The remote work phenomenon is growing rapidly – companies like Automatic have completely remote teams of professionals. The traditional office paradigm is dying.
If you’re looking to join the movement but aren’t sure what kind of skills you can potentially sell online, here is a list of 60 to help give you some ideas. Even if you don’t have one of these skills, many of them can be learned to a “sellable” level with a month of study at the local library.
You can find real examples online of people making a living selling each of these skills – none of these are made up. Some are freelancing skills, some are remote jobs with companies, some are entrepreneurial enterprises and some follow a coaching/consulting model.
Remote Work Writing & Language Skills
Freelance Writer
As content marketing importance increases, professionals with copy writing skills are more demanded by companies. You can also start a blog sharing your travel adventures as you go along. Once you have a number of well-written articles on your portfolio, it is time to start your career as a freelance writer.
As content marketing importance increases, professionals with copy writing skills are more demanded by companies. You can also start a blog sharing your travel adventures as you go along. Once you have a number of well-written articles on your portfolio, it is time to start your career as a freelance writer.
1 – Article writing – there are millions of websites out there, and they all need content to attract visitors from the searches engines. If you can write compelling content and learn to optimize it for the web, you can make a living writing articles.
2 – Sales copy writing – there is a gentle art to persuading people to buy through the written word. This can be a very lucrative skill that can land you both freelancing work and long term remote job contracts.
3 – Ebook ghostwriting – it’s common knowledge that publishing a book is a great way to establish credibility and expertise, but not everyone has the writing talent or time to do it. Find someone who wants a book with their name on it but doesn’t have the time or skill to actually do the writing – and offer to do it for them as a ghostwriter.
4 – Technical writing – different from sales copy writing, technical writing requires a scientific, matter-of-fact way of looking at things. You can make a very comfortable living writing instruction manuals and other similar materials for businesses.
5 – Script writing – this skill is not only applicable to TV and movies. Companies need professional scripts for video and audio materials like ads and explainer videos – if you can write catchy scripts, you can make a good living between this and other freelancing gigs.
6 – Travel writing – the holy grail of online income sources for many aspiring digital nomads, getting paid to travel sounds like a dream come true. As with all online income generation, the reality is a lot tougher than the fantasy – but it is definitely possible to make a full time living as a travel writer, writing pieces for magazines and online publications as well as creating your own blog to add extra income streams and sell your own books. Be prepared for a lot of work and self promotion.
7 – Translation – as with writing, there is a large demand for remote translation services. You can get into this field fairly easily as a freelancer as long as you have some good samples of work to show potential clients. Once you get established, set up your own branded website and focus on building authority and inbound leads to create a long term, sustainable business. If you are good at languages, you may want to consider doing translations to earn some extra money. There are a number of online platforms where you can create a profile and offer translation and transcription services. If you are bilingual, this option may be perfect for you.
8 – Proofreading and editing – if you’re not big on writing but you have a keen eye for errors in copy, you can do this as a freelancer, a remote worker or as an enterprise with multiple proofreaders working under you. It can also be a good supplement to freelance writing.
9 – Transcription – the medical and legal professions are particularly in need of transcription – converting audio into a written format. The pay is not great, but it’s a relatively easy way to get started with online income if you don’t already have a high demand skill.
10 – Language teaching – speak more than one language? You already have a digital nomad income skill set right there. You can find roles as a freelancer, remote contracts or set up a formal service business. This option also lends itself well to creating information products like ebooks and video courses, so you can build recurring revenue over time.
11 – Resume writing – if a job seeker needs a resume that pops, they’ll pay to have a professional put one together for them. Like many other writing skills, there is a large global marketplace for remote work in the resume writing field – customers aren’t picky about where you are as long as you’re good at what you do.
Remote Work Marketing & Sales Skills
12 – Online Marketing Strategist – If you already have experience in online marketing you can share your know-how with other companies as an online marketing strategist. Analyzing their existing marketing and working as a consultant to improve their communications may be a good way to start.
