Earn Extra Income - 10 Tips on How to Get Part-time Jobs Online

Do you want to earn extra money for your upcoming travels? Then look for part-time jobs online that would help you ramp up your savings!

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Want to save up for your impending adventures? Do you have regular work, or are you still studying and want an extra income? You can get a part-time job and do it online. You can work at home or anywhere while getting paid. However, applying for a job online isn’t a breeze. It requires hard work too. Employers are selective and want to have the best of the best, so you need to be the perfect applicant, and we will help you with that.

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Here are the tips on how to get your dream job online:

1. Know what you are good at

When you want to start an job online, you need to know yourself; what are your top skills and what you can offer to your client. However, if you have no experience or no relevant expertise (which I don’t believe, everybody has one), you may apply for an easy job like being a Data Entry Clerk, Chat Jobs or Application or Website Tester.

If you know what the things you are good at, list those skills and it will be useful when creating a profile or a resume. If you are a writer or an artist, you can create a portfolio of your past works that you show to your client.

2. Register Yourself and Skills to Different Websites

Since you already know what you are good at, register to websites that offer online jobs. There are websites like Upwork and Freelancer that connects different kinds of employers to various freelancers. You can send your application to a variety of positions. However, bids may be limited per month unless you pay a certain fee.

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Some websites are specific on a skillset – TranscribeMe is for transcription, Textbroker for editing and proofreading, Cambly for Teaching English, are a few examples. So you can sign up based on what you can or willing to do. Make sure to check the reviews of the websites you are registering in to know if they are legit.

3. Complete your Profile

A complete profile will look eye-catching and professional to potential clients. Put relevant work experiences, and highlight the skills you have, make a brief explanation on it, however, don’t make it too long as it will get boring and clients tend to skip those. Don’t forget to place a picture (preferably professional looking and not a cutie selfie) and your contact details too.

Prepare also an updated resume that employers can see in your profile in case they want to learn more about you. You can show off also your portfolio too. Some websites offer to show off your test results or skills; basic skills are English Proficiency or IQ tests. Display it as this can impress potential clients.

4. Find a job that fits you

Don’t apply randomly, make sure if you can do it and you have time for it. Read the job description carefully, some may need a person who works full-time instead of part-time, some may require you to work on specific hours, but you can’t cater that since you have another job or priority. Some employers need experienced freelancers or technical requirements, so when you check the description and most are not a YES, don’t bother applying; there are still many jobs to choose from.

Don’t apply to many jobs, it may make you seem desperate and if you are the employer will take advantage of you and could pay you a lower fee. Employers also aren’t impressed if you randomly apply, so they’ll skip you.

5. Make a Personalized Cover Letter

Each client is unique and has different requirements, tailor your cover letter to what is in the job description. Don’t send the same template over and over again; it will look bland when compared to other people who have tailor-made ones. Doing this will set you apart and give you an edge over the competition.

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A cover letter can also be a window to your personality; you are respectful or have a good command of the English language. You can also explain your situation in the letter; like if you lack particular skill in the JD but do your best to acquire it. Putting a heart or good nature will also make you stand out.  

6. Do what is asked

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Some clients will require you to do something; pass a skill test, or send your past works /portfolio or do something according to instructions. In my case, I made a 1,000-word article according to my potential employer’s topic. Not doing so will make you in the “no, thank you” list, while doing it, exceptionally well, will make you in the “potential” list of the client. Doing what is requested can show that you follow instructions and will be an excellent person to work with.

7. Avoid Scams

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The online world has bad people too if you are already in contact and planning to work as a freelancer, check if it is a legit job. When you haven’t been interviewed by phone or video, only through chat, it’s a red flag. Also, if you have to pay for something, especially asking for financial information, stay away from it. Some people will pretend to employ you but ghost you after you have done work. Check reviews or ratings, but if there are none, ask people in forums or Facebook groups or trust your gut feeling.

8. Be polite

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When interviewed by your potential employer, be on your best behavior. Be courteous and show professional conduct. Having a rude and disrespectful employee is a headache, so employers will tend to avoid them. Be patient in your interview, listen carefully and answer the questions honestly. Some discussions may be long and frustrating, but you need to keep it in and continue to smile. Show your interviewer that you have the right attitude.

9. Improve Your Skills

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If you don’t have a job yet, invest in yourself. There are lots of free and paid courses out there that can help you land a job and give you an edge over others. If you are attending training, get a certificate to prove it and update your resume/profile. If you want to work on ESL, then you can get a TEFL course. I got a certificate, and even if it’s not online, I got a job when I was traveling in Vietnam. Remember, investing in yourself won’t only benefit your future client, but also add or sharpen your skills.

10. Just Try and Don’t Give Up Immediately

Don’t get discouraged if after a week or two of applying no one has hired or contacted you. You’ll get a part-time job someday. It just takes perseverance. You can evaluate yourself and check where to improve on; maybe you need to be in a more specific on your skillset or broaden it. You might want to get courses or update your resume. You may need to make your cover letter more personal. Look back to what you have done and do it better. Don’t surrender; the perfect part-time job is there waiting for you.

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I am excited for you to get that part-time job. Getting extra money is so exciting because we can save it for our future travels. You might need to have patience in getting hired, but you’ll get one if you persist. My professor once said, make this your mantra; “I will persist until I succeed.” Don’t surrender. Follow these tips, and you’ll get one in no time. Good luck and Happy travels!

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