18 Careers That Allow You To Work Remote

• by Rachel-Jean Firchau
• April 30, 2020

I’ll be frank and start with what I know we’re all thinking. This is a bizarre time we’re living in.

In recent weeks, schools, restaurants, bars, and all non-essential businesses have started closing down left and right. Entire countries are on lockdown. And, people everywhere are being asked to shelter at home, all in the effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, or Coronavirus. Because of this, more people than ever before are beginning to work remotely, and companies that might’ve been hesitant in the past are now being pressed to explore the idea of having an entire organization run on telecommuting. In the chaos of all that’s happening, one silver lining lies in the huge surge of people being afforded the opportunity to try out an entirely new way of living and working that was never on the table before.

I personally love working from home. I really feel like I thrive in it because I get to be razor-focused on tasks that I might otherwise feel distracted from when surrounded by people or outside stimuli (if you’ve ever worked with me, you might know me as the person who wears giant headphones 75% of the time so I can concentrate!). While I have a full-time job, I’ve been lucky enough to work at a company with a work-from-home policy that allows employees to occasionally telecommute, and that alone has seriously helped allow me to travel as often as I do, and also take some much-needed ‘me’ time at home instead of having to drive to an office.

If you’re just now beginning to work from home yourself, you might hate it, or, you might be starting to realize (like I did!) just how much you love it. Whether you like the idea of working from the comfort of home, or whether you’re curious about finding a career that allows you more flexibility to travel or take up new hobbies, there are actually TONS of career opportunities that enable you to work remote either some or all of the time. In fact, a study done in 2018 found that 97% of professionals believe that a flexible job would improve their overall quality of life, and a recent LinkedIn survey suggests that 70% of hiring managers are beginning to offer some level of remote work in job listings. Coronavirus or not, the trend towards flexible, remote work is here to stay, and it’s becoming increasingly easier to find options no matter what field of work you’re in.

So, what does that mean for you?

If you’ve been thinking about transitioning towards a more flexible career, keep reading for 18 career ideas that will allow you to work remotely. On top of that, I’ve asked 25 women from all over the world already holding remote and/or semi-remote positions in each of these fields to share their own experiences, tips, and salaries so you can evaluate your options!

A couple of quick disclaimers as you go through this post:

• Sometimes, remote work may not pay as well as what you might be used to in a traditional, 9-to-5 setting. That said, the added flexibility means you can diversify your income streams, if desired, to earn enough to fund the lifestyle you’re after.

• While all of the recommendations below are completely viable, the information I’m sharing is derived from peoples’ actual experiences, which may vary

• Working remotely requires focus, time management, passion, and diligence. Not sure whether you’re suited for remote work? Check out my tips for staying in the zone while working from home HERE.

• Working remotely does not promise a BETTER life, just an alternative. This is not intended to dismiss or judge 9-to-5 work at all (especially since I have a 9-to-5 job myself!). It’s all a matter of perspective and what you want out of the kind of career you’re seeking.

18 Careers That Allow You To Work Remote

1. STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Many people who are thinking about leaving their 9-to-5 jobs consider starting their own businesses, so it makes sense to start here. If you want ultimate flexibility and a career set 100% on your terms, and if you have a great idea or experience in a particular industry, this might be the perfect route to take. That said, starting your own business can come with its own challenges and can often take a lot of effort and grit to get it off the ground, especially in the first couple of years. Definitely something to consider, but if entrepreneurial spirit is in your nature, there’s no stopping you!

What Life as a Business Owner Is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Sarah Lang, Founder & CEO at Foray, a travel consulting business (@experienceforay): On a weekly basis I need to keep up with everything that comes with running your own small business like accounting, marketing, contracts, web maintenance, building partnerships, and following the industry news to stay one step ahead of the game.

  • Cyndi Williams, CEO at Careers on Vacation, an online school and resource for growing profitable travel agencies (@wanderlustceo): I coach my clients, help them architect their businesses, and oversee the operations for my travel agency as well.

  • Jenny Dobson, Owner & Pinterest Manager at Pinfluence.co, a Pinterest marketing agency (@renegadecamera): Every week, I invoice all my clients.  The rest of the work is mostly handled by my team. I’ve created operating procedures they follow for completing projects, answering questions and lead generation.  When they get stuck on something they send me a message in slack or assign me something in Asana.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Sarah: An outstanding CEO in the travel consulting space needs to be extremely well-traveled, detail-oriented, and have a natural knack for hospitality.

  • Cyndi: You’d need to learn to be a great travel agent, and also how to competently run an on-line business. It took me years to get everything dialed in and running systematically.  Now I teach others how to do it in 12 weeks or less using the latest technology and the industry’s best practices.

  • Jenny: I learned a lot by starting as a virtual assistant.  The work I deliver to my clients is all based on that and Pinterest courses I took online.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Sarah: In this career, you can take on as few or as many clients as you wish, so it depends. I earn less than I did in the corporate world but I sacrifice that for the joy and freedom that this career offers.

  • Cyndi: I’ve grown my travel business to multiple 6-figures!

  • Jenny: I made six figures in my first year on Upwork.  Some of that goes to paying my team so I have time to work on other projects.  I earn enough to travel like a local by getting monthly discounts on rent and cover my monthly expenses.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Sarah: My hometown, San Francisco, with lots of travel sprinkled in!

