Work at Home Data Entry Jobs


Work at Home Data Entry Jobs

What and Why?

Work at home data entry jobs are fairly self explanatory. They are jobs undertaken by contractors who provide data entry services to service buyers. Contact and payment is made by using features of the Internet. Data entry services are usually arranged through an intermediary online rather than from face to face contact with the service buyer. Some sites that are set up as brokerage sites include the capability to use an escrow account to protect both buyer and provider. A work for hire contract is often prepared between two parties and will specify what work will be provided and what the pay rate will be.

What are the data entry jobs?

Work at home data entry jobs come in all sizes and varieties. Everything from database upgrades involving thousands or even hundreds of thousands of records to adding a new baby to an employee database somewhere. Data entry jobs can be fiscal data, personnel data or even complicated legal briefs that need to be types according to a set format. Most people think of medical billing when they hear data entry jobs, but medical billing is only a small part of the entire field of data entry jobs.

Why choose data entry jobs?

There are many benefits in work at home data entry jobs. For most people who choose to work at home, being your own boss is the primary advantage. You can select the hours you want to work and the type of jobs that you want to accept. For example, if you are only interested in medical billing, you can find plenty of that type of work on the Internet. You may decide to only accept the higher paying jobs, or the ones that involve a certain type of data entry. The choice is up to you.

What do they pay?

Because there are so many types of work at home data entry jobs, you can expect to find all types of different pay levels. You can always make equivalent net income to what you would have had if you commuted to work and paid for child care after school. The amount of money you will receive totally depends on how many hours you are willing to work, what the pay rate is, and your data entry speed. It may be tempting to push for more work so that you will earn more money, but you also need to consider the accuracy of the finished product.

What do I need to get started?

The investment in equipment to get started in work at home data entry jobs is very minimal. You will need a computer with software that allows you to do word processing, spreadsheets, and sometimes database work. The Internet connection that you use must be dependable and preferably fast. Otherwise you spend inordinate amounts of time uploading and downloading files. You will need a telephone connection to keep in contact with customers and a comfortable working chair and computer work station. A good speaker system will help you if you do data entry from spoken files.

Summary

  • Know who you’re dealing with. The company may not be offering to employ you directly, only to sell you training and materials and to find customers for your work. Don’t believe that you can make big profits easily. Operating a home-based business is just like any other business – it requires hard work, skill, good products or services, and time to make a profit.

  • Be cautious about emails offering work-at-home opportunities. Many unsolicited emails are fraudulent.

  • Get all the details before you pay. A legitimate company will be happy to give you information about exactly what you will be doing and for whom.

  • Find out if there is really a market for your work. Claims that there are customers for work such as medical billing and craft making may not be true. If the company says it has customers waiting, ask who they are and contact them to confirm. You can also ask likely customers in your area (such as doctors for medical billing services) if they actually employ people to do that work from home.

  • Get references for other people who are doing the work. Ask them if the company kept its promises.

  • Be aware of legal requirements. To do some types of work, such as medical billing, you may need a license or certificate. Check with your state attorney general’s office. Ask your local zoning board if there are any restrictions on operating a business from your home. Some types of work cannot be done at home under federal law. Look for the nearest U.S. Department of Labor in the government listings of your phone book.

  • Know the refund policy. If you have to buy equipment or supplies, ask whether and under what circumstances you can return them for a refund.

  • Beware of the old “envelope stuffing” scheme. In this classic scam, instead of getting materials to send out on behalf of a company, you get instructions to place an ad like the one you saw, asking people to send you money for information about working at home. This is an illegal pyramid scheme because there is no real product or service being offered. You won’t get rich, and you could be prosecuted for fraud.

  • Be wary of offers to send you an “advance” on your “pay.” Some con artists use this ploy to build trust and get money from your bank. They send you a check for part of your first month’s “pay.” You deposit it, and the bank tells you the check has cleared because the normal time has passed to be notified that checks have bounced. Then the crook contacts you to say that you were mistakenly paid the wrong amount or that you need to return a portion of the payment for some other reason. After you send the money back, the check that you deposited finally bounces because it turned out to be an elaborate fake. Now the crooks have your payment, and you’re left owing your bank the amount that you withdrew.

So, do your own research about work-at-home opportunities. The “Work-At-Home Sourcebook” and other resources that may be available in your local library provide good advice and lists of legitimate companies that hire people to work for them at home. You may discover that these companies hire only local people and that there is nothing available in your area.

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