I used to marvel at those court stenographers who don’t seem to pause as soon as a trial is underway. Their fingers work at top speed and a lot of what goes on in court seems to depend on how good their hearing is plus how fast they can type to get everything going on documented right. When I grew up and learned speed typing, I actually briefly considered becoming a court stenographer, until I learned all the requirements needed to be one - getting an Associate’s Degree, applying for a license, scouting for a job opening, getting certification, etc. It was just too much work to even be able to get my foot in the door!
Then I started working from home and realized that I can still put my speed-typing skills to good use. In fact, there seems to be quite a demand for those who can type fast, have good English skills, and generally meet the employer’s requirements prior to hiring. So if you can type accurately, fast, and can use the tools required for the job, consider the following five home-based options.
1) Do transcriptions
There are a lot of my work-from-home buddies that actually do transcriptions on a regular basis because it’s a gig that pays quite well. A lot of them do medical transcriptions because those pay the biggest salaries, but since they demand additional training or a medical background, they might not be as easy to get into compared to other transcription jobs.
The good news is that a lot of companies actually need transcriptionists - for interviews to be translated into feature articles or news, law offices requiring legal transcriptionists, and a host of other industries. If you think you’re ready to start transcribing, take a look at the average base pay and transcriptionist job list at Glassdoor today.
2) Translate language docs
This is a great job opportunity for those who are fluent in more than one language and can also type fast and correctly. Companies like LinguaLinx are always on the lookout for people to join their team. Though not strictly home-based and with a stringent hiring process, there are some very attractive benefits being offered for their staff, including a comprehensive medical package, flexible hours….and free bagels for new hires!
If you would rather do translator jobs strictly from home, though, it’s a good idea to search for them because chances are there will always be one available, either in your area or internationally!
3) Perform online chat services
Nope, this is not a risque kind of “chat service” (although, to be fair as what was discussed in this article about adult chat sites, they are still perfectly legit jobs). This is more along the lines of customer service, but with a chat interface involved instead of the usual phone-answering system. Becoming an online chat agent does require fast typing, especially when a customer has numerous questions or complaints that need to be addressed ASAP. And for customer services that are live and on-the-spot, keeping a cool head, having a lot of patience, and having a soothing “tone” while delivering the kind of information the customer requires are all a must.
Support.com is a good place to start if you want to work remotely for around $10 an hour as a chat agent. Convergys also needs home-based customer service agents, and offer an attractive compensation package that includes medical, vision, and dental coverage, paid vacations, and a 401-K plan!
4) Become an editor
Although this one requires more experience than the rest of the jobs in this listicle, being an editor has a really good median wage - a little under $50K a year! - and might just be the kind of home-based job that’s right up your alley. You will need to have a good command of spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You will also have to be familiar with good writing practices, whether it’s for journalism, features writing, academic or business writing, etc. Some companies that hire editors will require a background or degree in English, Journalism, or similar, but if you have sufficient enough experience doing editing as a job, plus have the typing skills that could get you more jobs of a similar nature at sites like EditFast, then why not give it a spin?
5) Be a closed captioner
What exactly is closed captioning? It’s when you watch your favorite TV series and you see those captions below the screen that include supposed ambient sounds in the scenes - those are meant for the hearing impaired, and those are what are referred to as closed captions. Of course, somebody does those closed captions manually, and if you’re a speedy typist and have a good command of English, plus you meet the requirements of the company that’s hiring, then you’re a shoo-in for the job.
The great news is that there are now plenty of home-based closed captioning jobs available to try out. There’s some transcription involved with closed captioning, of course, as well as knowing a bit of stenography, but it’s something people consider very doable. You can visit Indeed to see if they have a listing for closed captioning jobs if you’re interested in applying.
The verdict
If you can type fast, accurately, and within the requirements of the industry you will work for, there is no reason not to try out any of the jobs indicated here. The compensation is mostly above the average of other home-based jobs, and the tasks are pretty straightforward. Plus, they are all perfectly legit, tried-and-tested work that many home-based people can attest to.
Your turn
Are you a good and speedy typist who would consider any of the home-based jobs listed above as a source of income? Share your thoughts with us below!
