11 Types of Virtual Work You Can Try – Virtual Workers of America

Being able to work from home is a dream for millions of people. Whether employed or self-employed, the freedom to be able to choose your schedules and reconcile your professional life with your family or personal life is priceless.

I have been a virtual worker for several years, first as an employee and then as an entrepreneur, and I recognize that there has never been a better time to do it than now.

In this article I am going to give you the keys so that you too can get a salary from the comfort of your home, starting with a list of the best virtual jobs for their employability and economic potential and ending with the main websites where you can find remote job offers.

Types of Virtual Work

Before we start, let’s clarify what types of work from home exist: those in which you are employed by someone else , or on your own .

A. Employed by others

Most companies that allow virtual work are usually related to customer service or sales, such as telemarketer or commercial agent. Writing and content auditing jobs are also possible, although they are very rare and usually part-time.

In the United States, where 35% of employees enjoy virtual work, there are rankings of the best companies with remote jobs. In many other countries there are still no such reports, but it is a good idea to look at the North American ranking to check which companies are also present in your country.

Surely the work philosophy is similar, and so you make sure you are sending your resume to a company that will give you facilities.

Advantages of working for someone else from home

You have a stable payroll, which gives you some security.
You enjoy paid vacations.
You have unemployment benefit: you will collect unemployment if you are dismissed improperly or your contract ends.
The Social Security contribution is usually higher than that of the self-employed.

Disadvantages of working for someone else from home

Fixed hours: even if you do virtual work, the normal thing is that you have to stick to a schedule in which you must be 100% available.
Greater difficulty to grow professionally: the fact of not being “visible” will play against you when there are promotions or salary increases.

B. On your own

The most common is still that those people who work from home do so as freelancers (freelancers).

New technologies have created emerging business models, and freelancers are often the first to jump on these new opportunities. Many companies also benefit from outsourcing these new functions to avoid having to incur the costs of hiring or renting spaces.

In addition, the process to become self-employed has been simplified and cheaper, making it the first option for many professionals who want to work remotely.

Advantages of working on your own from home

Schedule and geographic freedom.
Conciliation: you can take care of the children, a dependent family member or take the day off when you need it.
You tend to feel more fulfilled than with an employed job.
Greater chances of generating more income.

Disadvantages of working on your own from home

Economic insecurity: your salary will depend on your clients.
Less social benefits: waivers of unemployment benefit, sick leave and contributions.
Greater sense of loneliness: working at home and not having contact with other colleagues can be hard.

Top 10 Virtual Jobs

Having clarified these points, we are going to see which are the best jobs from home today due to their employability, economic potential and viability.

1. Virtual Assistant

One of the new professions most in demand with the rise of the Internet is that of virtual assistant . In the vast majority of cases they start as freelancers, although there are more and more cases of permanent hiring, especially by small entrepreneurs.

The functions of the virtual assistant consist of providing remote support to bloggers, youtubers, digital entrepreneurs or companies in relatively simple or mechanical tasks, so it is not a profile that requires great technical skills.

These are some of the common tasks of a virtual assistant:

Email management
Social media management
Organization of the agenda
Billing management
Design and retouching of images
Writing newsletters and blog posts
Video and / or podcast editing
Organization of face-to-face events

Who is the virtual assistant job for?

For organized and proactive people, with the ability to manage several tasks at the same time.

What do you need to be a virtual assistant?

In addition to excellent organizational skills and a minimum level of English, you will need to have basic knowledge of office software (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), as well as team management tools (Trello, Slack).

In many cases, it is also advisable to know the management of the main social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin) and to have notions of video editing and blogging ( WordPress ), since it is a profile in high demand by both YouTubers and bloggers.

How to get a job as a virtual assistant?

The easiest way to start as a virtual assistant is as a freelancer, looking for private clients:

Contact directly with entrepreneurs, bloggers or small businesses and present your services. It is a good idea to provide a demonstration of your skills, for example by sending a layout video or showing a social media campaign.
Be on the lookout for virtual assistant requests from popular bloggers to their subscribers.
Sign up for Upwork, or Freelancer . Many entrepreneurs post virtual assistant offers there.

How much does a virtual assistant charge?

