One out of 5 digital nomads earn between $50,000-$99,999 a year, according to research by Project Untethered. Additionally, compared to employees who work on-site, remote working allows digital nomads to save up to $4000 annually as they avoid spending on transportation, eating outside, and parking.
Given these benefits, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of professionals plan to make the switch to a digital nomad lifestyle. In this article, we’ll explore useful tips on how to handle this transition with ease and the best digital nomad jobs to consider.
Monetizing your Skillset (Which job/gig is right for me?)
As a newcomer, you may wonder what services you can sell as a digital nomad which will create a steady flow of income. The work you do will mainly depend on your skillset:
Strong Writing Skills (Become a Freelance Writer/Copywriter)
If writing is your strong point, consider working as a freelance writer and undertaking projects related to blogging, copywriting, and editing. A quick search on freelancing marketplaces will provide you with hundreds if not thousands of postings to apply to.
You’re bound to find employers willing to hire workers with minimum or no experience, which is a great way to get your foot in the door and build a portfolio.
If you don’t know where to find work, consider reading some of our articles related to freelance writing and platforms that help you find work easily:
- Finding clients as a freelance writer (tricks you won’t find anywhere else)
- 9 websites to start your freelance writing journey (get your first paid project)
- Freelance writing jobs on Facebook (Look where no one’s looking)
- Job listing for technical writers (accepts first-time authors as well)
- Find hundreds of publications to write paid articles for (A goldmine for freelance writers)
- Become a freelance editor/proofreader (7 legit platforms to join)
Excellent Time Management Skills (Virtual Assistant, Customer Service and more)
Email screening, customer service, data entry, and appointment scheduling are a few of the many tasks small business owners need done each day. In today’s remote working world, these are completed by virtual assistants, which, as the name suggests, are professionals who handle administrative projects virtually.
For individuals with excellent time management skills, this is the ideal position. As reported by Climbtheladder.com, the average yearly salary of VAs across the US is $44,432, which can increase based on experience and the scope of projects.
Here are some resources if you want to get into virtual assistant or customer service jobs:
- Cyberbacker (Worldwide Virtual Assistant Platform with easy onboarding)
- CrewBloom (They connect you with employers looking for customer service executives)
- Job Guide for Virtual Assistants (Finding Jobs, Skills Required and Earning Potential)
Being a Social Media Rockstar (Handle & Grow Social Media Accounts)
Individuals who’ve built a strong social media following for their personal handles can utilize their talents to do the same for businesses. Every business wants to be seen on social media as it helps them build brand awareness and gain an upper hand over competitors.
Being social media savvy is an in-demand skill that can land you various lucrative and interesting projects.
There are several places to find these jobs. Some platforms act as an intermediate between you and the client, but try to connect directly with one using Fiverr, Upwork, etc.
Here are some resources on finding social media marketing jobs on the Internet:
- A brief guide to social media marketing (Jobs and Site-list)
- Social Media Gigs on Fiverr (and more easy-to-do jobs)
- 99 Dollar Social (A platform that pays you to handle social media accounts)
- ICUC Social (Become an online moderator and earn upto 33$/hr)
Good Communication Skills (Become a Sales Maestro)
If you’ve been called a smooth talker and a great listener, there are plenty of remote sales opportunities waiting for you in the market. Sales is an integral part of any organization, but not all of them have the funds to have an in-house sales team. Hence, they actively hire freelancers who can communicate well with leads and convert them into customers.
Here are some links to start looking for Sales-related remote jobs:
- Remote Sales Job Guide (Earning Potential and Site-list)
- Best Remote Job Search Sites (just check the ‘Sales’ category filter)
- Cyberbacker (They connect you with clients looking for sales people – 100% remote)
- Crewbloom (They hire Sales and Customer Service Reps from around the world)
Tips for Making a Smooth Transition into Remote Working
Making the switch from a traditional 9-5 job to a digital nomad can be a challenge if not done properly. Here are some useful tips to help you make a smooth transition:
- Decide your Niche: Hone in on the services you plan to sell as a digital nomad. As a newcomer, it is important to focus on providing 1-2 services to a select number of clients. Once you develop experience, diversification can be considered.
- Always Sign Contracts: Whether it be a one-day or one-year project, enter into a contract with employers which clearly states the compensation, project expectations, deliverables, and payment dates.
- Create a Reliable Payment System: Consider using invoicing software through which you can automate the billing process. When due dates are close, the software will share the invoice with respected clients and provide them with the option to make digital payments. This reduces delays and helps you get paid on time each week/month.
- Manage Time Well: Providing great service to clients is the best way to retain them and receive repeat business. But things can get hard to manage when juggling multiple clients. To stay on top of deadlines and deliverables, use project management software. Integrate it with your email to receive timely notifications regarding meetings, submissions, and other project-related activities.
Becoming a digital nomad can be a welcoming career change allowing you to earn more and develop a healthy work-life balance. To help you make this endeavor profitable, remember to utilize technology solutions that help to manage time and payments.
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