Forbes has published a new article, “The Best-paying Jobs You Can Do From Anywhere,” pointing out that jobs in the future won’t look too much like jobs today — specifically, work will be less about going to an office 9 to 5, and more about doing your job from wherever you happen to be, even if it’s hundreds or thousands of miles away from corporate headquarters.
More companies are ramping up their hiring of anywhere workers who don’t need to come into or even be near the corporate office… businesses like American Express, Amazon, United Health and Aetna are some of many realizing that hiring more virtual workers gives them access to millions of potential candidates rather than the hundred or so within a 50-mile radius. It also saves businesses on commercial real estate costs and reduces turnover, as workers become ironically loyal when offered their freedom.
For veterans, this isn’t anything new — servicemembers are used to working in a wide range of conditions, in a multitude of locations — and if anything, military-trained folks have more experience leading and managing from a distance than civilian workers. Below is the list that Forbes has come up with for the highest-paying “virtual” jobs that are currently out there (and you might get a chuckle or two from some of the occupations — hey, a job’s a job, right?):
Teleradiologists: It’s a specialized field, but a lucrative one — teleradiologists view digitally transmitted patient images and confer with the doctors via videoconferencing, to the tune of $100,000 annual salary (and up to $400,000 year based on your experience and hours worked).
Telepharmacists: Estimated to earn a median salry of $105,000 working for a retailer and $118,000 working for a hospital.
Telenurses: Advise patients over the phone, and make close to the median salary of standard registered nurses ($65,000).
Medical transcriptionists: It may not sound like the most thrilling job (basically writing transcripts based on doctor’s voice recodings), but it can be done remotely and earns a median salary of $33,000 a year.
Online college and post-graduate teachers: Online teachers are in high demand with the growth of distance learning programs — as long as you have teaching credentials and a webcam, you can earn around $60,000 a year from anywhere.
Translators: As our small world gets smaller, the need to translate between languages is greater than ever, from everything from foreign comics to business and marketing documents. Translators earn a median salary of $43,000.
Phone sex operators: You won’t necessarily find this on the Department of Labor employment guide, but according to Forbes’ research, PSOs can make between $240 and $1,200 a week, depending on the rates and agreement, but independent PSOs might charge $3 to $100 a minute, which can get you an annual six-figure salary.
Technical writers: Not surprising given our tech-oriented industry, technical writers are in high demand, and with technical writing certification classes everywhere, it’s not too hard to get up to speed. According to salary.com, an entry-level technical writer makes $46,000 a year.
Virtual tax preparers: Yeah, things get a little hairy around April 15, but helping folks with their tax preparation is actually a year-round gig. An entry-level tax accountant makes about $48,000 annually.
Customer service representatives: Yep, it’s the dreaded customer service operator gig that you see parodied in dozens of movies. But at least it’s the kind of job where you’re left alone most of the day, and salary starts at $30,000 annually.
Hello,
I am a retired AF officer and I don't think I'm done, yet. Your occupation sounds like a God-send to people everywhere, and helping people to lower their power bills is something of interest to us all!
I'd be grateful for your information and suggestions. Please drop me a line, so I can learn more. Thank you!
Can you tell me more, I am interested in youir company
I would like to know more about this opportunity. I'm currently an Active Officer for the National Guard but would like to start building to my future retirement and have something built before I retire.
I am a retired Army MSG and am interested in working from home. Please provide more information. Always read about these types of jobs but where do you find them? Where do you get more information?
Thanks!
I am interested but have been lied to by everyone so far, so tel me why trust this?
Don't forget the lucrative job of writing up about lucrative online jobs! All these online writers make more than some of the jobs listed and it doesn't take much more than the skill/software to write digital articles.
8 comments, 4 viewable? Am I missing something? Prior Infantry so I can't count very high…. but anything under 10 is in the bag.
Retired Army MSG here and interested in working from home. Please provide more information.
Retired Navy and Very interested in this type of work. More info please!!!
