More and more people are seizing the wonders of new technology to forge their careers from home, where turning up for work is as simple as stepping into the home office or logging on.
Here are five great careers you can have at home.
Freelance writer
Never before have there been so many opportunities for journalists, freelance writers and PR professionals to ply their trade from the comfort of their couch. The internet and job tendering websites have opened up a world of opportunity when it comes to finding clients, filing stories and writing about what you love.
Best of all, writing is a profession where you can network in your local area or seek clients across the globe, with your workspace being just a computer and the online arena.
Graphic designer
The virtual world has also given graphic designers the keys to freedom, where websites, logos and even business cards can be designed at a home office then emailed to clients far and wide for approval and final printing. With the growth of the internet and business websites, this is a trade that is booming with no sign of slowing down.
Bookkeeper
Numbers and balances never go out of style, and bookkeeping is another career that is becoming increasingly flexible courtesy of technology and online support communities like the Australian Bookkeepers Network.
Though once it was about physically handing over receipts and spreadsheets, now a bookkeeper can work comfortably from home with professional support in the knowledge their client down the road or halfway across the country will have their quarterly accounts on their desk in the morning courtesy of the internet.
Hairdressing and beauty
Whether you choose to see clients at their home or yours, hairdressing and beauty have never been fully confined to the standard shopfront. There is a massive market for hairdressers and beauty professionals willing to see people during or after business hours in a more relaxed setting than a salon.
Importantly, however, the way these services attract new clients has expanded greatly via online advertising and the internet.
Retail
If you’re crafty, it may be Etsy. If you’re commercially minded, it may be eBay or your very own site. Either way, never before has it been so easy to reach customers far and wide to sell products. Successful online stores can be a very real and lucrative career choice, depending on what product you have to offer and the gap in the market you fill.
Working from home has a host of benefits. It’s a job choice that ticks the work/life balance where you can work from wherever you please, whenever you want – even in your pyjamas.