  • Cyndi: Austin, TX because I love the people and the city, and it’s warm year-round.

  • Jenny: Right now I’m in Asheville.  I was traveling full time in a camper van and just needed somewhere to rest and regroup.  This was close by and a perfect, creative community surrounded by nature.

• Why Did You Choose to Start Your Own Business?

  • Sarah: I chose to be a travel advisor because when I asked myself where does my expertise lie, what do I love, and what I am good at, the resounding answer to all three questions is travel. I’m motivated every day to help people experience the transformational aspects of travel, and its power to break down borders and bring us all closer together. For me, it’s about much more than just booking a vacation. It’s about building a trusting long-term relationship with my clients, understanding how travel fits into their broader lifestyle, and what I can do to seamlessly make that happen for them while going above and beyond what they thought was possible.

  • Cyndi: I started in the travel industry over twenty-five years ago and fell in love with traveling.  Now I get to share my love of travel and teach others how they can create their own amazing businesses that allow them to travel and work from anywhere in the world.

  • Jenny: I was a virtual assistant and photographer but wanted more control over my schedule. I already had experience in this field from previous jobs, so it was easy to take what I learned and look for my own clients.  I wanted to travel and work from anywhere, on my own schedule, charge my own rates and have more free time.

2. VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

A virtual assistant (or ‘VA’) is typically a self-employed individual who provides a range of services to entrepreneurs or businesses 100% remotely. Some common responsibilities for VAs include social media management, managing calendars, email marketing, assisting with writing or editing, office management, or outreach. This job is usually highly sought out by people looking to earn money on their own schedule, and based on their specializations or expertise.

What Life as a Virtual Assistant Is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Brittany Quaglieri, VA (@wmw.brittany): I try to batch my work according to client/project. I routinely schedule tasks for certain days of the week or on a monthly basis – I’m never without my daily planner! Some things I do for my clients include social media scheduling, managing contributing writers and editorial calendars, editing, producing, and improving/updating blog posts, writing blog posts, researching keywords/hashtags, Pinterest and Tailwind management, Facebook group moderation, etc.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Brittany: The great thing about virtual assistance is that anyone can do it with the skills they already have in the industry that they know best. You just have to nail down the few skills that you rock at that others might need help with – it could literally be ANYTHING. Plus, some killer transferable skills that can be applied in any working situation. For instance, I think I excel at this job because I’m a creative problem-solver, super organized, a great project manager (detail-oriented but big-picture minded), and a self-starter.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Brittany: I earn enough to pay my basic expenses, which I keep super low. To keep costs down, I live really simply and get creative. For the most part, I borrow before buying and opt for second hand over brand new when possible. I eat homemade meals 99% of the time, a lot of which is made from scratch. I also trade child/dog/housesitting for housing, so I live rent-free. When money is flowing (like during busy summers waiting tables on Cape Cod), I save it for travel.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Brittany: I live in Cape Cod, MA, where I grew up! Sometimes, I’ll go live somewhere else for the winter, like I did last year in Florida, or a few years ago in New Zealand.

• Why Did You Choose to Become a VA?

  • Brittany: I wanted to have more control over the way I earn money, and more flexibility in location, working hours, and who I worked with. I’m an introvert and have an autoimmune disease, which both easily make me feel fatigued and generally unwell if I don’t properly take care of myself. I’m selective about who I work with because it’s important to me that they respect me, my health and time, and my other responsibilities.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Social media managers are responsible for overseeing and executing marketing campaigns and strategy across a business’s social media channels, with the end goal of helping to engage the company’s target audience and grow a following as a result. Depending on the role, social media managers can be in charge of creating, curating, managing, scheduling, publishing, and/or engaging on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube.

What Life as a Social Media Manager Is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Sarina Glanz, Social Media Strategist (@sarina.glanz): Being creative! After creating a content plan, making a strategic plan for my clients, I upload posts on Instagram and Facebook. And if needed, I design pictures with Canva. Occasionally, I do research, translate (as I speak 3 languages), or create websites for my clients.

  • Laura Platt, Founder & Director of Studio Groww, a social media marketing agency (@makethebeatdrop): Client requirements, keeping on top of ad campaigns, creating new campaigns, client meetings, coming up with automation, and developing content.

  • Monica Ortega, Partner at JJ & Co Brand Management (@monicagoesshow): Daily engagement, creating pins/posts/stories, curating articles, consulting clients about their branding, creating media kits, crafting press releases, designing websites, conducting outreach.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Sarina: You have to have a burning desire to be successful. You have to constantly educate yourself [by reading up on social media platforms and trends]. Fortunately, there are many opportunities to do this for free.

  • Laura: Zero. You can learn and develop marketing experience as you go.

  • Monica: An understanding of social media platforms, an eye for graphic design, people skills to effectively manage clients, self-discipline to work remotely, basic copy-editing skills, and a decent command of grammar rules.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Sarina: It depends on how many customers you have each month. But, I would say I have enough money left over each month to travel which is very important for me.

  • Laura: I just got to $10,000/month in January.

  • Monica: I am able to charge $100-200/hour or $1000-$2000/month depending on the project.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Sarina: I am originally from Germany and have lived in Mallorca, Spain for 5 years. Since I used to live in Mexico as a small child, I wanted to move to a country where I can speak Spanish.

  • Laura: Bali currently, It’s beautiful and I am loving it here.