The fees of a virtual assistant can range from 10 to 30 dollars per hour worked , although some very experienced assistants may charge more.

2. Digital writer

Any company worth its salt must have a presence on the Internet, and for this it needs content. Be it the texts of the website, the blog or the posts on social networks, writing for the Internet is a booming job opportunity.

Although many professional copywriters are freelancers, more and more are entering the staff of online marketing companies, so it is a profession that can also offer some stability.

Who is the digital copywriter job for?

For people who feel comfortable writing, with a good level of general culture and look for a job with some creativity.

What do you need to be a digital writer?

The main thing is to write well. It seems like a no-brainer, but you still see many texts on the Internet with spelling mistakes or structure problems. It is also recommended:

Learn about SEO. Especially if you focus on writing for blogs, because the objective of these posts is usually to position themselves in Google and attract organic traffic.
Specialize. Although being a generalist writer is not bad, if you focus on a specific topic or sector it is much easier for you to make a dent in the market.
Be original. The best way to end your writing career is to get caught plagiarizing a text.

The next step many copywriters take is to become a copywriter .

The copywriting is to write to sell. For that you need some knowledge of marketing and handle persuasive writing techniques.

Being a copywriter allows you to significantly raise your rates and get out of traditionally low-paid sectors such as SEO writing or social networks. In addition, it opens up a whole field of job possibilities: texts for websites or sales pages, advertisements, email marketing, video scripts, e-commerce, etc.

For this, there are already specialized copywriter courses that give you the basis to start your career.

How to get a copywriting job?

You can join platforms like Upwork and Fiver. They are a good option to start with, but keep in mind that the prices that are handled there are low. Ideally, you should start and build a portfolio of your own clients and a portfolio that allows you to raise rates.

How much does a digital copywriter charge?

In general, the fees of a writer are usually between 3 and 10 dollars per 100 words , so a 2,000 word article can pay more than 100 dollars.

The copywriting , however, charged per piece and not by words. For example, a sales page can cost between $200 and $500 (or more).

As you gain experience, money may no longer be a problem (a copywriter can easily bill more than $2,000 a month) and your biggest concern becomes time, which being limited prevents you from accepting more jobs.

3. Affiliate Marketer

This is the system with which I started to earn my first dollars from home , and which currently provides me with a passive salary of several thousand dollars per month.

The best? The investment is practically nil, its income potential is very high and it hardly requires knowledge.

Broadly speaking, affiliate marketing consists of creating a website where you will publish your opinion about certain products. In these analyzes you will put links to online stores that sell the product, and if the reader buys, that store will give you a commission for having referred a customer.

The first step is to reach an agreement with those ecommerce . Fortunately, there are affiliate platforms where you only have to sign up to participate in that agreement. The best known is that of Amazon itself.

If, for example, you are passionate about running , you could create a web page where you would publish your analysis and recommendations of different running shoes, and in each one you would put a link to an online shoe store.

People would find your website on Google when looking for opinions or recommendations for running shoes. They would read your article, click on your affiliate links, and you would get a percentage if they ended up buying one.

Thus, from the comfort of your home, your job would consist of writing and publishing recommendations on your website. Once he had visitors he would become a source of money.

Who is affiliate marketing for?

For people who do not want to have bosses or clients, but their own online projects that generate passive income.

What do you need to be an affiliate marketer ?

In reality, you only need a computer and an Internet connection. You don’t need any technical knowledge, because nowadays you can create a website or a blog in 15 minutes with online tools like WordPress .

The most important thing is to document yourself before analyzing the products, be a good writer and be patient, since new websites usually do not start receiving traffic until four or five months. That is why the ideal is to start your affiliate websites as secondary projects while you continue to work for someone else.

How much can an affiliate marketer earn ?

The income from this system will depend on the market you have chosen (the more these products are sold online, the better), but also on the time you invest.

4. Become a blogger

Creating a blog and making money from it is another great option of working on your own from home.

Of course: success will not come overnight. It takes hard work and time, but I know from experience that the payoff is worth it.

The idea is simple: you create a blog on a specific topic, position yourself as an expert on it, and start selling online services, such as Skype consultancies or your own digital video course. So you end up turning your blog into an online business that generates income month by month.

