Data entry is a wide category from transcription to captioning and data management. If you have outstanding typing skills, great attention to detail, and some relevant experience, you may be able to grab the best remote data entry jobs. If you are keen to know how, please read on!
Data entry is not a new field. It is about as old as the computer itself. But, with more and more businesses outsourcing clerical work and the emergence of the gig economy, data entry, also known as keylogging, is seeing popularity resurge. 
Before you immerse yourself in online data entry jobs, know what to expect from them. When you join online data entry jobs, the pay will not be a lot and you most likely will not see daily wage rises. However, data entry remote jobs are much less complex than anything else and they let you work from the comfort of your home.
Read: What is remote working?
Remote data entry jobs
Freelance data entry is a broad term covering a variety of occupations. Data entry remote jobs have many positions including programmers, typists, word processors, transcribers, coders, and clerks. Although all of these jobs can be performed from a remote location, data entry work from home jobs can be very different from the data entry jobs that happen within an office space.
There is no high barrier for work from home entry-level jobs in data entry and the training process is generally not very rigorous. Although many businesses only allow those who have been trained in-house to work offsite, data entry can often be done from home, especially as remote workers are handled more easily. This is due to better technology.
Bear in mind, however, that because data entry from home is almost always performed by independent contractors — who are not subject to minimum wage laws and who compete with a multinational workforce — the pay is usually lower for home-based employees than for those employed in offices. You are therefore less likely than you are in a typical workplace environment to earn salary raises, bonuses, other incentives, or advantages.
Also read: How to earn money during COVID-19 quarantine?
However, work from home entry-level jobs serves as the best source of supplemental income. You can apply for most data entry work from home jobs if you have typing skills, a high school diploma, and you can read and write English.
The opportunities for remote data entry jobs are,
- Full-time – If you choose full-time remote data entry jobs, you will be expected to dedicate every working day to one company only.
- Part-time – If you choose part-time remote data entry jobs, you will be obligated to work for only a few hours. You can do freelance data entry with this choice.
- Contracts – In contract remote data entry jobs, you will have to serve a company for a specific time duration as mentioned in the contract.
Tip: Develop good networking in the field of data entry to find legitimate remote data entry jobs.
The Market Opportunity for Remote Data Entry Jobs
There are several opportunities in the market for remote data entry jobs because of how easy it is to start working as a data entry operator. There is very little specific knowledge required to get started in this field.
Getting started as a data entry operator doesn’t need any onboarding training and close to zero ramp-up time making it the most sought-after job for people who wish to start working remotely but don’t know where to start.
With a plethora of jobs and no requirement for a particular educational background, data entry jobs are the perfect choice when it comes to working remotely. The downside is the low pay scale for long working hours. As many people apply for such jobs, the market is full of scammers. It is essential to identify that you are applying for a legitimate employer who is not out there to exploit people.
As a data entry operator, you can earn an average pay of $12.92 per hour. The job market offers different types of roles for data entry jobs such as data entry keyer, data entry clerk, transcriptionist, etc. Industries hiring data entry operators are in the field of medical and health, accounting and finance, retail and sales, government and politics, etc.
Career Paths Under Remote Data Entry Jobs
Once you have got yourself a data entry job and you have gained experience as an entry-level data operator, it is time to move up the ladder. If you’re a data entry operator with just a high school degree, you should consider further education in the field of data science, business, information technology.
Next step after Data entry Specialist
An associate’s degree or good credits in an online course would help you to fuel up your career further in the field of data entry. Once you’re ready take more roles and responsibilities and apply for a supervisory position. Roles as a data entry analyst or data analyst can also be pursued after getting an advanced degree.
Beyond Data Analyst/Supervisor
As you progress in your career and gain confidence in establishing and maintaining databases, reporting quarterly or annual data, etc. with excellent analytical and communication skills, it is time to reach out for the next step. Based on your experience level you can get hired as a team leader, consultant, senior accountant, specialist, etc.