  • Monica: I’m in Los Angeles. I moved here to pursue an acting career and it’s a great city for me to do acting, singing, line dancing, and hosting in. There are also amazing places to film around California for my show, Monica Goes.

• Why Did You Choose to Go Into Social Media Management?

  • Sarina: Because I wanted to be free. Everything about social media is a lot of fun for me. I have been working in the marketing / social media sector for about 5 years. I love to be creative and to see how the online presence of my clients is growing.

  • Laura: It’s an in-demand skill!

  • Monica: I learned about running my own business and social media by making LOTS of mistakes, and I wanted to help other people avoid those mistakes.

4. DIGITAL MARKETER

Digital marketing is an umbrella term for a number of different channels companies use to reach consumers and prospective customers. Some examples include organic search, paid search, digital advertising, email, affiliate, social media, and online PR. You don’t need to be an expert in all areas in order to be successful in digital marketing, but you should develop expertise in at least one or two key fields in order to charge competitive rates and retain clients.

What Life as a Digital Marketer is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Naomi Read, Digital Marketer (@naomi.e.christine.kellnerread): Social media management, content creation, audience engagement, organizing/completing forms for sales, prospect calls, video editing, organization and admin tasks.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Naomi: I have a bachelor’s degree, however, you do not need any formal qualifications to be able to do this job. The main thing that is required is a willingness to learn and apply what is learned. If a person is coachable and willing to take full responsibility for their business, they have the ability to create success in digital marketing.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Naomi: As I work on a sales basis, I can have a month where I earn more and a month where I earn less – as is often the case in self-employment. The main thing I focus on is moving forward with each new month, as I always have the ability to shift and adapt my approach.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Naomi: I currently live in Brisbane, Australia. I have a great support network here in Australia and am forming a fantastic community of like-minded people. There is also great opportunity for growth in this country and quite simply right now, it’s the place that feels right.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Digital Marketing?

  • Naomi: I chose to work online for the flexibility, as it suits my lifestyle. I also chose this career as it allows me to follow my passion of sharing my message and impacting people on a global scale.

5. CONTENT MARKETER

Content marketing is the ability to produce relevant, valuable, entertaining, and/or informative content with the objective of driving profitable customer action. Successful content marketers need to be able to not only produce quality content, but have a strong understanding of a brand’s audience, voice, vision, and product. Some examples of content that is of value to clients include articles, photography, videos, infographics, and podcasts.

What Life as a Content Marketer is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Leanna Lee, Content Marketing Writer (@leannalost): My work is divided between working with agencies and plugging directly into the marketing department of small and mid-sized businesses. That means I’m consistently producing content for the same clients and often have a hand in building out content strategy and editorial calendars as well. I’m a long-form writer, so most of my work is blogs, case studies, ebooks/whitepapers and other types of non-sales-focused content for a variety of industries.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Leanna: I have a BA in Communications, which did help create the foundation of my freelance career, but was not at all necessary. It really comes down to experience, a good portfolio, and a desire to keep learning. Anyone can be a freelance writer, but the learning curve is a lot easier to overcome if you pick a type of writing to focus on (say, blogging) and educate yourself. Once you have a few good samples, client work and experience will open other doors and allow you to try new things, discover what you’re good at, and refine those skills.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Leanna: I try not to take work that averages out to less than $100 an hour! This generally allows me to support myself and my husband (who has recently gone into freelance and is building his portfolio) and work part-time hours.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Leanna: Chicago! It’s where most of my family is and it’s a great city. But I plan to move on in the next couple of years.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Content Marketing?

  • Leanna: Many reasons! The two biggest are lifestyle and mental health. I grew up as a homeschooler between three continents (US, UK, Africa) and learned to be very self-sufficient at an early age. I got used to dictating my own schedule, which served me well in college and as I became a freelancer, but made “traditional” work structures feel a bit restrictive.

    Also, as someone who deals with generalized anxiety, situational depression, and PTSD on a daily basis, I needed a work structure that would be flexible and allow me to work around my triggers and put my health first.

    I fell into my niche (content marketing/writing) after switching from criminal justice to journalism and then from there to marketing after the 2008 Recession. I love the creativity and challenge of the writing and because much of my work is with complex industries like tech, finance, and healthcare, I was also able to exercise that love of investigation and research.

6. VIDEOGRAPHER / VIDEO EDITOR

Videography and video editing are specialized skills and careers for those passionate about telling stories through this particular medium. These days, videography and video editing can range widely from traditional filmmaking to producing content for specific social media platforms. Videographers and editors must command expertise in both camera work and editing software, like Adobe Premiere, FCPX, Davinci, or Final Cut Pro.

What Life as a Videographer / Video Editor is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Kimmy Aoa, Videographer / Video Editor (@kimmyaoa): I work in the sustainable fashion industry, so my responsibilities can range between shooting footage in farms (to showcase the conditions of the animals), participating in fashion shoots in studio, researching documentary production, editing promotional videos, and brainstorming visual campaigns.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Kimmy: I have no formal education on video editing. I took several courses in university on video journalism but my degree wasn’t about it. I learned as I went. YouTube is my best friend.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Kimmy: It depends since I’m a freelancer. If there’s a show then I have enough to live remotely and enjoy life and still have money left. But there are the low seasons where I have to burn my savings to get through.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Kimmy: I’m based in Hong Kong now (my home country). I am staying here because of the coronavirus outbreak so I feel it’s my responsibility as a global citizen to play my part and stay home so the world doesn’t descend into bigger chaos than it already is. Next, I’m thinking of heading to South America, but nothing is set for now.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Video?

