Industry Insights
Industry Insights
SCOPE News
Friddy Hoegener
09 October 2020
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that the ability to earn a living from home is an invaluable career skill. Maybe you’re tired of your long commute, or maybe you have a frontline job that puts your family at risk. Whatever your motivation is, transitioning to a remote-work career can bring a sense of freedom and control to your day - long after the circumstances of 2020 are behind us.
Since the dawn of the internet, remote-work gurus have made a killing tantalizing people with courses designed to mimic their often fleeting path to riches. Millions of people have been pulled into these kooky schemes, only to come out on the other end with no useful online career skills, no online income, and perhaps even more debt. Below we’ll dive into 3 simple ways to actually develop a marketable remote-work skill so you can begin generating income from home quickly - and without any upfront monetary investment.
In the old days, copywriting (which can include everything from newsletters to website content and email marketing campaigns) was an inside job. This means that companies hired full-time copywriting staff to handle all the general written content and content marketing associated with their business. In the internet age, all that has changed. You can become a remote, freelance copywriter with very little experience. To begin, you may want to start writing with a hosting platform that will funnel clients to you directly. This is the easiest way to get your feet wet and make sure this career path is one you want to pursue. Just like any new career skill, you’ll be starting at the bottom while you learn the trade, so be prepared to have your initial pay be somewhat low. However, with time, you can brand yourself as a niche expert and begin acquiring your own clients - leaving the “content mill” forever.
So maybe you hate writing, but love reading. Instead of working in content creation, there’s a huge need for people willing to edit and proofread other people’s work. Writers are often bogged down with deadlines and multiple projects, and companies will often want to outsource their editing just as they outsource their writing. There tons of free courses to introduce you to proofreading and editing. Check out proofread anywhere reviews here. With courses like these, you can dip your toe into the realm of niche proofreading in areas like court transcriptions and more. Once you get a feel for it, a whole world of possibilities can open up for you!
Love helping people? Online teaching may be for you. Many companies will require a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in order to teach for them, but standards can vary throughout the industry. You can teach English to non-native speakers, or help a high school student with their chemistry. Whatever your favorite subject, you’re sure to find someone willing to pay you to help them with it online. And don’t worry about trying to find them on your own, there are tons of online teaching platforms that will supply you with students.
With the events of 2020, the value of having a marketable online skill has never been clearer. Start small by learning one of the trades above, and soon you may find yourself able to leave that old 9-5 behind!
Friddy Hoegener
09 October 2020