Top 5 Jobs You Can Do From Home

If you can't bare leaving your pets alone, or you're just searching for a convenient gig that allows you to look after the kids, working from home might be right for you. For many people, a stay-at-home job is the dream — but is it really possible?

Modern technology makes it easier than ever before. But people who are new to the routine may find it more challenging than they originally supposed; staying inside all day can be hard, and the home may offer many distractions. On top of that, many employers rely heavily on precise metrics of success to evaluate the quality of work performed when employees aren't coming into an office everyday.

Here are our top five recommendations for work-from-home jobs:

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1. Customer Service

Though you might not realize it when you call into a company's customer service department, the person on the other end of the line is likely sitting at home. Apple, for example, hires people around the country to provide tech support using their home computers. If you have a calm voice and a helpful demeanor, this might be the right job for you.

However, some positions may have odd pay structures, such as paying by the minutes you spend on the phone, not for the hours you spend on-call, so make sure you're clear up front about what you're getting yourself into.

2. Writer

Though many writers still find their way to an office five days a week, home computers make the task trivially easy to do remotely. The demise of print media has long been forecast, but there are still countless web outlets in search of writing talent, whether on a freelance or more consistent basis.

Burgeoning or long-established novelists or book writers may also get most of their work done without leaving their bedrooms — but leveraging this into a living is not easy feat.

3. Educator

Most full-time teachers are still expected to appear live in front of their classrooms, but there are growing opportunities for educators to make a living at home. Tutoring of all kinds can be performed over email, online chat and video conferences with students. Particularly entertaining and engaging teachers may find success making educational materials from home.

Some families and firms are looking for people who can teach English to kids overseas from the comfort of their homes.

4. Editor

Much like writers, editors can perform their work from almost anywhere with an outlet and Wi-Fi. For those with a keen eye and a sense of form and style, fixing others' prose can be a full-time gig.

Large-scale content producers like book publishers and online magazines are in constant need of highly skilled editors, and there's also an endless supply of academics and other writers who are willing to pay well for a trained eye. If you have the ability to take a strong manuscript and turn it into a polished tome, there are some people who are willing to compensate you generously.

5. Translator

Globalization means an increase in the intermingling of cultures, which means a higher and higher value will be placed on those who can surmount language barriers. If you're fluent in multiple languages, there are ample opportunities for real-time and document-based translation.

While most of the positions listed here require a computer, translators can be of help using a relatively primitive piece of technology: the telephone. Some services will employ you to act as the intermediary between people who would otherwise be unable to communicate.

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