11 Legitimate Online Jobs—Low or No Experience Required (2024)

You’ve seen the ads online: “Make $2,000 a week working from home just two hours a day! No experience required!” or the comments on completely unrelated social media posts: “I make $120,000 a year working five hours a week online using this website.” It all seems too good to be true—and to be completely up front, it is.

There is no “one simple trick” that will help you make a salary online that’s wildly disproportionate to what you’d make in a traditional in-person role in a fraction of the time. But you can find good, legitimate online jobs that don’t require a lot of—or even any—experience.

Here are some of the most common online jobs and how to land a legitimate one, with or without experience.

How to tell if an online job is legitimate—and avoid scams

There are a number of online and remote jobs that are completely real and pay you a decent amount of money in return for your labor. However, there are also plenty of scams masquerading as legitimate online jobs, as well as jobs that are real but pay you so little they may not be worth your time and effort.

“Online jobs are still jobs,” said Esther Inman, a career coach and the CEO and founder of Virtual Assistant Internship, a company that helps people looking to start online careers. So if an online role you’re considering “ever seems too good to be true or like you don’t have to do much in order to get paid, then it is a scam.” Any jobs that advertise themselves with statements like “work five hours a week and make $1,000” should be ignored, Inman said.

You’d be smart to also avoid any job that has an application fee or requires you to pay up front for supplies or anything else. If you’re asked to prepay for inventory as an independent “distributor” or “business owner” for a larger company (or as product assembler or package reshipper or processor), this is also a red flag. Worst-case scenario, it’s a scam or an illegal pyramid scheme. Best-case scenario, you’re joining a multi-level marketing (MLM) company. While they’re not explicitly illegal, “Most people who join legitimate MLMs make little or no money. Some of them lose money,” according to the FTC—and some of them lose a lot of money. If you want to make money online as a salesperson, many reputable businesses employ remote sales staff.

Misspellings or a lot of basic errors in a job posting can also be a dead giveaway something’s not right, Olivia Johnson, a Muse career coach who has more than 20 years of experience working in various corporate industries, told The Muse. She also warned that a company with little to no online presence or a small amount of employees associated on LinkedIn may be a sign of a scam. “It’s almost like if you’re trying to see if something is a spam email or a scam in your own personal email. It’s the same concept,” she said.

She suggested relying primarily on reputable sources to vet potential employers—in other words, brand-name job boards and platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, or The Muse. She added that while you don’t have to avoid other sites altogether, be aware that they come with higher risk of scams.

Also note that some legitimate online jobs just don’t pay very much. This includes things like performing micro jobs or short tasks, writing for a content mill, or taking online surveys. However, these could be the right choice for your particular situation if you’re looking for something that requires a lower time commitment. You don’t need to avoid them completely, just be realistic about how much money you’ll be making.

Want to make sure you’re only applying to real opportunities with legitimate companies?Search foronline jobshere on The Muse»If you’re not sure what kind of roles to look for, here’s a list of online jobs to consider that require little or no experience:

1. Data entry clerk

Many companies will hire data entry clerks or keyers with a high school diploma and no work experience on a full-time, part-time, or freelance basis. Since much of the data and information that companies now process is digital, this is a common work-from-home job. Often, data entry doesn’t need to be done during business hours, so it can be good for those looking for flexible hours as well.

2. Proofreader or copy editor

Proofreaders and copy editors are two slightly different positions with similar goals: to make sure that written text is error free. Proofreaders are often the last set of eyes on a text before it’s printed, published, or posted online, and they check a document for any grammatical or style errors, incorrect formatting, or typos. Copy editors do similar work, but might also make changes to a written piece’s sentences or paragraphs to ensure accuracy and clarity.

