Do you dream of being boss-free? Want to work from home, or being a freelancer?  It’s an enticing thought and one that you can  make a reality.  Over recent years, there has been a large increase in the number of Australians working from home. Businesses are realising that employees need, now more than ever, workplace flexibility. Working from home no longer just means working for yourself, although it may with many people working as sole traders or running small businesses. It’s best to consider carefully the pros and cons of not just working from home, but how it is structured.

We’ve compiled a list of the best jobs you can do to make money working from home.

1. Freelance Writer

This has to be first on any work from home list!  Freelance writing means working on a per job basis, writing content, articles, blogs, courses, ads, product descriptions, emails, or even ghost-writing books.  There are many places to find gigs including Fiverr and Upwork to name a few. No formal qualification is required, but you will need to have excellent written English skills, creative ability, and be able to work to a creative brief which will include a budget, word count and a description of the content and its purpose.

Avg. Hourly Rate AU$25.60*

Suggested courses:  Freelance Writing

2. Pet Care at your home

If you love animals and enjoy caring for them, you could mind other people’s pets in your own home. Pet carer’s provide supervision, care and feeding of animals.  There are many agencies online that can match you up with people looking for pet carers in their area such as Madpaws and Pawshake.  While no formal qualifications are required, you will need a strong sense of responsibility for the pet care, and a sound knowledge of how to care for a variety of pets.

Animal caretakers earn on average AU$23.11/hour*

Suggested Courses: Pet Care, Dog Care

3. Telephone Counselor

Do you love to help people and would love to work as a Counselor? This could be a great option for you. You’d need to have a quiet and uninterrupted area to work in and some training in counselling. To work as a counselor in Australia you do not need any specific qualification however most organisations offering this type of work will require a minimum 3-year degree in a relevant field.

Counselling psychology average salary is AU$65,862*

Suggested Courses: Counselling Skills A & B, or Diploma Counselling, or Bachelor Psychology or Social Work

4. Online Marketeer – SEO, Adwords

If you’re a number cruncher and love the thrill of getting traffic to websites, then you could consider a career in Search Engine Optimisation and online marketing running advertising campaigns in google ads, Facebook and other digital advertising platforms. There are a multitude of qualifications around depending on how much time and money you want to invest.

The average Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist salary is AU$58,853*

Suggested Course: Internet Marketing

5. Social Media Manager

This is a relatively new career but if you love social media and writing engaging content then you may consider this as an option. You’ll need to understand how to best leverage digital social media platforms, to be creative and be able to write great content.

The average social media manager salary is AU$58,484*

6. Bookkeeper

To do this one you’ll need a Cert IV in Bookkeeping as it’s a requirement for anyone keeping books and making GST lodgements in Australia.  If you love numbers and accounting this is a great career option for working from home.  Many businesses now use online accounting software such as Xero, Reckon, Quickbooks Intuit which means you can access their books virtually from home.

The average bookkeeping salary ranges from AU$42,620 – AU$75,945*

Suggested courses: Cert IV Bookkeeping

7. Programming Software/Web Developer

The ultimate work from home job.  Job requirements will include proficiency in computer languages such as java, PHP, ASP.net,  C# for example, usually you’ll also need SQL, ability to work with Web Services as well as work with common version control software such as Github. Usually a degree in computer science or similar will be required, as well as good communications skills and although the work may be virtual you’ll still need to be able to work in a team.

The average salary for software developer is AU$68,146*

Suggested courses:  Bachelor of Computer Science

8. Data Entry Jobs

This role best suits process oriented individuals with strong alphanumeric and numeric data entry skills, as well as advanced excel skills.  You will need good attention to detail and the ability to work to deadlines.  Usually no formal qualifications are required for these roles.

Data entry operations earn an average salary ranging from AU$37,516 to AU$58,590*

Suggested Courses:  general courses in Microsoft Office

9. Online English Tutors

Make money teaching English from home!  Minimum requirements are usually a CELTA qualification or similar, and you’ll need a good internet connection and love to help others learn.

ESL teachers earn on average about AU$40.04/hour.*

Suggested Courses: Cert IV in TESOL

10. Graphic Design

It’s never been easier to work as a freelance graphic designer.  Gigs include designing logos, website designs, print media layouts, posters, flyers, letterheads, packaging etc.   You’ll need to be creative and have a love of all things design!  Frequently you’ll need to know basic web programming with HTML and you’ll definitely need to understand modern graphic software.  While many organisations will ask for a relevant degree, it’s not always necessary.

The national average salary for graphic designers is AU$52,000*

Suggested Courses: Diploma of Graphic Design

Pros for working from home

Flexible work hours has to be one of the biggest pros for many people (especially mothers) who want to work from home.  If you’re trying to juggle work and family it’s just so much easier if you can schedule your own work hours.  For others it’s achieving the dream of finally establishing that work-life balance and ditching that commute! The quiet of working from home can really appeal to people who don’t like noise, and especially crowed environments.

Cons for working from home

It can be lonely.  If you work from home its more important to make sure you leave the house and socialise. Some people find it hard to work without the social support that makes up part of working in an office.  Ensure that who you are working for understands how to support home based services.

Qualifications for working from home

Many of these positions don’t’ require formal qualifications and can be satisfied with an online short course.   For the jobs requiring formal qualifications such as a 3 year degree can now be easily obtained as online courses, as many universities are now offering degrees online, as are TAFEs.  We’ve made suggestions above but there are so many options you’ll need to do some research to find which course is right for you.

*estimated salaries are from https://www.payscale.com (au).