Be your own boss at home

By Ranjan K Baruah

Many students ask me how to earn from home when they are still studying. Youths fresh out of college also ask this question and I tell them about different possible options.
Options and opportunities to work from home may be different from place to place. One needs to know the demand and accordingly planning can be made. In today’s edition, we are publishing some of the ‘work-from-home’ options. One must be good in networking and communication to excel in jobs being done from home.

Online Tutor: Online tutoring is the process of teaching in a virtual or networked environment in which teachers and learners are separated by time and space. Online tutoring, as a reflection of the diversity of the wider internet, is practised using many different approaches and is addressed to distinct sets of users.
The distinctions are in online content and interface as well as in tutoring and tutor-training methodologies. Definitions associated with online tutoring vary widely, reflecting the ongoing evolution of the technology, the refinement and variation in online learning methodology and the interactions of the organisations which deliver online tutoring services with the institutions, individuals, and learners that employ the services.

Blogger: A blog is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (“posts”). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order so that the most recent post appears first, at the top of the web page. Blogger is a blog-publishing service that allows multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries. One may start a blog or an Internet site offering expertise on a particular subject and sell advertising on the site. Blogs may be use for branding, publicity or even for online trading like selling goods through online mode.

Data Entry: One needs to be familiar with computers and speed of typing using key boards. Good typing and numeric key entry skills are a common prerequisite. Knowledge of database software, spreadsheets and word processing is helpful. Good spelling, grammar and punctuation skills are also necessary, as well as strong reading comprehension. There are demand for data entry operator and interested may work from home by engaging into data entry.

Makeup Artist: A make-up artist’s medium is human body, applying makeup and prosthetics for theatrical, television, filmmaking, fashion, magazines and other similar productions including all aspects of the modeling industry. Individual may work from home by becoming makeup professionals. There is huge demand when there are marriages or other special occasions.

Flower Arrangement: Flowers are always in demand on all occasions and there is need for arranging them to make them attractive. It is an organised way of design and colour towards creating an ambience using flowers, foliage and other floral accessories. Demand is high when there are weddings or special events and festivals. One may start this work from home.

Cake Making: Cakes cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elaborate and that share features with other desserts such as pastries, meringues, custards and pies. As cakes are in demand in many occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, one may think of taking up this task according to the need of customers. There are short-term training programmes for many options like cake making, designing, wealth from waste, flower arrangements, make up etc. Aspirants may join these training programmes and start their ventures from homes. In Meghalaya, one may think of traditional souvenir designing and become successful entrepreneur. There are many other options and opportunities which can be termed as home based careers.

(Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor and can be
reached at [email protected] or 9864055558
for any career related queries)