Secure a Data Entry Job From Home in 2022

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With remote work on the rise, more and more people are looking for jobs they can do from the comfort of their homes. Data entry jobs are particularly well-suited to this new, remote work environment because it requires little entry-level knowledge and minimal training.

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What is Remote Data Entry?

Remote data entry clerks are responsible for performing administrative jobs and logging information into a given computer system. Data entry clerks are primarily responsible for the accuracy and ongoing relevance of the data their company stores online.

Remote data entry workers may also help with financial and spreadsheet-based tasks such as handling invoices or overseeing order returns.

Remote data entry work can include:

Collecting and inputting data onto a database
Assess record accuracy
Revising database information as needed
Regularly backing up databases to preserve information
Retrieving files and records from databases
Organizing and preserving physical record copies after data entry
Preparing electronic records for printing

Data entry jobs that you can work from home are available across a range of organizations. It’s a highly flexible skill and employed by various industries, including:

Law firms
Hospitals
Sales organizations
Transportation
Government
Administration

In other words, once you have found a data entry job that you can work from home, your skillset is valuable to a vast selection of people. This opens you up to a range of opportunities as you seek to expand your career as a remote data entry worker.

Skills Needed for Online Data Entry

While there aren’t many requirements to becoming a remote data entry worker, most agencies require that candidates possess a completed high school diploma. And, depending on where you apply, some data entry jobs may require fluency in English.

But there’s more to obtaining a remote data entry job than cogent English and a high school diploma.

Touch Typing

Because of the volume of computer interaction necessitated by working a data entry job from home, aspiring remote data entry workers must have proficiency in typing. It’s not enough to type quickly; A good applicant for a data entry job types with accuracy as well as efficacy.

And while we don’t often think of number reaches as crucial when typing, they are critical to a successful remote data entry job. When brushing up on those typing skills, pay the numerical reach special attention; after all, data entry is predominantly about numerical input, and the faster, the better.

If you’re looking for a data entry job to work from home, it’s worth testing your typing skills first. Not only does this give you a hard skill to add to your resume, but many typing tests issue a certificate for inclusion in an application portfolio.

Computer Literacy

In addition to being an adept typist, job seekers looking for data entry jobs to work from home require a high degree of computer literacy. Remote data entry jobs aren’t only about data entry, and that means you will also need to understand:

Software installation
System updates
System backups
Maintaining antivirus and malware programs

Additionally, familiarity navigating programs like Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet software is an asset.

Organization

A significant part of data entry jobs involves managing, sorting, and correctly entering information. Accordingly, good organizational skills are crucial to a job well done.

Not all the information is physical either. Often remote data entry jobs have a sizable amount of physical information that you need to input into a computer system. The ability to deftly sort and file that information once recorded leads to a better-run, more effective work environment.

Communication

Even working from home, data entry clerks are responsible for liaising between different arms of their organization. With that in mind, the ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and with professionalism is essential.

If the remote data entry job requires that the data entry clerk corresponds with clients, then the ability to communicate is doubly critical. As a client-facing remote data entry clerk, the employee becomes responsible for gathering the necessary data and maintaining good client relationships.

Routine-Driven

While this doesn’t sound like a skill, the intensely repetitive nature of remote data entry jobs necessitates that data entry workers have a high tolerance for repetition. Most data entry jobs worked from home require employees to engage in the same task on an ongoing basis. For data entry workers looking for variation in their work, this can quickly become tiresome.

Equipment for Working a Data Entry Job From Home

Working a data entry job from home doesn’t mean you won’t require a certain degree of professional equipment. And while remote data entry jobs don’t require much, what they do need is crucial.

Computer and High-Speed Internet

The nature of data entry necessarily means data entry clerks spend long hours sitting at a computer inputting information. That being the case, a computer that runs reliably and efficiently is essential to working a remote data entry job from home.

Clerks that have to stop regularly for routine system maintenance or because their software is too slow or outdated to run particular programs may struggle to keep up with the amount of information they are required to log.

