It is a growing trend that individuals are supplementing their full-time jobs with remote work. We’ve seen it a lot in the travel industry: recent college graduates working seasonal jobs and then spending their off-seasons working in a ski resort on the other side of the globe.
Now it’s happening with people who have established themselves in their careers and jobs.
They have families, mortgages, and bills to pay, but that doesn’t stop them from taking up additional remote jobs, generally in the same line of work, but often in a completely different field.
The reason for this is two-fold: to save up money and to have a chance to do meaningful work.
This is a guide to all for those people: the full-timers in quest of a second job, the scholars in search of dreadfully needed additional cash, and anyone in between who is in quest of remote work.
10 Best Remote Jobs for Full-Time Workers
Here are 10 remote jobs you can do with your full-time job:
1. Freelance Writing Jobs
If you find yourself to be really good at writing, then freelance writing might be the perfect career for you. A growing number of companies and publishers are using the web to do their writing tasks.
This could range from writing content articles for websites, writing corporate blog posts, writing sales copy, and writing various forms of fiction and nonfiction. This inevitably means that there are lots of writing jobs available online.
Some places to find freelance writing jobs include Upwork, Fiverr, and other freelancer websites. You can also get gigs through personal referrers and online forums.
You may be able to pitch a topic or submit a writing sample, you might have to write an entire article, or you could be given a title and some information and told to write on it.
2. Virtual Assistant Jobs
Once in a virtual assistant position, you can use the skills you have in a variety of ways.
There are different types of virtual assistants, including administrative and technical virtual assistants. Administrative VAs usually provide secretarial and general office support, which can include everything from email management to writing and distributing business-related documents.
Technical VAs perform work similar to that of an IT specialist, doing anything from creating and managing a website to technical troubleshooting.
As a virtual assistant, you could have a very broad range of job responsibilities. VA positions are attractive to first-time remote workers for a few different reasons.
Since a VA does work remotely, it is important to maintain good communication on the employer’s end in order to ensure their task is being carried out properly and efficiently. Some ways to communicate include email, instant messaging, phone calls, or even video chat.
3. Online Tutoring Positions
Online tutoring is an interesting remote job for full-time workers. If you have teaching experience or possess professional knowledge in a specific area, then this is for you.
These online tutoring companies require you to have a good internet connection and to have good knowledge of the subject you’d like to teach. You must also be able to communicate well with others, as this is a key skill needed for online tutoring.
One well-known company can pay you between $20-27 an hour. You can teach everything from high school subjects to college or even adult education. They are subject-specific and only require you to have a college degree on the topic.
Online tutoring jobs range widely, and so does the pay. Some tutoring can be for school children whereas other tutoring can be for adults. So, depending on what you would like to teach, you will find many online tutoring jobs available.
4. Social Media Manager
This job involves managing various social accounts, whether it is for a company or an individual. One of the most important aspects is scheduling consistent posts and content across different social platforms.
The range can go from simply making posts on your Facebook and Twitter (X) accounts to responding to comments and creating new exciting content.
Furthermore, the social media manager can also be responsible for gaining new followers and customers. This can be through paid advertising or finding creative/new ways to get people interested in the product.
A good example is creating a viral video that relates to the product and then sharing it on various social platforms to attract new viewers.
As a matter of fact, a social media manager must also be able to track the success of their social accounts using analytics. This typically involves researching the best times to make posts and finding the type of content that is most appealing to viewers.
5. Graphic Designer
Corporate companies are hiring remote graphic designers to work on websites. Being able to work on small projects in a group concept can be done over the phone line or on off days in the office.
Many remote graphic designers are now starting their own company jobs and doing small contract or outsourcing jobs. With the success of the web, it has made it possible for graphic designers to work from home.
With fast connection speeds, email, and magnificent telecommutation tools, which allow you to share a PowerPoint and let others make notes and suggestions while watching in real time, this has opened new opportunities for graphic designers.
6. Web Developer
Web developers use programming languages to develop and maintain websites and web applications. This is a fast-growing field, and since “web developer” is a general term, there are many different jobs that fall under it.
