The prevalence of remote work has been growing steadily since 2020, even as some companies take a “return to office” stance. That means job seekers can often find opportunities that they can do from home or shared workspaces that may be flexible enough to support caregiving and other responsibilities.
Consider how many jobs there are in healthcare, administration, and customer service. Many of these are also entry-level jobs, with little experience required to get started.
These entry-level positions aren’t just for minimum wage earners, either. Many pay well and serve as stepping stones for those with ambitious career goals.
Read on to learn about these work-from-home jobs with no experience required. We share how to find them and the ways you can improve your hiring chances.
Common types of entry-level remote jobs
You might see any of these roles in a number of industries, from healthcare to tech to education.
Customer service agent
Call center roles, chat support, and help desk work are some of the most common remote listings you may see for customer service agents. These roles often hire for a variety of hours, schedules, and time zones. Preferred skills for these positions include good communication, attention to detail, problem-solving, and the ability to empathize with frustrated customers.
Data entry clerk
Even as automation and artificial intelligence (AI) take over more of the data entry process, humans are still needed to review work and enter data that isn't standardized. If you have proficient typing skills and the ability to focus for long periods of time, you might find these roles a good fit.
Virtual assistant
More scheduling, organizing, and administrative tasks happen through cloud-based software tools, so assistants are no longer always needed to sit at a physical in-office desk. That means more virtual assistant (VA) roles can happen remotely to provide help with everything from email management to basic bookkeeping. Flexibility, willingness to learn, and a sense of ownership over their work will be most useful for workers in this job.
Sales and marketing support
You don’t need a college degree to do much of today’s online marketing work. Entry-level tasks can include lead generation, social media posting, and entry-level sales outreach using a pre-written script. Any business that could use help drumming up more business may be interested in hiring for this role. Useful skills include a friendly attitude, an eye for detail, and confidence in speaking with potential customers.
Content moderation
Every online forum where people can contribute their own opinions or content needs moderators. These roles require looking at hundreds or even thousands of messages to make sure they meet community rules. It’s best for people who can assess content quickly and respond well to troubling or inappropriate content.
Overall, for most entry-level opportunities, there is also often a willingness to train to help get you up to speed. However, you can also leverage any skills you may have from school or previous jobs to help you qualify for many remote positions.
Where to find entry-level remote jobs
To sort out flexible, at-home jobs from traditional, in-office roles, start with these sources. And remember to check to be sure they truly allow you to work from home, and verify there’s not a preferred radius from the physical location. For example, some jobs want candidates within 50 miles of the home office, or only those from certain states or time zones. Read the job description to verify these details.
- Major job platforms with strong remote filters — Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter all allow you to search by location, including “remote” or a similar search filter.
- Specialized remote-only job boards — These include FlexJobs, WeWorkRemotely, and Remote.co.
- Company pages for popular remote employers — If you know of a major corporation hiring, go to their “Career” page directly to see jobs and sort by remote filters. Examples of companies with remote jobs include Amazon, Progressive, and Mayo Clinic.
- Online communities or social networks — LinkedIn groups and Reddit’s “Remote Jobs” threads can alert you to potential job opportunities; be sure to fully vet any job that’s not sourced from the company directly.
How to identify legitimate remote opportunities
Unfortunately, job scams are becoming common. Since many remote positions don’t require an in-person interview or office tour, they can be targeted more easily by scammers than traditional jobs. Use the following tips to help protect yourself from fraudulent postings and criminals.
1. Look for red flags
Signs that a job isn’t what it seems include requests for payment from the job candidate, poorly written job listings, vague job descriptions, or salaries that seem too good to be true. Never pay to work for someone. A true employer will provide you with the tools you need and not ask you to buy things, wire money, or return mistakenly issued overpayments.
If you suspect a job isn’t legitimate, stop all communication right away and block future messages.
2. Verify what you can
A little research can save you trouble later, and most companies can be found with professional-looking websites online. They should also have a professional hiring team or HR contact who can answer your questions about the job. Double-check they exist on LinkedIn and have real-life contacts in their employees list.
3. Check for secure communication
You’ll never be contacted out of the blue by a legitimate employer that you haven’t applied with before. Look over emails for address domains that match their company name and website. (For example, emails should come from “person@companyname.com” instead of “companyname@gmail.com”.)
Watch for SMS or text scams that claim you have a job you didn’t know about or promise high daily pay with no experience.
4. Only use trustworthy sources
Even though scammers can and have used legitimate job boards to post scams, these often get reported and taken down. It’s less likely to be scammed by a verified job listing, and you can often see a company’s hiring review on places like Glassdoor and Indeed.
5. Don’t overshare
While you will have to share quite a bit of information on the initial job application, most of these questions should follow lawful practices for fair hiring. They shouldn’t ask for bank account numbers or other data that can put you at risk of theft or fraud. Only provide information for payroll purposes after you’ve been hired and can verify the company is real.
How to apply for and land entry-level remote jobs
When you’ve found an interesting opportunity you’d like to apply for, these strategies can help you land the role.
- Tailor your resume (and cover letter) to the job and working remotely — Include a mix of job-specific skills and those that help you stand out in an at-home environment. These may include communication, reliability, punctuality, and self-management skills.
- Follow directions — Most applications are very clear about what they want from you. Upload correct file types, answer any relevant questions, and verify your references and contact information. Check spelling and formatting, too. Errors can reflect negatively on your application, so avoid them whenever possible.
- Showcase transferable skills — Even if you don’t have remote experience or a background in the specific industry, your talents can still be relevant. Think about the ways you can use them in new and different ways for the remote-specific tasks and be direct about their usefulness.
- Prepare in advance for virtual interviews — Set up an area where you can do Zoom calls or phone interviews without distraction. Create a clean background or wall, and test your lighting, microphone, and camera to ensure they work well. If possible, do a test run with a friend or colleague to see how you come across on screen.
- Practice follow-up etiquette —After the interview, reply promptly to any requests for additional information. If you have an email or address for your job contact, send them a quick but kind thank-you email or note.
Launching your entry-level remote job search
When you find a remote position you’re interested in, take extra steps to vet the hiring team and ensure your information is safe and protected. Then, show off the skills that make you best for each type of work, whether it’s communication, digital-first aptitude, or friendly customer service.
The good news is that any remote job can help you meet your budget goals and build a professional work history — a history you can use to get more senior-level roles down the road. Over time, this experience can also boost your confidence, expand your network, and open doors to specialized career paths, whether you stay remote or transition into hybrid or other opportunities.