In a similar vein, high-quality, high-speed internet is necessary to enhance your computer’s performance. Slow connection time or infrequent internet connection slows data entry down. It also affects the remote data entry worker’s ability to correspond regularly with clients and colleagues.

An unstable internet is especially problematic if information is shared via an internet cloud or dropbox system. These systems are dependent on an internet connection, and an unstable connection may cause lags or delays in receiving necessary communications.

Numeric Keypad

Since a significant part of data entry involves numerical input, having a numerical keyboard is critical to getting the job done. The keypad can be integrated into a pre-existing keyboard or externally linked to the computer.

Access to Data Managing Software

In addition to a numerical keyboard, you’ll want access to various data managing software systems if you’re working a remote data entry position from home.

Microsoft Office, especially Excel, is vital, but so is Google Workspace and a variety of other programs. The more familiar you are with a multitude of data entry programs, the more facilities you’ll have working with different remote data entry jobs.

A flexible working knowledge of different programs will also help you enter data faster across a range of software programs with minimal training.

What Do Data Entry Jobs From Home Earn?

Pay for remote data entry jobs varies depending on industry and employer. However, the mean hourly rate for data entry clerks in America is $14.86. The median salary is approximately $38,197.

However, variance in pay and salary makes it possible for some remote data entry jobs to pay as much as $74,000, while others offer $19,000 per annum.

How to Avoid Data Entry Scams

Because of the perennial popularity of remote data entry jobs, listings are rife with opportunistic scammers. If you’re new to hunting for a data entry job that you can work from home, then spotting the genuine listings from the scams can be challenging.

So, how do you tell the difference?

Beware High Salaries

If it looks too good to be true, the unfortunate truth is that it’s probably a scam. Since remote data entry is highly competitive, companies are aware that people will work data entry jobs from home for minimal pay.

Accordingly, if you stumble across a remote data entry job that not only lets you work from home but has an atypically high salary, be on your guard.

While you can make good money from a remote data entry position, especially if you have specialized skills, you’re unlikely to make a fortune. And you certainly won’t become rich overnight. Job listings that suggest otherwise are likely scams and to be avoided.

Instead, keep your expectations low, hope for the best, and anticipate scams. You can also hone existing skills so that when those specialized remote data entry jobs come up, say in medical coding or legal data analytics, you’re qualified to apply.

Never Pay to be Hired

Another prevalent remote data entry job scam insinuates that the applicant must pay before they start earning money.

In reputable jobs, cash flow is always towards the employee and not the other way around. If the remote data entry job is legitimate, it will pay the cost of any required training. If it won’t, suspect a scam and walk away.

Exert Caution Around Training Programs

It’s not unusual for employers to require a training period for new employees, and it’s no different with data entry jobs done from home. However, training programs present ample opportunity for scammers.

These scammers tell job applicants they must work either for no or minimal cost for a training period. When this period expires, they terminate the offer. Alternatively, you may find the promised high pay never materializes. Both scenarios are prevalent in data entry jobs.

To avoid this kind of scam, be sure to require and sign a contract before undergoing a training period.

Other indicators that a remote data entry job is a scam include:

Typos in the job description
Grammatical errors
Remote data entry job offer is unsolicited
Contact details are fabricated

Above all else, trust your instincts. If you suspect a remote data entry job of being a scam, look elsewhere. There will be other, more trustworthy data entry jobs you can work from home that prove more worth the application effort.

Related post: Avoid 10 Latest Online Job Scams

Where to Look for Remote Data Entry Jobs

Not all remote data entry jobs are created equal. That means not all data entry job listings that let you work from home are worth the hassle of applying.

We’ve put together a list of the most reputable places to start your search for remote data entry jobs.

Flexijobs

Despite having to pay to access the site, Flexijobs is worth looking at if you’re seriously considering a remote data entry job. Job listings are evaluated by real people, saving you from having to sort out scam offers from legitimate remote data entry positions.

Clickworker

Registering with clickworker allows you to become part of an online pool of remote workers with data entry experience. It’s not equivalent to a full-time job, but its microtasks can help stem the gap between jobs.

It’s also a good way for the novice remote data entry job worker to accrue resume experiences quickly.

