Two of the most frightening combinations of events for most people, especially families, are illness and job loss. When you’re healthy and seemingly comfortable in a salaried job, this combination can seem a long way off. Then something like COVID-19 (the coronavirus pandemic) suddenly appears.
Millions of people in the US, Europe, Asia, and all around the world, have lost their jobs in the space of a few short extraordinary weeks. And with policymakers warning of heavy long-term hits to the economy, it’s uncertain when big businesses will recover, new jobs will become available, and things will return to some semblance of normality.
Starting a new online career
If you’re stuck at home under lockdown or quarantine, worried about finding a job, then reinventing yourself online may be the way forward. Millions of people in the US alone have built online careers, where they work from home or anywhere with an internet connection.
And you can do the same.
Building an online business can happen quickly. You can potentially start earning money within a week. The internet is instant when you know what you want to do and who you can help. These days setting up a website and putting a marketing plan into action can be completed within 24 hours.
So what are some of the ways you can start a new career online?
Career points to consider
Before making a quick career decision, it’s important to consider a few key questions, including:
What are your professional skills?
If you’ve been made redundant or your business has collapsed, then you might well be able to quickly transfer your existing skills, education, and experience to the web. Many routine office tasks and jobs can now be done remotely online and offered as billable services to clients worldwide.
What’s your natural talent?
Similar to professional skills but different. Talent stems from something with which you are born. You might be skilled in something through training, but if you’re also naturally talented at it, you have an inherent advantage over your competition. Everyone has a natural talent at something. When you monetize that, you can do very well indeed.
What are your passions?
Perhaps you were bored in the job you lost. Maybe you visualized a particular dream career you thought would never become a reality. Well, now is the time to act. The internet allows you to work from anywhere and do anything. Choose to do something you love. It’s great for motivation and wellbeing.
10 online careers you can start today
So what are some of the potentially lucrative online career options available to you? Below are ten ideas, all of which you can start today by creating a brand name, website, and preliminary business plan.
Virtual Assistant Services
If you’ve left an administrative role in a company, then setting up as a Virtual Assistant might be a perfect move.
There are many different online services you can offer clients as a VA, including data entry, database maintenance, email management, diary management, transcription, invoicing, and more.
Marketing & Sales
A good industry in which to begin building a solo career now is Marketing and Sales. While things might be difficult at the time of reading, when the recovery process begins, marketing and selling will be vital activities.
Marketing and Sales covers a wide variety of skills including sales copywriting, advertising, public relations (PR), consulting, search engine optimization (SEO), social media networking, and more.
Resume Writing
Another skill that will always be in huge demand, especially after so many job losses, is resume writing. Great resumes quickly land clients promising job interviews which raises their chances of being ultimately hired.
If you have experience in resume writing or you’re a talented writer with people-skills, then setting up a home-based resume writing business might be a fantastic career option.
Therapy
Through good times and bad, therapists are needed. People seek therapy for a vast range of issues and problems, and many of these therapy sessions can be conducted online via video.
Whether you’re a licensed behavioral therapist, child therapist, marriage counsellor, speech therapist, or any other form of therapist, there’s an online market for your skills and experience.
Accounting
If you’ve been looking after a company’s financial records for a good few years and you’re suddenly out of a job, then becoming a freelance accountant might be your best move.
You have the exact skills countless companies and solopreneurs in your country need. With fewer overheads, you can present yourself as a more affordable option than an in-house role.
Coaching or Consulting
Are you good at bringing out the best in people? Can you help businesses improve their processes and reduce their expenses? Coaching or consulting might be a fantastic career move for you right now.
Individual and group coaching sessions can be conducted entirely online. Platforms such as Zoom allow multiple individuals to join video conferences, where you can coach or train dozens of people at the same time, all from the comfort of a home office.
Freelance Blogging
Good with words? Seeking a regular income similar to that of a traditional salaried job? If you crave security and you love writing, then offering your services as a freelancer business blog writer is a great way to earn money. It’s easy to set up a retainer agreement.
Companies need to keep their marketing ticking over, even during these extremely uncertain times. Fresh website content maintains existing relationships and also keeps Google satiated.
Translating
If you’re fluent in one or more foreign languages, then set yourself up as a professional translator of business and marketing texts. Regardless of world events, companies right across the globe will always need to trade and do business with those in English-speaking countries.
Now is a good time to prepare for the global economic recovery.
Social Media Management
You may love interacting with people on social media, but have you ever considered doing it full time as a job? What was once a bit of distraction after work and at weekends can now become your whole career.
If you know the ins and outs of platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and more, then put your shingle out as a professional social media manager. Like with blogging and marketing, this will always be an in-demand service for companies large and small. It’s also regular.
Create an Online Start-up
And finally, if you want to create something with other people, then consider founding an online start-up. Being under lockdown or quarantine is no excuse to delay or postpone the creation of a new business.
Using video conferencing and collaboration apps, you can gather together a core team and brainstorm ideas, research information, develop business plans, develop apps, build a website, and start on the branding and marketing.
Changing your career in a fast-changing world
Whether it’s a worldwide pandemic, an economic downturn, an out-of-the-blue redundancy, or a sudden family illness, it’s impossible to predict when and how our seemingly comfortable lives can quickly change.
COVID-19 has awoken many people to this realization.
If you’ve lost your job and you don’t see hope on the horizon, now might be the time to consider starting an online career.
