If you are thinking about working part-time from home, you will be joining almost 25 percent of the United States workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2016 annual report. Large Fortune 500 companies, as well as many smaller organizations, are looking to fill part-time telecommuting positions.

Types of Part-Time Work From Home Jobs

Some of the available jobs are technology-focused positions like web designers or software engineers, but this is not always the case. Others are non-tech roles like jobs in customer service or freelance writing and typing. The leading companies looking to hire part-time telecommuting workers are in the education, IT, sales, and health industries:

Below is a list of some of the more popular part-time jobs that are offered as telecommuting positions and a brief, general description of what the job responsibilities may be.

  • Adjunct Professor: Provide instruction for college-level students, offering feedback and guidance to help the students prepare for their careers. Courses take place online in a virtual classroom.
  • Answering Service Operator: Answer phone calls, take messages, and send pages to doctors when patients call after hours.
  • Content Writing/Editing or Content Manager: Write and edit content for companies to use on their websites or social media accounts. Content Managers will also oversee other writers and ensure they are producing quality content.
  • Customer Service Representative: Interact with customers providing information about products and services offered by the company, take retail or food orders, assist with insurance claims, handle customer complaints, and help with returns.
  • Data Entry: Enter information that is on paper or voice-recorded into a computer database.
  • Direct Sales Associate: Work for companies like Avon or Pampered Chef selling their products by organizing gatherings like in-home parties or creating a website or a social media page and earning a percentage of the sales.
  • Online Surveys/Focus Groups/Opinion Writer: Answer company surveys honestly, use products and then write reviews of the products, and participate in online research groups.
  • Online Teacher for Grades K-12 (various areas of study): Provide instruction and feedback to students in a virtual classroom or one-on-one using video conferencing. Duties may include writing lesson plans, grading student work, and offering general educational support and guidance to your students.
  • Insurance Underwriter: Review client histories in order to determine whether they can be approved for insurance and under what terms. Additional duties may include reviewing insurance applications to determine coverage amounts and premiums.
  • Social Media Content Evaluator: Evaluate the quality and relevance of search results, ads, and news feeds on social media sites.
  • Social Media Manager: Post interesting content related to the company, manage friend requests, and ensure posts are appropriate for the target audience on social media accounts.
  • Team Manager: Report to upper-level management, support and guide a team, communicate with clients, and manage projects.
  • Technical Support/Computer Support Specialist: Work with customers and employees who may be having problems with software, computers, or equipment like printers or scanners. Responsibilities may include troubleshooting solutions, testing and fixing faulty equipment, addressing password and login issues, and possibly providing feedback to supervisors.
  • Topic Specific Expert: Work for a company or website offering expert advice on a specific topic or field that you have professional knowledge and experience in.
  • Translator: Translate documents like eBooks, emails, and website content.
  • Tutor (Grades K-12): Provide students with academic support, and develop academic materials and lesson plans that are age/ability appropriate.
  • Virtual Assistant: Perform typical office duties like composing and replying to emails, scheduling appointments and meetings, entering data, or transcribing notes.
  • Web Search Evaluator: Assess the relevance and quality of web page content, ads, and online search results.

Where to Find the Jobs

Sometimes job searching itself feels like a part-time job. It is becoming easier to find the perfect position thanks to the growing number of job websites. On these type of sites, it is easy to generate a search with specific parameters to suit your wants, needs, and skills. These sites make job searching more like online shopping for both the companies looking to hire and the people looking to be hired. Use the sites that focus on freelance and gig job listings.

Determine What Skills You Have to Offer

When you look at job postings, scroll down to the end of the post to see what minimum qualifications you would need in order to be considered for the job. Your highest level of education or years of previous experience are examples of hard skills. These are typically measurable skills that can easily be defined and evaluated—you either have them or you don’t.

Job announcements will also include a list of preferred soft skills like leadership skills, the ability to communicate, work with a team, or be flexible. You may consider making a list of your hard and soft skills ahead of time.

Be Prepared to Apply Online

Have all your application materials, including your employment history, resume, cover letter, and work samples, if applicable, ready to apply online. For most positions, you will be able to get the application process started by completing an online job application. Carefully investigate the positions you’re interested in to avoid work-at-home job scams.

You’ll find a lot of opportunities, so be selective and apply for jobs that are a good match for what you’re looking for in a part-time position.