  • Kimmy: I love making videos, and my job gives me a purpose as I feel I’m making the world a better place by specializing in animal rights in the fashion industry.

7. BLOGGER

As a hobby, blogging is a fun and creative way to share your personal experiences, thoughts, and life updates with friends and family. But, as a business, blogging can be a lucrative way to become a subject matter expert, cultivate a following, and generate income through a variety of means, from creating sponsored content to leveraging affiliate marketing, to running ads. If you have a passion for creating content and telling stories, and you have an expertise or unique angle to share with the world, blogging can be a great way to work on your own terms and earn a paycheck while you’re at it.

What Life as a Blogger is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Gabby Beckford, Digital Storyteller & Content Creator (@packslight): Social media management and engagement, blog post creation and publicizing, freelance writing, and content creation.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Gabby: There is no guidebook or qualifications necessary to be a digital entrepreneur. Some training or certifications that might help you include Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Facebook & Instagram Ads.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Gabby: I earn enough to pay basic expenses each month.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Gabby: Currently, I am self-isolating at home in Northern Virginia because of the Coronavirus. However, when travel is allowed again I plan to be almost completely nomadic, spending 2-4 weeks in different locations for the foreseeable future.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Blogging?

  • Gabby: I’m only 24 years old, but this has been a long term dream career for me since college. I’ve always loved to travel and started my blog long before I entered the full-time workforce but realized when I started a full-time role as a quality engineer that I wanted the transition to be sooner rather than later. I realized not only was office life not for me, but my need to travel, to make my own schedule, and to pursue my personal passions was more important to me than I’d thought. That’s why I committed to a career as a Digital Content Creator.

8. WRITER / COPYWRITER

If you have a proclivity for writing, and you know what the word proclivity means (jokes!), then writing and/or copywriting can be a great career route to take remotely! Depending on your skill level, you can be either a generalist, writing about any topic assigned to you, or a specialist/expert, taking assignments or doing retainer work on a specific subject or issue. Beyond that, there are various niches and levels to consider when pursuing a writing career. You can be a copywriter, fusing a brand’s products with a narrative to help drive sales (examples: creating marketing material, product descriptions). You can be a content writer, focused on creating pieces that inform, educate, or entertain (examples: creating blog posts, long-form stories, magazine features). You can be a technical writer, crafting copy for a hyper-niche or hyper-specialized audience (examples: white papers, reviews). You can be an SEO writer, with the goal of optimizing copy on the web for ranking in Google (examples: e-commerce web copy, SEO-optimized blog posts). Or, you can be a remote journalist, researching and executing stories for newspapers, magazines, or news sites.

What Life as a Writer / Copywriter is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Leilani Rose, Writer & Editor (@survivingonawhim): Writing, strategy/idea generation, research, collaboration, content creation.

  • Amanda Walkins, Digital Content Strategist & Travel Writer (@amandawalkins): I work with multiple clients on a long-term basis, with additional short-term projects mixed in occasionally. What I do for these clients ranges from simply ghostwriting blogs per their request up through managing a full editorial strategy and managing all freelance writers. On any given day, you might find me conducting keyword research, drafting articles, planning editorial calendars for upcoming months, evaluating pitches and corresponding with freelancers, fact-checking or editing submissions, and all while keeping up with industry insights across the board.

  • Hannah Cooper, Content Writer (@hannah__dawn): Writing content for clients, and making sure it’s delivered on time to suit their schedule. I juggle several different clients on a daily / weekly basis.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Leilani: Extensive experience as a journalist, writer, or copywriter (I have worked as all three), and an understanding/experience working in marketing/advertising.

  • Amanda: I have a college degree, but not in anything related to this work! But I’m a firm believer in lifelong learning. I’ve taken loads of free and paid courses. I read and research constantly. I stay up-to-date on all things related to my industry and I’m forever curious. I think it’s vital to be organized to do this, but you could also hire a VA if you’re just not into the details. The most important thing is to have an understanding of the bigger picture. To strategize effectively, you need a birds-eye view of the company, of society, of the customers, of the landscape you’re dealing with. I delve deep into the brand and their goals in order to truly help them move forward, so I need to grasp all of their past, present, and future projects to be effective. Asking the right questions and being thorough is crucial when onboarding new clients.

  • Hannah: It’s helpful to have a degree, but not necessarily, I don’t think. Good writing and research skills are more important – and adapting the voice and tone to suit different clients. For some clients – SEO, as a lot of my writing work is content marketing. I’d like to invest some time in courses online to sharpen my skills over the coming months.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Leilani: Enough to own a home, support myself and my husband while he’s in school, go out/to events/concerts/the opera whenever I want, and plan a few trips per year.

  • Amanda: By most standards, I don’t earn much at all. But I believe in balance. I take my work with me, which enables me to live in various countries, travel regularly, and enjoy extended visits with my family and friends. Trying to figure out how to price your services when you start out freelancing can be a challenge. I believe I’ve always underpriced myself, but then I’ve over-delivered. And I value the time and space I had to learn on the job with a few clients, too. At this point in my career, I’m pushing toward fewer clients with bigger projects — especially ones I’m passionate about supporting. I don’t have to just take any work I can find at this point, which I’m grateful to be able to do after starting out scrounging for those early clients. I am certainly comfortable, but I also have plans for growth!

