Here are some tips and resources for getting started either finding a work at home job or starting your own home-based business as a work-at-home parent.

Please note: I have not personally used all of these sites, so I would advise doing your research before signing up for any of them to make sure they will be a good fit for you.

Find a new employer that will allow you to work from home

The internet is the most common way to job search in today’s world. However, you can always check local newspapers and drop off resumes at businesses you’re interested in working at. Place phone calls with companies, both local and farther away, that you would like to work for and inquire about the possibility of working remotely.

Here are some online resources for job searching:

Finally, I wanted to mention one of the most effective resources for finding work in your field: Networking. Who do you have connections with? Find their contact information and place a phone call to find out if they have any openings (or if they know of anyone who does). You might be surprised how far your personal connections can get you!

Freelance writer

This is how I got started working from home. You can get started by applying for various content writing websites. The pay isn’t always great, but it’s a good place to start and get your feet wet. Here are some sites to check out:

When you are ready to start earning more, you can always look for your own clients. You will definitely need to have an ‘authority site’ such as a website or blog to serve as a portfolio of your work. You will also be responsible for marketing your own services (or hiring someone to do it for you). There is a multitude of ways to do so, from advertising to gaining visibility via interviews, guest blogging on other sites, and so on.

Editor or proofreader

Another way you can make money at home is by editing or proofreading documents, either on a freelance basis or for another company. Here are some resources to check out:

Blogger

Believe it or not, blogging isn’t just a hobby anymore — it can be a profitable business. There are numerous ways to monetize a blog, from ads to affiliate revenue and sponsored posts….

I just launched my blog The Writer Mom (find us at https://writermomforhire.com) last summer after taking the 5 Day Start a Money Making Blog Crash Course (click here to sign up for FREE!) as well as the 30 Day Blogging Blastoff, which is run by Pete and Heather Reese of the blog It’s a Lovely Life.

The 30 day course is a premium e-course that they run each month, so if you’re serious about starting a profitable blog, I strongly recommend signing up for next month’s course once it’s available.

The course walks you through the process of starting a blog step-by-step. You will get a TON of valuable information and resources for choosing a profitable niche, building a beautiful website, monetizing your blog, promoting your posts, and even templates for pitching brands you want to work with as well as templates for the legal pages you need to have on your blog.

This course is a must-have for bloggers who want to make money doing what they love. Yes, it is a small investment but, remember, if you are serious about starting a business, you are going to have to invest a little bit of money up front. (It’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of starting a brick-and-mortar business.)

Follow this link to find It’s a Lovely Life on Teachable and sign up for their courses.

Online course instructor

We all have knowledge to share. What are you passionate about that you would like to share with the world? Think about what you can teach others through an online course. Here are some category ideas:

  • Language
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Crafting
  • Marketing
  • Photography
  • Videography
  • Architecture
  • Interior Design
  • Web Design/Development
  • Communications
  • Business
  • Sales

And so on….

Keep in mind that these categories are very broad in scope. The key to creating a profitable course is to narrow down the topic as much as you can. It should solve a very specific problem.

For example:

Photography > Baby Photography > Learn How to Create Memorable Newborn Photo Shoots

Communications > Novel Writing > Write an Entire Novel in 30 Days

Language > French > Crash Course in the French Language Basics

Another thing to consider is which platform you will use to publish your online course. Teachable is one of the best — you can set your own pricing and upload different forms of media, including video and audio. Plus, Teachable provides a lot of learning resources for course creators.

Follow this link to get started creating your course today!

Affiliate marketer

Affiliate Marketing is essentially selling someone else’s product, from which you will earn a commission. There are tons of affiliate networks and programs you can join:

There are various platforms to promote these products, from your own websites to social media sites (be sure to check their policies before posting affiliate links to social media!). A safe practice would be to first write a blog post about this product, then share the blog post on social media.

E-book writer

Have you always dreamed about writing your own book? Well, today it is easier than ever — not only to write a book, but to publish it. Of course, the first step is to write your book. However, before it’s even published, you’re going to want to start promoting it in order to get instant sales once it’s published. You may want to build a landing page where customers can read about your book and sign up to be notified once it’s published.

So, how do you go about publishing it?

There are various platforms to use for publishing e-books:

Graphic Designer

Do you have an eye for design? If so, you might consider offering your services on a freelance basis. Graphic design services include:

  • Logos
  • Graphics for blog posts
  • Graphics for social media
  • Infographics

Here are a few freelance marketplaces to check out:

Photographer / Photo Editor

A work at home photo editor can find freelance gigs using the freelance marketplaces listed under the Graphic Designer segment.

