Proofreading Work From Home – Myth Or Reality
Many people dream of finding a job they are able to do from the comfort of their own homes. Thankfully, there are many different legitimate work-at-home opportunities out there. The question is, however, is proofreading work from home really a career option for stay-at-home moms?
The Short Answer is Yes
Just like the headline says, the short answer to this question is a resounding yes. The problem however is that while you may be able to find a proofreading job that you can do from home, going about finding them can be a bit of an issue. It may take time and patience, but it is possible.
Why is that? Well, for starters proofreading can be known as many different things. If that wasn’t bad enough, there are many different types of proofreading jobs out there for the taking, and knowing exactly what type of proofreading you want to do is critical for you to be able to secure a well-paying job that you can truly enjoy doing.
The Many Names Proofreading Goes By
As previously mentioned, proofreading is a job title that is known by many different names. Some of these names include editors, revision experts, draft readers, and article reviewers, just to name a few.
On top of those job titles, proofreaders also have many different classes that they can specialize in, and many different pay scales associated with those individual specialties.
For example, someone who is proofreading basic web content is most likely not going to earn as much money as someone who is reviewing medical or court transcriptions. Why is that? Honestly, it is simply the nature of the business.
Does that necessarily mean that web proofreading is not worth the time? Not at all, and many people actually prefer proofreading web or blog content over transcriptions simply due to the fact that it is normally easier work that is able to be completed in a much faster manner.
So, how can you go about finding proofreading jobs that you can do from home?
Finding Quality Proofreading Positions
It’s not hard to determine that it is much easier to find proofreading jobs in areas such as web or blog editing, rather than medical or court transcriptions. This is due to the fact that there are just so many more pages of blog and web content published than there are medical transcriptions or court transcriptions.
There are a few different ways that you can go about finding some really great opportunities for web content proofreading.
First, you can browse the Internet for several different blogs or websites that publish content frequently and offer your services as a proofreader. By seeking out clients rather than applying for existing positions, you can often negotiate much higher rates than you would find otherwise – especially after you have a portfolio that proves your abilities.
Also, by seeking out sites that publish content frequently, you can make certain that you have a continuous flow of new work coming in the door daily. This will allow you to have a bit of a comfort zone knowing that you will have more work to do in the future. Also by proofreading often for the same sites, you will be able to build a relationship with them which can often lead to further opportunities.
The second way to find quality proofreading jobs online web content is to set up your own website offering your services as a freelance proofreader or editor. You can still demand top dollar for your services with this method, but you will most likely have to take lower prices for your first few clients until you have a portfolio of completed work available to show new prospects.
The final way to find some decent web content proofreading work is to go onto various freelancing sites such as Upwork.com (formally known as odesk.com) or freelancer.com and search for people who are looking for proofreaders. The problem with this method, however, is that you will normally be bidding against dozens, if not hundreds, of other editors, which will result in lower earnings and a hard time acquiring clients until you have an established reputation and portfolio.
Finding Higher Paying Transcription Opportunities
Now that you understand how to find some entry-level proofreading opportunities, let’s take a look at how to find some of the higher-paying gigs such as remote medical or court transcription proofreading.
While you can occasionally find job postings on sites such as monster.com, it is much easier to land high-paying proofreading positions in these arenas by reaching out to local businesses and courtrooms.
One way to do this is to contact County courthouses and inquire as to whether or not they need a remote transcription proofreader. If you decide to try this route, remember that there are many different types of courts out there.
For example, many counties in the US have Family, Circuit, and Magistrate Courts. Each one of these branches operate separately from the others, which means that in order for you to have the best chances of landing a remote court transcription job, you are going to need to contact each branch within the county.
Also, don’t forget to reach out to individual attorneys as many of them are likely to have transcription records to review each day after they have left the courtroom.
If medical transcription proofreading is more appealing to you, the same practices can be put into play by contacting hospitals, clinics, or individual physicians and inquiring about remote transcription proofreading opportunities.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from the information above, there are many different ways that you can work as a remote proofreader from within the comforts of your own home. If your goal is to find proofreading work from home, all it takes is a little bit of effort, determination, and the ability to provide quality feedback to your clients.
Just remember to always check out reviews for any work from home job postings you may find so that you can avoid potential scams, and always remember that you should never have to pay money in order to find or apply for work from home positions. You may pay for training, but not for a job! Best of luck finding the perfect remote proofreading position to further your career.
Have you tried getting proofreading jobs? What have your experiences been? Do you have any other good suggestions on how to find remote proofreading work? Or any questions? Whatever it is, leave it below!
