19 telecommuting jobs for remote work professionals
Telecommuting, working from home, remote jobs. Whatever you want to call them, employees often prefer them over traditional office jobs.
59% of us are more likely to choose an employer that offers some form of remote work over one that doesn’t.
The great news is that employers are rapidly changing the game, with more and more offering telecommuting jobs.
That means there are a lot of options out there for you to apply for right now.
In the guide, we’ll give you 19 examples of telecommuting jobs. We’ll also explain what they’re all about and the requirements to land one.
What are telecommuting jobs?
Telecommuting is a form of work where the employee usually performs their duties from outside of the office space, often from home, and communicates with other team members via phone, email, Slack, and video conferencing tools.
You may have heard several other terms used for this kind of job:
Remote work
Telework
Work from home
Mobile work
Distance work
They all mean basically the same thing. The slight difference is that a remote worker is understood to be remote from the office full time, usually due to how far away they live.
Telecommuters are more likely to be geographically close to their workplace, though they may still work remotely most of the time.
Most telecommuters work from home, though this isn’t the only option. One of the main benefits of holding a telecommuting job is the fact that you can work from anywhere.
19 top telecommuting jobs
Let’s take a look at 19 jobs that you can do from home.
1. Admin assistant
Admin assistants help with general clerical work such as keeping records up to date, processing invoices, and handling company phone and email communications.
As this position is mostly computer-based, you can often do it remotely.
Nearly all organizations require some form of an administrative assistant — and the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that there are more than 3 million admin assistants in the U.S.
So, you’ll almost always be able to find a suitable remote job opportunity as an admin employee.
One of the biggest benefits of this remote position is that job seekers don’t need any specific experience or education. Generally, a high school diploma is sufficient.
Browse admin assistant jobs here.
2. Software programmer
Software programmers are often remote workers.
In this job, you’ll be responsible for writing code for software programs, resolving errors and bugs, and building new software product updates.
To get a job as a software developer, you’ll generally need a degree in computer science or a related field, as this is a highly technical role that requires specific hard skills.
The job outlook is promising, and the average pay is high, making this a lucrative career option.
Check out software programming job opportunities here.
3. Data entry
This is an entry-level remote work position.
As a data entry employee, you’ll be responsible for maintaining company records, entering invoice information into a system, and ensuring data handling protocols are met.
Typical companies that hire for this role include accountancy firms and medical offices.
See our job board for current data entry openings.
4. Marketer
There are a number of different marketing roles you could step into.
For example, you could be a content marketing strategist, a social media manager, or a paid advertisement specialist.
The job description varies by role, but you'll usually be responsible for creating and executing marketing campaigns, developing marketing materials, collaborating with creative team members, and reporting on the success of your efforts.
Some roles (such as social media assistant) can be entry-level, though most companies are looking for someone with a reasonable knowledge of digital marketing practices.
Browse current job opportunities here.
5. Accountant
Accounting is an industry that has traditionally been office-bound, but it is starting to hire remote workers, with 37% of accountants working remotely in the U.S.
In this role, you’ll be responsible for preparing tax documents and financial statements, as well as providing advice to your client or employer (depending on whether you’re an in-house accountant or work for a firm).
For this job, you’ll need to complete a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and it can help to become a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Check out our remote job listings for accountants here.
6. Transcription
Transcriptionists listen to audio recordings (and sometimes video) and write out what’s being said.
To nail this job, you’ll need a sharp ear and fast, accurate typing skills.
Most of these roles are in the legal and medical industries because the degree of detail offered by automated voice-to-text solutions is not accurate enough.
Many of these are entry-level roles, though to be a medical transcriptionist, you may need to have completed an industry-relevant qualification.
Browse for transcription jobs here.
7. Sales representative
A common job to do via telecommuting is that of the sales rep.
Remote sales reps are responsible for promoting a company’s products or services, making cold calls, sending emails, and setting up demonstration meetings.
If you are outgoing and comfortable handling customer objections, a sales role can be a great earning opportunity, even for entry-level applicants.
Check out our job board for open sales rep positions.
8. Translation
If you are fluent in more than one language, translation can be a great career choice for telecommuting.
Translators take a document (such as a company report) and translate it into one or more languages for distribution in relevant regions.
This is a fast-growing industry, with an expected growth rate of 24% over the next decade.
Speak two languages? Browse open translation positions here.
9. Content writer
Content writers are often part of a company’s marketing team, though they may also work for marketing agencies.
As a content writer, you’ll be responsible for planning, drafting, editing, and publishing written content such as blogs, whitepapers, and ebooks.
This is a popular occupation if you want to become a freelancer, but it’s also available as a traditional full-time job.
Check out companies hiring content writers here.
