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Is data entry for you? Please read our data entry articles and decide if you would like to have an online data entry career.
There is
so much information being generating and moving around the globe that
there are hardly ever enough people to take care of it all. With the
internet, companies are now turning to freelancers to take care of
their data needs. If you have
experience with software and data and don't mind
spending long hours working on a computer, you can begin finding work
online. Sites like Real Writing Jobs are a great place to start, because they can offer you a wide range of data entry work.
The amazing growth of the internet over the last 15 years has
exponentially multiplied the amount of time and work needed for data
entry and information processing. Stop what you're doing for a minute,
and try thinking about how many billions of bytes of information are
not only posted online and in company databases, but also emailed back
and forth or put to use in other ways.
In short, the 21st century world is teeming with data, and there
are never enough people to process and keep track of it all. That's
where you come in. If you have a talent for processing information, if
you're proficient in all the widely used software, if you can type
fast, and if you're comfortable with repetitive tasks, you may be a
perfect candidate for the millions of data entry jobs available for
freelancers working off-site.
Does this sound too good to be true? In a way it is, as good data
entry jobs are surprisingly difficult to track down. Often, to find a
single legitimate data entry job listing, you have to sift through
hundreds of jobs that are either phony or not worth your time. This
just reflects the abundance and desirability of data entry jobs.
To get started, find a reputable site that connects employers to
freelancers. This may take some digging, but once you find a good one,
you may never have to look again, as companies in need of regular data
entry help tend to stick long-term with the sites that work.
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How to Find a Legitimate Data Entry Employer
These days, thanks to the growth of the internet, everyone's looking for ways to work from home. Unfortunately, even for those of us who are skilled with office or data entry tasks, finding work through the web is not always as easy as it should be. Many people set out to put their skills to use only to find that the web business world is cold, challenging, and hard to break in to.
The main problem with finding data entry employers is simple: These jobs are in very high demand, and the internet has a way of oversaturating anything that is in high demand. Whenever people see that a certain search term is being frequently used, thousands upon thousands of web-based bottom feeders start scheming ways to use that search term for easy profit. The result is that search engine results for terms like "data entry" end up giving you pages and pages of useless information, and none of them contain any good data entry leads.
Tracking down data entry jobs
Even so, if you're the type of person who doesn't give up easily, you can find data entry jobs that allow you to work from home. You just have to avoid using search engines. Instead, go through the proven sources for good leads.
Of course, this is easier said than done. There are some truly legitimate freelancing sites that specialize in hooking professionals up with reliable clients. The problem is that most of these sites have thousands of members who have long work histories and great reputations, which makes it hard for newcomers to crack into the business.
The results can be upsetting. Many people go through these sites and submit literally hundreds of bids without ever getting a single job. It's enough to discourage anyone. But if you reach this point with your work-from-home data entry career, it's not so bad. The good news is that you've made the first step. That is, you have found a good source of data entry jobs. Now you just have to find the right ways to land some work.
Getting paid data entry jobs
The first thing you're going to want to do is work on your proposals. Data entry jobs may be relatively simple in a lot of ways, but this doesn't change the fact that employers only want to work with people who present themselves clearly and professionally. Come up with a proposal template that demonstrates your skills with business communication. Then, when you see jobs, customize this template for each job. Read every word of the job descriptions, and follow employers' instructions to the letter. This shows that you take directions well.
Also keep in mind that you're going to have to work for cheap until you get off the ground. This is just a fact of the business. You have to build a reputation, which entails getting jobs and completing them successfully. To do this, lower your pay standards for a while. Once you get set up, you can then rethink your prices.
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3 Qualities that Will Earn You Data Entry Jobs
Thousands of people are clamoring to get started in the work-from-home data entry business, but the sad fact is that only a small percentage of these people will actually find success. Whether we like it or not, there are just certain types of people who are not cut out for this business, as much as they may want to be. And as appealing as work-from-home data entry may be, these individuals would probably be doing themselves a favor by finding something else to focus on. If you don’t have these 3 qualities, it's better to face the truth now than later.
1. The ability to focus: These days, focusing on one's work is harder than ever. Especially with the internet and app-filled cellphones, it only takes a momentary lapse in attention to get completely off track. With work-from-home data entry jobs, this problem is compounded by the fact that most of your work will be done via computer—and in all likelihood, if you're reading this, your computer has a web connection.
Here's the question you should ask yourself. Will you be able to focus on work for hours on end without clicking over to your web browser for some good old-fashioned procrastination? Data entry from home is not like jobs where you go to an office and come home at set times. The amount of money you make depends not on showing up, but rather on getting the work done. If you're unable to stay focused, you'll miss all your deadlines, and your clients will not want to work with you again.
2. Good communication skills: In order to find online data entry jobs, you're going to need the ability to convince potential clients that you're the person they want to be working with. Many people make the mistake of thinking that this means being very aggressive and talking extensively about your skills and experience. But this is a misconception. In reality, the way to get work is to emphasize how you can benefit employers better than other people can. Focus on what you can do for them, and make it sound like they would lose by not working with you.
Also, it's absolutely essential to have written communication skills. When you communicate with potential clients, you want everything to be grammatically correct and professional. This is a declining skill in this day and age, so if you have it, show it.