It may seem difficult, but it is much easier than you think. The secret is to choose a topic that you like and where there are more people interested, and then publish content on your blog to build a reputation.

Earning a salary with this system is not fast, since at first you will have to make an effort to publish good content so that readers trust you, but in return you will be building a long-term online project from your home.

Who is blogging for ?

For people who want to create their own online business and have something to teach.

What do you need to be a blogger?

You just need to have some knowledge that can help people in some way. If so, there will always be someone willing to pay for it.

Think that there are blogs of almost any topic you can imagine. There are some on speed reading, Excel for students or even fitness for geeks.

Today the obstacles are not technical (you don’t have to know how to program to create a blog), but mental: many people consider that they have nothing to teach or are scared of exposing themselves on the Internet. If you overcome those doubts, you already have a large part of the road traveled.

How much can a blogger earn?

It depends on many variables, such as the theme they deal with, their popularity or the price they put on their online services. I know bloggers who earn 300 dollars a month and others who generate 80,000.

If I had to make an average, I would say that the most common in the sector is about 1,500 USD per month . But I insist: it depends a lot on each case.

5. Translator

In an increasingly globalized world, many companies and entrepreneurs need translators to allow them to internationalize and reach other markets.

Currently there is a great demand for translators, but most of them work at home independently as it can be difficult to become a company staff. Still, it usually pays well.

Who is the online translator job for?

For bilingual people or people with knowledge of several languages, who do well with written expression and who enjoy working without too much contact with clients.

What do you need to be a translator from home?

Master your language. It is not necessary that you have a university degree such as philology or translation and interpretation, but you do need a high knowledge of your native language. Come on, write without spelling mistakes and stuff.
Master the foreign language. The normal thing is that they ask you to be a native speaker in one of the two languages to be used. Or that you are at least bilingual and have lived for a while in the country of reference. In both cases, you have to perfectly handle the grammar rules and have a large vocabulary.
Optional: know a language that is not a majority language. It is not mandatory, but it will allow you to differentiate yourself. There are many translators in English, German or French; but not so many of Russian, Chinese or Arabic, languages on the rise.

How to get a job as an online translator?

To start with general texts you can start with platforms such as Gengo or Textmaster . Its great advantage is that you can choose what jobs you do and organize your schedules, which gives you enormous flexibility to do virtual work.

However, to access better fees, the ideal is that you create a website where you offer your services to attract clients, deciding what type of translator you want to be:

Literary translator. The image of the literary translator is bohemian, but it is probably the least profitable option (unless you have a name and work for big publishers) next to that of the subtitle translator.
Technical translator. In addition to the more general texts, there are certain sectors that require specialized knowledge. Legal, scientific or technological texts, for example. This is where sworn translations come in, which are legally valid and require a degree and pass an official exam. It can be a somewhat repetitive job, but being so specialized the rates are quite high.
Advertising translation: To transfer a marketing message from one country to another, it is not enough to know the language: you need to understand both cultures.

How much does a professional translator charge?

Although the rates vary greatly depending on the type of text and the language, the minimum is usually 5 dollars for every 100 words .

As an example, some time ago Netflix opened some applications to find people to translate their series online through its Hermes program . For the translation from English to Spanish they paid 12 dollars per minute translated , which is not bad at all.

6. Online language teacher

Online teachers are a profile that is increasingly demanded by both companies and individuals, since they save time and travel for their students, while providing personalized follow-up.

Who is the online language teacher job for?

For people who want to control their schedules, native to a majority language (English, Spanish, etc.), with basic computer skills and interest in other cultures.

What do you need to teach languages online?

Technologically, not too much: a computer with an Internet connection and a good webcam. Basic knowledge of tools for videoconferencing such as Skype or Zoom and a quiet place at home where you can give classes.

Ah! And keep in mind that you will be working with students in different time zones, so some classes may be at night.

As for training, it is better to have an official title that accredits you as a teacher, although it is not essential. If you don’t have it, start getting students who speak well of your classes and that you can show as success stories.

How to get a job as a language teacher from home?

The easiest way is to sign up for an online platform that offers classes, such as Verbling , Lingoda or Italki .

