10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs

10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs

10 Most Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs was written by Mark Patrick and originally appeared on Savoteur. Mark is the founder of Financial Pilgrimage, a blog dedicated to helping young families pay down debt and live financially free. Mark has a Bachelor’s degree in financial management and a Master’s degree in economics and finance. It has been republished with permission. Please note that contributing opinions are that of the author. They are not always in strict alignment with my own opinions.

Stay-at-home jobs have become increasingly popular post-pandemic. Even though one could have performed the positions listed here at home before the pandemic, many have become more popular in recent years.

Stay-at-Home Jobs

Organizations have quickly pivoted to full-time remote work where you can stay at home to get the job done. Below is a list of jobs you can consider if you have the interest, skills, and qualifications to apply.

Accountant

On the surface, accounting may seem like a straightforward job. However, as you dig in, you'll find there are several different types of accounting jobs. Financial, management, tax, and cost-accounting are different versions of the accounting field. All are related to keeping financial accounts for a business or individual.

According to a 2018 survey of CPA firms, 43% of firms now have employees that regularly work from home. As office positions move towards stay-at-home positions or a hybrid approach after the pandemic, this number is likely much higher.

Office jobs, in general, are increasing in remote options. Accounting positions are jobs that can be done anywhere in the world if permitted by the company.

An accountant's average salary is $58,488, though this number can vary widely depending on an individual's experience. Many accountants make six-figure salaries.

Consultant

A consultant is another position that has many different variations. Generally, a consultant works directly with a business or organization to help improve performance. Most consultants move from project to project within the same company or with different companies.

Examples of the more popular consulting companies include McKinsey & Co, Booze Allen Hamilton, and Deloitte. Many consultant positions require travel to learn about a company and build relationships with staff. However, you can do most of the work while staying home.

The average salary for a business consultant is $75,356. The most experienced business consultants can make well into six figures, with good benefits.

Project Manager

Project management is one of the more versatile jobs in the corporate environment. Almost every organization has projects of some sort, and having someone oversee the projects increases the likelihood of success. In addition, project managers ensure the timely completion of projects within budget and scope.

Because project management is so versatile, there are plenty of opportunities to stay at home within many large organizations. A stay-at-home project manager's ideal situation is to work with a remote team.

Project management is all about communications and relationships with the team, which can be more complicated if the team is in the office and you work from home.

The average salary for a project manager is $78,675. Project managers often require a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to demonstrate expertise in the field.

Customer Service Representative

Customer service positions have become more common in remote environments. Companies are shedding expensive corporate offices and instead allow their customer service representatives to work from home.

Customer service representatives generally use phone or instant messaging to communicate with customers, answer questions, resolve issues, or respond to complaints.

This stay-at-home job typically does not require a college degree, making it one of the more appealing jobs for someone with high school education. Individuals who enjoy helping people and like interacting with customers will generally do well in this type of position.

However, there is a risk of burnout in customer service representative positions that deal more with complaints and disgruntled customers.

The average pay for a customer service representative is $15.18 per hour. Most customer service representative positions are paid by the hour instead of on salary, which can work in their favor if they work over 40 hours. In that case, the person would receive overtime pay.

Recruiter

Recruiters are responsible for helping organizations find the best talent for their open positions. Recruiters almost always work for a company, and the services provided to help a potential candidate are free. The organization with the open position typically pays a recruiter after filling a position.

With the popularity of Zoom and other collaboration tools, recruiting can primarily be done from home. However, there is still value in meeting candidates face-to-face. For example, years ago, Aldi would meet candidates in coffee shops to conduct initial interviews before determining which candidates to send to a client.

However, as people become more comfortable with improved technology in the collaboration tools space worldwide, it's possible to conduct remote interviews.

The average recruiter's salary is $54,500, though there are a lot of variabilities depending on skills and experience.

Recruiting is similar to other sales jobs where the top 10% earn most of the money in the field. This career path is all about developing and maintaining solid relationships with clients; a few excellent clients can allow a recruiting firm to establish a successful business.

Software Developer

The role of a Software Developer is to write code for applications and other products based on a client's or organization's needs. A Software Developer can write code anywhere with a laptop and the right tools.