Companies producing large amounts of written material may hire in-person or remote proofreaders or copy editors to work part or full time, but there are also opportunities to do this work as a contractor or freelancer on a per-project basis. To become a proofreader or copy editor, you’ll need a strong handle on English spelling and grammar conventions and a keen eye for detail, and you should expect to take a skills test before being hired. If you have experience in the subject matter a company deals with or familiarity with the style guide they use, that will likely be a bonus. Copy editors and proofreaders often, but not always, have English, communication, or similar degrees, but in some cases you can find copy editor and proofreader positions without prior professional experience.

3. Administrative, virtual, or executive assistant

Depending on the employer, administrative assistants—sometimes called virtual assistants if the job is entirely online—might respond to emails and other messages, schedule meetings, prepare memos, maintain databases and filing, or perform any other clerical duties an organization needs. Executive assistants are administrative assistants who specifically work for one or more people within a company (usually executives). In addition to administrative assistant duties, they might organize their executive’s calendar, plan their travel, take notes for them at meetings, and do research, Inman said. This is a great role for those who “need flexible work schedules, but are very organized, work well without direction” and have strong problem-solving skills, Inman said.

In an increasingly digital world, many administrative assistants can now do their jobs entirely online on a full- or part-time schedule. (However, not every administrative or executive assistant has only online duties, so be sure to carefully read any job description before applying!) You can often land one of these jobs with just a high school diploma, but some employers might prefer a college degree. Many administrative assistant roles are entry level, but executive assistant roles may require more experience.

4. Social media coordinator or manager

As businesses’ online presence becomes more important, organizations increasingly need social media coordinators and managers to help run their Twitter, Facebook, and other accounts. Depending on the company, a social media coordinator or manager might be responsible for tasks such as planning and scheduling posts across social platforms, writing the copy and creating the graphics to go along with these posts, responding to audience comments and questions that come through social feeds, monitoring social performance, and conceiving of and implementing social media marketing campaigns and strategies. Social media manager is a job title that might be an entry-level position at a smaller business without a large—or any—marketing department, or it might be a higher-level position with more responsibilities and even direct reports at a company with a larger marketing team. Social media coordinator is generally an entry-level or early career position.

You can find remote social media manager and coordinator positions for all types of organizations—from local restaurants to giant tech companies—and these positions can be full time, part time, or freelance. If you’re interested in becoming a social media manager or coordinator, you’ll have to demonstrate a strong handle on the intricacies of various social platforms—especially Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok—and it will help if you can show examples of accounts you’ve successfully managed, whether your own or someone else’s. Strong writing skills and some data analysis skills will also help you stand out. You don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree to get hired—particularly if you have a strong portfolio—but many positions will require a degree in marketing or similar.

5. Social media influencer

Influencing hasn’t just exploded in popularity since the inception of social media—it’s also leveled the playing field for workers of all backgrounds.

While Johnson emphasized that it can take a lot of work to get your platform off the ground—and you may never reach enough followers to monetize your accounts—you don’t need to start with much experience besides a passion for a specific topic and a strong brand strategy.

“There is science to the madness. You have to know: When are the best times to post? How many posts is enough? How many posts is too much that people are now gonna start ignoring you?” she said. “You definitely have to be a hard worker and have a strong work ethic, even as easy as it may look.”

Maybe you love trying new makeup products or restaurants, or visiting unique destinations or sites. With a consistent and professional online presence, you could turn those hobbies into opportunities for brand partnerships or sponsorships, or even benefit from affiliate marketing, where you make a cut of the sales when you link to certain products or services. Even the most niche speciality could draw an audience, especially if it’s educational or informative—for example, there are influencers who share Excel tips, break down stocks, and analyze movies or television shows.

And there are tons of platforms to work with, depending on the medium you prefer, and many offer opportunities to make money just from clicks or views. TikTok and YouTube lend themselves well to people who like vlogging (video blogging), while Instagram, Twitter, Substack, and Facebook provide plenty of opportunity to explore written or image-focused content—to name just a few.

6. Graphic designer

Graphic designers create visuals that communicate the ideas, messages, and aesthetics that an organization, brand, or individual is trying to put forward. Graphic designers might work with words, images, or both and generally create art digitally or convert handmade art to a digital medium. Graphic designers can design pretty much any visuals a company needs, such as logos, product packaging, infographics, social media images, and even elements of websites and software programs. Once a graphic designer knows what their employers or clients want, most of their work is done solo using a computer and other equipment they can easily keep at their home, making it an ideal online job.

Some companies might hire full-time or part-time designers to work on graphics for their purposes or their clients’, or they might establish relationships with freelancers or contractors whose work they like. In order to be a graphic designer, you’ll need creativity and artistic skills as well as a strong grasp on the latest design, photo, and layout software. You’ll also need strong communication skills to make sure you and whoever you’re designing for are on the same page. Graphic designers typically, but not always, have a bachelor’s degree, but a strong portfolio of your work is paramount regardless.

7. Writer

On a broad level, writers create all the text you read on a day-to-day basis both online and offline. But there are many types of writers, and many of these jobs can be done online on a full-time, part-time, contract, or freelance basis. For all types of online writing jobs, you’ll need strong writing skills and strong writing samples. And if you’re posting your work online, knowledge of basic search engine optimization (SEO) practices—i.e., how to write so that your work is highly ranked by Google—is a big plus and can be learned through a number of online resources or courses.

Here are a few common kinds of remote writing roles:

Technical or medical writer

Technical and medical writers take complex technical and scientific information and break it down in an easily understandable way for informational pamphlets and brochures, instruction manuals, articles, and educational resources. Technical and medical writers often have a bachelor’s degree in English, communications, or journalism and may need to demonstrate background knowledge in the subject matter they want to write about, or they might have a degree in their focus subject matter and strong writing chops.

Copywriter

Copywriters create written, generally shorter, content that is intended to help sell an idea, product, service, or brand. They might write the text for social media posts, websites, product packages, or any number of sales or marketing tools. Most copywriter positions require a bachelor’s degree in a marketing, writing, or communications field.

Content writer

Content writers tend to create longer-form text than copywriters—for example, articles based on expertise, interviews, and other primary sources. Their goal is generally to educate, inform, or increase brand awareness and drive traffic to the company’s website. Content writers can be full- or part-time employees, but can also be freelance for the most schedule flexibility.

Blogger or newsletter writer

If running your own show as a writer sounds appealing, you could consider starting a blog or newsletter. While it poses as much risk as influencing in terms of creating a sustainable business, it’s a job you could pick up as a side gig or hobby before committing to fully.

If you build a consistent or large enough following, you could turn readers into subscribers or members via a platform like Substack, or get into affiliate marketing. A blog or newsletter can also serve as a great portfolio to attract freelance clients in your space or area of expertise.

8. Customer service representative

Customer service representatives provide phone, chat, or email support to a company’s customers and help them solve problems with or answer questions about their products or services. This is one of the most common options people looking for online jobs will see, Inman said. But you need to be careful which roles you apply for and accept because many of them have strict schedules and offer little growth potential. So be sure to inquire about opportunities for advancement and flexible hours—if that’s what you’re after.

This job is great for people who love talking with others and can handle dealing with customers who might be upset. However, Inman cautioned that this job isn’t always the right fit for folks with kids or other caretaking responsibilities because as a phone support representative you need to have a quiet background and be available without interruption during set times. That said, some customer support jobs use email or chat—with those jobs, noise isn’t a concern. You can often get a customer service representative role with no experience.

9. Sales representative or account executive

Sales representatives and account executives—also known as salespeople and sales agents—sell products and services on behalf of their employer. Depending on the position, they may look for and reach out to potential new customers, follow up on warm leads, have conversations with prospective customers to teach them about their company’s products or services, negotiate and close deals, and re-sign and upsell existing customers. This job is ideal for those who want to work online but still interact with many people on a daily basis.

You can be hired as a full- or part-time employee. A bachelor’s degree isn’t usually necessary to get hired as a sales representative, but you definitely need strong written and verbal communication and persuasive skills. If you come across a sales position that requires you to pay up front for a product you’re going to sell or recruit other salespeople or only pays you commission, that’s often a red flag and you’re likely better off looking elsewhere.

10. Software engineer

Software engineers or developers use different coding languages to create computer programs, websites, and computer systems. They spend a lot of time troubleshooting and problem solving to get their code to work correctly. Software engineers almost always work as part of a team, so collaboration and communication skills are a must, but all of this work can be done online, so companies often hire fully remote software engineers.

To get hired as a software engineer, you don’t necessarily need professional experience, but you do need to demonstrate that you know how to code, and occasionally jobs will require that you know the specific coding language the team uses, such as SQL, JavaScript, or Python. You can learn to code by getting a computer science degree, but you can also attend a coding bootcamp or teach yourself, as long as you’re able to show your interviewers examples of projects you’ve coded and can ace a technical interview.

11. English teacher

Online English teachers instruct students from countries where English isn’t the primary language. This job is “great for former teachers or if you don’t mind working super early in the morning” due to time zone differences, Inman said. Companies that hire online English teachers will often give you the resources you need to teach your students, such as lesson plans or access to online language platforms or games. Many of these companies will require that online English teachers have a teaching certification and a TESOL or TEFL certificate (which shows you’re qualified to teach English as a second or foreign language), but some companies won’t require a teaching background, just a native-level fluency in English and a bachelor’s degree.

12. Tutor

Tutors can work with a range of ages, schools, and curricula, and with online education becoming a new norm and option for a lot of students, online or remote tutors are becoming increasingly essential.

As a tutor, you might help students with specific assignments or topics, conduct test prep, or experiment with new learning tools, with the ultimate goal of making your mentees feel more confident and perform at their grade or learning level. You also have the option to tutor via an online company, or start your own business. A certification may be required to work with students regularly, but if teaching is your passion, this could be a great place to start.

13. Community manager

Community managers are responsible for moderating and organizing the audience of a brand or organization across social media groups, Slack channels, online forums, and other communities. Community managers may be responsible for answering questions, moderating discussions, and adding and removing people from groups. This online job, which often has a somewhat flexible schedule, is great for extroverts who won’t get drained from communicating with people online all day, Inman said.

Community managers should be familiar with and enthusiastic about social media and have strong written communication skills. You can also get this job without prior experience or a degree, Inman said: “There’s no degree in ‘how to best manage a Facebook group’ so really anyone can do this!”

14. Translator

If you’re bilingual or can speak, read, or write fluently in more than two languages, you could become an online translator.

Translators can work in many different fields, including law, marketing, PR, healthcare, and education, and becoming one requires at most a certification or basic education background. Beyond being able to translate one language into another, you should be well versed in cultural and societal norms of the countries or regions you’re working with in order to produce accurate work and build strong business relationships.

15. Project manager

Project managers do just what you’d expect from the title: They manage projects of all shapes and sizes. They’re also growing in demand as companies seek to find efficiencies, increase productivity, and reduce silos across teams.

If you’re highly organized, love collaborating with others, and have a keen eye and temper for problem solving and change management, you can delve into an entry-level role with minimal experience or even just a certification or course. Going freelance is another option, if you prefer to set your own hours and want to work with several different clients or types of companies at once.

16. Video or photo editor

While becoming a video or photo editor does require knowledge and hands-on experience with popular video and photo editing software and tools, such as Adobe Creative Suite, it’s also something that can be self-taught through online trainings—just be sure to build and regularly showcase your portfolio of work, be it professional or personal.

You can also pair the skill set with a lot of fields, including marketing, tech, or hospitality (think: wedding or travel photography), many of which hire in a remote or online-only capacity.

How to land an online job without relevant experience

Even if you don’t have experience that’s directly relevant to the online job you want—or any professional experience at all—it’s still possible for you to snag a great role. Here are a few tips to help you out: