What freelance work can I do?

freelance it work

When most people think of freelancers, they think of creative jobs: writing, editing, perhaps advertising and marketing gigs. While those areas are full of opportunities for entrepreneurial types who want to work at home, either on a full-time or part-time basis, they're far from the only occupations that lend themselves to the freelance life. Here's a roundup of several freelance jobs -- some you'd never expect.

Writing

Let's start with the obvious: freelance writing is the classic work-from-home job. If you're not already toiling away in virtual ink, however, you might not realize how many different types of freelance writing jobs there are. From journalism to copywriting, blogging to social media, there are writing jobs for every temperament and type of experience.

Editing and Proofreading

Whether you're a seasoned grammarian or just someone with a solid eye for detail, the internet teems with editing and proofreading gigs for your level of skill and experience.

Marketing and PR

If you have a phone and an internet connection reliable enough to sustain a Skype meeting, you can do your marketing or PR job from the comfort of your own home. Just be prepared to take the occasional on-site meeting. In many cases, the client will want to look at their marketing or PR pro in the eye once in a while -- and not just over a webcam. Social media coordinator and manager jobs also fall under this umbrella, and as easy to do from home as from an office.

Transcription

Transcription jobs generally come in three flavors: medical, legal, and market research. The latter requires the least amount of study, in terms of familiarizing yourself with the specialized technical language of the field. In most instances, transcription jobs are meted out by an agency, which will require you to take a typing test and then set you up with jobs as needed.