I am a retired Air Force Crew Chief still working in the aviation field, would like to know how to get started working from home doing something on the computer
Excellent article for now and the future workers
For BHI ?
I am retired from the Airborne Infantry and I am very eager to learn more about these exciting jobs especially the phone sex operator. Would I have to change my voice or are there people out there that need to hear an old sarge tell 'em to slap it around a bit and suck on a high heeled shoe. And these are the TOP TEN best work from anywhere jobs. I must have missed something somewhere along the line.
Airborne, Top! Now you make some extra money while bringing much happiness to legs everywhere asking if they'd like to see you "sit and spin!"
Slipping away now before I get entangled…
Get your head into your fourth point of contact???
I would like more information about telenurse. I am a registered medical assistant . Prior 91b medical specialist
Neither a medical assistant nor a 91b is going to be qualified in a TeleNurse position. The liabilities for these companies is quite high, since it's not simply a matter of following a triage card, SOLELY. There are judgement calls when any patient is calling a nurse advice line. In fact, LPN's would doubtfully not get hired either. Having managed a number of these contracts, most of them for the military, the TeleNurse positions required an R.N. licensure, and at least 3 years of experience.
The information given is of interest to many, I am sure. However, as with all such articles, it would be helpful if you could provide additional information about where to begin to find the necessary education and the jobs themselves. For instance, Technical Writer, do I go to ASK.COM and enter how to become a Technical Writer? I don't mean to sound glib, but there are jobs that sound interesting, yet finding out how to become qualified turns out to be allusive. Additional information would be greatly appreciated.
elusive, maybe? Word choice is paramount for technical writers. Jus' saying…
this article is useless to anyone who needs it if it doesn’t list sites or have links to the companies that have these types of jobs…just sayin’
I am a 12 year Air Force vet and would like for you to send me info on companies that are hiring teleworkers. Thank you in advance!
They forgot about webcam models. I'm pretty sure it pays more than phone sex operator. Perhaps phone sex operator is more of a ground floor job, and webcam model is more of an executive-level job for those who are management material.
No. Like radio, a PSO could be ugly as a mud fence and still make a great living based on voice alone. A webcam model would probably need to be good looking (by the universal standard – i.e. thin, tan, blonde, busty, etc.) to make a good living.
You left out where VETs can obtain these type of jobs and receive the training (if required). I want Inn
Served in the Army, been out for 15 years. DAV and it’s getting harder to do my job. This sounds like I could stay productive.I am in sales now just too much walking and standing. Please provide more information. Thanks
I believe that listing the "phone sex operator" job was inappropriate. I have no doubt that these jobs do exist, but Military.Com is a respectable internet site and its readers are all connected to the military therefore, we expect you to be more selective with the material you publish.
My Dear Gladys,
While many of the visitors to this site are quite respectable and honorable, Military.com isn't, and there are many disreputable posers of all types to be found around here as well.
I agree with you on that one…totally inappropriate for the venue. Now perhaps if prostitution was a legal profession in most of the country, it might be a different story. However, it's not, and the only difference that I can see is that you can't get an STD over the phone. They might just as well have suggested a position in marijuana brokering.
As a woman who has had 4 generations of Navy men in my family, I can tell you from experience that military men and women are very much the same as any other person. Everyone enjoys sex. There are brothels in almost every port, and all military men and women have experienced at least some type of sexual experience in another country as well as in the states.. paid or otherwise. Men and women are sexual. End of story. Military or not.
If it comes down to paying the bills and feeding your family, I see nothing wrong with phone sex. Its something everyone has had experience with (sex) and its safe since there is no actual contact. Belittling those who take the plunge and do something they would not otherwise do if they had other options, is unkind and biased. These days millions of people can not find work and are losing their homes. Kids are hungry and couples are divorcing over stress. ANY opportunity to make some money should be considered as long as it is not illegal. Phone sex is not a crime and it can pay well from what I have read. Stop judging and realize that this one article… even though you may be offended, may have opened an opportunity for one bold man or woman and given them the chance to save their home, marriage and/or feed their children.
