Virtual Office Resource

The average American spends 38 hours a year stuck in traffic. This is valuable time you could be spending with your family, reading a book, or actually doing, you know, work. At 38 hours per commuter each year, the cost of all of this wasted time and fuel comes out to $121 billion annually.

And does anyone actually enjoy sitting in traffic? It just makes you stressed and angry by the time you return home to your spouse and kids. With all of these commuting woes, it’s a wonder that anyone still suffers through it.

However, if there’s anything to the latest working from home trend, you might not have to endure the commute for much longer. These days, you can pursue a number of careers without having to commute once, much less every day. If ditching the commute sounds attractive to you, check out the following six careers:

1. Software Developer

As one of the easier jobs to do remotely, it is no wonder that more and more developers are choosing to do their work from home. Software developers are always in high demand so many employers realize they have to look outside local talent to hire. This often makes it easier to find work as a software developer than with any other freelance career.

Spread by word of mouth from clients is a great way to gain more clients, or you can check out various freelancing sites. There are a number of options out there, but one of the best for truly skilled designers is Toptal. Developers must apply to Toptal, and the site only accepts the top 3 percent after four rounds of screening.

Also, check out specific companies that you would be interested in working for, as many already post remote jobs for software developers.

2. Freelance Writer

Writers need to be out there experiencing the world, right? Many writers are beginning to trade their desks for inspiration around the world, living as digital nomads as they write. Whether or not you want to travel, freelance writing is a great option if you want to transition away from a traditional office job.

Writers can pursue a number of opportunities from anywhere in the world, including copywriting, content marketing, and ghostwriting. Sites like Guru and Scripted are helpful for starting your career and building up a steady client base.

It’s not necessarily easy to find a legitimate writing gig, but with a little bit of hard work, you can start to accumulate a quality portfolio and it can be a good way to make a living while working from home or from a remote location.

3. Consultant

Traditional consulting is already known for getting its employees out of the office—but usually just to take them to another office! Luckily, if you want to work truly remotely as a consultant, that is definitely possible. If you’ve established yourself as an expert in a specific field, the possibilities are endless for finding your own remote work.

You can explore sites like FlexJobs to find work in the field of your expertise.

4. Translator

Bilinguals can put their language skills to work but finding a remote job as a translator. For the most part, these jobs are done on a freelancing-basis anyway, so it is easy enough to find remote opportunities if you can demonstrate your language ability.

There aren’t many online sites specifically for translation, but translators who work online can look for jobs through a translating company. Common jobs include translating news stories, articles, webpages, and books.

5. Web Designer

Besides software developers, Web designers are some of the highest paid freelancers. Many people make a steady income with this role, whether they work for a specific company or on a freelance basis for different clients.

If you don’t already know how to do Web design, you can find resources to learn all over the internet. Websites are always in demand, since almost every business needs one, so you will likely find yourself with steady work if you put in the time to learn. Check out sites like 99designs and Behance for Web designer jobs.

6. Digital Marketing Expert

If you’re well-versed in SEO, social media, and email marketing, you can try your hand as a freelance digital marketing expert. It’s often helpful to gain some in-office experience first, but once you’ve learned the ropes and maybe even built up a client base, it’s easy enough to take your career remote.

Maybe More…

Companies are becoming more open to remote work, as it saves them money and many employees are actually more productive at home. If it’s not possible to do your job remotely now, it might be in a few years. Even some law firms are starting to go remote, so you never know.