13 – Search engine optimization – ranking businesses on Google and developing content that will drive more free traffic to their websites. You don’t need a college degree for this and it can be very lucrative, lending itself to a recurring monthly payment model. $500-$1000/month contracts are typical.
15 – Social media marketing – more companies large and small are beginning to understand the importance of engaging their customers and building relationships on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you’re good at getting people to engage and respond to you on social media, this is a skill you can parlay into monthly contracts doing social media marketing for businesses.
16 – Google Adwords optimization – Google ads are an important source of targeted traffic for many business websites. If you can learn to write great ads and structure campaigns to produce streams of paying customers, you can not only use it to promote your own services, you can also sell it to clients.
17 – Sales – great sales skills are always in demand, and there are plenty of companies that will hire remotely for over-the-phone sales roles as well as sales team management gigs.
18 – Webinar Coordinator, Instructor, Trainer, Moderator or Host– if you are very keen into delivering live virtual sessions via webinar to a portfolio of clients on an event-by-event basis, possess the following characters: customer service-oriented, detail-oriented, always on-time, an expert in PowerPoint 2007-2013, comfortable with Windows PCs, has a good phone voice, and can think quickly on their feet, then being a Webinar coordinator and so on will be highly payable.
19 – Project management – if you’re a pro at organizing people and making sure complex projects stay on budget and within deadlines, you can sell these skills as a freelancer or contractor.
20 – Email marketing – the art of nurturing leads on an email list and ensuring they remain engaged and responsive – this skill set relies heavily on strong copy writing abilities.
21 – Public relations – if you can write press releases and form relationships with journalists in order to help companies get news coverage, you have a potential business.
22 – Marketing management – some companies now hire for remote managers to run their entire marketing operation. If you have extensive knowledge of marketing and can manage people, this could suit you (the skills you need can be learned at the local library – you don’t need a degree in the field, especially if you set up your own company rather than looking for remote jobs).
23 – Affiliate marketing – this is where you earn commissions by promoting other people’s products online. If you’re able to get in front of people through Google, Facebook and other avenues but you don’t have your own products or services, this can be a good option to get started. Just make sure you only promote quality stuff that you would actually use yourself.
24 – Recruitment – have a knack for teaming up talented people with employers who need their skills? If you have an existing skill set as a career matchmaker, you can take that skill on the road and pair up job seekers with employee remotely.
25 – Virtual Personal Assistant – One of the online jobs with the lowest barriers to entry – you can sell you services doing odd jobs for busy people like research tasks, answering emails, organizing schedules and virtually anything else that can be done over the Internet.
Many small and medium business owners need someone to organize their agendas and daily tasks to free up their time and focus on what really matters to their business. However, not all of them can afford to hire an in-house secretary. If you are organized and have excellent admin skills, a remote personal assistant opportunity may be for you. To become a virtual PA you may want to check out Ask Sunday.
Remote Work IT & Programming Skills
Front-End or Back-End Developer
If you are good at programming and coding and you are looking to travel the world, a remote work on IT & programming will perfectly suit you. Working remotely as a developer is now very common, all you need is to find the right projects on the freelancing platforms mentioned before.
26 – Javascript – a programming language most commonly used for coding websites, although it has applications outside the web as well. You can learn the language through online tutorials and books – no formal education is necessary to land freelancing gigs, as long as you’re good.
If you are good at programming and coding and you are looking to travel the world, a remote work on IT & programming will perfectly suit you. Working remotely as a developer is now very common, all you need is to find the right projects on the freelancing platforms mentioned before.
26 – Javascript – a programming language most commonly used for coding websites, although it has applications outside the web as well. You can learn the language through online tutorials and books – no formal education is necessary to land freelancing gigs, as long as you’re good.
27 – User experience design – many websites are not intuitive or friendly to the customer experience, and this has a big impact on their performance. If you can make websites more user friendly, you have a potential career as a UX designer. Crafting an appropriate user experience for both websites and mobile apps is an increasingly demanded job that doesn’t require an in-house developer or a freelancer in the office.
