Are you looking for some good online proofreading jobs in order to supplement your income?
Well, you’re not the only one. Many people are looking to make some extra money online.
That’s because we are so fortunate to live in the age of technology. Nowadays, you can even build a 6 figure business with no employees!
It’s completely understandable that you want to take advantage of all these opportunities that we have. Online proofreading jobs can be a great way to start your online journey.(1)
Especially if you’re the type of person that corrects grammar mistakes in the comments of cat videos.
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ONLINE PROOFREADING JOBS FOR BEGINNERS
A proofreader’s main task is to correct grammar mistakes. Proofreading is the final step someone needs to take before publishing a piece of content.
So … can anyone be a proofreader? A very common misconception is that most beginners think they need some kind of higher education diploma in order to get proofreading jobs.
You will be happy to find out that’s not the case. You can be a proofreader even if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree.
Obviously having a proper education helps, in the sense that you will have an easier time completing the jobs. However, that doesn’t mean you need one.
If you’re serious about making money with proofreading, you can invest in a course that teaches you how to do exactly that.
Also, you can get some tools that help you do your job faster. There are apps that help with spelling which are actually quite helpful.
Grammarly is a great example in terms of spelling apps. However, you need to be better than these apps, meaning that you need to notice mistakes that technology can not.(1)
That makes total sense if you think about it: why would someone hire you if they can just get a software? Well, these softwares are not as accurate as they advertise themselves.
A human eye is always better than a machine. Meaning that there is a high demand for proofreaders.
WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?
When it comes to proofreading, you have 2 options:
Either you get a full time job in a company, or you work as a freelancer.
There are a ton of companies that are looking for full time proofreaders. These companies typically produce a lot of content and it makes sense for them to have a full time employee, as opposed to working with freelancers.
On the other hand, you can sign up to a freelance website, like Fiverr and set your own price. If you’re a beginner, this is a much better option for you.
That’s because if you want to get a proofreading full time job you need to have some kind of experience. These companies don’t usually hire beginners, as they need to invest more time and resources in training.
Fiverr is great because you can work at your own pace and set your own price. Usually, proofreaders get paid either by the hour or by the word.
However, it’s a good idea to set a lower rate in the beginning because you will get consistent gigs and get experience. After that, you will be able to slowly increase your price and become an authority.
My advice is to set an hourly rate, as it can be much more profitable in the long run. If you get paid by the word, you will probably burn out at some point and lose focus.(2)
With an hourly rate, you can work at your own pace and not feel pressured to work as much as possible.
When it comes to working full time for a company, you will most likely need to sign a contract with a fix rate. With that being said, it can be much more profitable to work as a freelancer.
7 BEST ONLINE PROOFREADING JOBS: BEST PLACES TO GET GIGS
In the beginning of my online journey, I’ve done some proofreading gigs to supplement my income in order to start an online business.(3)
The following platforms were used by me and some of my friends for proofreading gigs. Some are better than others, but I ranked them based on the success I’ve had.
- As a side note, it’s a good idea to sign up for all of them in order to get more opportunities.
#7: GLASSDOOR
Glassdoor is one of the most popular job posting websites in the world. Many people use it for proofreading, as well as any other job you can think of.
The best part about it is that many companies use it to recruit proofreaders. Also, it has a ton of filters which you can use to find the best gigs for you.
Also, they have ratings for the employers, which is always nice. This is very useful as you don’t want to work with bad companies that don’t pay you on time.
Needless to say, it’s a decent option if you want to get started with proofreading.
#6: SCRIBEMEDIA
ScribeMedia is another platform that can be a good place for beginners to find online proofreading jobs. Not only that, but it entirely focuses on writing jobs.
No matter if you’re looking for proofreading, ghostwriting, editing or publishing, ScribeMedia has it all.
This is a great platform if you’re looking to expand at some point. Meaning that if you get bored of proofreading, you can try being a ghostwriter or an editor.
You can do that on the same platform, which is a big advantage for lazy people who don’t want to sign up to multiple platforms
#5: UPWORK
UpWork is the second largest freelance marketplace on the internet. One of my friends does proofreading jobs on UpWork for a couple of years now and he is very happy.
That’s because he already has a ton of positive reviews and gets consistent gigs. Obviously, it’s much better than his previous 9 to 5 job that he hated.
Doing freelance proofreading jobs on UpWork is great, as you can always work at your own pace and manage the tasks. Also, it’s a very popular platform meaning that you shouldn’t have problems finding gigs.
#4: FACEBOOK
Yes, Facebook. This might sound surprising for some people, but you can actually get decent online proofreading jobs on Facebook.
You can start by mentioning your services in your profile. After that, you can join Facebook proofreading groups (trust me, there are a lot of them).
Post your hourly rate in these groups and wait for people to reach out to you. This can be a great start if you want to get some experience as well as some extra money.
I still have friends that rely solely on Facebook for their proofreading gigs. However, I wouldn’t recommend you do this because you will need to get some credentials first.
After you become respected for your work, you will be able to get gigs from Facebook alone.
#3: FREELANCER
Freelancer is another popular platform where people sell their skills online. It’s a very good option for beginners because of the variety of skills you can advertise.
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for proofreading gigs, writing gigs or any other type of gig. You will be able to find work on Freelancer.
Also, another good aspect about this platform is that companies don’t tend to have such high expectations from you. After all, you’re just a freelancer!
#2: LINKEDIN
You surely know what LinkedIn is. Needless to say, most people use it in order to get jobs.
The best thing you can do is to include the fact that you’re a proofreader in your profile. Trust me, it works like magic.
I recently had to delete my LinkedIn account because I was getting a ton of emails from companies that wanted to hire me. Luckily, I don’t need to go to a 9 to 5 anymore.
Also, you can reach out to companies and apply for proofreading jobs. You will probably get a ton of interviews where you will need to make a good impression.
#1: FIVERR
Fiverr is the biggest freelance platform on the internet. Also, it’s the one I’ve had the most success with.
No matter what gigs you’re looking for, you can find opportunities on Fiverr. From proofreading and editing to SEO and graphic design, Fiverr has everything.
In the beginning of my online journey, I was able to save a ton of money simply by doing freelance work on Fiverr. The best part about it is that some of these gigs really don’t take much time to complete.
Also, once you get some positive reviews you will get even more gigs. So, if you’re wondering what the best proofreading platform for beginners is, this is it.
If you’re just starting out, my advice is to sign up for Fiverr and start getting experience. Also, focus on saving money so that you can start your own business in the future.