You might have come across ads like “Make $30 per hour working from home.” well, the truth is there is no shortcut to making money you need to put in the effort and be patient.
Several online jobs can pay you a decent amount of money. However, you need to be aware of scams masquerading as legitimate online jobs and also other jobs that are real but you have very little money which is not worth your time.
Avoid any job that comes with an application fee or requires you to pay upfront for supplies. If a job you are considering seems too good to be true or you don’t do much to get paid it’s most likely a scam.
We will discuss some of the online jobs which you can do in South Africa with no experience. Some of these jobs however require a little relevant work experience.
Related: 15 Online Loans in South Africa with Instant Approval.
#1. Proofreading
If you are good with grammar, then proofreading might be the job for you. You need to be familiar with the rules of grammar for you to do a good job. You will enjoy proofreading if you like reading and have excellent attention to detail.
You can be required to proofreading content for companies to ensure they are grammatically sound and error-free. Most writing and marketing firms in South Africa are the ones who need to have content reviewed before sending it to the client. These companies have large amounts of written material, which might take a lot of time for them to do, so they hire a proofreader instead.
Most of the time proofreading jobs have deadlines and therefore you need to have a schedule to make sure you deliver the work before the deadline. The payment for these jobs is mostly per work done.
If you want to do proofreading but you are not that great with grammar, you can as well use tools like Grammarly to make it easier for you. If you want the tool to do great work for you, then you will have to pay a fee.
#2. Social Media Coordinator
Online presence has become important for every business that wants to grow and therefore social media coordinators and managers are needed to help run those accounts.
A social media coordinator might be assigned tasks like planning and scheduling posts across social platforms, writing the copy and creating the graphics to go along with these posts, responding to clients’ comments and questions asked on social feeds, monitoring social performance, and implementing social media marketing campaigns and strategies.
You can find social media coordinator positions for all types of organizations in South Africa. This can be a local boutique shop or a huge tech company. These positions can be full-time or part-time.
To stand a chance with these companies, you need to demonstrate a strong handle on the intricacies of various social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to get hired; all you need is a strong portfolio.
#3. Virtual Assistant
Many virtual assistant jobs do not need you to have the experience to apply. As a Virtual Assistant, you get to support businesses, both big and small, or even individuals struggling with a large workload. You get to do all the work they have to do but don’t have the time to do it.
Your main duties will be admin related such as making or taking bookings, conducting online research, project management, data entry, and transcribing among others.
As a virtual assistant, you should be willing to learn, follow instructions, and even willing to do more small tasks here and there for your boss. You can work remotely as a virtual assistant in the digital world. Which means you can work for a client on the other side of the world.
Many virtual assistant roles are entry-level, but executive assistant roles may require more experience.
#4. Data Entry Clerk
Data entry jobs involve taking information from a spreadsheet, printed document, order form, or another source, and inputting it into another, usually digital, source, often a database, computer program, or spreadsheet.
As a data entry clerk, you might also be responsible for verifying information and checking for errors. Most of these jobs don’t require any experience at all. Since most of the data and information that companies need to process is digital, you can easily work remotely.
One important skill you need for this job is the ability to type relatively quickly with minimal errors. Data entry work does not have to be done during business hours and so you can do them at any time within the deadline given.
#5. Graphic Designer
Graphic designers create visuals that give a certain message or idea and aesthetics that an organization, a business, or an individual is trying to put out there. As a graphic designer, you can work with words, images, or even both through which you create art digitally or you can also convert handmade art to a digital medium.
You can design anything a company may need such as logos, product packaging, infographics, social media images, and even elements of websites and software programs. Once you know what your client needs you can do the rest of the work using a computer and other equipment, making it easy to do the work at home.
Some companies hire full-time designers while others prefer part-time designers to work on graphics for their clients or the company. For you to stand out as a designer you need creativity and artistic skills as well as a strong grasp of the latest design, photo and layout software.
You will also need strong communication skills to ensure you and your client are on the same page.
#6. A Writer
Writers create all the content you read daily both online and offline. There are different types of writers; you can get these jobs online full-time, part-time, contract, or freelance.
For this type of job, you will need strong writing skills and samples to show you are a good writer. You will also need knowledge of basic search engine optimization (SEO) practices for online work. Some of these writing jobs include
Technical and Medical Writer
These writers take complex technical and scientific information and break it down into more understandable forms like brochures, instruction manuals, articles, and educational resources.
Copywriter
Copywriters create written, shorter content and mostly content that is intended to help sell an idea, product, service, or brand. This can be a social media post, website, product package, or any number of sales or marketing tools.
Content Writer
These writers create longer-form text than copywriters. The goal of content writing is to educate, inform, or increase brand awareness and drive traffic to the company’s website.
