What "proper job" WFH jobs are there?

[Helen Back]

I've never had what I call a "proper job". That is, one where I've had to be interviewed, hired, go through a probabtion period before being considered onboarded.
I've only ever done temp work and freelancing.

So now my OH has a job at long last after been let go at start of Covid and now it's my turn to look for work. Thing is, we want to move and we can't rent a place on just his salary and letting agents won't accept that temp work and zero-hour jobs are stable enough to allow us to consistently afford to pay rents. So I need a proper job, but one I can do at home.

I don't have a degree, though I've just started stage 3 of an Open University IT course. I'd rather not have a job wher eI have to talk to people on the phone, though I may find that's all there is.

So bearing all that in mind, not what jobs are there but what types of jobs can someone like me do?

 

[Storm Fox]

I work as a software tester, There a few Zoom calls to colleagues and that's it, unfortunately company doesn't have any IT vacancies at the moment.
Do you have any programming skills? This would be a good WFH job.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

/subscribes/

 

[Helen Back]

I work as a software tester, There a few Zoom calls to colleagues and that's it, unfortunately company doesn't have any IT vacancies at the moment.
Do you have any programming skills? This would be a good WFH job.

Thanks, that's one suggestion. Sadly, at 59 they might consider me to be too old for a job in IT. I'm only studying the subject for fun, one module at a time, so not looking for a career in it.

 

[nottsgirl]

My friend was telling me appen.com has all the work from home jobs.

 

[souljacker]

Some IT support jobs are wfh since covid. My company hasn't had an actual office since pre-covid. Our support desk is all remote.

 

[Storm Fox]

Thanks, that's one suggestion. Sadly, at 59 they might consider me to be too old for a job in IT. I'm only studying the subject for fun, one module at a time, so not looking for a career in it.

I was promoted* from Support to Testing as 2 of the company's testers retired. One as he has was in late 60's and the other to doing what you are doing, and going back into education in her late 50's; so age isn't a problem

*I find the testing easier work than the support. In in the company Testing pays better than Support

 

[Helen Back]

If age is not a problem then maybe I should look for software testing work after all, then. I could see myself doing that.
Thing is, even though I'm 59 I don't feel it. My mind is still sharp. I haven't worn out my body cos all I've done is cushy office temp work. And gothy friends keep asking me where I keep my portrait...

 

[Storm Fox]

If age is not a problem then maybe I should look for software testing work after all, then. I could see myself doing that.
Thing is, even though I'm 59 I don't feel it. My mind is still sharp. I haven't worn out my body cos all I've done is cushy office temp work. And gothy friends keep asking me where I keep my portrait...

Do you like breaking stuff in cunning ways and pissing off smug assholes*?
Then Software Testing is for you!!!

*There may a few programmers who are not smug assholes.

See Certifying Software Testers Worldwide - ISTQB® International Software Testing Qualifications Board

 

[hitmouse]

A ) I'd try using your existing skillset with other employers, like if you can swing a public sector job of some kind it should probably be "proper", right?
B ) Instead of dealing with poxy wanky lettings agents, have you tried just dealing with landlords direct? Still vile obv but at least some of them are less fixated on making you jump through hoop after hoop.

 

[Storm Fox]

A ) I'd try using your existing skillset with other employers, like if you can swing a public sector job of some kind it should probably be "proper", right?
B ) Instead of dealing with poxy wanky lettings agents, have you tried just dealing with landlords direct? Still vile obv but at least some of them are less fixated on making you jump through hoop after hoop.

I rented out me flat after I moved in with the Mrs-Fox-to-be. My tenant asked for redecoration and an additional heater in the bathroom, which I paid for without quibble. By the time they moved out it was nicer than I when I lived there.
Not all landlords are dreadful, though most seem to be.

 

[Helen Back]

Not all landlords are dreadful, though most seem to be.

And because of them, all landlords should be suspected of being assholes until proven otherwise.