Senior Level Positions
It is time to reap the benefits of all the hard work you have put in the field of data entry. An experience of 5-7 years in the field of data entry would open up several opportunities such as Manager, Marketing Director, Executive Assistant, System Administrator, Billing supervisor, Senior representative, Assistant General Manager, etc
Other paths in remote data entry jobs career
The career paths for remote data entry jobs are,
- Operations Manager
- Marketing Manager
- Data Entry Operator
- Data Entry Clerk
- Data Entry Associates
- Information Associate
Suggested read: Remote writing jobs – A beginners guide to finding & acing writing jobs
Types of remote data entry jobs
The below are the broad categories of remote data entry jobs one can find in the current market,
- Data Formatting Jobs: Formatting jobs are also seen as jobs for data entry. You type less in data formatting work and format more.
- Formatting and Editing Job: You have to edit and reformat a whole document in this job position. The most important skill you need is to have strong English knowledge that will help you correct grammar and spelling errors.
- Reformatting and Correcting: You have to format a long paragraph that includes different details such as name, email ID, and phone number.
- Audio to Text: You will have to listen to audio and reconstruct it in a text format in this job. It is a bit advanced and you should have great listening skills for this.
- Image to Text: You will deal with screenshot images containing written paragraphs. You will have to go through the images and write the text in a word document.
- Plain Data Entry Jobs: Words are to be entered into MS word files. In addition to typing speed, you should also have good English reading and writing skills.
- Word Processor or Typist: You must generate letters, papers, and mailing labels in this job role.
- Cleaning of Data: Here, you will have to identify and remove inaccurate data from a table or database.
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Responsibilities of remote data entry jobs
It is important to understand the responsibilities of work from home computer jobs in data entry.
- Remote data entry means operating equipment (often a keyboard) for inputting alphabetic, numerical, or symbolic data into the system of a corporation from a remote location.
- The data entry operator may be expected to validate or edit data when it is entered.
- The data can come from audio files or handwritten forms and must be converted to text.
- For small fees and little work, data entry operators who work for micro-labor offices will have to use crowdsourcing techniques. This model is becoming very popular.
- Some data entry staff work for more conventional data entry firms which are usually business process outsourcing companies. For such projects, you will be paid an hourly or per-word rate.
Read: How to work from home successfully?
Tip: Beware of any company that sells a “business opportunity” in data entry, because it most likely will be a scam.
Remote data entry job requirements
The most important remote data entry job requirements are,
1. Educational and other qualifications
The prerequisite for an applicant to remote data entry jobs is a high school diploma or an equivalent GED. Another requirement is keyboarding or typing speed. All data entry operators should be able to enter data at employer specified keystrokes per hour or KPH speed. If you do not have any work experience in the field of data entry and are willing to work in the same field, you will first have to become a relatively competent keyboardist or typist.
2. Data entry skills
When candidates are in an entry-level role, the employers provide training on software and working concepts. It is important to have strong typing and numeric key entry skills. Experience with database applications, word processing, and spreadsheets is required.
Grammar skills, such as sentence formation, punctuation, and sound reading comprehension abilities are also important. Knowledge of basic office equipment such as scanners, printers, calculators, and copiers is required for data entry operators.
The benefit of a remote data entry profession is that training is given at the high school level and online tutorials are also available.
3. Work experience
Entry-level positions like a word processor or typist will help you gain the expertise that most employers look for. You will learn how to search for spelling, punctuation, sort info, and arrange page reports in the entry-level roles.
4. Confidentiality
Remote data entry jobs will give you a lot of confidential information about the company or customer you are working for. They will expect you to refrain from sharing the information with anyone else. Confidentiality is thus, a key requirement for remote data entry jobs.
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Remote data entry job skills
The necessary remote data entry job skills are,
1. Fast typing
Remote data entry jobs require fast typing skills. You will be expected to input large amounts of data in a short period of time. To achieve a fast typing speed, you have to be very comfortable with using different types of input devices like the keyboard and mouse, among others.