10. Web designer
Web designers can be employees (usually at agencies) or freelance operators.
They use software platforms to create and update company websites and often need to coordinate with several contributors, such as a copywriter or graphic designer.
There are no strict requirements for becoming a web designer. Many visually-focused creative types simply learn about a specific platform (such as WordPress or Squarespace) and hone their skills from there.
That said, you’ll be able to advance your career in this role by improving your knowledge of digital marketing and of design techniques.
Browse openings for web designers here.
11. Stockbroker
Telecommuting employees working as stockbrokers are responsible for interpreting market trends, picking stocks they expect to perform well, and providing advice to investment clients.
Compared to other finance-related roles, this is one of the more sales-heavy positions, meaning you’ll need to be comfortable pitching products to potential customers (and handling rejection).
Most stockbrokers have a bachelor’s degree or higher in finance or a related field as this is a highly technical role.
Check out job listings for stockbroker positions here.
12. Editor
Editors are responsible for reading written content, providing feedback, and making changes (edits) for either technical or stylistic reasons.
Editors might work in-house for a company publishing their own content online, for a marketing agency, or for a physical publication like a magazine.
For some editing roles, you’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field (English, journalism, etc.)
However, this is typically the case with more traditional publications (like a newspaper). In the marketing realm, employers tend to care about experience and ability over education.
Search for jobs as an editor here.
13. Virtual assistant
One of the most popular jobs for someone wanting to become a telecommuter is a virtual assistant.
VAs perform clerical duties, including:
Bookkeeping
Data entry
Invoicing
Processing payments
Answering phone calls
Responding to emails
Making travel arrangements
Scheduling appointments
Virtual assistants may be self-employed, or they may work for a specific company. Often, VAs work for a virtual assistant firm that contracts out services to other businesses.
Look for open virtual assistant positions here.
14. Call center representative
Call center reps handle inbound and outbound calls for a company’s support team.
Most of what these remote workers do is solve problems for a customer on the other end of the line.
You’ll need to have great listening skills, a high degree of empathy, and significant resilience to be successful as a call center representative.
Most call center reps work in-house for a company, though there are companies that provide outsourced call center solutions. It’s possible to get a gig with one of those firms, which could mean a more varied workload.
Many of these positions also require employees to assist customers via email and online live chat.
Browse current call center rep job openings here.
15. English teacher
Another popular occupation for those seeking out a telecommuting job is to work as an online English teacher.
In this role, you’re typically responsible for teaching English as a second language, often to someone in a completely different country.
This can be tricky to manage with timezones, so you’ll need to be highly organized to do well in this position.
Most employers will require that you have a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate in order to apply.
Browse our job board for current English teacher vacancies.
16. Financial planner
Financial planners help their customers (often individuals or families, but sometimes businesses) design strategies to meet their financial goals and manage their spending budgets.
Some may have certain expertise, such as investment or estate planning, whereas others advisors offer a more broad range of advice.
To become a financial planner, you’ll usually need a degree in a relevant field and a keen understanding of how to manage money, taxes, and savings.
Browse financial planner jobs here.
17. Recruiter
Work-from-home recruiters help companies fill vacant positions.
They create and publish job ads and then find, screen, and interview job applicants on behalf of the company. From there, they’ll pass suitable applicants on to the client to interview and assess further.
Not all recruitment positions require specific education, but it’s common for recruiters to hold a degree in a relevant field such as human resources or organizational psychology.
To be a great recruiter, you’ll need excellent communication skills, big-picture thinking abilities, and attention to detail.
Check out current recruiter listings on our job board.
18. Paralegal
Paralegals assist lawyers and help them prepare for meetings, trials, and hearings.
They’ll search databases for precedent, assist with putting briefs together, and manage and organize documents during a case.
Paralegals often need to have an associate degree or certificate in paralegal studies, but it’s possible to get on-the-job training in some instances.
Though fully remote paralegals do exist, it’s more likely for this position to be partly performed in-office so that the paralegal has access to the required physical documentation.
19. Travel agent
Our last telecommuting job is a travel agent.
As a travel agent, you’ll be responsible for helping customers arrange vacations (and other trips). This might include booking flights and accommodation, arranging overseas transport, and helping them to develop their itinerary.
Despite the expanding ability for customers to book online themselves, this is still a growing industry, and it is a telecommuting job you can step into without prior experience or study.
Look for travel agent jobs here.
Time to get applying for telecommuting jobs
As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities to find a great telecommuting job in today’s work environment.
The guiding principle is this:
If you’re doing it on a computer, you can probably do it remotely.
So, did any of these 19 telecommuting jobs stand out? If so, the next step is to get your resume polished up and start applying.
Check out our guide to get started: 3 resume examples that will land you a job.