#7. Customer Service Representative
Customer service representative helps a company with phone calls, chat, and emails from their customers. Most of these roles have strict schedules and offer little growth potential. You might need to inquire about opportunities for advancement and flexible hours if it’s what you want.
However, this can be a great job for someone who loves talking with others and can handle dealing with customers who might be upset. With this job you need to have a quiet background and be available without any interruptions since it involves so many phone calls.
If you have enough time and a silent environment you might consider this job. You can get these jobs easily since no experience is needed.
#8. Sales Representative
Sales representatives commonly known as salespeople or sales agents sell products and services on behalf of their employer. As a sales representative, you might be required to look for and reach out to potential new customers, follow up on warm leads, have conversations with prospective customers and teach them about the company’s product or service.
This job is ideal for any person who wants to work online but still interacts with many people daily. You can work as a full-time or part-time employee. A bachelor’s degree is not usually necessary to get this job but you will need strong written and verbal communication and persuasive skills.
If you ever come across a sales position that requires you to pay upfront for a product you are going to sell or recruit other salespeople or a job that only pays you a commission, then you better find something else to do.
#9. English Teacher
An online English teacher guides students from countries where English is not the first language. This is a great job for retired English teachers or if you are willing to work extra hours.
In South Africa, there are several official languages such as Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, Xhosa, Zulu, and also English. You can teach English to all children and maybe adults who need to learn the language.
Companies that hire online English teachers often give you the resources you need to teach your students such as lesson plans or access to online language platforms. Most of these companies require you to have a teaching certification and a TESOL or TEFL certificate.
These certificates help prove that you can teach English as a second language. However, some companies won’t require a teaching background as long as you have native-level fluency in English and a bachelor’s degree.
Related: How to Teach English Online in South Africa.
#10. Website Tester
This is a great way to start a remote working journey. All you need is basic knowledge of navigating a website and testing its functionality. After the testing, you will have to speak about what you think of the website, either online or by phone, and offer anything that could help improve the website.
Website testing jobs differ in that some tend to be more technical than others. So having programming skills may help though not strictly necessary. There are agencies through which you can get website testing jobs but you can also try applying to companies directly.
#11. Translator
You have to understand two languages for you to work as a translator. For instance, understanding Afrikaans and English so that you can translate Afrikaans to English or vice versa.
You can easily work online as a translator. With time you can become competent and get some good reviews and more clients. It’s better to start with lower rates and increase your rates as you grow.
The amount you charge and the type of job you get will depend on the languages you have to translate. You can start by translating more general subjects like novels and with time move to more complex work such as academic papers which pay even more.
#12. Transcription Work.
Transcription jobs may not be the most thrilling but if you are good with the keyboard you are all set to go. Working as a transcriptionist involves converting audio or video to text and so it requires careful listening and the need to pay attention to detail.
You don’t need a certificate or any qualifications for you to get started. However, some companies may require you to have at least 80 words per minute typing speed, accuracy, and excellent grammar.
This can be a great entry-level online job. As a transcriptionist, you might receive payment per job done or per hour. Therefore the faster you can get work done the more money.
There are soo many content creators and influencers in South Africa who might require your services.
#13. Photo / Video Editing
If you are good at editing photos or videos, you can use software such as Photoshop or Pixlr for photos and Movavi or Filmora for videos. You can shine with your creativity through editing; the best thing about it is that you can do it from the comfort of your home.
If you are not skilled, there are free courses online that can help you learn. Images are very crucial especially if you are running an online business that needs high-quality images to keep the business running.
#14. Travel Consultant
If you love traveling you can help others see the world by being a travel consultant. Get to know your client’s budget and what they enjoy the most then you can help them arrange suitable travel options such as suggesting possible destinations, sorting out transport and hotel bookings, and maybe a tour guide.
This is an ideal entry-level remote job for people who love traveling. Your client may also need help putting together an itinerary, finding things to do, and maybe making tour bookings.
You will need good communication and research skills since some clients will entirely depend on the options you suggest. If you are already traveling the world, you will have an added advantage since you have more knowledge than others.
#15. Health and Wellness Coach
This job requires passion and dedication which makes it not appealing to many. If you have a passion for staying healthy, there are plenty of health and wellness jobs that you can do remotely in the comfort of your home.
Your clients may come to you for different reasons. Some may want help to lose weight, to stop smoking or using drugs, and maybe to build up their nutrition. This can be a rewarding job.
You can communicate with your clients through email, social media, or your mobile phone to guide them and monitor their progress. You can get more clients if you are a people person and passionate about helping other people get the most out of the program.
Related: The Complete Checklist for Starting Your Online Business.