More companies are moving to Agile software development practices, which require additional communication and collaboration compared to former methodologies. However, the bulk of the role of a software developer is still to put their head down and write code most of the day.

A Software Developer is needed to build almost any website, video game, or application we use today.

The average salary for a software developer is $127,228. However, suppose you don't have a degree in software development and are looking to break into the field. In that case, plenty of boot camp-type options can teach a person how to write code in a relatively short period.

Writing code takes a mix of hard work and natural talent; you'll never know how easily you can pick it up until you try it.

Data Scientist

Data Scientist is a relatively new job title for individuals who analyze large amounts of data. In the past, other job titles for Data Scientists have included Data Analysts or Statisticians. Data Scientists are similar to software developers in that they write code. The difference is that Software Developers generally build a product, while Data Scientists use tools to analyze large amounts of data to make business decisions.

Data processing power is the lifeblood of Data Scientists. The evolution of technology makes it more feasible for a Data Scientist to stay at home and work. Years ago, this position would almost certainly have required the person to be on-site as that's where they would find the best processing power to run queries on large amounts of data.

The average salary for a Data Scientist is $141,305. This career typically requires a degree in computer science, economics, finance, or other field related to data science. In addition, the position requires the unique ability to write code, analyze information, and effectively communicate findings. Data analysis is becoming more popular, so this field will likely continue to grow in the next several years.

Editor

Editing positions come in many different variations. Prominent blogs require editors before publishing their content, corporations need editors before posting a news release, and publishers need editors to review their books.

The role of the editor swings anywhere from proofreading information to writing articles or books before they are made available to the public.

Editing is popular in the freelance world as it's a side job many can do at any time, day or night. However, there are also many corporate editor positions available. To be an editor, all you need is a laptop and an internet connection, which makes this job very flexible.

The average salary for a full-time editor is $54,487. Corporate editing positions typically require a degree in English or a communications-related field. Freelance editors' jobs are based more so on reputation, so it may be an industry you can get into if you have a natural talent for editing but not the degree.

Blogger

Bloggers can make money in various ways, including through ad revenue, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, or product sales.

The majority of bloggers do not make any money. However, others are wildly successful, making hundreds of thousands of dollars per month. Blogging is another popular side hustle that anyone can do from anywhere in the world with a laptop and internet connection.

To make money as a blogger, you need to develop a strong understanding of the fundamentals of blogging while building a network of other bloggers to help prop you up. Very few bloggers can go about it alone and become successful. Most need the help of others.

According to Indeed, the average salary for a blogger is $15.60 per hour. Again, the blogging industry is very top-heavy, with the top 10% of bloggers making most of the money. Many people treat blogging as a hobby and are not trying to make money, but even those trying to make it a business can find it challenging to make a full-time salary from it.

Blogging takes years to build up a site to the place where it creates revenue. However, it can be an extremely lucrative field for those able to break through.

Virtual Assistant

If you're someone that doesn't need a full-time job but would like to make extra income, becoming a virtual assistant may be ideal for you. Virtual Assistants are usually contractors for small businesses that handle administrative duties. You can do almost any responsibility any time of the day, so there is flexibility in the hours you work.

Virtual assistants usually do not require any special tools or licenses. Your employer will likely provide access to accounts. You should be in good shape if you have a laptop and a high-speed internet connection.

Growing small business owners limited on time might want to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant to help with social media management, publishing content, scheduling appointments, data entry, or a variety of other tasks.

Virtual assistants make an average hourly wage of $22.11. Since Virtual Assistants are usually contractor positions, you'd have to find other means for typical company benefits such as health insurance and 401k matching.

However, the flexibility afforded by most Virtual Assistant positions makes it appealing to anyone looking to make extra money or have a flexible, part-time position.

Summary of Popular Stay-at-Home Jobs

The world is different today than it was even a decade ago. With improvements in technology, including better internet connections and collaboration tools, you can do many more jobs while staying home.

In addition, the pandemic has accelerated the availability of these jobs as more employers have moved to virtual environments.

If you are interested in working from home, you should consider one of the jobs listed in this article. While this article highlights some more popular stay-at-home jobs, dozens of others are out there. Your options are almost limitless if you have a laptop and good internet connection.

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