Online typists are professionals who perform a variety of clerical tasks in an online setting. The same skills and proficiency required to work as a typist in a brick and mortar environment apply to most of these online typist jobs. An online typist, on the other hand, can work from home or anywhere else as long as they have access to the Internet and the appropriate software or database to complete the project.
Data entry is one of the most common types of online typist jobs. It’s not uncommon for businesses to outsource this function to people who can accurately enter a certain number of characters per minute into pre-defined database fields. In some cases, this type of work is paid on an hourly basis. Other businesses pay the typist a set rate for each character typed.
Another task that an online typist is frequently asked to perform is document creation. Letters prepared from notes dictated verbatim using a virtual recording device could be the document. A typist may also be asked to prepare a transcript of a virtual meeting, such as an audio teleconference or a web conference. When this happens, the typist is usually given access to an audio recording of the meeting while working on the document.
An online typist may also be assigned tasks such as posting advertisements or promoting a client’s employer on blogs, message boards, or social media sites. The goal of this type of promotion is to bring in new customers for the company. While most companies give the typist content guidelines, the actual text is usually left up to him or her. Some businesses pay a flat rate per post, while others demand a certain number of posts per day or week in exchange for a lump sum payment.
To work as an online typist, you must have a keen eye for detail, the ability to type at a rate that is competitive with that of other typists, and the ability to meet client deadlines. While there are a number of fee-based sites that claim to provide typists with a steady stream of client leads, many Internet classified and work-at-home sites also have free online typist ads. A competent typist can eventually build up a sufficient clientele and convert this part-time endeavor into a full-time career by starting with these free resources and working in the evenings.