How to Work at Home and Make Money as a Data Entry Processor

There are thousands of companies in the US who are looking for independent contractors to perform data entry. Skilled workers can earn as much as $15 to $20 per hour -although most jobs won't start out at that rate -you will have to work up to it.

Although there are plenty of legitimate opportunities in this field, there are also unfortunately a lot of scams.

Here are 5 Tips to avoid common scams in the data entry at home business:

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

2. If they ask you to pay in order to work for them, it IS a scam. You should never pay anyone else to work for them. They should be paying you! Some will claim that the money is needed to pay for specific software necessary for the job. There should be no processing fees, application fees, or any other kind of fee. Also, if you want to start your own business online, do not pay someone else who says that they will help you. The best way to start your own business online is to do it yourself. The bottom line is that legitimate companies will not charge you anything to work for them.

3. Do not search online for data entry jobs, or work from home jobs. What you will find in your search results will be an overwhelming amount of scams. Instead, search for companies that are looking for freelancers and then sift through to find data entry positions. You will still find many scams, but you are more likely to find some legit opportunities. Just be cautious and read everything on their site carefully and thoroughly.

4. Ask for a list of other employees or contractors with their contact information. Contact those people and ask about their experience with the company. If they refuse to provide that information, do not accept the opportunity.

5. Use your intuition. You have the right to ask as many questions and conduct as much research as you want before you accept a work at home position. If they are too pushy, or begin to get rude you have just shown yourself that this is probably not someone you want to work for.

How to get work

The search will not be easy. Struggling past all of those scammers will get tiresome and aggravating. With the above information, you will at least be able to identify a scam and avoid it.

Try looking for companies that hire data entry processors from home, or those that keep you on file until a company contacts them for help on a project. Remember to search for freelance positions or freelance job banks first.

Many more companies are realizing the benefits of hiring a freelancer to complete a project, or even work for them fulltime. They look for data entry processors that can type fast, usually between 50 and 80+ words per minute with an accuracy rate above 97% or higher.

You can test your skills by finding a free online test to try your skills. There are also free software programs to help you hone your typing speed and accuracy skills. To take it even further, you can also take online courses, or get certified in office work. Your best bet is probably a certification in administration, that way you will be certified in much more than just data entry and you will be able to apply for a variety of office work jobs. Go get started on your search, but remember to be cautious!

Helpful Resources:

• http://www.fraud.org/tips/internet/workathome.htm
• http://www.odesk.com