You’ve often thought about exploring ways to make money off the internet haven’t you? How often have you thought how nice it would be to put in a few hours a week on an online job and make enough to cover the car payment or to seriously cut down the balance on the credit cards? Well the good news is there are opportunities out there so long as you keep in mind these 3 things to remember when looking for legitimate online jobs.
1. Do Your Market Research
If you have a technical skill there are tons of freelance jobs available so deciding what a competitive rate is will not be as difficult because of the high demand. However if you are looking for an online job in a lesser skilled field like data entry or virtual assistant, then you want to do a little homework to figure out what you should charge.
One of the best ways to determine this is to visit freelance sites and see what kinds of rates are being paid for the type of work you are considering. With many of the sites, the project details and the amount of the winning bid are public and a review of that data will give you an idea of what the going rate is. Remember, if you are just starting out you will probably have to be more competitive because you don’t have references or samples of past work.
In some instances, being new will help you out as buyers know that typically they can get the work done cheaper with a newbie than someone who is established. Just make sure your proposal is on target and explains how you can provide a solution to the buyer’s requirements.
2. Avoid The Scams
The whole “work at home” idea has been the target of scams for decades. Before the internet it was stuffing envelopes at home or assembling products at home. These scams had the same exaggerated claims of big money for no brainer work. They all required that you pay a fee to get access to the jobs. They were all scams and the jobs simply did not exist.
That same scamming crowd has now moved onto the internet targeting people who want to work at home. Never pay money for access to online job listings. Never trust a site that guarantees you’ll get a job. Avoid online job sites that require a registration fee like the plague. There are enough legitimate sources of online work that there is no need to pay someone.
The only time you should invest money in your search for online work is for education. If you have an interest in medical billing for example but need to learn how, find a good legitimate online school. Even here you might run into scams but if you stick to an accredited school your odds of getting the skill set you need to find work is much greater.
3. Know How To Market
When you apply for a regular job you complete an application and get a chance for an interview. When seeking a legitimate online job, you’re going to have to develop a short, compelling proposal that sells your ability to meet the employer’s requirements. This can be harder than you think. Find a job that you’d like to bid on in one of the freelance sites and then write a proposal and save it.
Look at that proposal as objectively as you can. How does it answer the specifications in the project? How does it show that you understand the project? Ask a friend or your spouse to look at both the project and your proposal and see what they think. Don’t get wrapped up in analysis trying to be perfect but make it as persuasive and professional as you can.
So if you know what your income potential is, avoid the scams and present yourself as a professional in your field, you are well on your way to your first legitimate online job.
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