3. Persistence: The most difficult thing about establishing a work-from-home data entry career is keeping it going over the long term. Eventually, this type of work can become quite boring and repetitive, and you may forget why you got started with it in the first place. You need to have the ability to keep yourself motivated. In the end, it usually comes down to setting goals and reaching them. Try to make a certain amount of money each month, and when you reach that point, be sure to reward yourself. If you find that your data entry work doesn't leave you time even to reward yourself, you might want to consider a different career path.
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Tips for Getting Data Entry Work
With the rise of the internet as not only a communication device but also a tool for doing business, the amount of data entry work has exploded over the last few years. However, the problem is that many people have recognized this trend, and the web-based data entry jobs tend to get snatched up very quickly. Plus, online data entry jobs are accessible to people from around the world, which means that your competition for this work is truly formidable. But if you have the right attitude and know the tricks, you can be the one getting all the data entry work.
Here are the most important tips to keep in mind.
1. Be smart: This tip may seem a little obvious, but it's amazing how many people leave their common sense behind when searching for online employment. Many people get so caught up in the idea of working from home that they become slightly desperate and follow every work-from-home lead they see. Don't be one of these people. Every time you see a potential job lead, scrutinize it with a large amount of skepticism. Keep in mind that there are at least as many scam work-from-home job leads as real ones, so just assume that each one you see is illegitimate until it proves itself to be otherwise.
2. Hone your skills: Remember that your competition is stiff, so that if you don't excel in the skills needed to be a strong data entry employee, you're probably not going to do very well. Invest in a couple of instruction books on data entry skills, especially typing speed and other general tasks. Become as proficient as possible in these areas.
3. Perfect your business communication: When you apply for jobs, the most important thing is not your resume, but your cover letter. Sure, your resume will be important for conveying your experience and what you're capable of, but if an employer doesn't get past your cover letter, the resume won't matter. Make sure that your cover letters have impeccable grammar and spelling. Emphasize how employers will benefit from working with you, and keep all communication clear and formal.
4. Be creative: When you go through the traditional channels to find data entry jobs, your chances aren't going to be very good. It's much more useful to use Web 2.0 services such as web forums or social networking sites. Relying on search engines or job finder sites will only lead you to an abundance of scams.
5. Update your software: If you want to be competitive in today's work-from-home data entry field, you're going to need to be up to speed with your computer and software. Make sure you have new-generation office software, and it's also good to have the communications programs that many modern employers have. Plus, it's always a good idea to have a Gmail account, but also have a few different instant messaging accounts on your computer, and get Skype if possible. If you have a chance to mention these things in your job applications, work them in.
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6
Surprising Things about Online Data Entry Work
Most people who are new
to online data entry have a basic sense of what the work entails. The
exact nature of the jobs varies, but most involve a lot of typing and
a lot of repetitive tasks. And since most people who do this type of
work have home offices, there are no unpredictable workplace
situations that one has to deal with. Overall, doing data entry work
is pretty simple and straightforward. However, for those who are new
to this, there are many things that might surprise you. Let’s look
at a few of them.
1. Start-up costs
are almost nonexistent. If you already have a pretty good home
office with a good computer, up-to-date software, and an internet
connection, then you have pretty much everything you need to get
started as a data entry freelancer working from home. Some of the
online services that connect workers to employers have some minor
subscription charges, but these are negligible compared with the
start-up costs for a typical small business. Even if you have to buy
a few things for your home office, the cost is relatively cheap.
2. There are no
pricing standards. People who are new to this work often go
online and try to find a comprehensive chart detailing how much they
should charge for various data-entry-related tasks. But what they
find is that there are no standards, and each data entry professional
much figure this out more or less independently. All you can do is
dive into the work and adjust your prices based on what you learn
from experience. Calculate how much you need to make per hour, and
once you get a sense of how long different tasks take, adjust your
rates accordingly.
3. There is a
thriving online community. There are ways to make things easier
so that you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. If you
join an online community of data entry freelancers, you can get a
pretty good sense of what other people charge for different types of
work. Of course, people who are new to data entry typically must
charge lower rates until they gain some experience. And there is much
more to learn from online communities besides simply details of
pricing. As you get into this work, you will be very thankful for
this online community of likeminded people doing the same types of
work that you’re doing.
4. Having
self-discipline is harder than it sounds. Faced with the prospect
of working from home and being one’s own boss, many people assume
that it’s all quite easy and that they will thrive in this
situation. But when they delve into the work, many find that staying
on task is a never-ending challenge. One must have an incredible
amount of self-discipline to drive oneself to continue working. After
a while, you may discover that having a boss is actually a blessing
in some ways.
5. Marketing is
important. Even if you do great work for your clients, you are
not indispensible. There are thousands of people out there competing
for the same jobs as you, and if something is a little off in your
presentation or your work, people are going to go elsewhere. Many
clients will be loyal to some extent, but they won’t hesitate to
jump ship if you do not live up to their expectations. Hence it is
important to continually market your service, even to clients you’ve
already worked with.
6. Competition is
global. As you begin to find work in data entry, you will quickly
find that your competition comes from around the world, and this can
greatly complicate matters. You will obviously want to charge rates
that are standard for your part of the world, but you may be
competing against other freelancers who can afford to charge rates
that are a fraction of yours. This is one of the most difficult
things about freelancing in the 21st century. The key for freelancers
who must charge higher rates due to geography is to provide a higher
level of service than the lower-charging overseas options.
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