Thank you for taking the time to make your case in a thoughtful manner, Mary. I agree with you on many points, and while I wasn't offended, I did not feel that posting it on this particular site was in keeping with the way the military WANTS to come across.
I have served with the Navy and have traveled literally half way around the world USS Nimitz, across the equator, shellback and would do it again to protect our freedoms. So Mary I respect your opinion, however, the listing of phone sex operator in Military.com no big deal, it is an honest living.
All we need is to carry the people forward for a brighter life as usual
More info on where one can apply for and get these type of jobs. I like the freedom of being able to work from home and not having to wake up earlier than needed to fight traffic.
Where do we apply?
Good luck finding a technical writer job that truly allows you to "work from anywhere." Sounds good, but in over 20 years in the field I have yet to find a legitimate oppotunity doing that. You can find short-term contracts working IN different locations, but employers virtually always demand that you work on-site (i.e not from your laptop on the beach).
There are lots of telenurse positions lately, and even some with the VA where you would get a Veteran's preference over other applicants. You would need to get your Nursing degree and pass the NCLEX for your RN license (not sure if they hire LPNs — they're no longer hiring them at our local VAMC), but well worth the effort in school.
Nursing school is tough. You need two years of prerequisites, then five semesters in the Nursing program for your BSN. They usually have 40 to 50 applicants for each opening, and will only take the top applicants. They look at your lower division GPA (anything less than a 4.0 is probably a no-go), then there is an entrance exam and sometimes a personal interview. You can get a two-year RN degree at some community colleges, but I wouldn't recommend it. Some employers are hiring them, but then giving them some maximum amount of time to complete a "bridge" program at a 4-year university to get their BS degrees. More and more nurses are now Masters degree'd, even if they are not Nurse Practitioners.
New nurses should have at least three years of Med-Surg experience in a hospital before going into telenursing. You need that experience to be able to assess a patient's needs over the phone.
Good luck!
I'm a blind disabled veteran working from home as a benefits specialist. This was a great article. Thanks
As a multilingualist (Speak and read CONVERSANT Russian, Japanese, [Mandarin] Chinese, and a "SPLATTERING" of/SURVIVABLE Tagalog, French, German an Spanish) I have found that qualifications for a translator requires ABSOLUTE fluency because non-speakers of the languages always-ALWAYS express insecurities for exact translation, NOT-REALIZING interpretation and the ability to correspond across language and cultural barriers is a gift and the fact that it can be done at all is a miracle to be appreciated. I wish people could understand that; I rarely receive any recognition for my ability, …"NOT UNTIL CRAP HITS THE FAN" and an emergency breaks-out and me and my SKILLS are "required" (like the '83 KAL 007 incident, and other seemingly miner events around that time.)
Remote employment positions and freelancing jobs are becoming more and more available with time. I think this is outstanding and feel those in the military and their family members could truly benefit from this type of work.
Phone sex op??? Let me tell you from experience. You will not make 3.00 a min and who ever thought they could pass off that bs about 100 a min is full of crap. You really think people are going to pay for phone sex, when cyber sex is free, Back in the day you had to really bust your butt to get business in that arena. If you were lucky to do so, you would make about $65-95 an hour. However, some of that wet to the site, phone bill and advertising. The phone does not ring off the hook. Sometimes it would be one call a night. On a good night perhaps 3. This is not a fun job, its not something you can bank on. It also makes you feel bad about yourself, and almost always late hours of the night.
Work-from-home jobs are becoming more and more prevalent. Working as an employment specialist, I think there are more "legit" w-f-h jobs available at brick and mortar employers. You get hired to habitate a cubicle but eventually are permitted to use a remote desktop or VPN from home. The simplest, albeit, not easiest way to find these w-f-h jobs is to Google them. Or Ask.com, Bing, etc. Do not rely on someone who has no stock in your future to spoon-feed you the answers.
Need more info, interested.
Be careful. A ton of work from home type jobs will cause you to spend a ton of cash with very little chance of ever making any money back! I know because I have been down that road!
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