  • Hannah: I earn less now than I did working in book publishing in London, but my overheads are much smaller! I’m not tied to a hefty rent and I don’t spend money on the things that used to drain me financially (unnecessary clothes, make-up, London-priced cocktails, expensive travel and utility bills). I avoid tours and stay in cheap but nice accommodation options, and prioritize eating healthy, buying books for my Kindle and any interesting attractions in my current destination 🙂 I’m actually in a better position now as I’m not relying on credit cards and it’s easier to live within my means.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Leilani: I live in the Greater New York City metropolitan area. I had previously been a New Yorker before moving abroad for a few years and when I came back I wanted to stay close to NYC both because it’s close to my heart and had the greatest opportunities nearby, in case I ended up working part-time remote (going into the office occasionally) — which I did before going full-time remote.

  • Amanda: I’m currently living in Scotland, which is where my husband grew up. I’m from the Boston area originally and I’ve also lived in Honduras, Spain, Ecuador, Malta, and Ireland (for varying lengths of time each).

  • Hannah: Tbilisi, Georgia. After spending 2 years in South East Asia and New Zealand, I fancied going somewhere totally different. There is a low cost of living here, fascinating history and beautiful natural landscapes. And the wine and cheese culture definitely helped with the decision!

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Writing?

  • Leilani: I always had an affinity for writing, and I realized that it was a profession that you could make a great living doing, was always interesting, and you didn’t need to be in an office to do it.

  • Amanda: I stumbled into freelancing by way of travel blogging. I started writing for other outlets based on my blogs and lifestyle, which led to more companies reaching out for help with their own content. In my last office job, I worked in communications and media, which gave me such valuable insight into the world of traditional comms/PR. Having that in my back pocket and combining it with digital content over the last eight years, I’ve built up my expertise and, similarly, expanded the services I can offer.

  • Hannah: I wanted to transition to a career that I could do on the road whilst traveling and not keeping a permanent base anywhere. I needed a job that would work around my love of travel, but that I would enjoy doing at the same time. My career as a writer developed after I left the UK, before this, I worked in publishing.

9. SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR

Being a writer and publishing articles online is one thing, but if you want to create a career as an author, that involves a whole separate series of steps and skillsets. Fortunately, self-publishing makes it more possible than ever before for talented writers to make a name, and an income, for themselves. There are many ways to self-publish and distribute these days, but Amazon is one of the most popular.

What Life as a Self-Published Author is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Jen Ruiz, Author (@jenonajetplane): I teach online daily, aim to write 1-2 new blog posts a week, do 2-3 social media posts a week on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter, promote my existing books, work on upcoming books and manage social media accounts for a small business.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Jen: To be an author, you just need a message. Maybe you’re an expert on gardening and want to share your tips. Maybe you have the next sci-fi trilogy in your head. Either way, there will be an audience for your work. You don’t need to be the foremost expert to write a book and it doesn’t need to be a culmination of your life’s work.

    Anyone aiming to be a career author should plan to write many books, understanding that the first one may not be the most successful. 80% of six-figure authors have 20 books or more so chances are high that if you keep writing you’ll achieve steady and meaningful passive income.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Jen: I sell my books for $10-$12 per paperback and $.99-$7 per ebook. I make roughly $600-$800 a month after Amazon takes its commission. How much you make will depend on the printing cost of your book (a photography book with a lot of color images would be more costly, for instance) and the price of the book. Most Amazon ebooks sell for between $3-$10.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Jen: I live in Puerto Rico. They have great incentives for digital business owners where you only pay a 4% income tax. Also, I was born on the island and recently launched a nonprofit here.

• Why Did You Choose to Pursue Becoming a Published Author?

  • Jen: I love writing and storytelling. I grew up going to the library after school instead of walking home alone so I’ve always had a soft spot for books. I used to practice law not realizing my favorite part of the profession was presenting arguments to a jury.

    When Amazon revolutionized the publishing industry and removed barriers to entry for authors, I took a leap and self-published. It was the right decision for me and led to a new, more fulfilling career path.

10. ONLINE CONSULTANT

People with specialized business, technical, and/or niche expertise can create successful and meaningful remote careers as consultants. Both individuals and businesses regularly hire consultants to offer insight and solutions for business growth and industry penetration, and as long as you have a hyper-specific value to offer clients, you can potentially attract customers all over the world.

What Life as a CEO Is Actually Like, As Told By Actual Women Who Started Their Own Businesses:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Rebecca Bartley, Consultant (RebeccaBartleyConsultingServices): For my small business clients, my projects include developing corporate blog posts for their company pages and social media platforms, website copywriting, and case study writing. For my individual professional clients, my projects include creating a resume and cover letter packages, LinkedIn profile writing and optimization, career/interview coaching, mindset coaching, LinkedIn training, and LinkedIn coaching.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Rebecca: Strong writing and communication skills, strong professional attitude and business owner mindset, specific knowledge in whatever industry you are offering your services in, and an understanding of the mindset and needs of your clientele.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Rebecca: As a business owner I get to set my own rates and my income varies per month. I earn enough to pay basic expenses each month and have enough left over to put towards my savings goals, travel, and other luxuries.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Rebecca: I am currently living in Ontario, Canada. This is the same province and country I was born and grew up in. However, I am also open, and have the freedom, to move anywhere else in the world if I choose to down the line.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Online Consulting?

