12 Jobs You Can Do From Home

Updated September 30, 2022

Depending on your industry, you may have the opportunity to work from home. If you're interested in remote work, also known as telework or telecommuting, it's important to understand the benefits that remote positions provide and the types of opportunities available. In this article, we explain the benefits of doing your job from home with a list of work-from-home opportunities and tips to aid your job search while avoiding online scams.

Related: How To Find a Remote Job

What are the benefits of doing your job from home?

While working from home generally means more flexibility and the ease and comfort of working in your own space, some remote jobs may also come with fewer benefits or lower average salary. Understanding both the pros and cons of working from home can help you decide how to find the right opportunity.

Here are some additional benefits of working from home:

Customized office space

When you work remotely, you can customize your work environment to your liking. As opposed to a traditional office setting that has you in a cubicle, you can create your own office space at home and furnish it as you please and in a way that inspires creativity and productivity. Your company or client may provide equipment, such as a computer, telephone, software, office supplies, etc., but be prepared to supply your own.

Flexible schedule

Working from home often allows you to start and end your workday at your desired times. This gives you the ability to make time for both your job and personal responsibilities or endeavors. Having a flexible schedule can even lead to greater job satisfaction. In some jobs, you may be expected to work standard office hours, but you are usually afforded more flexibility as long as you meet deadlines and productivity goals.

Minimal distractions

Doing your job from home may also allow you to work in a quieter environment free from noise and other distractions. Working with fewer distractions can help increase your productivity and improve the quality of your work. If you can’t avoid distractions from family, pets or outside sources, working from home may not be for you. Also, keep in mind that few distractions translate to fewer watercooler chats or cubicle visits. If you do best with personal interaction, you may consider a hybrid office-home work situation.

Less time commuting

Working from home means you don't have to drive to your workplace. This can help you save money on gas and public transportation while giving you more time to sleep in or start your shift at an earlier time. You may also be able to save time and money on lunch and snacks since your home office offers easier access to your kitchen.

Jobs to do from home

Now that you know the advantages that come from remote work, consider whether you can see yourself doing your job at home. If your current job doesn’t allow for working remotely or from home, you may want to find a new opportunity. If you do, it might be a good time to try something new or that draws on other skills.

To help you narrow your job search, consider these 12 work-from-home positions with their primary duties and average salaries. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed Salaries click on the salary link by each job title below.

1. Call center representative

National average salary: $25,800 per year

Primary duties: Call center representatives serve as the first point of contact for a company's customers. They answer phone calls and assist the caller by answering questions, providing information or redirecting calls to the appropriate person or department

2. Data entry clerk

National average salary: $26,916 per year

Primary duties: Data entry clerks enter or update data in a computer's database. They prepare source data for entry by sorting and compiling necessary information. Data entry clerks also review data for inaccuracies. The company or client may provide computer equipment, but you should be prepared to buy your own.

3. Copy editor

National average salary: $34,970 per year

Primary duties: Copy editors revise written content and improve it for greater readability and accuracy. They also edit it for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. This is usually a very flexible position as long as you meet the client’s requirements and deadlines.

4. Telemarketer

National average salary: $35,184 per year

Primary duties: A telemarketer solicits prospective customers into buying a particular service or product. They do this using a telephone, web conferencing or in a face-to-face conversation. Pay is most often based on the number of calls made or the amount sold.

5. Virtual assistant

National average salary: $37,773 per year

Primary duties: A virtual assistant performs clerical, administrative and technical duties to support their client. They make travel arrangementst, answer emails and phone calls and schedule their client's meetings as needed. Duties are similar to those that would be done in an office setting, except now they’re done from your home office.

6. Tutor

National average salary: $50,544 per year

Primary duties: Tutors assist students with their homework, exam preparation and assigned projects. They help them understand subject areas that give them difficulty and key concepts.

Related: 10 Must-Having Tutoring Skills

7. Senior medical coder

National average salary: $52,770 per year

Primary duties: Senior medical coders convert patient information into standardized code within a health care facility. The code they create gets used in databases and on insurance claims. Senior medical coders also conduct audits and coding reviews. Also, they ensure all code complies with legal requirements and that practitioners get proper reimbursement from various insurance companies.

Related: What Is Medical Coding?

8. Recruiter

National average salary: $56,937 per year

Primary duties: Recruiters use various online platforms to search for prospective job candidates for a company or organization. They create job postings for available positions and interview the most qualified candidates.

Related: How To Be A Good Recruiter

9. Editor

National average salary: $57,364 per year

Primary duties: Editors rewrite written copy or content by checking it for grammatical and factual accuracy. They also may manage a content calendar, oversee content production and assign articles or projects to a team of writers. Editors also ensure all writers meet publication deadlines. As a deadline-driven job, your day may be slow at times and then very busy at others. It is best to have a distraction-free home work environment.

Related: How To Become a Digital Editor

10. Copywriter

National average salary: $61,837 per year

Primary duties: Copywriters create promotional content for a business or organization to sell its products and services or educate its consumers on a particular topic. They often write for websites, social media or a company's newsletters or emails.You may work mostly daytime hours when businesses usually are open. Sometimes the hours are quite flexible, as long as you meet the client’s requirements and deadlines.

11. Business consultant

National average salary: $71,517 per year

Primary duties: Business consultants manage business projects for their clients and meet with them to determine their specific project requirements. Business consultants also help them improve their operations by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the organization and recommending potential business solutions.

12. Web developer

National average salary: $78,223 per year

Primary duties: Also known as a programmer, web developers take a web design and turn it into a website. They decide on a website's layout, add visual elements as needed and ensure a positive user experience. Using their knowledge of programming languages, they also help resolve coding errors.

Tips for finding work-from-home jobs

If you're looking for your first remote opportunity, there are many ways to help you find or earn the best opportunities. Use these tips to help you find remote opportunities in your field.

Consider your industry

As you begin your remote job search, keep in mind that not all industries offer remote opportunities. For example, a marketing professional has more work-from-home opportunities available than someone working in construction due to the nature of their work. Research potential opportunities before taking the next step.

Use remote job boards

When looking for remote jobs, use online job boards that focus on work-from-home opportunities. These job boards allow you to search for your desired job title and provide you with a list of relevant and open positions in the remote workforce.

Revise your resume

Before you apply for a position, review your resume and make sure it highlights your ability to work remotely. For example, you can highlight your flexibility, organization and communication skills, which all aid in a variety of remote positions. You can also include previous positions where you worked successfully as a remote employee.

Related: 25 Jobs To Do From Home

Tips for avoiding scams

When you search for remote work opportunities, you may come across scams that aim to compromise your online security. Ask yourself how did the recruiter or business get your name? Is your name spelled correctly or address any of your skills? Here are some tips for avoiding scams during your job search:

Research the company

Before you apply for a remote position, verify the legitimacy of the company and its website. Review the website with a critical eye and look for strange formatting or frequently misspelled words that could indicate a scam.

Search for company reviews

Apart from their website, companies also use online reviews to prove their legitimacy. Kind in mind that reviews can be purchased, so do your homework. Look for company reviews that legitimize not only the company but also their goods and services.

Read the job requirements carefully

Many scams have job descriptions with information that seems too good to be true. Look for job postings with detailed daily responsibilities, company information and an explanation of how the role fits into the company at large. The job posting also needs to explain any education, skills or experience requirements.

Related: How To Know If a Job Is a Scam