I’ve proofreading and doing transcriptions through a website called Upwork. I just finished proofreading a book! But a lot of people on the freelance websites don’t want to pay what your work is worth. Some do though!
I’ve heard that that is the case, Sandy – that everyone isn’t ready to pay for the worth of the work. Have you developed any strategies to help you get your due or do you only consider the jobs that offer a decent amount from the start? On the whole, do you find getting freelance work through Upwork worth it? Would you recommend it?
I don’t know if you have time to answer all these questions. But if you do, it would be valuable information for the rest of us!
Thank you,
Robin
Nice article. I haven’t considered getting a proofreading job.
Would this be something that can be done in addition to Affiliate marketing? I have a feeling that it can be pretty time consuming.
Thanks for giving me food for thought. I’m certainly looking at this as a way to supplement income.
It is definitely something that could be done in addition to affiliate marketing, Ian. You take on as much as you can handle in order to avoid getting overcome by too much work.
You do need good grammar, spelling and punctuation skills. And to make it worth your while, mistakes need to jump off the page when you read. If it takes you too long to find mistakes or if you miss them, it won’t be worth your time and you won’t be able to keep clients.
Good luck if you decide to take the plunge!
Robin
Thanks for the websites Upwork.com and freelancer.com. I don’t know a lot about these websites and the work they may offer, but its a start. Are their any others you know about and if you do, can you list them on your site? I majored in English so maybe this will be a way to make some money while I wait for a teaching job…Thanks!
Glad you think these sites might be useful, Mac. Another proofreading company that provides work from home is Scribendi. Their rates are supposed to be pretty good for a work from home opportunity and they put jobs up for people to take – first come, first serve (or first take, I guess 😀 ). See what you think and let me know if it helps!
Robin
I have heard much about proofreading in the past, and with many mixed views on the job. However, since reading your fantastic article, I do see it as a way to make some money for moms and other people. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the information and also the resources I can start with on my proofreading journey. I will certainly check out the websites you have recommended.
Neil
I’m glad you found it helpful. Another bit of advice: Look a your different options, decide on one type of proofreading and excel at that. There are lots of people that proofread anything. But when you take one niche or type of proof reading and excel in it by learning all about it and knowing exactly what is wanted, you become “in demand” for your expertise!
Robin
One word of caution. . . well, actually two. (1) If your spelling/grammar skills aren’t good, you won’t make it in proofreading. (2) I have been a licensed court transcriber in New Jersey for 21 years. We are required to do our own proofreading. In other states, it’s different. So if you’re interested in proofing court transcription, check with your state first before you put any money out on lessons or materials. I agree that it CAN be a lucrative field, but check first.
You are right, Carla. Maybe I need to elaborate on the skills needed a bit more. Briefly, besides needing good spelling and grammar skills, you also need to be able to spot errors and inconsistencies quickly. And you need good concentration as well.
Regarding proofing court transcription, you have made a good point. There are some courses that teach you all the nuts and bolts of doing it remotely. In such cases, it doesn’t matter which state you reside in. But you then need to be aware of the different format requirements, etc. in each state you do proofreading work for.
Robin
Thanks for a great review of this niche and also the super tips on how to get started. It seems there is still a market for such work (I had no idea), and you have mentioned enough to get me looking deeper into the potential.
What are your feelings on the amount of work one could expect – I see based on the potential markets for garnering some business the pay could vary widely…
Do you think it would be wiser or possible to maybe start looking for other online work such as online sales simultaneously while exploring this niche?
Reason I ask is that many people get frustrated if they are spending many hours on a particular niche and not getting much payback from their effort.
By having them hedge their bets, so to speak, between all the activities they can be earning substantially more (of course more work is involved) income and keep them all going until one or the other stands oyut as being a long term solution…
Interested in hearing your thoughts on this, and thanks again for your excellent coverage of the subject here!
Dave
Yes, Dave, there is still a market for such work and with the internet much of it can now be done remotely.
To answer your questions: I (nor anyone) can predict how much work you can expect. There are just too many variables. That being said, most people could eventually make a decent income if they spend enough time doing it. But it takes time to gain the experience to build up to that point. (If you want step by step instructions and are ready to put in a lot of work, take a look at Caitlin’s court transcript proofreading course. You can side step all the trial and error, and within the time it takes you to complete the course, learn every detail you need to know to proofread remotely. But be warned it is a rigorous course! 😀 )
As far as starting two things simultaneously – I think that has to be up to each individual. Personally I wouldn’t. I get more frustrated when I get spread too thin. I like to achieve one thing and then go to the next. But each of us is different.
Appreciate your thoughts and questions,
Robin