Freelancer Guide: 30 great ideas to work from home as a professional

With the advent of the digital era, working from home has never been easier.Now, millions of professionals are opting to work remotely instead of working in a traditional office setting from 9 to 5.

Just like any other career, having a freelance career involves hard work, effort, and commitment. But being a freelancer has a few unique advantages that go beyond working from wherever you want whether it’s in your favorite comfy chair or in an enchanted forest (with a good Wi-Fi connection, of course.)

Here are thirty different work-from-home options where you can use your expertise and experience to do what you’re passionate about. No matter your area of expertise, you can find work on the same site: Workana, Latin America’s largest freelance platform.

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Six ways to work from home in IT and programming

Independent contractors in programming and technology are among the most sought-after freelancers. This is because work from home developers were some of the earliest pioneers in the world of freelancers. There are plenty of jobs available in this field.

Web programming

Behind every website you visit is a programmer. It’s been estimated that there are over 2 billion portals on the internet. And someone had to develop them. Learning web programming is a skill that’s becoming more in demand, and if you already know how to program, the number of projects available to you is endless.

Web Design

Programming and web design are closely related. Sometimes it can be hard to differentiate between the two. Web design is a specialty that can be fall under programming and design. To get a start in web design from home all you need is intermediate expertise and a working computer.

App development

Uber, Tinder, Waze, WhatsApp, what do all these apps have in common? They’re all mobile apps. We’re in the era of apps; there’s an app for nearly everything, and many companies need knowledgeable developers to create personalized apps according to the company needs.

Software development and desktop applications

Although websites and apps are more popular than ever, that doesn’t mean that companies don’t still need internal software developers and desktop application developers. The majority connect to “the cloud.” If you want to focus on creating this type of solution, you have an infinite number of options to work from home as a programmer. Projects vary in budget and complexity.

Content Management System or CMS

The boom in content management systems such as WordPress, Wix, and Joomla, for example, has inspired many web development professionals to focus solely on specializing in these tools, for example adapting design templates, enabling features, or developing new plugins.

E-commerce

Finally, e-commerce is another development subspecialty in web development. Companies need comprehensive advisory services to be able to sell their products and services online, from choosing a platform that fits their needs to preparing online pages to checking their website security.

5 ways to work from home in design and multimedia

Design is such a versatile profession that we could probably write an entire article dedicated to what a designer can do. If you’ve studied design or are familiar with how to do the work, working from home is a great option for you because there are plenty of projects that companies hire freelancer designers to work on.

 Logo design and corporate identity

 Every company and personal brand needs a logo to stand out in the marketplace. The difference is that some companies hire an acquaintance who “knows how to use photoshop” and others opt to hire a true professional who not only knows how to design an attention-grabbing logo but has the skills to create a corporate personality that’s congruent with a company’s corporate philosophy.

Images and infographics

Every website you go to will have edited images. Companies also need background design and even memes to share on social media. A lot of remote design work involve creating visual content for companies.

Video creation and editing

Just like with pictures and images, a lot of designers specialize in video creation and editing. Editing can be as simple as adding subtitles and flat images to a recording or as complex as animating 3D characters. Video editing from home is a great option for freelance work because all it requires is working computer equipment.

Illustration

A designer who knows how to illustrate by hand has plenty of opportunities to work with every kind of publisher and art and animation company that requires professional drawing services. In fact, most illustrators work from home or their own studio.

3D modeling

 3D objects have all types of applications, both in design and engineering, product development, and even in the fields of science and medicine. Ample knowledge of geometry and programming are required to create these types of objects, but there are plenty of specialized programs are available to help facilitate creating these types of objects.

Six ways to work from home in translation and editing

 Translators and editors, also referred to as copywriters have always been sought after by every type of company especially those who work with publishing and advertising content. However, in the age of the internet, content strategy, and online sales, companies are hiring more and more people who know how to dot their “i’s” and cross their “t’s.”

Website and blog post editing

If you like to write and you have great spelling, editing, and communication skills, and especially if you know a bit about SEO and content marketing, you can work at home as an editor. Editors have to know how to do online research as well because editors work witha wide range of subject matter.

The main goal of this type of editing is to increase traffic on the client’s website in order to increase sales and repeat customers withoutbeing too in-your-face about the fact that the company is selling something. That’s why this field requires a passion for language and a knack for subtlety.

Advertising copy editing

If you have marketing experience, good editing skills, and sales and SEO expertise, you’ll probably do well in the fields of persuasive editing and advertising copy editing. We’re referring to the text in advertisements that you see all the time on the internet, social media, and even in apps. Your job will be to create attention-grabbing copy that will draw in your audience and generate as many click as possible.

Translation services

Thanks to translators, people and companies can overcome language barriers, access information in other languages, and expand to different markets abroad. This profession involves a great amount of responsibility and complete proficiency in the language that you’re going to translate into, which is why it’s a bad idea to apply for translation tasks with limited knowledge of the language. However, if you take the time to really learn the language and acquire the necessary skills, the workflow is constant.

Editing and correcting text

If you’re a grammar, spelling, Orth typography, and style wiz, you can work from home and help other authors who need help editing and improving their text. The ideal situation is when an editor has plenty of experience as a writer. You can even take specialized courses on editorial revision.