Stock photography is an alternative to offering traditional photography services (weddings, graduation, newborn, etc.). Here is a handful of of stock photography websites to consider:

Videographer / Video Editor

People who are skilled at not only filming great videos, but editing them to make them even better, are considerably valuable. There are people out there who are willing to pay well for someone to edit their videos.

A work at home video editor can find freelance gigs using the freelance marketplaces listed under the Graphic Designer segment.

Virtual assistant

If you’re skilled in a few different areas that can be utilized to help business owners from the comfort of your own home, consider becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA). A VA might provide a couple different services such as photo and video editing plus copyweiting — or whichever services they are skilled at. Here are some resources for landing VA gigs:

Social media influencer

A social media influencer is someone with a large social following. Companies will pay you as a social media influencer to promote their brand or products on a social media account with ‘sponsored posts’. Here is a list of influencer networks that can help with finding paid opportunities:

Social media manager

Some business owners are too busy to manage their social accounts, and thus will hire managers to run them. Social media managing can include moderating Facebook groups. Here are a couple resources for finding social media management work:

Direct sales representative

Direct sales is selling products directly to consumers without going through a retail store. Often, sales are made during home and online parties, vendor shows, and catalog sales. There are hundreds of different direct sales companies to choose from. Typically, representatives will pay a small fee for a starter kit. Reps are considered ‘independent consultants’ and are not employees of the companies. Essentially, they are business owners.

Here are some ideas of products sold via direct sales:

  • Jewelry
  • Clothing
  • Makeup
  • Handbags
  • Children’s books
  • Toys
  • Home decor
  • Cleaning products
  • Essential oils
  • Scrapbooking supplies
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee and tea
  • Spices
  • Cutlery
  • Nail designs
  • Pet products
  • Weight loss products
  • Nutritional supplements

If you need help finding a direct sales company to sign up with, please contact me at tonya [at] writermomforhire [dot] com and I will work with you to find a good fit for you.

Resume writer

So many people don’t know how to put together a professional resume. This is where resume writers come in. If you want to polish your resume writing skills and start selling your services, Resume Writing Academy has a certification program. Here are some additional resources for landing resume writing work:

Online English teacher

Of course, you need to be fluent in English to be an online English teacher. Most companies also require a degree as well. However, teaching English online is a great alternative, especially if you are having a hard time finding open teaching positions in a school. Check out these resources for finding online English teaching work:

Online academic tutor

Each program might have different requirements, but they typically require a degree and some experience with teaching/tutoring in order to be accepted as an online academic tutor. However, it could be a great opportunity for someone with the prerequisites who is having a hard time finding work. Here are some websites to help get started with online tutoring:

Academic test scorer

Test scoring is another work from home job to consider. It involves scoring tests and evaluating essays for high school or college students. Here are some sites to try for getting started in academic test scoring:

Data entry specialist

‘Data entry’ sounds technical, but it can be done with little to no previous experience. It is simply the act of entering information into a digital format, such as a spreadsheet or software program. One way to find data entry work is through a service such as FlexJobs. Another option is to start up a Virtual Assistant business and find clients who need someone to perform such tasks. See the Virtual Assistant section for more information about becoming a VA.

Transcriptionist

A transcriptionist listens to audio or video files and turn them into written reports. Transcription work may involve medical, legal, or business information. It helps to have efficient typing skills when doing this type of work.

Here are some websites where you might find transcription jobs:

Running errands/making deliveries

Someone who has a reliable vehicle could run errands, such as picking up groceries, and they could give rides to someone who cannot drive or doesn’t have a vehicle. However, this type of work would probably be easiest to do when there is someone else around to watch the children.

Accountant/bookkeeper

Do you enjoy working with numbers? Work at home parents with an accounting or bookkeeping background might find work with one of these companies:

Chat support specialist

With kids in the house, it can be difficult to make or take phone calls. However, you can still provide support for companies via online chat sessions. Here are some websites that hire people to provide chat support from the comfort of their own homes:

Translator

Are you fluent in a language other than English? You could get paid to work at home as a translator. Someone who is bilingual could find translating work with one of these companies:

Search engine evaluator

A search engine evaluator does just that — evaluates the performance of search engines. Basically, your job is to perform searches and determine whether the results are accurate or not. Here are a couple companies that hire search engine evaluators:

Search engine evaluating is becoming one of the more popular work at home jobs. I’ve never done it, but it sounds pretty easy!

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