2. Basic software
In a remote data entry position, you will have to use a wide range of computer software programs. It is quite obvious that you will need to have skills and experience with word processors and spreadsheets like Word and Excel. However, these skills are not sufficient. You will also need skills to use database software. According to your company’s requirement, you might have to learn to use many other types of software like the CRM system, for example.
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3. Verbal and written communication skills
The quality of your written and verbal communication skills must be very high. You must have a good knowledge of grammar and spelling. You should be able to interact with people of all job positions, team members, managers, and customers. These skills are a must for some specialists such as data entry operators. They will have to respond to inbound calls from customers and give them the required information.
4. Detail-oriented
You must be highly attentive to details in a remote data entry job. This would entail that you can focus intensely on the action and concentrate on your assignments. Fast and accurate typing of data is a result of paying close attention to detail.
5. Office equipment operating
Recent times have seen companies use high-quality office equipment to increase the productivity of teams. Data entry jobs require you to be able to operate with standard office equipment to accomplish your tasks. The most common office equipment is – printers, scanners, copiers, and dictation machines.
Read: Best Home Office Set Up For Remote Work – Shoot Up Your Productivity
6. Organizational and time management
Data entry jobs require a lot of work to be done in a short period of time. You will need good organizational and time management skills to do so. They will help you plan, prioritize, and achieve your daily work goals faster and more efficiently. These skills are required for everything, from fast typing and sorting to batching and archiving files. You must have the ability to follow schedules and meet deadlines.
7. Research and data collection
Almost every data entry job position needs initial research and data collection. The research could be of different types according to the nature of your field. Some of the basic research and data collection skills are – the ability to find reliable sources of information, establish the right research problem, accumulate relevant information, analyze data, and use data collection tools and techniques.
8. Accuracy
Databases must always be accurate. The creation of a database begins with people in the data entry positions. You must input correct data at all times. Mistakes could lead to a waste of time and money and could cause unhappy customers. It is essential that you stay focused on your work.
9. Team-working skills
Though you will be working from a remote location, you will always be part of a team. You must have the ability to work with your team. Team-working skills include assertive communication skills, listening skills, empathy, and respect for team members.
Also Read: Team Communication 101: What is it & How you can crack it!
10. Knowledge of database structure
It is very important for you to have the knowledge and understanding of the structure and design of databases. You must also be able to understand how your work will contribute to the overall database of the company.
Tip: Since many companies expect a minimum typing speed of 40-50 words per minute, practice well before applying to remote data entry jobs.
Recommended Certifications to get Remote Data Entry Jobs
A certificate in data entry can take close to 6 months to apply for an entry-level job as a data entry clerk. A data entry course is of 3-6 months of duration and can be obtained from any vocational, technical, or community school in your area.
Community colleges will provide you with classes to prepare for the certification. If going to school is not your thing, you can also opt for online classes or data entry courses available on learning sites such as Udemy. If you wish to get a more advanced job, consider applying for an Associates’ degree which takes around 2 years for completion.
An associate’s degree along with relevant experience would help you get a supervisor’s role in the data entry field. Few things that you would learn during the data entry course are keyboarding, data entry software usage, information processing, etc.
We have listed down a few schools that offer authentic data entry certification courses,
- OshaTraining
- Houston Community College
- Atlanta Technical College
- Florida State College at Jacksonville
- Earle C. Clements Job Corps Center
- St. Louis Job Corps Center
- Horry-Georgetown Technical College
- CBS Corporation, San Jose
- Meredith College
- Booker High School
Key resume elements for remote data entry jobs
Having a good resume is very essential when you apply to remote data entry jobs.
- Personal details including name, age, sex, nationality, and contact information.
- A professional summary that highlights your experience, skills, and candidacy. In two to four lines, mention your most definitive characteristics relevant to the online data entry job position you are applying for.
- List out your objectives so that the recruiter understands what you expect to gain from his or her company and what your contribution will be.
- Highlight the skills you possess which are relevant to remote data entry jobs.