Ghostwriting

A lot of people include book writing and writing blog posts in their personal branding. Although they may have expertise in their field, many times they’ll hire a professional writer to write a well-written high-quality piece for them. Generally, the two parties agree on the information and structure that the book will have, and the editor has a certain amount of creative license to develop the content. Sometimes there is shared authorship, and other times ghostwriters cede all rights to the material.

Subtitling

One of the easiest and most in-demand editing jobs is subtitling. A lot of times video content has to have subtitles for SEO and accessibility purposes, and it’s as easy as learning to use a new program that helps you place a text box in the video, listen, and transcribe. If you’re fluent in another language, you’ll have plenty more opportunities to write subtitles in your native language and your second language.

Five ways to work from home in digital marketing and sales

Digital marketing is the business strategy that revolutionized doing business in the age of the internet. Thousands of professionals work from home in digital marketing, creating content for companies around the world. In fact, digital marketing is one of the most popular and sought-after types of freelance work.

Digital Marketing Strategy

If you’re great at digital marketing, know your SEO from your web analytics, excel at social media management, are a pro at creating content, and love making sales funnels, you can offer your services as a Digital Strategist. Your role will be to coordinate and focus on every aspect of online marketing and to offer solutions to companies who want to get to know their clients better and make more sales.

SEO

SEO, short of search engine optimization is a pillar of online marketing and can become so complex that there are professionals who specialize in this area. Basically, it means ensuring that all the company content from its website copy to articles to its blog posts and videos to its ads on social media meets the appropriate language and structural criteria in order to generate the most visits possible on a search engine.

Community Manager

A community manager is a professional in charge of managing a company’s social media. This involves posting recurring advertisements, creating and maintaining a community of followers, and responding to customer comments and questions on this channel. Being work from home social media manager has become a popular choice for freelancers.

Online publicity/ Ads

In addition to organic placement, companies place paid ads on search engines and social media, especially companies that sell online products and services. But releasing an ad isn’t as simple as just placing an announcement online.

There’s an analytical science behind the ad that allows resources to be invested in creating calls to action and finding and appealing to the type of user that is most likely to buy their service or product. To work in this sector, proficiency in using one or more digital advertising platforms is essential.

Sales from home

Finally, since digital marketing has become the biggest part of the job, a lot of times sales agents are needed to provide face to face customer service to clients who are ready to buy their services and close the sale successfully.

If you have great communication skills and you like interacting with other people in a service capacity, being a work at home sales executive can be a great option for you.

Three ways to work from home in administrative support

A lot of tasks people normally completed in an office can easily now be done from home. That’s why if you have experience in administration you can find great remote opportunities.

Virtual Assistant

A work from home virtual assistant can do the majority of work that any assistant can do from the comfort of their own home. If you’re an organized person and you like to create schedules, do research, and do simple administrative tasks, you can work by the hour or by project on an endless number of activities.

Customer Service

Most customer service tasks are done over the internet or over the phone, and there’s really not a lot of difference between working from home or in an office when you work in customer service. That’s why thousands of companies are starting to ask for people to work from home. The only thing you need is a good internet connection and a great attitude. Being bilingual is a huge advantage, too.

Data Capture

If you’re new to working from home, but you have a professional attitude and want to start with something simple, data entry is always a great option because generally there’s a lot of demand for this service, and it allows you to gain clients and develop a great reputation on the platform.

Three ways to work from home in finance and business

If you’re a professional who specializes in areas such as accounting, finances, or human resources, there are plenty of remote options for you. Although the demand may seem a bit lower at first glance, more and more companies are embracing remote work in these sectors.

Recruiting

Thanks to the latest technological developments, every stage of headhunting and recruiting can be done online. There are plenty of HR management programs in the cloud, and interviews can be done by video chat. If you love finding talent, having multiple clients, and working from home, there are plenty of options for you!

Strategic planning and project management

 Do you have years of experience in project management and strategic market planning? If you’re tired of going to the office every day and working for one company, check out the work from home options available in your area of expertise.

Accounting

Every company and many independent professionals need an accountant. This is a fact no matter where or what kind of work is being done. If you’re an accountant and/or you have expertise in accounting and tax liability in your country, you can easily become a freelancer with plenty of projects available to choose from.

Work from home in the architecture and engineering fields

Plenty of architects and engineers are working full time on activities that are mainly desk work, which has to do with certain specialized programs and platforms. There are plenty of projects available in this category including industrial design, interior design, 3D and CAD drawing, renderings, etc.

Work from home in the legal field

If you’re working in the legal field, and you think there aren’t any work from home projects, think again. Remote work is taking hold in this field too. If you don’t believe us, check out just a few of the legal projects on Workana.

Advantages to working from home and being a freelancer

  • More and more companies are adopting this method, and more opportunities and full-time jobs are now available online. More and more companies are adopting this method, and there are more and more legitimate opportunities and jobs on the internet.
  • When you work from home, you save a time and money on transportation.
  • You choose the projects and the clients you want to work for.
  • You can balance your family and personal life with your professional life a lot better.
  • You decide whether you work in your living room, a café, or on a faraway beach.

What do I need to work from home? How do I find projects?

To find safe and legitimate work from home jobs, normally all you need is a good computer and a reliable internet connection, professionalism in your work, and good time-management habits. However, there is plenty of competition, and getting your first project might take some time.

That’s why Workana offers the best remote work and freelance platform in Latin America. When you build a good reputation and establish client relationships in our system, Workana becomes virtually everything you need to ensure a solid workflow and stable cashflow in your career as a freelancer.

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