Thanks to significant growth in remote jobs available, you no longer have to be a freelancer to have travel flexibility. Whether you’re a digital nomad or just craving more freedom in your work-life balance, these jobs prove you don’t need to be tied to a desk to build a rewarding career.
According to Forbes, remote workers now account for 12.7% of all employees, with 28.2% using a hybrid model. Many may ask, “How do I get in on that?” Thankfully, there are pathways into the remote lifestyle for various job types.
However, based on my personal experience, I feel obligated to remind you that only self-starters should apply. You should also be aware that an algorithm may be able to do your job one day. With that said, I did try to build this list, prioritizing some of the more stable and rewarding career types available.
1. Graphic Designer
According to Colorlib, digital artists can command reasonable fees for their skills, and 90% of graphics designers prefer the freelance lifestyle. Demand is expected to grow by 3% over the next seven years, with Fortune 500 companies accounting for 17% of graphic designers’ employment. Like any fruitful independent career, building a portfolio and keeping a client list is the hardest.
2. Photographer
Getting to the professional photographer level requires years of practice, but once there, it’s a flexible job, depending on the person’s niche. Making money in such a highly competitive field can be challenging. Still, Illya Ovchar of Fstoppers believes a good method for success is to take photos as if there is no competition and forget about the other millions of pros out there—they all got there the same way you did.
3. Data Entry Writer
Another consultant-style ambiguous job description is data entry. These jobs are best left to dextrous-fingered typists with great attention to detail, good time management, and research abilities. Companies will always need data entry, whether you are a transcriptionist, legal data entry clerk, or a virtual assistant. There is bad news, however. For data entry lovers, extensive language modeling puts data entry professionals at the top of the AI threat list.
4. Freelance Writer
I am living proof that you can have a flexible writing career. Though I choose my hours, it is anything but the digital nomad’s dream trope of lying on a hammock, sipping a flat white as I type away to the rhythm of the sea. I am blessed to live in sunny Spain, but the hours of unbroken concentration needed are often broken up sporadically throughout the day. I attend midnight Zoom meetings, and I usually don’t see weekends as the week’s end but two more days when I can work.
5. Consultant
This job title is one of the more vague, sitting alongside Olivia Pope, Winston Wolfe, and Michael Clayton in their “fixer” capacities. A consultant might work in design, programming, or retail. Usually, consultants branch out into this sphere following a career specializing in a certain field, such as foreign exports. These consummate pros have a good client list and a skill that pays well. As Heath Ledger’s Joker once said, “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
6. Research Specialist
Surprisingly, artificial intelligence has yet to fully acquire the research industry. And we can be thankful the need for accuracy cannot be outsourced to Skynet just yet. There are multiple research-oriented careers, many of which have an on-site tilt, but a freelance book researcher or remote research associate will have more remote opportunities.
7. Illustrator
Digital nomads flee to the far corners of the world, seeking the best tax breaks, the lowest cost of living, and picture-perfect backdrops for their free lifestyle. As long as your client-finding skills are on point, there’s no reason why an illustrator can’t join the digital nomad diaspora. “I personally have found illustration projects are not that heavy with meetings and so can usually workaround any timezone issues with the odd early or late shifts,” says professional illustrator Jasmine Hortop.
8. Rideshare Driver
While we’ve all seen the dashboard cam footage of Uber and Lyft drivers being attacked, those who choose smaller cities or large towns may rest assured not all of America is like that. The truth is that gig economy drivers need to operate near a large population center to make a successful career. Still, smaller urban centers can offer an augmented lifestyle for other full-time workers.
9. Online Retail Entrepreneur
Many dream of owning their own website selling in-demand, high-markup goods and raking in sweet passive income. While it would be easy to focus only on success stories, for every Jeff Bezos, 100 online retailers fail. However, for those who crack the formula, find a desirable niche, and grow a loyal client base, remote freedom is theirs.
10. Translator
Yes, dozens of translation apps on the market have already put many people out of work. However, thanks to pesky human beings, translation software still can’t grasp the nuances of non-literal syntax. It’s impossible to translate directly between any two languages. Working in literature or artistic-based texts may be a good move for any language specialist considering a career in translation.
11. Blogger
Like a freelance writer, a blogger has complete agency over their entire working day. If they decide to take a day off, they can, but it will mean their website isn’t pushing content. There are several routes to becoming a blogger. Being a good writer is a start, and understanding Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential. However, most blogs of value contain the same things: knowledge and experience in a given field. If you have years of experience in steam combustion engineering, Star Wars, or boxing and have literacy skills, chances are you could be a blogger.
12. Language Examiner
Across the world, the English language-teaching industry is alive and well, thanks to English’s growth as the Internet’s go-to language and the rise in testing candidates. Of course, this applies to all languages, although none comes close to the international language of commerce and social media. Experienced testing specialists can now conduct all writing and speaking grading from anywhere. Some examiners only grade speaking exams, all of which are done through recordings in a remote setting.
13. Web Developer
Some might say being a web developer or coding specialist is the pinnacle of remote work in that demand will always outstrip supply. Coding specialists at Codingame conducted a 2023 study on remote software employment trends, showing how recruitment has plateaued compared to the post-pandemic rates but is still rising. The good news for those working in this field is how companies cited “finding qualified candidates” as the biggest challenge.
14. Online Influencer
There is a scene in As Good as It Gets when Melvin Udall overhears a waitress talking about studying acting. “Just what the world needs,” scoffs Udall, “another actor.” Some of us have a similar outlook about online influencers. But let’s be honest: if you can carve a niche offering helpful insight for a broad audience base, why not capitalize on it? It will bring more dignity and joy than endless videos of twerking or binge eating.
15 Jobs Employers Are Actively Seeking Candidates For
Finding capable people to fill open roles is a persistent problem for many businesses. Talent shortages and challenges in recruiting occur when the demand for competent experts in a sector exceeds the supply of such individuals. In an online forum, people identify these jobs that have become almost impossible to fill.
18 Jobs Where Skills Trump Intelligence
Our society often judges people’s intelligence based on their professions. While it’s an unfair practice, some jobs have unfortunately been associated with a stereotype of lower intellectual capabilities. Let’s dispel some misconceptions as we explore 18 professions unfairly branded as “requiring less brainpower.”
- Read More: 18 Jobs Where Skills Trump Intelligence