 

[Helen Back]

So many of those software tester jobs want knowledge and experience I simply don't have. Oh well. Nice idea.

You know, this job hunting thing makes me wonder why someone hasn't made a website where you put in your qualifications and experience and it shows all the jobs you meet the requirements for.

 

[BigMoaner]

definitely got a proper job and doing 1-2 days wfh

 

[May Kasahara]

You could look at things like clerking (local governance for schools/colleges etc). Prepping papers, taking minutes and all that. Lots of that stuff is being done online these days.

 

[Cloo]

My employers, even pre Covid, had quite a few home workers in administration coordinating type roles.

 

[Helen Back]

You could look at things like clerking (local governance for schools/colleges etc). Prepping papers, taking minutes and all that. Lots of that stuff is being done online these days.

Wouldn't that mean sending me physical papers?

I've often wondered how data entry, the easiest office job in the world, works as a remote job. Data entry involves transferring data from one medium (paper) to another (digital). They'd have to send you boxes of papers to type in.

 

[Helen Back]

My employers, even pre Covid, had quite a few home workers in administration coordinating type roles.

I always got the impression that those sorts of roles were done by people who once worked there physically but then migrated to WFH, not started out WFH from scratch.

I think some sort of admin assisitant type thing that might be my best bet. I've only just started looking with any degree of seriousness so it remains to seen what's really out there. I've got some Indeed job alerts set up and I check in on Indeed every day with the default view set to Remote, sorted by Date, "Since your last visit".

We shall see...

 

[MBV]

If a job is a gateway to moving to a new place are you not limiting yourself with the F/T WFH criteria?

 

[Helen Back]

If a job is a gateway to moving to a new place are you not limiting yourself with the F/T WFH criteria?

Ah. Missing piece of info. I have to be around at home to look after mini-Back while Mr Back is out earning a crust.

 

[MBV]

Oh fair dos - makes sense

 

[chilango]

You could look at things like clerking (local governance for schools/colleges etc). Prepping papers, taking minutes and all that. Lots of that stuff is being done online these days.

I do a bit of this to top up the ad hoc sessional academic work to fund my PhD.. It's mostly remote, but still a fair chunk of f2f meetings. Tends to be very p/t and quite low-paid for the skillset required.

 

[A380]

How much do you want / need to earn and how many hours do you want to work?

 

[May Kasahara]

Wouldn't that mean sending me physical papers?

Not at all. We rarely (if ever) supply physical copies of papers at my work these days - it's all done through GovernorHub (other platforms are available).

 

[Elpenor]

My job involves a lot of data entry and virtually no paper - not sure if covid was the Big Bang that made them go paperless but it seems to work anyway

 

[Helen Back]

My job involves a lot of data entry and virtually no paper - not sure if covid was the Big Bang that made them go paperless but it seems to work anyway

But surely, if what you have to type from is already digital - why does it need a human to do it?

The last data entry job I had was for an online garden centre/supplies type place. They advertised in newspapers and people would cut out and fill in the tiny order forms and we had to type in the details from those little coupons.

Boring as hell but it got me access to their database of customers and out of curiosity I looked up who now lived in the house I grew up in.

 

[Elpenor]

But surely, if what you have to type from is already digital - why does it need a human to do it?

Non convertible formats - extrapolating info from PDF or emails and inputting into a payroll system. Also need to make judgements eg assessing eligibility to SxP and occupational from the evidence provided

 

[Helen Back]

Non convertible formats - extrapolating info from PDF or emails and inputting into a payroll system. Also need to make judgements eg assessing eligibility to SxP and occupational from the evidence provided

SXP?

 

[Elpenor]

Statutory (Maternity / Sick / Paternity etc) Pay

Sorry talking in work jargon

 

[Helen Back]

Statutory (Maternity / Sick / Paternity etc) Pay

Sorry talking in work jargon

Oh! Lol! Cool.