One of the undeniable advantages of the 21st century is the ease of modern communication. These days, as long as cellular signal and wifi are available, so are communication lines. Because of this, home-based jobs and freelancing are at an all time high. Physical spaces are changing and adapting to our needs (e.g. the rise of co-working spaces).
While popular among moon-eyed yuppies who don’t want to be tied down by commitment to the daily commute, freelancing has all the more become an attractive alternative to moms and dads who want to be more present with their children and don’t want to miss out on their growth – especially those who still have little ones in their formative years. Freelancing allows parents to earn a living and produce extra income, without leaving their children at home.
If you are a parent looking to be more present at home at this stage in your life, here are some freelance ideas you might consider:
1. Tutoring
At the top of the list is tutoring. Tutoring has been done by parents and young part-timers alike before the rise of the smartphone. I personally know a lot of parents who spend their time teaching after-school supplementary lessons. Topics can range from language to basic math and sciences.
Aside from the more traditional approach, there are also companies that hire online home-based ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers especially for foreigners seeking to become articulate in the language. To my knowledge, 51Talk and Rarejob are especially open to – if not exclusively – hiring Filipinos because of our country’s expertise in the language. The pay will depend on the amount of sessions you accept. Think of it as an online tutoring session with multiple clients, all in the comfort of your own home.
2. Writing
A talent in writing can be advantageous in many ways. Technical writing, copywriting, and creative writing are skill sets that are helpful in today’s content-driven society. If you’re worried about starting without experience, try asking a few friends if they need outsourced writers for any of their companies, and produce a few articles that you’re confident in without charging too high a price. When you’re confident in your work and have built your portfolio to your satisfaction, then you can fix and update your rates. Take a leap of faith and present this portfolio to professional clients.
For those who really don’t know where to start, give Writers.ph and 199 Jobs a chance.
3. Translating
Knowing multiple languages is an advantage, especially in the Philippines, where we have an abundance of local languages. Knowing more than one foreign and/or local languages is so much more important than you can imagine. Look for translating jobs and improve your skill set as you go. You can build on your resume by looking up a few projects online first.
If you’re looking to get started on a freelance career in translating, Upwork has a lot of translator job postings.
4. Software-Related
Some of the more in-demand jobs are those related to software–in-house or outsourced. If you have any skills in app and web development, software engineering and the like, then it won’t be difficult to look for companies that are hiring. As long as you can produce quality work within the given deadline, and as long as you have the equipment, then it shouldn’t matter if you do your work at home or in-office. If you’re wondering how to get started, Facebook usually has groups that are helpful in freelance applications and job postings (e.g. Independent Creatives and Advertising Professionals.) There are also several websites (e.g. Upwork, Onlinejobs.ph, Freelancer.com, Rent a Coder, etc.) wherein home-based parents can search for project-based opportunities.
Patricia Li is a frequent contributor to Familywise Asia and Workwise Asia. She loves to read and write, and tries to incorporate this in her career.
