Proofreading is a flexible/profitable career that you can excel in working comfortably from home. As a beginner, there are tons of entry level proofreading jobs from home you can go for. In this article, we’ll show you the best of them and how you can start today!
We all follow various oaths when pursuing a career and life goals, and, in some cases, our goals change with more experience gained. Online proofreading jobs for beginners have been a game-changer for many. People make up to $59,000 per year, proofreading.
While proofreading requires skill and an acute eye for errors, it is something you can easily start as a newbie. You earn while improving on the job! We’ll reveal to you some of the best “proofreading jobs no experience.” Before that, let’s take a swing at the meaning of proofreading.
What is Proofreading?
In general, proofreading is the final stage before publication or submission. Unlike editors, proofreaders focus on superficial edits such as spelling, grammar, syntax, structure, etc. The job is faster than editing, and the author gets a quicker turnaround on their texts. That is why entry level proofreading jobs from home is a better freelancing job than editing – time and ease are huge factors.
Editing is more concerned with details and searches for ways to restructure written texts when required. Editing demands a deeper inquiry into the texts to ensure flows, speaks to the target audience, tells a well-structured story, and doesn’t switch tenses throughout. Unlike proofreading, it takes place several times during the writing stage.
According to ZipRecruiter, with online proofreading jobs for beginners, you can earn between $17,000 and $110,500 per year. Yes, you can make that much a year – consistency will get you there!
How to Become a Proofreader Online: Step by Step Guide
Entry level proofreading jobs from home truly pay a lot of people, people with almost zero experience in proofreading. You don’t have to be a guru in proofreading to start earning! The online proofreading jobs for beginners in this article will help you earn as a newbie. But you need to know how to first. So, here’s how to become get proofreading jobs no experience in 7 steps:
Step 1: Pick a Proofreading Niche
You might have come across the word “niche” from online freelancers or during your research for online proofreading jobs. Simply put, a niche is a specific topic/field you’re familiar with or interested in. It is an area where you enjoy working, with or without experience.
For instance, you might be interested in the topics of education. This is a very broad niche, so you have to narrow it down to special education, early childhood education, or ESL.
There are tons of proofreading niches you can go for, and some of them include:
- Medical publications
- Court documents
- Educational reports
- Technical articles
- Blog posts
- Variety of web contents
- eCommerce sites
- eBooks
Step 2: Decide between Jobs and Clients
Is there a difference between finding proofreading jobs and working for clients? Yes, there is. When you decide to work for clients directly, you get more control over the kinds of work you take on and how much you want to charge for your service.
This is the stage where you choose to become your own boss and make a career out of proofreading on your own terms.
Step 3: Set Your Prices
If you choose to work with your clients directly, you can set your own prices, which is totally awesome! You can as well decide how much you want to earn from a project, and that price can apply to various other projects along the line.
With entry level proofreading jobs from home, you’ll likely earn somewhere in the lower end of the spectrum compared to someone that has been proofreading for years.
Step 4: Build a Portfolio
This is perhaps the most effective way to showcase your skills. You can do this by publishing what you offer as well as past experiences on a website or a blog that can be easily accessible to clients.
Although, as a beginner, creating a portfolio that brings in enough paying clients might be challenging. The best way to go is to start with one of the online proofreading jobs for beginners.
Step 5: Sale Your Skill
You can get proofreading jobs via social media, and you can also market your portfolio through the same media. You might end up surprised at how many Facebook groups are dedicated to searching and hiring proofreaders. Searching hashtags on proofreader might get you jobs on Twitter.
Additionally, you can build your own business page on Facebook and post your offer to potential clients to know how you can help them. Be consistent and engaging in your page’s content. Clients can as well add reviews of your services on the page.
Step 6: Grow in Proofreading
Continue to enhance your knowledge and skills in proofreading by taking the proper training. While on the job, you can take courses on Udemy or watch more YouTube videos from professionals for pro tips. This will be very beneficial to your proofreading career.
Also, you can join Facebook groups to learn and inquire from others who have gained experience as proofreaders.
Step 7: Offer the Absolute Best and More
If you’re just starting, you need to over-deliver, especially for first-time clients. That’s one of the most effective ways to grow your client base.
In your entry level proofreading jobs from home, you need to be timely, professional, and impeccable. With such a track record, you’ll quickly grow in your field, and so will your earnings.
The Best Websites to Find Entry Level Proofreading Jobs from Home
While there are several entry level proofreading jobs from home you can go for, here are some of the best platforms you can start with. What’s more – most of them do not necessarily require so much experience. All you have to do is showcase your skills and what you can offer.
- Fiverr
- Click Worker
- Upwork
- Get Editing Jobs
- MediaBistro
- Proof Reading Services
- FlexJobs
- Proofreading Pal
- Lionbridge
- R3Ciprocity
- Reedsy
- Guru
- Polished Paper
- OneSpace Freelancers
- Writing Jobz
- EditFast
- Domainite
- Writer’s Relief
- Writer’s Job Shop
Conclusion
Just like any other job in the editing field, proofreading comes with its challenges. As a newbie, you’ll most likely face low wages, long hours, and competitive job prospects.
However, if you set your mind to it, none of these entry level proofreading jobs from home will pose a challenge for a long time. Grow your craft, and with time, proofreading will make you so much money with ease!