User Experience (UX) Designer = Research + Design
UI Developer = Design + HTML/CSS/JS
Application Developer = Back-End coding + HTML/CSS/JS etc.
28 – Ruby on Rails – this is a ‘full stack’ framework for developing web applications, using a combination of CCS, Javascript and HTML. ‘Full stack’ means it covers every aspect of the development process from genesis to completion – you will typically see remote jobs in this field looking for full stack developers.
29 – PHP – a programming language, mostly used for developing web pages that require interaction from the user.
30 – Drupal – a content management system built on PHP. If you learn PHP you can become a specialist in Drupal and charge more for your services one you’re established as an expert.
31 – iOS development – creating apps for Apple products running on iOS.
32 – Android development – creating apps for mobile devices running Google’s Android operating system.
33 – Game development – if you love video games, getting into game development has probably already crossed your mind. To make it even more appealing, it’s now possible to find remote work contracts that let you build games from anywhere in the world.
34 – MySQL – a database management software used for many web applications. As a web developer, knowing your way around multiple coding languages and softwares gives you a lot of options for jobs and freelancing gigs, but specializing and becoming an expert in one can allow you to charge more.
35 – Python – a programming language used for creating a wide range of applications as well as website programming.
36 – IT consulting – if you have experience in the IT industry, you can parlay this into a consulting business, charging clients an hourly rate or a monthly retainer for access to your expertise. This can be done remotely over the phone or via Skype sessions.
Remote Work Design & Creative Skills
Graphic Designer
If your talent is in visual arts, the graphic design industry may be a wise choice. Being a graphic design freelancer is a very creative job that will give you a huge freedom to travel the world. You can check out below skills you need to be an excellent graphic designer.
37 – Web design – the market for web design globally is huge and still growing as commerce for businesses of all sizes moves online. If you have a flair for design and know how to use Photoshop, you can easily turn this into a comfortable online living as a freelancer or doing a remote job.
38 – Logo design – every company wants to stand out. If you have graphic design skills and a good understanding of how to capture the essence of a brand in simple images, logo design and branding could be a good fit for you.
39 – Animation – there’s a huge commercial demand for 2D and 3D animation as companies come to understand the power of online video.
40 – Voice-over talent – got a voice for radio? Lots of companies need voice talent for their online video and audio materials – promote yourself as a freelancer.
41 – Acting – just like with voice talent, many companies hire remote actors to make presentation videos. If you can act and present, you can sell yourself as a presentation actor.
42 – Infographic design – infographics are a powerful way to get attention, especially on social media. If you have a flair for design and can arrange information in a visually compelling way, this can be a lucrative business.
43 – Video editing and production – all those animated and live videos need to be put together by editors who know their way around video production software. If you have, or can learn, video editing skills then you can use this to launch a viable freelance career.
44 – Photography – there are two big ways to make money from photography remotely – either by doing custom work for clients, or selling your photos are stock photography that people can buy and download. You can also teach others your skills.
Is your dream job in the photography industry? Then why not travel the world looking for inspiration and exploring new cultures. There are a number of specialties within photography that you could focus on: photojournalism, food photography, landscape photography, sports…the list is endless!
Is your dream job in the photography industry? Then why not travel the world looking for inspiration and exploring new cultures. There are a number of specialties within photography that you could focus on: photojournalism, food photography, landscape photography, sports…the list is endless!
45 – Branding – helping companies to develop a distinct ‘personality’ that will be consistent across all their marketing, advertising and communications materials.
46 – Art direction – if you have creative flair and an eye for what looks good on a screen or print publication, becoming an art director may be your best road to remote working. This skill set is applicable to a wide variety of industries, from marketing and advertising, to magazine publishing to fashion.
48 – Photo Editor – This may sound a bit peculiar but there are so many companies and entrepreneurs looking for people to edit their photos and this job doesn’t always require previous experience or qualifications. It may be a good way to have your first spin in the freelancing world and make some extra money.
