
Regardless of whether you think Loudon’s vision will come to fruition, the pandemic has invited people’s curiosity about, and acceptance of, remote, flexible, freelance-type gigs.
Granted, many of those people are corporate folks whose jobs were hurriedly reconfigured into work-from-home-friendly formats. The jury is still out on the long-term sustainability of that move.
In case you are “WFH curious”, and your employer has refused to offer a work-from-home option, we’ve compiled this list of the best work-from-home jobs you should put on your radar.
(Related: 7 Benefits Of Working From Home).
1. Salesperson.
Technology has put many Australian jobs at risk, but sales jobs have remained bulletproof – because customers almost always want human interaction before purchasing high-ticket items.
As someone who has hired several salespeople for our businesses, I know that great rainmakers are always in high demand, across all sectors.
- You can sell anything from enterprise SaaS software to CV writing services from the comfort of your own home.
In addition, sales is a job that lends itself very well to the work-from-home format.
Money is good, too.
How Much Dough?
Expect to make well over $100,000 per year. Hone your skills, pick a good niche (I’m looking at you, medical devices), and you can walk away with $500,000.
(Related: Best Standing Desk For Your WFH Setup).
2. Content Creator.
The demand for quality written content is huge. Content writers will find ample work-from-home opportunities on freelance platforms like People Per Hour and UpWork.
Your earnings will depend on your ability to write well, and quickly.
Most junior content writers charge between 3 and 10 cents per word, which can translate to about $30-40 per hour.
Caution!
The Internet doesn’t need another mediocre content writer.
You’re much better off honing your writing, journalistic and editorial skills, so that you can command the best rates.
Mid-range writers earn between 20 and 40 cents per word, while established journalists with strong track records can earn up to $1 per word, typing away from the comfort of their own homes.
(Related: Your Job Prospects in Sydney vs Melbourne).
3. Virtual Assistant.
Virtual assistants are responsible for helping entrepreneurs and managers with scheduling, creating, and editing documents, managing databases and spreadsheets, and so on.
- It’s a great work-from-home job for someone who likes to keep the proverbial trains running on time.
The downside is that jobs in the VA sector are prone to offshoring. It’s possible to hire a very good VA in the Philippines who is fluent in English for less than $3/hr.
To counter this – and to earn a high wage – think of yourself as your boss’ right hand – a “mini business manager”, rather than just an assistant. Find ways to add value in ways that go above and beyond the admin.
Expert Tip.
Upskill yourself with the ability to use industry-standard CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot.
Read business magazines like the Harvard Business Review, CIO and Human Resources Director to improve your understanding of business strategy. Get a firm grasp of analytics and data by completing courses on Udemy.
(Related: Remote Work Resources For People With Disabilities).
4. Day Trader.
“C’mon. It’s not a job”, I hear you say.
You’re technically right, but I’ve known a few people who have paid off their mortgages and put kids through private schools by investing in stocks, trading forex or growing their cryptocurrency portfolio.
What does it take to succeed?
Important!
Long-term thinking is #1. Stock and forex trading are not games that you master overnight.
Apart from that, you need to be the type of person who:
- Has a voracious appetite for knowledge
- Is more logical than emotional
If you tick those boxes and have the luxury of not needing to make money in the short term, this is one of the better WFH jobs out there.
5. Accountant/Bookkeeper.
As with VAs, accounting and bookkeeping jobs are also in increased demand. But to be competitive, ask yourself – what additional value can you provide beyond basic number crunching?
- Do you have evidence of helping other organisations make money?
- Have you built processes that minimised risk or saved money?
Be specific and clear about how you have made measurable differences.
6. Resume Writer.
Companies I’m involved with have written over 7,000 resumes over the past 10 years, and we have hired over 50 resume writers along the way, so we know a thing or two about being a resume writer.
Almost 100% of resume writers work from home.
Important!
A word of warning – it’s not an easy job.
As a resume writer, you’re not hired to slap some generic words on a page. You’re responsible for determining the course of a person’s career trajectory – and their life.
It’s a big responsibility.
- To do this job successfully, you need to be articulate, smart, business-savvy, organised, curious, able to wrangle clients and – last, but not least – a great writer.
Sounds like you? Before you take the plunge, read about the most common pitfalls on the path to becoming a resume writer.
(Related Article: Best Home Office Chair For All-Day Comfort).
7. English Tutor.
China, with its 1.4 billion people, is interested in ensuring that its future generation speaks English.
This desire has triggered a huge uptick in demand for English tutors, who can work from home and earn a very decent wage by teaching Chinese kids how to speak English online.
Expert Tip.
The good news is that you don’t need to be a qualified teacher. Platforms like VIPKid allow you to start working with very few barriers.
8. E-Commerce Developer.
The global pandemic caused a lot of damage to brick-and-mortar retail stores. But, as we learned in high school physics, every action has an opposite and equal reaction – and the stores quickly moved online.
Computer Economics reports that this shift has significantly increased the demand for web developers specialising in e-commerce.
9. Live Chat Operator.
Have you noticed that almost every retailer’s website has a live chat button these days?
Behind that button is an army of customer support operators who – you guessed it – work from home.
Interested in this job?
- You will need strong communication skills. More importantly, you’ll need the ability to placate frustrated people using your emotional intelligence.
Online customers like to take their frustration out on live chat operators, so it’s not a job for hot-headed people who like to snap back.
10. Telehealth Professional.
Have you noticed the huge spike in esoteric afflictions? Everyone these days seems to be gluten, dairy, FODMAP, grain or lectin-intolerant.
Not everyone is faking it to look cool or feel special.
- Many people are struggling with issues that mainstream medicine can’t fix – and an army of naturopaths and holistic doctors are scrambling to help.
A lot of them work from home by providing consultations via online means.
Want to join them? You’ll need to build your brand first or join an established clinic.
Either way, you’ll need to establish a huge amount of credibility first, as you will be helping people solve complex health challenges that left everyday doctors scratching their heads. And that’s something, right?
(Related: Ultimate Guide To Building Your Home Office Setup).
Are Full-Time Jobs Dead?
Probably not, but this doesn’t stop people from predicting their demise. Watch Bridget’s TED talk to decide for yourself:
– Steven
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