Many older Americans want to supplement their income, but how? There are various types of work-at-home opportunities these days, and working from home as a senior can put a few extra dollars in your pocket and keep your mind sharp.
Before you start looking for a work-at-home position, do your research. Unfortunately, there are countless investment schemes and job offers that sound appealing but are not legitimate. Carefully investigate any business offer that require an investment on your part. Google the company, and contact the Better Business Bureau before you invest in any kind of work-at-home program.
That being said, there are plenty of legitimate job opportunities if you are interested in working from home as a senior, including:
Customer Service Representative
Your duties will typically include answering calls, taking orders and tracking existing orders. In some cases, you may assist customers with technical support. Keep in mind that online chat and email may be required, so make sure you’re comfortable using a computer. Most employers offer paid training sessions that help you get a hang of their systems while working home as a senior.
If you’re seeking this type of position, make sure your computer is up-to-date and has plenty of memory to run efficiently. A high-speed internet connection, dedicated landline, headset and a quiet place to work are also essential to get the job done.
Companies such as Amazon usually hire directly for work-at-home positions. Others use third-party agencies that hire home-based workers. Be up front about how many hours per week you’d like to work. Full-time, part-time and split shifts are typically available, but some employers may require you to work at least 20 hours per week, plus weekends.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, customer service representatives earned a median hourly wage of $15.53 in 2016. You may also be eligible for benefits such as health insurance, paid vacation and 401(k). These positions typically call for a high school diploma and customer service or technical support experience. Don’t rule yourself out if you have sales or retail experience. If you were a bank teller, server or cashier in your former life, you possess customer service skills you probably don’t even know you have!
Freelancer
There are a multitude of websites that connect companies with freelancers. You can search for jobs in a wide variety of areas including, writing, editing, transcription, design, telemarketing, direct sales and more. Typically, you register on the site, upload a current resume and sample, and depending on the site, you may have to bid for jobs that are of interest to you. The employer hires a bidder to do the job. Once you complete jobs, you get ratings which are seen by potential clients when you bid on further projects. Dedicated freelance writing and editing sites may pay by the word.
Online Tutoring
With today’s technology, that are many opportunities for working from home as a senior tutoring people all over the world. You don’t need a degree in education to be a tutor, but generally you will need a college degree and good English and math skills. These positions are ideal for retired teachers or anyone with solid knowledge in these subject areas. The pay varies and you can choose the amount of hours you work, but some tutoring sites have limits on hours.
Whether you are looking to make a few extra bucks or keep yourself busy, there are a multitude of jobs that can fulfill your dream of working at home as a senior. Invaluable tools like AARP’s Job Search can help get you on the right track to rewarding, interesting online employment.
