27 Work From Home Jobs That Accept Beginners

If you really want to work at home but have little to no past experience, it can be hard to get your foot in the door. Fortunately, there are some options. We all have to start somewhere! Today, we are talking about work from home jobs for beginners.

Keep in mind that beginner-friendly work from home jobs often come with lower pay. You may even need to juggle two or three of them to earn anything close to a livable wage. This is something I had to do when I was first starting out!

The good news is that you can gain valuable experience that may help you qualify for higher-paying jobs like these later.

Work From Home Jobs That Accept Beginners

Below are several industries to consider, along with companies that may accept beginners:

Transcription

As a work from home transcriber, you will listen to audio files and type what you hear. While this may sound easy, there is a learning curve.

Most transcription companies also have specific formatting rules. These rules will not necessarily be the same from one company to another.

Transcription can pay well, but higher-paying companies generally want proof of past experience. The companies below may consider beginners who pass their skills tests, although available work and earnings can vary.

• CastingWords
• National Capitol Contracting – Starts at $40 per audio hour, but the company estimates that one audio hour takes about four hours to transcribe.
• Literably
• TranscribeMe – No experience is required, but you must pass an entrance exam. Rates start at $15 to $22 per audio hour.

If you’re interested in transcription but aren’t sure where to start, my Quick Guide to Working at Home as a General Transcriber explains how it works and what you’ll need to get started.

I’ve also included a list of 70 companies that hire home-based transcribers, so you’ll have plenty of places to look into!

Translation

As a translator who works from home, you will convert written or spoken information from one language to another. If you are fluent in more than one language, this could be a viable option for you.

As with transcription, you can usually earn more as a translator once you have experience. But if you’re just starting out, there are still some ways to begin building that experience.

The sites below may consider translators without professional experience, although you may have to pass a skills test or compete with other freelancers for clients.

• ProZ – Create a free profile and look for freelance clients and posted translation jobs.
• Translate.com
• Gengo – No translation experience is required, but you must pass its tests. Applicants must be 18 or older and translate into their native language. Tests and available work vary by language pair.

Virtual Assisting

As a virtual assistant, you are a jack-of-all-trades. Your work could change from one day to the next depending on what your clients ask you to do.

Many companies prefer virtual assistants with past administrative or virtual assisting experience, but not all of them do.

The companies below may consider applicants who are new to virtual assisting. Requirements vary by position and location.

• Fancy Hands
• Upwork – A freelance marketplace where beginners can offer virtual-assistant services. Clients set their own requirements, and you’ll need a strong profile and examples of your skills. Proposal costs and platform fees can apply.

ESL Tutoring

ESL tutoring involves helping people who are not native English speakers improve their English skills.

This industry changed significantly in 2021 after China restricted for-profit tutoring companies that teach school subjects. Many large ESL companies stopped hiring, closed, or changed their business models.

However, some platforms based outside China still connect English tutors with students around the world.

Some companies only require native or fluent English skills. Others want a language certification, such as TEFL or TESOL. You can complete this training online, but not every company requires it.

The sites below may consider beginners:

• Cambly
• Engoo
• Preply – No certification or teaching experience is required. Tutors set their own rates, but Preply takes a commission.

Academic Tutoring

Academic tutors help elementary school, middle school, high school, or college students with different subjects. Depending on the company, you might teach live lessons or answer individual homework questions.

Many companies prefer applicants who are pursuing or already have college degrees. However, you may still qualify even if you have never worked as a tutor.

• Studypool – Answer individual student questions. Studypool deducts a service fee from tutor earnings.
• Tutor.com – Applicants must live in the U.S. and either have a four-year degree or be at least a college sophomore working toward one. You’ll also need to pass subject exams and a mock tutoring session.
• Wyzant
• Littera Education – Offers part-time online tutoring with paid training. Teacher certification isn’t required. Applicants must be 18 or older, live in an eligible U.S. state, and pass a mock tutoring session. Hours vary and are not guaranteed.

Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is what I did years ago to earn an income from home, and I managed to do it with no prior experience or degree!

Many companies consider applicants based on skill. Your experience may not matter if you can prove that you are a capable writer.

The companies below are open to newer writers, although pay, available assignments, and acceptance requirements vary.

• Textbroker
• Verblio
• Composely – Skilled new writers can apply, but selection is competitive. You’ll need a portfolio and SEO writing samples, and must pass assessments and trial projects. Average pay is about 10 to 14 cents per word.

Phone Jobs

Work at home phone jobs may involve customer service, sales, tech support, and more. While many companies prefer people with proven experience, some are open to entry-level workers.

Phone jobs aren’t ideal for everyone. Most companies require a quiet workspace with no background noise. This can be almost impossible to guarantee if you have children or loud pets.

If you think phone work may be for you, check the companies below:

• Ansafone Contact Centers – Search its careers page for remote customer service jobs. Requirements and eligible locations vary by opening.
• Alorica – Search its openings for remote customer service positions in your location.
• NexRep – Offers independent contractor opportunities. Programs, schedules, and pay vary.

Task Sites

Task-based work is usually best for extra money or filling time between better-paying jobs.

I used to do search evaluation and task work between my freelance writing gigs, and it helped supplement my other income.

Tasks may include evaluating search results, labeling data, completing research, or handling other short online projects. Work is not always available, and some companies require applicants to pass an exam.

• Welo Data – Offers AI training and evaluation projects. Some projects don’t require prior experience, but you’ll need to pass assessments. Requirements, pay, and available work vary by project.
• Clickworker
• CrowdGen by Appen

Proofreading & Editing

If you are good at proofreading and editing but have never done it professionally, finding paid work can be difficult. However, a few companies will consider applicants based on their skills.

You will usually have to pass a difficult editing test, and competition can be strong.

• ProofreadingServices.com – Offers part-time and full-time remote work paying $19 to $46 an hour. You’ll need strong proofreading skills, and a 20-minute test is part of the application.
• Gramlee – Accepts applications from freelance content and dissertation editors.

As with freelance writing, you can also run your own proofreading or editing business. Building a base of well-paying clients who trust your skills takes time, but this may pay more in the long run.

If proofreading as a side business interests you, you can watch this free workshop to learn more about the training.

Potential Side-Gig For Beginners

If you’re open to creating your own income instead of applying for a traditional job, another beginner-friendly option is selling digital printables on Etsy.

Julie and Cody from Gold City Ventures offer a free 60-minute workshop explaining how the business model works, how to choose printable ideas, and how to start selling them.

It’s free to watch and very interesting!

Go here to see the free printables workshop.