The world is going digital, from browsing, buying to almost living there. With the advent of technologies and networks that enable all of it from anywhere and everywhere, there had to be a paradigm shift from conventional working to something more “digitized” and “connected.” While work from homes or distance working is not an unknown concept, it certainly was limited and undervalued until high-speed connectivity and powerful devices made many jobs possible online.
However, the important part is that a whole lot of jobs have started to originate and being executed online. Freelancing has become a norm in the digital world and full-time jobs are on the rise too. And with a good enough connection and device, they can be executed from anywhere and everywhere. They differ from work-from-home jobs in the manner that they require online presence for certain period of times to be executed while work-from-homes may not necessarily require it.
And like full-time jobs, they seek responsibility and credibility from one too. And often, presence and indulgence in the business as well. But unlike any full-time job, they have a scope bound only by time. As many pay per hour or per task, there are literally no bounds to the amount one can earn through them, probably the major reason for the ‘fad’ for online freelancing. And as the scope widens, so does the competition.
What exactly are online jobs? And what industries they cater?
There is a very wide spectrum of works that are conducted online with a substantial proportion of it providing the above flexibility as well. It is best to look into the nature of the job through the industries and/or departments they are a part of.
Administration and Clerical Departments: These departments are present in practically every industry and company. The online jobs provided by these are mostly data entry, reviews, transcriptions, documentation, and basic data management jobs. Also, a lot of accountancy jobs find themselves being executed online.
Human Resources Departments: Another department present in every industry, they usually provide jobs related to candidate search, online background checks, screening resumes and interviewing, basic documentation and communication jobs. On the higher end, organizations and departments also hire consultants for managing the above processes, employee management solutions, and employer branding requirements as well.
Marketing and Media: Being departments and industries both, this is one field which hosts most of the online jobs directly and indirectly. Also, many of the highest paying online jobs are provided by marketing and media. Exact nature of the jobs range from: writing, graphic designing, social media management, ad operations on the lower end (of skills); to SEO, digital marketing, PR, campaigning, editorial writing, advertising, video/animation production and many more on the higher end (of skills and experience). It also hosts programming and web development related jobs with high demands.
Design and Product: While the work itself varies from industry to industry, the dependency on digital technologies and software-based designing makes for ample outsourcing of work online. These are mostly specialized jobs and require specific software and/or technical proficiencies. Some examples are planning and plotting jobs in Civil Engineering/Architecture Firms, Structural/Mechanical Designs and Analysis for respective firms, and many more. These jobs can greatly enhance technical profiles of students and in initial stages of the career.
Operations and Management: Many of the above-mentioned jobs fall under operations and/or management as well, especially the ones from marketing and media. Apart from them, other works that are sourced online are usually related to consultations or similar nature. These consultancies can be taken up by experienced and/or certified individuals (in their respective industries) only. Certification courses like Six Sigma, IFRS, Supply Chain Management, Digital Marketing, etc. are often the minimum requirements for these jobs.
Business and Strategy: Usually, this kind of work doesn’t find its way online but the way to these jobs can be traced online. With Analytics, Big Data, Data Science, and other technologies are paving their ways into the mainstream; their purposeful use is mostly towards business strategy. Big Data certifications open a lot of job prospects and with the lack of certified professionals in the field, a lot of them are being executed online and on-contract.
Where are online jobs available?
If you aren’t already familiar with it and it isn’t obvious either, the answer is Online. A simple web research will reveal a lot of results to search and apply for online jobs. The only catch here is that with the immense scope, potential, and everything good, there are a lot of unethical activities and cyber theft as well. It is imperative to research well before applying for jobs or use reliable channels and job search portals.
What are the requirements for online jobs?
The simplest working knowledge of computer applications and the internet is a must. This is often sufficient for many simple jobs available online. And with a wider set of skills, higher paying and more interesting jobs can also be looked into depending on the skill set and the jobs it can get.
A few skills like writing, graphic designing, analytics, etc also account for a wide variety of jobs, opening a range of career paths which can be pursued professionally, full-time. Several skills today had been identified through online jobs only like social media management. Many other similar skills can be used as career boosters by working online and digitally.
What is the eligibility for online jobs?
Well, the skills and a track record (work experience) of the same are usually good enough for most jobs. However, some specialized jobs and few on the higher-responsibility side can do well with some industrial training and/or certification. Formal education is not-so-relevant since many of these industries have emerged very recently and most education systems are yet to adapt to the trends and adopt a formal coursework for them. The gap is currently being filled through certification courses and thus, are often required or recommended for career growth and competitive edge.
Online jobs and freelancing have created a very competitive environment, cooperative communities, and an opportunity for every person to work, learn and earn. With automation, AIs, and other technologies taking over a lot of simpler work, current markets demand people develop unique skill sets and work towards a targeted professional profile. Planning one's career becomes imperative while exploring the wide range of career paths and skills online jobs and other such activities can provide. And while the above-mentioned jobs are the most active jobs, there are many hidden jobs executed online, some unconventional and are thus, not visible regularly. So keep looking!
