6 Jobs That Allow You to Make Money Online

It’s never been easier to make money in a way that is both convenient and flexible based on your goals and lifestyle.

Whether you’re an undergraduate making your way through college, a parent making ends meet, or a hustler just looking to make a little extra on the side while you work towards something bigger, the Internet now affords you the chance to make money online from the comfort of your own home.

And, as many misconceive, these aren’t gimmicks or simple data entry positions, they’re jobs and freelance opportunities with great potential and which allow you to get started with a marginal amount of learning.

Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will.

– Nelson Mandela

Here are six jobs that allow you to make money online– controlling your time, geography, and, in some cases, even how much you’re paid in the process.

Side note: Sites like Upwork.com and Freelance.com are great for virtually every job on this list and are often the top suggestion. However, we’ve provided additional sites on several points which you can utilize that might be more specific to that job to give you more options. And if you don’t mind a more manual networking process, LinkedIn.com is also a great option.

1. Consultant or tutor

Is there something you’re an expert in that you can teach or give information on? For example, do you have a few years of marketing or teaching experience or are you a nutritionist or personal trainer?

Nowadays, consultancy work has exploded. With the world being more connected than ever, businesses and individuals have turned to hiring consultants to guide their decisions in everything from marketing and branding to health and education.

As a consultant, you can find jobs online via a number of freelancing websites and even work your way up to starting your own business if you choose. You can also be an online tutor to college students or even K-12 through sites like Tutor.com and WyzAnt.

2. Freelance writer

The opportunities that a writer has available to him or herself have exploded since the Internet took over the globe. No matter how I word that, it’s a complete and total understatement.

Now, you can be paid online for doing any shape or form of writing you can imagine, from fiction writing to copywriting, resume writing, blog writing, and anything else you can think of (or have experience in). In addition, you can find jobs for things associated with writing such as being a proofreader or editor.

This is a very wide category. However, no matter what your experience or desire, you can find jobs online with clients looking for a writer to do pretty much every form of writing imaginable.

And if you don’t have any experience, don’t worry. You can work your way up as a press release or cheap blog writer, build a resume and experience, and move on to bigger and better jobs as you go if that’s something that interests you.

3. Social media manager

Are you an avid social media user? You might be a natural fit as a social media manager.

SMM (social media management) can be a ton of fun because it encompasses many different things. Your job can be simply throwing up a few posts each week for a few local restaurant clients or it can be something more complex such as helping launch products through strategic social posts and giveaways.

If you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Snapchat frequently and like the idea of communicating over social for a living, check out sites like Upwork.com to get a feel for the different industries that tend to request social media management help and what they’re looking for.

4. Transcriptionist

If you’re looking for something easy and straightforward, transcription services might be a good fit for you.

As a transcriptionist, you’ll convert video and audio recordings into written form for use in everything from blog posts to podcasts. With the explosion of podcasting over the past several years in addition to video being more popular than ever, transcription services are at an all-time high.

Great sites for finding transcription jobs include TranscribeMe, Rev, and Tigerfish.

5. Graphic designer

Graphic designers vary greatly in skill and talent. However, being a graphic designer has never been easier if you’ve got a little bit of design sense in you due to sites like Canva.com and Picmonkey.com.

By learning your way around a site like Canva, you can create high-quality blog images, logos, PDF designs, posters, social banners and post images, and other designs without the need for expert knowledge or experience.

A great site for graphic design jobs is Fiverr.com, however, check out the freelance sites listed above once you get some experience under your belt for higher-end jobs.

6. Virtual assistant

A virtual assistant is basically what it sounds like, with the only difference being that virtual assistants tend to have an expertise or primary task they help their client with such as data entry, email, accounting, or the like.

The basic idea is that you’ll be handling the tasks which said business owner or executive needs to get off their back so they can focus on creating product, designing, leading and other tasks which they have a critical role in.

For that reason, a virtual assistant could actually be a combination of the things listed thus far (social media manager and website maintenance, for instance). However, their primary role is assisting the owner or executive with whatever they need and that can change over time.

Zirtual and People Per Hour are great sites for finding virtual assistant gigs.