From there, it is advisable to create a web page or a blog to start attracting students and save the commission of these platforms. In the case of Spanish, there is a lot of demand for classes in the United States, Japan and Korea, so your website should be focused on that audience and be written in their language.

You should also plan your business model. Most classes focus on practicing conversation, but there are also those who offer step-by-step courses with exercises or advice to organize meetings and conferences.

How much does an online language teacher charge?

The fees depend on the language and the format of the class (whether it is group or individual). Also keep in mind that a conversation class is not the same as a grammar class: calculate the time you need to prepare it, create exercises and correct them later.

As an orientation, an English teacher charges between 10 and 15 dollars per hour .

7. Remote operator

This is one of the fastest growing and most in-demand professions today. Although traditionally this work has been carried out from a call center , many companies look for professionals with good communication and computer skills to give support to clients or solve their doubts from home.

These are usually full-time or part-time positions, and generally require a minimum dedication of 4 hours a day.

Who is virtual telemarketer work for?

For people with a flair for people and patience, as well as minimal computer skills.

What do you need to be a telemarketer?

At the equipment level, you only need a telephone and a computer with an Internet connection. Lately, more and more support is also requested by chat or WhatsApp.

Depending on the type of work, the most common thing is that the company provides you with training to respond to the customer’s doubts and needs. Thus, a telemarketer can perform several functions:

Telephone sales
Customer service: doubts, complaints and incidents
Technical support
Punctual support in sales campaigns, product launches, etc.

How to get a job as a telemarketer?

Usually the offers appear in non-specialized employment portals such as LinkedIn or Infojobs , as well as in temporary employment agencies. Also large organizations such as Amazon Jobs often have remote positions open for their customer service.

Note: in the United States there are companies specialized in hiring virtual telemarketers such as Liveops or Arise , and it is sometimes possible to find demand for Spanish-speaking professionals.

How much does a telemarketer charge?

The difference will be made by your professional category and the position you hold (the more specialized, the higher the salary), but the usual thing is that it is around 9-15 dollars / hour .

8. Search engine evaluator

Search engines such as Google or Bing use algorithms to offer their search results, but what few people know is that behind it there is usually a group of people who validate that those results are correct.

The best of all? That most of these quality testers work from home.

Who is the search engine evaluator job for?

For people without fear of technology, with a general culture and good research skills.

What do you need to be a search engine evaluator?

Google released the guide it provides to its quality assessors in 2015, and since then that document has become the bible in the industry. The document is periodically updated ( here’s the latest guide ) to reflect the various changes and updates.

The job is basically to review real Google searches and check that the results are optimal . From there, the evaluator issues a report – following the guidelines of the guide – that will be used to implement possible improvements.

How to get a job as a search engine evaluator?

The most used search engine worldwide is Google, and it is also the largest employer in this sector. It periodically launches offers, so the easiest thing is to check the Google job search engine to see if there is anything new.

Also, don’t lose sight of Google’s subsidiaries, such as Leapforce (now Appen) or LionBridge , and the offers of other search engines such as Bing or Yahoo.

How much does a search engine evaluator charge?

On average, a search engine evaluator can charge between 12 and 20 dollars per hour .

9. Community Manager

The management community or management of social networking is one of the most popular works in online marketing. But until recently, many companies fell for the sobrinity manager , thinking that they could manage the management themselves and did not need to pay a professional.

Fortunately, this belief has changed, since managing a company’s network presence is no joke. The community manager seeks and provides quality content that responds to a clear strategy, and must offer measurable results.

Who is the community manager job for ?

For fans of social networks with marketing knowledge, who have no problem being hooked on mobile at (almost) all times.

What do you need to be a community manager from home?

A computer with an Internet connection and a portable device ( smartphone or tablet ) that allows you to monitor what is happening at all times, especially if you have to manage a crisis.

Although it is not 100% essential, it is highly recommended to have taken a community management course (there is a huge offer, both in person and online), and many of these programs also offer company internships.

The community manager’s job basically consists of two tasks:

Generate quality content in different formats. Each social network has its own rules and objectives that you must know. It is also recommended that you have notions of photo and video editing.
Attract followers and generate a relationship with them , solving doubts and responding to their comments.