- Educational qualifications must be mentioned.
- Any additional certifications or training must be included.
- Mention all of your data entry experiences along with their assigned responsibilities.
- Write about your accomplishments relevant to data entry.
- Mention your interests.
- Give valid references.
Also Read: Best resume software | Give the finest first impression
Once you gather all the skills required for remote data entry jobs and build a good resume, you can begin your search.
Tools used in remote data entry jobs
The usage of the right tools will help in getting the quality of work improved significantly. Some of the commonly used tools by data entry professionals are across the world including,
- Microsoft word for content creation and editing
- Grammarly for grammar check and corrections
- Hemmingway editor for readability checks
- ahrefs for SEO checks
- Google Drive for file sharing and collaboration
Top 25 Dream Companies for Remote Data Entry Jobs
Data Entry help in overseeing information in any business. It requires a skilled professional to feed the data quickly and efficiently with in-depth knowledge of computers. Regardless of the business, the need for data entry operators is constant for entering data in forms, records, databases, and archives.
Many businesses outsource their data entry needs to a third party that specializes in providing data entry services. They aim at hiring professionals to handle the data entry needs of their client companies. These third-party companies provide data security, data maintenance, and risk handling by minimizing errors.
If you are planning to start a career in the field of data entry it is important to apply for the right company. We have curated a list of top 25 dream companies for remote data entry jobs based on payscale, work culture and ethics, flexibility, growth prospects, etc. These companies hire employees for remote, flexible, and part-time jobs.
- Ajilon
- Adecco Staffing, USA
- Conduent
- Greene Resources
- Kelly Services
- Kforce
- Mintel
- RetailData
- Rose International
- Symbria
- Iron Mountain
- JPMorgan Chase
- Randstad USA
- Manpower Group
- Robert Half international
- Maximus
- Aerotek
- Bank of America
- Walgreen Co
- Spherion
- Xerox
- United Health Group
- Wells Fargo
- Express Services
- American Red Cross
Where to find the best remote data entry jobs?
You can find some of the best remote data entry jobs on online job boards. The most popular online job boards that list online data entry positions are.
1. FlexJobs – Founded by Sara Sutton, FlexJobs lists positions from over 50 categories of remote work. Several reputed companies post openings for remote data entry jobs on this job board. You can view and apply to these job listings with the payment of a small monthly membership fee.
2. unremote.com – This is one of the most technologically advanced remote collaboration platform for remote information technology jobs. One can find freelance/remote work from across the recruiters around the world, while also collaborating with them over video-based virtual rooms and chats.
2. Remote Co – Co-founded by Sara Sutton, Remote Co is a great website to find remote data entry jobs. Many well-known companies are tied up with this job board. The job listings get updated frequently so you can always apply for a remote data entry job. There is no membership fee to access job listings on Remote Co.
Further read: 14 Best Remote Job Sites: Start your job hunt at the right place!
3. Simply Hired – Simply Hired is an online platform that offers very attractive opportunities for those who seek remote data entry jobs. This job board often updates its list of job openings.
4. Indeed – A very popular job board Indeed is a great place for finding listings of remote data entry jobs.
5. Working Nomads – Working Nomads was founded by a couple of nomadic workers who worked from anywhere in the world while traveling from city to city. This job board provides a great list of authentic and high-quality remote jobs. Almost every job listing on Working Nomads is a full-time position. The category of remote data entry jobs is very popular. From time to time, openings for part-time and contract positions also get published on this website.
Read: 18 Best remote companies to work for in 2020
Find your very own remote data entry job today!
How can I get a data entry job from home?
You can get a data entry job from home through online job boards like FlexJobs and Remote Co.
Do online data entry jobs really pay?
Yes, online data entry jobs do pay but not much. You must beware of data entry job scams that offer a lot of money and ask for investments from you.
Is an online data entry job safe?
Online data entry jobs offered by well-established companies are safe. You must thoroughly verify the job listings before applying to them. Keep in mind that legitimate online data entry jobs do not pay much.
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