ATTENTION! Calling all “data entry” seekers…
If you’re looking for an online data entry job, whether you’re a college student, stay at home parent, or just needing a way to work at home – you may be in for a sorry surprise. Most of this type of work you’ll see online is either deceptive advertising or a downright scam. While there are a few legitimate companies that hire for this type of work, the need is not desperate and you’re probably not going to find it within the paid advertising space of Google, Yahoo or Bing.
Virtual data entry jobs are extremely popular for those wanting to work from home. If you do a simple search for data entry work from home, you’ll see the results will be plastered with ads practically screaming for applicants. You’d think these companies were desperate, but you have to as yourself, why? The reality is, most work home data entry jobs are scams.
Many of these scams are disguised to lure you in with the promise of data entry work, yet are trying to get you involved in something completely different. Many are really affiliate marketing training programs in disguise, which isn’t a scam in and of itself, (it’s what I do for a living) but unfortunately the internet marketing business is packed full of tricks like these You really have to watch out.
If you’re wondering whether or not that hot looking data entry job is legit or just a false promise, ask yourself a few questions
Is the job promising a high rate of pay?
Data entry and transcription jobs are not high paying fields. If they’re telling you you’ll make a questionably high salary, I would guess it’s not real. Most online data entry jobs pay per piece which is pretty low, and often times averages to less than minimum wage.
Is it asking you to pay a fee to get started?
Think about it, when was the last time you had to pay to apply for a job? Usually this isn’t the case, and if they ask for money before you even know you’re in the door, don’t fall for it.
Is it trying to promise you a job with no skills whatsoever?
You don’t need a PhD to do this type of work, but you do have to have decent skills for typing and data entry. Companies will normally make you take a test along with your application.
Do they seem desperate?
Legitimate companies offering this type of work keep relatively few employees on hand and have long waiting lists of people wanting in. They have no reason to be crying out for help!
However there are a few legitimate companies that hire data entry employees to work from home
Companies such as VirtualBee, Capital Typing and Accutran Global hire home workers for various tasks such as transcription and data entry. The common theme among all these types of jobs remain the same, though. They don’t hire that many employees, and the waiting lists to get hired are long. Your chances of ever getting in really aren’t very good, and even if you do, they don’t pay well at all. It’s usually paid on a per piece basis, which is quite low. A lot of these companies are outsourcing such work for overseas too, so many times they don’t even pay minimum wage.
If you’re really set out on wanting a job in the data entry or transcription field, you’d have a better chance trying for a physical (in office) job. However if it’s the online job aspect you’re after, there are better alternative which pay more.
Alternatives for virtual data entry work?
You could try looking into freelance work on websites like Fivver and Elance. People lists all sorts of jobs they want outsourced, from data entry to article writing. These are usually legit job listings, but you may struggle to find work in the beginning if you’re just starting out. It takes a bit of time to get established as a freelancer and have people recognize your quality work.
An even better alternative I would recommend if you want to get started out earning money online would be to develop your own online business. It may seem like an overwhelming task, but really all you need to start out is your own website, and with the right training and resources you can take small steps to build up to great success over time. It takes a lot of dedication, determination and positive thinking, so you have to go into it with the right attitude.
Remember, any advertisement that promises overnight success is lying to you. If you want a job that will make you rich, data entry will never be the answer.
Have you ever been mislead or scammed by a “data entry” opportunity? I’d love to hear your story!
Wendy
Owner, SurvivingAfterCollege.com
I’ve been trying to find work on line as a legal transcriber. I have many years experience in the field. However, several of the companies ask for certification as an A+ legal transcriptionist. So far I am not having any luck finding out how to get the certification. AAERT offers something called CET certification but you have to be a member of their organization (the membership fee is $!25) and the cost of the exam itself is $250. Do you have any information regarding how to get such certification?
I’m sorry Maxine, I don’t know anything about this. Perhaps someone else will see this comment and chime in!
This is a great article about this I have tried to explain this before it did not come as well, great job.
I did not know about the data entry jobs having a waiting list.
God bless
Kymee
Thanks Kymee! Yeah, the legitimate ones do! It’s very hard to get in with an actual work at home data entry position -and even if you do they don’t pay that well. You are far better off staring your OWN business to actually make any money online.