In addition to having certain knowledge of online marketing, to carry out these tasks you must achieve a communication tone adapted to the brand, know how to curate content and control the statistics of each platform.

You should also keep up to date with news: social networks evolve very fast, and in six months everything can change a lot.

How to get a job as a community manager ?

Most generalist portals, such as Upwork or Freelancer.com publish community manager offers , in many cases to work remotely. In Working Nomads you will also find them, and very good.

To increase the chances of being hired, lead by example: have a presence on various social networks, be active, and have a reasonable number of followers. It is the best cover letter.

How much does a community manager charge?

It will depend on your experience and the type of client. If you have several company profiles at the same time, it is important that you agree in each case the number of publications per month and the time in which you will be available to respond to comments.

Ideally, you should calculate your price per hour and a minimum per customer (for example, $200 for managing the profile of a small company). To give you an idea, a full-time community manager usually charges between $1,200 and $2,800 per month.

10. Vlogger on Youtube

More and more content is consumed in video format, and as a consequence, more and more people earn money from home with a video channel on Yotube.

There are two types of channels that can be monetized:

Those of entertainment , where the vlogger shares funny videos or about his day to day.
The educational ones , where the author shares his teachings on a specific topic, such as cooking, fitness or finance. Therefore, if you can contribute knowledge or fun, in the medium term it is possible to earn extra money with a YouTube channel.

Who is the vlogger job for ?

For people with self-confidence in front of the camera who want to get a supplement to their salary, with the possibility that in the long term it becomes their main source of income.

What do you need to be a vlogger ?

Fundamentally, having the time and having something to teach or an innate sense of humor. It is also important to have knowledge of video and image editing, to create covers and add cuts and effects to your videos.

If you meet these requirements, you only need a camera, mic and dedication to create your own channel and start posting your videos. At first it will cost you to get subscribers and visits, but with patience and differentiating yourself from the rest of the vloggers you can achieve good results in the medium term.

How much does a vlogger earn on YouTube?

To make a real calculation, he estimates that, on average, YouTube advertising pays between 0.20 and 3 dollars for every 1,000 views of a video .

Assuming that YouTube paid you 1 dollar for every 1,000 views, and each week you upload a video that gets 75,000 views, your income would be approximately 300 dollars per month.

Fortunately, there are also other alternatives to increase income:

Contact companies to put their advertising on your videos
Sell your own personalized merchandise with your channel logo (this is the main source of income for many popular YouTubers)
Accept donations with Patreon

11. Sell online by dropshipping

Another way to work on your own from home is by creating an online store that serves products by dropshipping .

The dropshipping is finding a manufacturer of a product and create an online store where you collect orders for those products. But who does the shipments and takes care of the logistics is the manufacturer, not you.

The most popular dropshipper is Amazon, since in many cases it keeps the stock itself and sends the products of other companies in exchange for a commission.

Who is the dropshipper job for ?

For determined people who have detected a market opportunity with a product type and want to generate an extra salary with it.

12. Pet sitter in your home

Going on vacation when you have a pet implies having to leave them in the care of relatives to care for them or hiring an animal residence. However, in the latter there may be bad experiences or a treatment not as personalized as the one we want for our animals.

For this reason, there are those who offer their house as a residence with the guarantee that they will treat the pet as if it were their own.

Who is the pet sitting job for?

For people with a good hand with animals, and a house large enough to accommodate several without conflict.

If you have extra knowledge as a canine or veterinary trainer, much better, but it is not essential at all.

What do you need to be a home pet sitter?

You need a house where the animals can feel comfortable. With several separate rooms in case the coexistence is not good.

In addition, it is advisable to have a park or an area for walks with dogs nearby.

Other tips:

Calculate how many animals you can have at home without damaging a good coexistence between them (and without the neighbors complaining).
Have your own animals. Or if not, it is essential that you have had them at some point in your life, to know how to react in certain situations (for example, give a pill).
Meet a trusted veterinarian, in case there is something unforeseen during the stay.
Keep in touch with the owners. They will appreciate if you send them photos of their animals while they are away, and that you keep them up to date with the news.

How to get a job as a pet sitter?

Start by signing up for platforms like Rover or Holidog . As you get good evaluations, you will expand your client portfolio.

Although this job is designed to get extra income (it is difficult to get a salary every month), if you want to be more professional you can create a website offering your services.

How much does a pet sitter charge?

The average for each pet is around 15/20 dollars per day . This includes accommodation, food, and walks if necessary. You will also have to give medication (provided by the owner) in certain cases.

The reality of virtual work

Once we have explored all the possibilities, I would like to make you see that virtual work has great advantages but also hidden traps, so I do not recommend it for everyone.

The advantages of virtual work

The main one is the feeling of freedom. That does not mean that you are going to make use of it (you will probably end up working more hours than you should) but the fact of not feeling tied to a site is a very comforting feeling. If your main motivation is this, look for a remote job.

Other interesting advantages are:

The freedom of schedules. You organize your time as best interests you. You can go to the gym in the morning, pick up the children at school or go to the supermarket when it is half empty.
You are your own boss. Even when you work for someone else, you have a lot of room to define the times, the priorities and the way you do the work. Once you get used to this, having a boss again costs a lot.
Geographic mobility . Digital nomadism is a reality on the rise and, although it requires discipline on your part, it is possible to live with the office in your backpack.
You avoid travel. You save the time and money that you used to spend going to the office, and the stress of traffic jams or the burden of public transport at rush hour.
Conciliation. It allows you to take care of your children and sick or dependent relatives. Or simply do a lot more life at home, something that can be complicated if you are away ten hours a day.
Labor insertion. Virtual work is a great option for people with mobility problems or certain illnesses that complicate face-to-face work.

The disadvantages of virtual work

Virtual work also has a dark side that nobody talks about and many of us suffer.

Loneliness. You cannot socialize with your colleagues, the coffee break is done by yourself and you have no one to ask any questions. I come to miss those little human contacts a lot.
Your social life suffers. It is the consequence of the previous point, and you must be careful because you can become secluded in your unsociability. Take care of your relationships and do not miss the opportunity to attend real meetings .
It costs to disconnect. Having work and personal / family life in the same space, it is difficult to separate the two. It is not uncommon for you to find yourself working nights or weekends.
You have more distractions . You get up for a moment to put a washing machine and you mess up having a soda. Those little distractions are a waste of time that you have to control. And if you live with more people it can be difficult not to be disturbed while you work (especially children).
You need discipline. The house is full of procrastination traps. From taking a longer nap than normal to putting Netflix on when it’s not playing. You must be very strict if you want to get the job done.
Lack of social value. Many people will look at you strange when you tell them that you work from home, and more than one will think that you do it because you have not found a “real” job.

Tips for virtual workers

Working from home means spending several hours a day sitting alone in front of a computer. So if you want to do it in the healthiest way possible, both physically and mentally, there are a series of tips that you cannot forget:

Create a separate workspace. If you don’t have a separate room, at least try to create a partition with shelves, screens, or whatever comes to your mind. But let it be clear which is the workplace and which is the leisure one.
Set a schedule and stick to it . Avoid lingering in bed, but also working after hours. Try to at least clear on weekends; taking care of moments of disconnection is very important.
Put on your clothes! Working in your pajamas makes you more careless. Get up, take a shower and put on comfortable clothes that are not “from being at home.” It’s easy to let go, and if you’re not careful about this, you may find that you haven’t had a shower for three days and been out on the street.
Get out of the house. Try to take several moments to go out, even if it is just to buy bread. If loneliness takes too much of a toll on you, try going to a coworking a day or two a week, to socialize and clear your head.
Do sports. Sedentary lifestyle at home is twofold, because you don’t even walk to work. If you use the computer, back problems are the most normal thing in the world. Playing sports is taking care of yourself, oxygenate your head and body and one more way to disconnect from work.

In summary

In this increasingly digitized world, there has never been a better time to work from home. Remote work is the ideal solution for those who value freedom above all else, need to stay home for health reasons, or have a loved one in charge.

If you have been dreaming of doing virtual work for a long time, stop doing it and start looking. There are more remote jobs than ever, and there will be more in the future. Don’t be left behind.