Scams

• Learn about the various types of online data entry scams. If an advertisement promises a high payout with minimal work, look elsewhere. If it requires you to pay money up front for a list of work opportunities, it is a scam.
  
  

Freelance

• Sign up on freelance work sites. Some include oDesk, ELance and Guru (see Resources). Several others also have online data entry positions. Build your reputation on these sites to be able to charge more money for your work. You may also gain some private clients from these sites to increase your income.
  
  Bid on online data entry jobs as they come up that meet your personal and professional preferences. You will be competing against other online data entry professionals, so create an online presence and resume that stands out. Turn out quality work, and earn your clients' trust over time so you can raise your rates later.
  
  

Data Entry Forums

• Participate in online forums for online data entry professionals. Learn of new, legitimate job opportunities and about the latest scams. Work-at-home sites often have forums and job advertisements dedicated to different work-at-home professions, including data entry. Indeed.com has a forum dedicated to data entry. Worldwide Work at Home offers a listing of companies that hire data entry employees on its Clerical Home Based Jobs site.
  
  

Types of Work

• Medical transcription, spreadsheet work and writing articles online are just three of the many types of data entry work available. