Data Entry Jobs - An Overview
Data entry jobs are a popular work from home opportunity being promoted today on some of the world's most visited websites.
These advertisements claim that you can make upwards of $100-300 a day in various work from home opportunities.
Work from home opportunities are out there, but here's the real scoop on what data entry jobs are really like, how much money you can really make, and how you can get a work from home job.
Organizations and companies in the modern era have a rapidly growing need to enter and process large amounts of data in short amount of time.
To meet this growing need, there has come the advent of data entry jobs.
In general, these jobs consist of operating various business machines, keying in data, and conducting other clerical functions.
Data entry jobs vary when it comes to the level of work.
At the lower end, workers can expect to enter in addresses to create mailing labels, work with form letters, or preparing templated reports.
At the high end, workers will work with complex sets of data and tables that require not only a higher degree of accuracy, but also independent judgment to know how to manage the data sets they are working with.
This used to be done on various types of business machines, ranging from the very simple to the very complex, but in recent times, data entry is now mostly done on desktop computers.
The thing that varies now in the data entry world is the type of software they are using.
It used to be that each department used to have their own data entry workers.
Often times it was an administrative assistant or clerk that functioned as the keyer.
That is becoming less and less the case.
Data entry is now done mostly by single departments that are dedicated to conducting data-entry services, and this department is set up to serve the other departments in the company for their needs.
More recently, however, data entry services are increasingly becoming outsourced, not only to third-party companies in the US and Canada, but now also to foreign countries like India and China.
This has given rise to the transferring of jobs offshore, much like manufacturing jobs have gone offshore in the last 2 decades.
In addition, these jobs are now also being replaced by scanners and other automatic reading devices that no longer need manual entering of data.
Also, because most people are now using computers instead of hard copy paper, data is now already in electronic form when it is created.
This means you no longer need people like word processors and typists to type up letters and reports.
Managers are now doing this on their own with their own computers.
The use of scanners still need personnel, however, only when the data is unreadable by the scanner.
Although the advent of technology is taking over the functions of data entry jobs, personnel is still in demand, especially those with technical and computer expertise.
Most workers start out either right out of high school or out of being a full time homemaker.
Most jobs are entry-level that don't require a lot of advanced education.
Candidates typically take an accuracy and speed test to see if they have the skills to do the job.
Beyond that, most training is done on the job.
Workers in this field will advance in their careers by moving up to supervisory roles or go laterally to other administrative work that may pay higher.
Workers can also take classes in using software packages like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access to advance.
Companies will usually sponsor a lot of these training activities for their workers as well.
With the advent of the internet and digital phone and fax services has brought also the advent of work from home data entry jobs.
These work from home opportunities usually come about once a worker has been in the office at a company.
People should beware of companies that charge you to find work from home data entry opportunities.
Or companies that charge you to get trained so you can get work from home data entry jobs.
These work from home opportunities typically involve you starting your own home business and you going out to get clients yourself.
Getting clients for this type of work isn't easy, and once you do, you're basically a business owner.
These advertisements claim that you can make upwards of $100-300 a day in various work from home opportunities.
Work from home opportunities are out there, but here's the real scoop on what data entry jobs are really like, how much money you can really make, and how you can get a work from home job.
Organizations and companies in the modern era have a rapidly growing need to enter and process large amounts of data in short amount of time.
To meet this growing need, there has come the advent of data entry jobs.
In general, these jobs consist of operating various business machines, keying in data, and conducting other clerical functions.
Data entry jobs vary when it comes to the level of work.
At the lower end, workers can expect to enter in addresses to create mailing labels, work with form letters, or preparing templated reports.
At the high end, workers will work with complex sets of data and tables that require not only a higher degree of accuracy, but also independent judgment to know how to manage the data sets they are working with.
This used to be done on various types of business machines, ranging from the very simple to the very complex, but in recent times, data entry is now mostly done on desktop computers.
The thing that varies now in the data entry world is the type of software they are using.
It used to be that each department used to have their own data entry workers.
Often times it was an administrative assistant or clerk that functioned as the keyer.
That is becoming less and less the case.
Data entry is now done mostly by single departments that are dedicated to conducting data-entry services, and this department is set up to serve the other departments in the company for their needs.
More recently, however, data entry services are increasingly becoming outsourced, not only to third-party companies in the US and Canada, but now also to foreign countries like India and China.
This has given rise to the transferring of jobs offshore, much like manufacturing jobs have gone offshore in the last 2 decades.
In addition, these jobs are now also being replaced by scanners and other automatic reading devices that no longer need manual entering of data.
Also, because most people are now using computers instead of hard copy paper, data is now already in electronic form when it is created.
This means you no longer need people like word processors and typists to type up letters and reports.
Managers are now doing this on their own with their own computers.
The use of scanners still need personnel, however, only when the data is unreadable by the scanner.
Although the advent of technology is taking over the functions of data entry jobs, personnel is still in demand, especially those with technical and computer expertise.
Most workers start out either right out of high school or out of being a full time homemaker.
Most jobs are entry-level that don't require a lot of advanced education.
Candidates typically take an accuracy and speed test to see if they have the skills to do the job.
Beyond that, most training is done on the job.
Workers in this field will advance in their careers by moving up to supervisory roles or go laterally to other administrative work that may pay higher.
Workers can also take classes in using software packages like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access to advance.
Companies will usually sponsor a lot of these training activities for their workers as well.
With the advent of the internet and digital phone and fax services has brought also the advent of work from home data entry jobs.
These work from home opportunities usually come about once a worker has been in the office at a company.
People should beware of companies that charge you to find work from home data entry opportunities.
Or companies that charge you to get trained so you can get work from home data entry jobs.
These work from home opportunities typically involve you starting your own home business and you going out to get clients yourself.
Getting clients for this type of work isn't easy, and once you do, you're basically a business owner.
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