Best work-from-home jobs that students can do alongside their studies

Whether you’re heading to college or have already graduated, the prospect of some pocket money is always handy. Going out to work, however, might not be ideal just now as the pandemic is far from being over and you might have classes to attend. This is where online part-time jobs can help you as they provide a diverse range of opportunities and flexibility.

How part-time jobs can add to your repertoire

Doing such jobs is a great way to finetune your skills, learn time management and gain the knowledge of a specific field. Not only will these help strengthen your resume but also have a positive impact on your future academic endeavours. For instance, if you’re keen to study at a B-school, your work experience may put you ahead of others who do not have anything to show for in that department.

Having some work experience is also a great way to impress your future employers. Working anywhere will give you the chance to interact with other people — this is likely to make you adept at networking and making new connections. All these will prove to be useful when you finally enter the professional arena after your studies.

How to know what’s perfect for you

Your studies should be your first priority — there are no two ways about it. Your choice of work depends on the time you’d be able to devote to it. Finding the right choice could be overwhelming from among a massive number of options available online. There are two ways to zero in on the job you’re most suited for:

• You can find out what actually works for you through trial and error. It might take some time to hit upon the right job and to understand what you would find most comfortable to work with.
• Research is probably the best way to go about it. Thorough research and knowing your own strength can help you understand exactly what you’re stepping into and what it takes to have an edge over others in that field.

Best work-from-home jobs for students:

Online tutoring

Online tutoring has been one of the fastest-growing professions in the last decade. The demand for it has increased by multiple folds during the pandemic. Part-time online tutoring jobs can be found on websites such as indeed.com and naukri.com. You can communicate with students via video calls from your laptop or phone. You can schedule class times to suit your needs. It's a great side hustle for students because all you have to do is teach a subject you're already good at. If you’ve good communication skills, this job can be the source of a steady flow of income as long as you wish.

Content writing

Content writing can take many forms, including article writing, scriptwriting, copywriting, technical writing and blogging. These forms differ greatly in terms of the knowledge required to do the job. However, they have one common one thing — you need ink and inclination to hit the mark. If you know what content interests you and are fluent in the language, you can begin sending your profile to different companies looking for such writers right away. Job postings for this field can be found on the first few pages of any job portal.

Graphic design

Online graphic designers are being hired for projects by different companies. The job involves creating posters, infographics, logos and layouts for magazines and brochures, among other things. In this line of work you need access to a variety of tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, and Corel Draw, among others. As every industry now looks for graphic designers to establish a commanding online presence, this might be a good opportunity for you to learn and hone the requisite skills — YouTube and Instagram are great places to start for upskilling in this field.

Social media management

With the exponential rise in users, social media has become an integral part of brand image building. Every company, celebrity and public figure hire social media managers. Since students are more tech savvy and can pick up things at a faster rate than older people, they are in great demand in this specific area. For this position, you need to understand the web page's analytics and followers. You also need to stay up to date on the latest trends and pop culture events. If you are new to social media management, you can look for online courses on Udemy, Coursera and Harvard edX.

Video editing

The job of a video editor is to edit audio and video clips to make them more engaging. Video editors are required in filmmaking, broadcasting, advertising and social media pages. Even YouTubers need such editors. To become a part-time video-editor, you need to be familiar with video editing software and be able to follow the director's or creative department's instructions. Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro are the most commonly used applications in this field. Davinci Resolve and Avid Media Composer are two examples of advanced software. You can learn the craft on YouTube, but having a degree in video editing is always preferred.

Game testing

Almost everyone plays video games these days. And what better reason to play those games than to make money from them? Testers are compensated for their time spent playing video games in exchange for feedback that can assist developers in making improvements. You can look for game testing jobs on platforms like LinkedIn and Naukri. If you’re an avid gamer, you can apply directly on the websites of renowned publishers like Rockstar Games.

Virtual assistance

A virtual assistant is a remote administrative assistant. This is the job for you if you have a knack for keeping things organised. You only need to understand how to use Microsoft Office applications. The main duties include keeping track of business data, writing and responding to emails, and performing other administrative tasks. You should be able to create business documents in PowerPoint and enter data into Excel. Virtual assistance is primarily a self-employment opportunity. Job openings for this position can be found on Naukri and Upwork.

Coding

Coding is the foundation for many different fields, including web development, app development and game development. Writing code generates a set of instructions for the computer to help create a variety of programmes. Working part-time remotely is an excellent option if you are good at coding and want to make a career out of it. Almost every job portal has job postings for such vacancies as tech startups look for students or recent graduates to perform coding-related tasks.

Data entry

If you are frequently praised for your attention to detail and organisational skills, freelance data entry can help you generate income in your spare time. Individuals, agencies and businesses post data entry jobs online. There are hundreds of job postings for a variety of skills including data entry, data processing, data cleansing, PDF to text conversion, spreadsheets and online research. Aside from reading and writing, no qualifications are required for these positions.

Freelance photography

If you have a keen interest in capturing moments, freelance photography can be a good way to supplement your income while continuing your studies. Almost every type of business requires advertising where visuals, in addition to content, are required. Freelance photographers can earn money in a variety of domains ranging from fashion to sports to food. You can work for magazines, web portals, small businesses, bloggers, artists and other organisations.