For example, a web content developer is responsible for the content and look of the site. A webmaster maintains the site but is also an administrator of the server that the site is on.
The most general job is that of a web developer. Web developers can be independent contractors, full-time employees in various industries, or work from home, as it is often easy to telecommute.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, there were roughly 130,000 web developer jobs, with around 1 in 6 being self-employed. And the average yearly salary for web developers in May 2023 was $75,660.
This field is very diverse, and there are many opportunities to work remotely. This is one of the easier places to find remote work because, as long as the IT position is not 100% at the office, the job can be done from anywhere.
Web development can involve working directly with clients, other developers, and designers, so there are also many different communication situations, some of which could be done from home.
7. Data Entry Specialist
As a specialist, you would be working on various programs to manually key in bills, objects, medical coding, and more to help keep a company’s database maintained and current.
An employee in this field is usually hired to do a specific project and will have to key in the required information.
This is an entry-level job that doesn’t require much experience to get into; however, the fastest workers with the highest accuracy will stand to make the most.
You can find jobs by simply applying directly to companies or checking local classified ads for data entry jobs. However, many data entry specialists opt to take jobs through online employment and freelancing websites such as Guru, eLance, oDesk, and more.
Working on the internet means it’s easier to do it from any location, including home, and by doing this, there are no location-specific limitations to the job, making it a perfect side job whether you’re home or traveling.
8. Virtual Bookkeeping
A virtual bookkeeper will still provide the same services that an in-house bookkeeper would provide. Virtual bookkeeping jobs are on the rise and can be done on a full-time or part-time basis.
A bookkeeper will still record financial transactions, complete posting, clean up, and write up the books that have been allocated. They will still prepare the trial balance, financial statements, provide reports and check figures for accuracy in financial data.
Usually, a virtual bookkeeper will communicate over the telephone, via email, fax, etc. to obtain source documents or to clarify a transaction.
Access to client software systems can sometimes be done through remote desktop access or using online accounting systems. This is beneficial because the bookkeeper can work offsite without having to travel to the client’s business.
This can be cost-efficient for both the client and the bookkeeper. The client will not need to supply additional office space, equipment, or supplies.
9. Online Researcher
The growth of the internet has led to an increase in the demand for online researchers. Anyone who has a particular skill in any given subject can be an online researcher.
Many companies are looking to outsource research, and this is where someone with knowledge can be a great asset. Research takes many forms, but some examples include market research, medical research, legal research, and academic research.
With the amount of information on the internet ever increasing, the job of the online researcher is going to become more and more important.
The position generally requires a strong knowledge of a subject and the ability to find information accurately. Many larger companies will require a degree in a particular field; however, others will accept relevant work experience.
10. Transcriptionist
Transcription involves converting spoken English into written form. This is a great job that can easily be done from home. The pay is usually between $10-$20/hour, which is basically the standard wage for many non-skilled workers.
It is non-phone work and can be done on your own time, but it usually requires a 24-hour turnaround time for each audio hour. It is somewhat easy and non-stressful work.
The basic requirements to become a transcriptionist are a good computer, a reliable internet connection, good headphones, and good grammar skills. There are many different types of transcriptionists, the most common being medical and legal transcriptionists.
Any of these options are good and stable jobs that can be done from home. Most people who have been transcriptionists agree that it is a good job that pays fairly and is definitely a job they would recommend.
Tips for Balancing a Full-Time Job with Remote Jobs
Follow these tips to strike a balance between your full-time job and remote work:
- Establish a dedicated workspace for focused tasks.
- Set clear boundaries between work and home life.
- Prioritize tasks and create a daily schedule.
- Take regular breaks to avoid burnout.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and managers.
Conclusion: Remote Jobs for Full-time Workers
There is no such thing as a typical ‘home worker’; there are so many different jobs that can be done from home. Your employer might combine working from home with working in the office. Some staff may work from home all the time.
It might be possible to agree on a pattern of homeworking, spending some days at home and others in the office. If you are a home worker, you have the same rights as any other member of staff.
It is usually possible to negotiate these rights with your employer. Remember, it is good practice for a homework agreement to be in writing.