The registry is free; all you have to do is complete a short assessment of your skills to help the algorithm determine which jobs are the right fit for you.

The Smart Crowd

The Smart Crowd is attached to Lionbridge AI, which provides multilingual data collection, annotation, and validation for its clients. The Smart Crowd offers registered users access to a pool of remote data entry microtasks that can be completed from the comfort of your home.

Pay is variable, but rates are competitive, enabling you to choose when and how much you work.

The registration process is free and matches users with jobs best suited to their skill sets.

SigTrack

Sigtrack is an organization that connects organizations with remote data entry freelancers. However, because Sigtrack primarily cross-references voter registers and petitions, you must be a U.S. citizen to register with the site.

Those interested in registering with Sigtrack will also have to complete a short introductory video to verify their identity. Moreover, because remote data entry work with Sigtrack requires cross-referencing signatures across various registrars, users will need access to dual monitors.

Pay rates aren’t guaranteed because Sigtrack bases payment on productivity. However, they claim that most users double or triple their pay in the first few days, making persistence worthwhile.

Successfully Interviewing for a Data Entry Job From Home

If you manage to receive an invitation to interview for a remote data entry job, that’s half the battle. Invitation secured, the next step is to prepare for the interview.

Familiarize Yourself with the Technology

Because data entry jobs that can be worked from home are necessarily remote, there’s a chance your interview will be too. Make sure you are familiar with the application your interviewer has selected for the interview, whether it’s Skype, Zoom, or another virtual communication tool.

You’ll also want to double-check internet speed and reliability, as well as your computer’s internal technology. There’s nothing worse than a connection that cuts out mid-interview or a camera that plays up.

List Your Previous Experience

Before your remote data entry job interview, have a look at the job description. Pull out any relevant phrases and skills that dovetail with what you’ve listed on your resume.

As you’re thinking about how to sell these skills to an interviewer, consider narrativizing them. Stories are a powerful way of keeping your interviewer engaged. The STAR model of narrativizing is especially effective as an interview technique.

STAR is an acronym that stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It’s effective in an interview because it uses empirical evidence to back up the claims you are making. You’re not simply listing skills but describing how you put them into practice and what effect that had.

Alternatives to Data Entry Jobs Worked From Home

If you continue to struggle to find remote data entry jobs, there are alternatives to consider. These jobs give you the same flexibility and malleable skill set while still enabling you to work from home.

These alternative career options include, but are not limited to:

Transcription
Online customer service
Freelance writing

As with remote data entry jobs, all these alternative career routes enable you to manage your own time and choose how much you work. They won’t all require the same pre-existing skills, though, so you’ll want to compare individual requirements against your experience to determine what alternative works best for you.

Conclusion

Remote data entry jobs have a wide range of applicability. If you can land a data entry job that allows you to work from home, it can be an effective way of securing part-time or full-time work.

As you look for remote data entry jobs, keep up-to-date with your understanding of:

Computer literacy
Data software programs
Typing skills

Taking an online course to acquire more specialized skills is also an effective way to increase your eligibility for more specialized remote data entry positions, such as work in hospitals or law firms.

As you hunt for remote data entry jobs, you will also want to avoid scams. Remember to look for:

Typos
Grammatical errors
Suspicious contact information

And be wary of any job offer that:

Arrives unsolicited
Requires you to pay before hiring
Training courses with minimal or no pay

Various websites also exist that will help you accrue remote data entry experience and simultaneously sort scams from genuine job offers. These are excellent tools for the aspiring data entry worker striving to work from home, as they can help stem the gap between remote data entry jobs.

And if you struggle to find a remote data entry job, remember that there are similar career paths that let you work from home. Skill sets vary, and some research may be necessary, but there’s more than one way to work remotely.

But if you find a remote data entry job, remember, it may not earn you an instant fortune. How much you earn may depend on how much you work and how skilled you are as a remote entry worker.

As long as you enjoy the work, remote data entry jobs that allow you to work from home can be a great way to open future doors. Until then, work hard, hone your skills and keep your eyes peeled for the next opportunity.