  • Rebecca: Writing was always my strength growing up and my original career background was in full-time public relations before I started my business. While working full-time in public relations, I also freelanced on the side doing different freelance writing projects (blog posts, website copywriting, etc.) with small businesses, while also doing resume package development, LinkedIn profile writing, and career/interview coaching with individual professionals. Over the years I had gained a lot of business consulting, training and coaching experience, so it naturally made sense to start a business around it. I also thoroughly enjoy the work I do and the clients I get to help through my services.

11. ONLINE COACH

Online coaching has surged in popularity in recent years, as more and more experts are migrating towards virtual meeting tools, emails, and pre-recorded videos. While fitness, nutrition, general health, and business coaching are some of the most common practices that have gone virtual, you can set up an advice-based practice in whatever field you are a qualified professional in already, as long as you’re able to offer your services remotely. Online coaching allows you the comfort of flexible hours, while also allowing your clients more affordable rates and convenience.

What Life as an Online Coach is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Ashley Fallone, Holistic Health Coach (@ashley_yvonne_): A lot of my time goes to content creation. Creating value for my followers, clients, and teammates. Checking in with my team to answer questions, support, etc. Working on new projects for my coaching program, following up leads, etc.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Ashley: The program where I received my Holistic Health Coaching certificate is the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. The program is completely online so you can attend from anywhere in the world. You don’t need a prior degree or anything to apply, you just need the willingness and ability to commit to the program, and convey that in your application.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Ashley: My income is dependent upon the work I do – the number of sales I make and clients I sign up each month. My Holistic Health Coaching programs are not in session at the moment but they are normally offered at $125 per person per month for 3 or 6 months.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Ashley: I currently live in Denver, CO. I moved out here about 1.5 years ago because I fell in love with the mountains. I’ll probably end up moving to a new destination this fall, not totally sure where yet – maybe someplace near the ocean! I love to move around and experience life in a new place. I also plan to purchase a van in 2020 and experience van life a bit in 2021!

• Why Did You Choose to Go Into Online Coaching?

  • Ashley: I didn’t want to work for someone else for the next 40 years, sacrifice my dreams, and have to wait until I “retire” until I could finally travel and spend my days how I wanted. I searched a lot of online business opportunities but none of them felt aligned or legitimate until I came across the opportunities I work with now. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and a passionate for health and sustainability. I am so grateful to have found a way to create more freedom for myself while aligning with my passions!

12. ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Account management, also known as client services or client success, is a post-sales role that is primarily focused on nurturing client relationships and overseeing the success of a campaign, project, or partnership. The two main responsibilities of an account manager are to help retain clients and grow opportunities (revenue) over time.

What Life as an Account Manager is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Rachel-Jean Firchau, Senior Account Manager (it’s me! @racheloffduty): In my 9-to-5, I am a senior account manager at a content distribution platform, and I manage anywhere from 10 – 20 accounts at a time. My typical day-to-day includes lots of email correspondence and delegating tasks internally with other teams to make sure my clients’ ad campaigns run smoothly. Because the overwhelming majority of my responsibilities, outside of meeting with my clients in person from time to time, can be done online and via email, I’ve been able to do this job easily from home, while traveling, on the plane, and occasionally, in the car (when I’m not driving, of course!).

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Rachel: For this job, you’ll most likely need a bachelor’s degree (usually Business Administration, Advertising, Marketing, Communication Studies, or Management), a strong grasp on client service and building relationships, impeccable email/phone/meeting etiquette, project management experience, and precise attention to detail.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Rachel: Depending heavily on years of experience, full-time account managers employed by US companies can usually expect to make between $40K – $60K at entry-level, and upwards of $75K once they are more tenured. Part-time account managers can probably expect to make enough to cover the basics, and will probably need another income generator in order to save money or travel.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Rachel: I live in Los Angeles, CA.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Account Management?

  • Rachel: I personally chose to switch from working in marketing and content strategy to taking on a role as an account manager because I wanted to challenge myself to be more confident in a client-facing role. As an account manager, you get to execute projects and report out on their success, while working to find new ways to make your clients shine. It’s hugely gratifying if you enjoy storytelling and project management, and aren’t afraid to communicate regularly with a number of people. Plus, the skills I’ve learned in this role have paid huge dividends with how I manage projects and talk to clients at my other job – this blog!

13. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Product development and product management can be widely defined, but typically involves helping businesses create and engineer products / services, based on market and production requirements, to be made available to customers. This can range from developing clothing designs for a fashion company to crafting SAAS (software as a service) tools for B2B clients, to designing itineraries and logistics for a travel business. Product developers need to have a strong understanding of marketing trends, innovations, brand positioning, and target audience in order to be successful in this line of work.

What Life as a Product Developer / Product Manager is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Mareen Windisch, Product Development / Experience Manager (On the Road Experiences): Preparing journeys, arranging car contracts (insurance terms, etc), seeing that the logistics of the journeys are in place, researching new journeys, etc. For example, I need to go to Yunnan for a week-long hike to check it out for clients who booked for next year and requested a hike to be incorporated into their driving holiday! I am also responsible for building up new relations with operators I want to work within different destinations, making sure existing routes are still the same or have changed (because of flooding, urban development, etc.), looking for new routes to explore, and of course, aligning with my colleagues via Skype.

