For many the idea of working from home is a reality rather than a luxury. The reasons for working from home vary - mums looking for extra income, new graduates looking for experience, redundant workers looking to start over. But whatever the reason there are plenty of ideas when it comes to finding a job that you could do from home. We have picked out what we think are the top 10 job ideas that will allow you to work from home. They are in no particular order.
1. Digital Advertising
Many small companies with a web site need help advertising their business on the web to attract more customers. If your background in marketing or PR and you have experience of helping businesses develop their web brand then you could take on this job full-time from home.
2. Web Developer
If you have a computer and experience of using HTML, .css, JavaScript and WYSIWYG content management systems (CMS) like Wordpress or Drupal you could develop a client-base of people looking for great web sites.
3. Blogger
If you are an expert or a knowledgeable enthusiast in a particular field - DIY, saving money, being a child carer, a personal fitness trainer etc, then writing a blog can start to increase your income and can eventually mean you can work from home full-time. How does this make money? Well, first of all running a blog means you can carry Google Adsense ads that will pay a commission every time a user clicks the ad. If your blog becomes very popular then your Google Adsense revenue will increase. Secondly, you could write content for other blogs. One way to do this is to join PeoplePerHour.com where you can offer your services to others, in exchange for payment.
4. Bookkeeper
Are you good with numbers? Then you could become a bookkeeper. Bookkeepers help small businesses organise their invoices and receipts so that they know the income and expenses each month. Bookkeepers also keep records of the financial information of a company so a small business owner is in a better place to understand how much they owe when the tax man comes calling.
5. Child minder
Do you like children? Have you had experience as a professional baby sitter, a child carer or a teacher? Then you could turn your home into a small child minding service. Working mums and dads, parents who want date nights and others that work from home are always keen to leave their children with a professional caring child minder.
6. Counselling
Are you a person who is a good listener and who is able to help people understand how to change their behaviour or see the wood for the trees? Then perhaps you should seek a career as a counsellor. Most counsellors offer sessions in their own home. All you need, besides the relevant counselling qualifications is a room in your home that you can dedicate to seeing clients - a room that is minimal, bar a couple of comfortable seats, uncluttered and professional.
7. Editor
Do you have an eye for details and excellent spelling and grammar? Then you could be a book editor for a publishing house. Firms are understand more and more that jobs like editors are no longer bound to a desk in an office, making it a job ripe for people looking to work form home.
8. House sitter
This is technically an oxymoron for some wishing to work from home as you won't be working from your own home but from someone else. Professional house sitters look after pets, collect mail, watering plants, opening and closing curtains, turning lights on for periods of the day, maintaining the cleanliness of the house and garden and generally making someone's home look occupied when they are on holiday or away on business.
9. Tutor
If you hold a good qualification in a subject, whether its maths, science, history or music, to name but a few, you can become a professional tutor by offering your services at a hourly rate to help children and adults pass exams or just become more proficient in a topic. As with a house sitter, most tutors take bookings from home but then visit clients in their own homes or venues of their choice.
10. Small business owner
All of the aforementioned jobs mean you will be running your own business or be working freelance. But there are a huge range of other small business ideas that you could run from your own home, including eBay seller, an inventor, interior designer, gardener, artist, music teacher, online trader, professional gambler, on-line publisher, e-book writer, to name but a few.
So, whatever your passion and area of experience, consider whether you'd be able to work from home. And if you can go for it!
