Even though working from home has become much more common–growing over 41% in the last decade according to the U.S. Census Bureau–it’s still a bit of a mystery how many jobs you can do from home. The most widely-known work from home jobs include customer service and call center jobs, sales and web or software development, but the exciting truth is that so many other careers offer work-from-home options. If you’re wondering whether your profession offers the opportunity to work from home, here are ten surprising and real telecommuting jobs to demonstrate the wide variety available. If you don’t see something up your alley on this list, keep in mind that well over 50 career fields and industries offer telecommuting and remote jobs. So, if your job can be done mainly using computers, phones and other means of remote communication, it can probably be done from home!
Virtual Secondary School Teacher
Public and alternative virtual high schools are on the rise throughout the United States. Just like traditional schools, they need to hire certified teachers in every subject in order to meet their high demand. Subjects taught by virtual teachers run the gamut from Spanish to science, sociology to math and history to physical education.
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Paralegal
Because the work of paralegals is done so easily using computers and phones, attorneys are hiring more virtual paralegals today. Work-from-home paralegal jobs carry the same responsibilities as in-office paralegals, like drafting documents, researching information, interviewing participants and helping with all phases of litigation.
Scientist
Research studies are hiring more virtual scientists to assist with data analysis, clinical design, staff training and document review. They’re also able to get out of the house to meet with clients when needed.
Health Coach
Health coaching allows people who enjoy helping others to work from home while still getting a lot of interpersonal interaction. Health coaches help clients with fitness and nutrition goals like weight loss, exercise and overall health through phone and email communications.
Art Director
Artists have been working from home studios for centuries, but now the traditional office job of Art Director can be done from the home, too. As the arts become more digital, artists and designers will find more opportunities to telecommute. As a work-from-home art director, professionals manage creative teams and rely heavily on design software and different media to work.
Registered Nurse Clinical Case Manager
Perhaps most surprising of all, nurses at all levels–RN, LPN, and NP–can find a huge number of work-from-home jobs. As one of the top telecommuting job categories, at-home nurses typically work as case managers, assisting patients with the health insurance process, planning for their care and following up on health goals.
Government Manager
Thanks to the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, which mandates that government departments use telecommuting whenever possible, federal government agencies have more work-from-home jobs than ever before. Government departments like the Departments of Transportation and Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Food Safety and Inspection Service are all offering full-time work-from-home jobs in a variety of career fields.
Translator, Interpreter or Subtitler
People who speak multiple languages fluenty will find a variety of translation, interpretation and subtitling work-from-home jobs to choose from. Medical offices use medical interpreters to assist in doctor and patient communication. Film and video companies need professionals to create subtitles and translate foreign language movies and television shows, as do publishers and websites. Fluency is definitely a requirement for these work from home jobs.
Therapist
For anyone who is unable or unwilling to go to a therapist’s office in-person, online therapy sessions have grown in popularity. Work-from-home therapists are licensed social workers and psychologists who counsel clients through online conference programs like video chat and over the phone. These work-from-home jobs carry the same requirements as traditional therapists jobs, plus the ability to communicate well in a telecommuting situation.
Travel Counselor
As a very specialized subgroup of customer service jobs, work-from-home travel counselors work for hospitality and travel companies, large businesses and credit card companies who support business travelers. Telecommuting travel counselors are able to assist clients with emergency travel issues, trip planning and other travel-related services, all from their home offices.
These 10 surprising work from home jobs are just a sample of the huge variety of telecommuting and remote jobs being offered by companies and organizations. If you’ve ever thought about working from home, don’t assume you won’t find telecommuting jobs in your career field. With the fast pace of technological advancement, and managers who are increasingly open to telecommuting, the work-from-home trend is sure to continue.
I’m delighted to share this monthly feature from FlexJobs. They provide cutting-edge information and resources for those interested in flexible work, and I’m thrilled to be able to share expertise from their team via Keppie Careers.
Brie Weiler Reynolds is the Director of Online Content at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible job listings, and a contributing writer for 1 Million for Work Flexibility. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate and professional-level work-from-home jobs and other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing and flexible schedules. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.
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