How to Find Remote Proofreading Jobs to Work at Home
Before you can start working from home as an editor, you’ll need to know where to find remote proofreading jobs. The key to success is having a regular flow of work, so you can depend on your income to pay living expenses. By relying on more than one source for jobs, you can help propel yourself to success.
How to Become a Proofreader Online
Remote proofreader jobs are easy to come by once you have experience and know where to look. Start by building a professional following. You can do this on social media or a professional website. Additionally, you can create your own website if you are serious about your practice.
Once you have done these things, it is important to put yourself out there. You can send e-mails or call businesses that publish articles or books and see if they are hiring. There are also writing platforms that connect people looking for writing and editing work with those looking for proofreader jobs remote. Some of these sites charge a fee. To be sure you are not being scammed, use a site that charges after you have been paid instead of making you pay for their services upfront.
Other Remote Proofreading Jobs
Most businesses do not hang signs outside of their business reading ‘Proofreaders Needed’. Even so, online publications, newspaper outlets, and magazines may hire editors to look over their writer’s work. These are a great choice for people who have experience. As an added benefit, many of these jobs can be done remotely.
Tips to Help You Excel
- Be Motivated- One of the biggest challenges of working from home is staying on task. Try setting aside chunks of time where you focus on nothing but your editing work. Then, all you have to do is follow through.
- Credit Your Classmates- If you are new to the editing world, don’t be afraid to describe your experience as an editor for classmates. While this is not professional experience, it shows that you have done proofreading before.
- Tell Them You Are an Asset- When you are applying to remote writing jobs, tell the employer how serious you are about being an asset for their company. When you show how hard you are willing to work, they will sometimes hire you regardless of your past experience. However, if you do this, be sure you live up to expectations.
- Get a Clear Job Description- It can be hard to complete a job if you aren’t sure of your responsibilities. Before agreeing to anything, be sure you understand what is expected of you. It can also be helpful to find out how much work they are expecting you to do and how much they are willing to pay for your proofreading services, so you can plan appropriately.
What if I Don’t Have Proofreading Experience?
For people who do not have experience for online proofreader jobs, it can be helpful to do samples for your client. Expect to do test articles. You could also submit proofread papers or articles that you have written yourself. If you do perform test articles for potential clients, do not let them take advantage of you. A short test is okay, but you should not do free work for the hope of getting a job.
As you consider how to become a proofreader online, be sure you consider how to prove your experience. Be open to doing tests, but do not let yourself be taken advantage of. As you build up several business relationships, you’ll find that you never have a shortage of work.