  • Valerie Poort, Senior Service Designer (Valerie Poort): Most of the time I’m emailing and meeting with my colleagues! Otherwise, I’m planning, organizing, or doing user research – where we talk (over the wonders of video conference and phones) with customers and staff to find out what they need from government services.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Mareen: I think you need to be very open-minded and willing to work with all kinds of cultures and often accept unpredictability. You have to be very service-oriented and understand your clients’ needs. You need to be able to establish good working relationships with all kinds of operators, be creative in growing your network and actually have an adventurous spirit. But also organizational skills are very very important, along with product development skills, sales skills, and being able to understand pricing for your target market.

  • Valerie: I have a Bachelor in Design (Honors). But my colleagues come from all sorts of backgrounds, for example – technology development, customer service, research, and anthropology.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Mareen: I earn enough to make a living for myself. However, our rent in Hong Kong is covered by my husband.

  • Valerie: My salary is currently NZD$90000. In New Zealand, this enough to cover all our expenses including our mortgage, and save enough for a rainy day, investments, and travel.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Mareen: I am from Germany but always wanted to live abroad. One day, my boyfriend asked: You want to move to Hong Kong? 3 months later we left for Hong Kong, married with 2 suitcases. Since then we never regretted that decision!

  • Valerie: I currently live in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Product Development?

  • Mareen: I have studied business administration with tourism as one of my majors and was trained as a hotel manager in Germany. When I came to Hong Kong with my husband in 2013 during SARS, it was really hard for me to find a job and I did not want to have a gap in my CV. Therefore I studied Chinese full time. After I had my children I wanted to get back to work and found a job ad from On the Road, looking for a journey host working in China… I applied, got the job and since then helped the company grow, working on all kinds of projects, but I am mainly responsible for the product development, improvement and organization of our road journeys in South East Asia. Additionally, I have started to run women-only trips which are so enjoyable, also for me, and that this is the path I am taking next. I always had a passion for tourism and my job lets me explore and grow.

  • Valerie: Creativity is the key skill to have in any career these days. I’m also a naturally curious person. I combined these two things together to become a designer in government – where we design government services based on citizens’ needs.

14. COMPUTER / SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Computer / software engineering is a practice suited for computer science professionals looking to use their skillsets to build software products, develop computer games, and/or run network control systems. Similarly, you can also use your coding and programming knowledge to become a web developer or web designer. The beauty of all of these roles is that, as long as you have the education and skillset required, you can typically perform these jobs easily from anywhere.

What Life as a Computer / Software Engineer is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Grace Lu, Software Engineer (CodeHS): I work on projects, whether it be implementing an entirely new system, helping out other team members with support, or working on smaller feature requests for the platform.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Grace: I have a degree in Computer science, but that is not necessary to become a programmer. I would just say the ability to problem-solve well and the willingness to build a lot of projects and constantly be learning.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Grace: I earn enough to be able to pay expenses and travel quite a bit. I usually spend my time exploring the areas I’m in, and I find that I’ve been saving up more money through travel than living in my previous city San Francisco.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Grace: Currently back in Boston with family but I’ve been living in different cities/places for the past year and a half for an average of 1-3 months per location. I’ve lived in New York City, Los Angeles, Costa Rica, Chicago, San Francisco, Hawaii, and more!

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Software Engineering?

  • Grace: I wanted to become a software engineer and be able to choose to work in any field I cared about. Software Engineers are needed in all fields, so I thought it was a good career to pursue.

15. DATA MANAGER

Data managers are responsible for keeping track of and overseeing a company’s data systems, including organizing, storing, and analyzing data while maintaining the organization’s security standards. Increasingly, data management positions are becoming more commonly available as remote roles, as the entire role can be overseen and delegated online.

What Life as a Data Manager is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Vicky Sosa, Data Manager (@buddythetravelingmonkey): I create invoices for the company to send to their clients. These invoices are due at the beginning of the month, so they keep my busier for the first two weeks of the month. Of course, other things pop up so I do have work throughout the month, but not as heavily towards the end. I don’t have a set schedule, so if I am traveling or exploring, I often do my work for them in the evening.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Vicky: Knowledge of Excel is crucial.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Vicky: My role is part-time, so I don’t make a lot. But it is enough to pay for my expenses. Luckily, since I travel from place to place because of house sitting, I don’t have to pay rent which was always my biggest expense.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Vicky: I’m based out of Miami, but I’ve been nomadic for almost three years now. Through house sitting, I’ve traveled all over the US and have even house sat internationally.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Data Management?

  • Vicky: I’d heard of the company I work for through a friend. They were hiring and were offering some remote work. At the time, I had a great government job but it didn’t give me the freedom to travel that I wanted. Thus, the appeal of being able to work remotely a couple of days out of the week. When I started with the company years ago, it was as a full-time employee and I worked remotely 2-3 days out of the week. When I decided I wanted to begin house sitting and focusing more on my travel blog, I had planned to quit my job. But after going into my boss’ office and telling him my plans, he decided he didn’t want to lose me because he valued my work. So, we worked out a new plan: I could be fully remote but as a part-time employee.