Remote Work Administration Skills
49 – Data entry – a nice straightforward entry point to freelancing or remote work which doesn’t require an advanced skillset.
50 – Customer support – many companies are now quite used to hiring support staff who work from home, even in other countries. If you have related experience this can be a relatively easy way to get into remote work.
51 – Research – if you’re skilled at finding and collating information quickly, you can sell your skills as a researchers to writers, entrepreneurs and other business professionals.
Remote Work Education & Consulting Skills
52 – Tutoring – even if you haven’t developed any particularly special skills yet, you may have a very solid understanding of a certain subject at the school/college level. If so, you can offer to tutor students over the web for a fee. What do you know a lot about that others would be willing to pay to understand better? Remember, understanding is valuable. Spread your understanding to others and they will gladly pay for that value.
53 – Online Language Tutor – If you are into languages and enjoy teaching, why not use your skills to turn into a language tutor? There are millions of people around the world willing to learn another language and very handy online platforms such as Verbalplanet that connect them with a suitable teacher.
54 – Financial advice – good at helping people manage their money? There’s no reason you need to do this face to face. Try online consulting calls and creating information products from your knowledge.
54 – Financial advice – good at helping people manage their money? There’s no reason you need to do this face to face. Try online consulting calls and creating information products from your knowledge.
55 – Business coaching – got business experience? Help others learn and grow through online educational materials and coaching calls.
56 – Social skills/dating coaching – millions of people around the world struggle every day with poor social skills and the resulting lack of good relationships. Help them solve this problem and you can get paid for it.
57 – Product development consultant – if you have previous experience through your own business or through a job role and you know the ins and outs of creating a successful product, you can sell that knowledge through info products and/or as a high priced consultant.
58 – Selling your knowledge – a broad category, this can cover virtually anything that others may pay to learn. If you know how to do something well and it’s a skill that others want to learn, chances are you can make a buck by packaging your knowledge as an ebook, audio course or video course and selling it online.
59 – Online Guitar Teacher – Using communication tools like Skype or Google hangouts you can teach whatever you are good at, independently from your location. Guitar lessons, for instance, have very high demand. A good way to start is by creating a YouTube channel showing off your skills and joining Take Lessons as a teacher.
61 – Relationship counselling – if you’re experienced as a relationship counsellor, why not take your practice online? There’s no longer any need to do face to face meetings – if you have clients who love you’re work, they’ll pay for sessions over Skype.
62 – Career counselling – do you have a knack for helping others find their dream jobs? You can sell this as a service via Skype calls or package it into information products.
63 – Fashion consulting – if you can demonstrate your fashion expertise online via a blog and social media, many of your followers will be happy to pay for online consults and your best tips.
64 – Stylist consulting – similar to fashion consulting, if you can demonstrate your styling expertise online via a blog and social media, many of your followers will be happy to pay for online consults and your best tips.
65 – Clothing designer – if you have a flair for design, there’s no reason this has to be done in an office scenario anymore. There are a handful of remote fashion jobs advertised online, but your best path is to start your own service and sell your custom designs through a website.
66 – Nutrition consultant – again, there’s no reason nutritionists need to see their clients face to face anymore. If you can develop a following by posting your best nutrition tips on a blog, you can advertise your services, doing Skype consulting sessions and creating custom nutrition plans for your customers.
Remember – even if you have a skill that doesn’t seem like an obvious choice for selling online, you can always turn it into an information product that teaches others how to do the same thing.
Mechanic? Make a video series on how to maintain your favourite make and model of car.
Builder? Create an Ebook around do-it-yourself building. Or perhaps you can hire someone to develop a software that serves people who share a hobby you’re passionate about. There are very few skills that can’t be adapted into a product or service that can be sold on the web. Take the above list as inspiration and begin looking at your own skill set to see where the opportunities are – making money online may be a lot easier than you initially thought.
Another option to make this life changing decision would be to negotiate a remote work arrangement in your actual job. This is a good way to take the first step without any risk.
For more info on great websites you may make extra money online, click here.
For more info on great websites you may make extra money online, click here.
