5 Work from Home Jobs

Almost every day, I am grateful that I am able to work from home. I have a great work from home job that provides my family with the necessities of life. And I can do it on my own schedule, and on my own terms. I’m not the only one who can enjoy a work from home job, though, technology and the Internet make it possible for more people than ever to telecommute or to start their own businesses from the comforts of a home office.

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Here are 5 work from home jobs that almost anyone can do:

1. Customer Support

With the right equipment installed in your home, it’s possible for you to become a work at home customer support specialist. JetBlue was one of the first companies to set up work from home customer support, but it’s not the only company. Convergys offers call center workers the chance to work from home, and there are other companies that offer work at home opportunities for those working in customer service and support.

2. Direct Sales

Sometimes I feel as though my state is the capital of direct sales. I live in a neighborhood in which the number of people involved in direct sales as a home business exceeds my ability to count on my fingers. These types of jobs can be great for those who have particular hobbies, or who want to buy certain products at a discount. Get what you’re interested in at a discount, and make some money on the side.

Direct sales can work well if you understand the challenges involved, and if you are willing to make the initial investment of money and time. For many of the people I know, direct sales has been a good job that provides extra income, but you do have to be careful, since some direct sales “opportunities” are little more than scams.

3. Virtual Assistant

You can be an assistant remotely. It’s possible to work for “the man” as a virtual assistant, pulling down a regular salary, and working from home. There are a number of tools and apps that make it possible for an assistant to be almost as effective at a distance as he or she is in person. Virtual assisting is one of the low-cost home business ideas you can start quickly and easily. It’s possible to perform administrative tasks for more than one client when you do it from your home office.

4. Marketer

Marketing is about more than just putting together a campaign in a boardroom somewhere. These days, marketing involves the Internet and social media. You can perform marketing functions from home in many cases. From preparing and sending out press releases, to sharing stuff online, it’s possible for you to do the job of a marketing campaign manager from your home office.

In some cases, you might have to go into the office once or twice a week for special meetings and coordination, but for many marketers, being constantly on site just isn’t necessary. If your company won’t let you participate by telecommuting a few times a week, you can consider going solo and starting a business as a marketing consultant. Then you can work your own hours and build up a client base.

5. Teaching

My husband teaches online classes for the local university. I have an aunt who teaches for an online public charter school. It’s possible for you to hold a job as a teacher from your home office. Online academies are popping up for parents who want a nice mix of homeschooling and structured curriculum. Many universities are offering online classes to students who want more flexibility. These trends are leading to a demand for teachers capable of using the Internet.

If you are a qualified teacher, it’s possible for you to get a job teaching online classes for accredited institutions.

With a little thought and creativity, it’s possible for you to do a number of formerly face-to-face jobs from home. What other work from home jobs can you come up with?

Miranda Marquit

Miranda is a professional personal finance journalist. She is a contributor for several personal finance web sites. Her work has been mentioned in and linked to from, USA Today, The Huffington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications. She also has her own blog at Miranda Marquit.