16. TEACHING LANGUAGES

While you can teach or tutor in virtually any field online, teaching languages is one of the most common disciplines for individuals looking to work remotely. If you are familiar with basic teaching concepts and skills, are a native speaker in the language you’re hoping to teach, and ideally have a bachelor’s degree and/or teaching experience, you should be able to become a certified instructor and be able to teach either online or abroad. Make sure to research the specific requirements each company you apply for asks for, as some will require a TESOL or CELTA teaching credential.

What Life as a Teacher is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Patricia Chourio, ESL Teacher (@pchourio_): I usually teach ESL (100% online) during the weekends or a few classes in the evenings throughout the week. I try to schedule classes early in the morning or late in the afternoon so I can get some rest (self-care is VERY important for me right now), run errands and spend time with friends and family.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Patricia: I have a B.S in Communications and a Master’s degree in Integrated Global Communications. I’ve also studied photography, filmmaking and other social media certifications. I think to have a successful career in communications one needs to be self-motivated and willing to be a lifelong learner.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Patricia: I earn enough to pay basic expenses each month.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Patricia: I’m currently living in Atlanta, GA. I actually moved back here after living in SE Asia for 2 1/2 years.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Teaching?

  • Patricia: I wanted to be able to incorporate all the things I’m passionate about in my professional career. When I’m not teaching, I am also a content and social media specialist. The great thing about it is that a lot of the work can be done remotely as long as I have my laptop and a reliable internet connection.

17. TRAVEL AGENT

Travel agents help to both sell and organize all transportation, lodging, tours, entrance/admission, entertainment, and sometimes even meals for both individual and group clients who are planning trips. Travel agents are expected to be able to provide expertise both on travel best practices and on specific destinations themselves, concocting itineraries and arrangements that ultimately make life, and travel, easier for their clients. This role is great for people who love travel, enjoy meticulously planning trips, and want the flexibility to create their own schedules.

What Life as a Travel Agent is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Megan Lundy, Independent Travel Agent (@lundyslife): Everything from social media curation and management, customer service, sales, accounting, trip preparation.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Megan: Sales and marketing experience, organization, and efficient time management skills

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Megan: My income as a travel agent varies depending on the number of clients I obtain on any given month. I also own my co-own business, Legit Trips, which is also day-by-day. We typically reinvest any of our profits back into the business. I make enough money to pay my bills and have a happy life.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Megan: Currently, I’ve been living in Bali, but with the recent coronavirus outbreak I will be heading back to the states for a few months while the world recovers.

• Why Did You Choose to Become a Travel Agent?

  • Megan: To follow my passion and help others experience the world.

18. FITNESS / ACTIVITY INSTRUCTOR

There are a couple of different ways you can approach being a fitness or activity instructor. Some roles, like being a ski instructor or a diving instructor, for example, might be based on seasonality or geographic location. Others, like being a yoga teacher or calisthenics instructor, are more easily translatable to being 100% online (or, as a supplement to teaching in-studio). Either way, being a fitness or activity instructor allows you a lot of flexibility and travel opportunities, and it’s highly likely you’ll be able to find demand whether you go, as people all over the world enjoy fitness, wellness, and getting outdoors!

What Life as a Fitness / Activity Instructor is Like:

• What Are Some of Your Daily or Weekly Responsibilities?

  • Dakota Deforce, Yoga Teacher (@dakota.laura): My responsibilities are so chill. I just need to show up and teach a fun and good class for my students. I always try to come up with fun new poses and help them to better their practice. I typically teach classes from morning to noon (7 am to 1 pm) and maybe once in the evening around sunset. During the day I am free to do what I want. I only take one day off a week to give my body some rest.

• What Kinds of Qualifications Are Needed?

  • Dakota: I have a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification with Yoga Alliance. To get this qualification you need to follow a 30-day course (or several-month course, depending on how the 200-hour program you select is structured). My certification is valid worldwide.

• What Kind of Pay Do You Receive?

  • Dakota: I earn really good pay for the country that I live in. I get paid per person that joins the class.  Some days I make 60 to 100 euros a day and some days only 10 euros. To put things into perspective, my monthly rent is 280 euros.

• Where in the World Are Your Living?

  • Dakota: Thailand. I came here to take a yoga course and was originally planning to go back home afterward, but I got offered a job and decide to try it.

• Why Did You Choose to Go into Teaching Yoga?

  • Dakota: I have been doing yoga for several years already. I loved my marketing job but always knew it was not the job of my life. One day I woke up thinking, what am I waiting for? After talking to a friend I came to the conclusion that I wanted to become a yoga teacher so I could go to work remotely and see the world at the same time. Now, I can choose my own hours, I am my own boss, and I make good money

Where Can You Look to Start Finding Remote Work Opportunities?

• FlexJobs

• Upwork

• Hubstaff Talent

• Remote OK

• Remotey

• Jobspresso

• Bidvine

• Indeed

• LinkedIn

• Social Media (you’d be surprised the opportunities you can find by joining Facebook groups, researching on Twitter, or even just asking your circle of friends!)

I’ll be frank and start with what I know we’re all thinking. This is a bizarre time we’re living in. In recent weeks, schools, restaurants, bars, and all non-essential businesses have started closing down left and right. Entire countries are on lockdown. And, people everywhere are being asked to shelter at home, all in the…