Looking to make extra money on the side? With all the work-from-home opportunities available, it’s never been easier to find online jobs in Canada that allow you to do just that! With that in mind, here are our top 10 places to find online jobs in Canada to get you started.
1) Work from home: Freelance or Remote Jobs
Many Canadians dream of being able to work from home. Luckily, technology has made it easier than ever before to do so. There are plenty of opportunities for remote workers, especially with online jobs. Freelance and remote positions have been on the rise lately and an increasing number of companies are allowing their employees to work from home. If you’re interested in working remotely, check out some of these top sites
2) Work with other people: Virtual Assistant (VA)
If you are looking for a way to work online with little or no experience, becoming a virtual assistant might be your best bet. Virtual assistants offer their services to busy people who need help with their various business and personal tasks like scheduling, organizing, completing research, making travel arrangements and more. VA’s are typically paid an hourly rate that starts at $10 per hour. However, keep in mind that you will want to keep track of any time you spend doing work for someone else as it could have tax implications. You should also plan on investing several hours a week into learning new skills; there is always room for growth as a virtual assistant.
3) Become a social media influencer: marketing and advertising opportunities
One of our first pieces of advice for those looking for work on social media is that you need to learn how to become a social media influencer. A key part of being an influencer, however, is building your own personal brand on social media and adding value to people’s lives. If you want to take advantage of marketing and advertising opportunities, you’ll also need some business savvy when it comes to selling yourself as a professional (more on that later). Whatever your reason for working online and using social media as a platform—if you want more clients or if you want more exposure—being able to influence others is essential.
4) Online retail arbitrage (ORA): buy items online, sell them offline
There are many opportunities for people who want to work remotely as an administrative assistant. For example, you could sign up with a virtual employment agency like Kelly Services or Manpower and take assignments based on your skills and interests. Or, if you’re an independent worker with a lot of hustle and ingenuity, you could start your own virtual assistant business. Many VA businesses thrive by offering additional services along with their administrative expertise (like bookkeeping and personal finance). If starting from scratch sounds too daunting, consider partnering with other entrepreneurs who have expertise in different areas (i.e., marketing, branding), so that you can both benefit from each other’s resources!
5) Work as an admin assistant for businesses or groups
Working as an admin assistant is a great way to get your foot in the door of various industries. This is often one of the first roles new grads have, and it offers valuable insight into corporate culture, business practices, and more. Many admin assistants transition into other roles within their company or on another team—whether that’s working with sales and marketing teams or moving into HR. If you’re looking for a flexible part-time job that will give you practical experience, then look no further than working as an admin assistant!
6) Become a virtual call center agent
Call centers are often looked down upon as low-paying, entry-level gigs. But that couldn’t be further from the truth, especially when it comes to virtual call center agents. These agents work from home and use a computer, tablet or mobile phone (whatever they happen to be most comfortable with) to handle customer calls. The average salary is $17 per hour, which will surely come in handy if you’re trying to raise a family or put yourself through school. The best part? Call center agents can choose their own schedule so you can plan around your day job, kids or other commitments without getting in trouble at work. Now that’s freedom!
7) Create video content and promote products on YouTube
With all of YouTube’s restrictions on advertising and sponsorships, it might not seem like you can monetize your channel. However, there are many ways that content creators have found success with YouTube. First, think about brand deals: if you create content that includes or is relevant to a specific product or service, contact them about a partnership. It may not make sense for every channel or video, but at least it’s something to consider—and don’t forget to check out sites like Patreon for other opportunities.
8) Sell ads/promote products on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat etc.
Now that you know where to look for work, it’s time to get started! Just as with a job at a traditional company, if you want an online gig you need to show up ready and willing. To that end, it’s important not only to have a solid cover letter (see below) but also your social media profiles on point. If your profile pic is blurry or your bio just says check out my website! don’t expect anyone hiring remotely to take you seriously. So before you start applying for gigs read up on how best present yourself and make sure your presentation is strong and engaging.
9) Become a social media manager
Social media managers help shape how a brand is viewed by their audience and customers. To become one, you should have good writing skills, be familiar with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, know how to run a basic design program like Photoshop, and understand how a website works. Take note that social media is not just about posting what you had for lunch; it’s also about engaging your audience and monitoring feedback. Social media managers make sure that companies are open for business on social channels seven days a week (yes, even holidays) because studies show that’s when consumers are most active. You can make anywhere from $30-60k per year as a social media manager depending on experience/skillset/industry.
10) Use your professional skills to start your own business
if you have a professional degree or a certification that is marketable, then use it! It doesn’t matter if you have experience or not, as long as you can show your abilities. It will take time and hard work before your business starts making money but with patience and persistence, sooner or later you will see yourself up there. Here are some great tips on how to set yourself up for success: Create a mission statement; it doesn’t have to be lengthy but it should include what kind of work your company will perform. Know who your customers are: being able to define exactly who your target audience is can make all of the difference in determining how successful your business will be. Invent a sales pitch that appeals directly to them.
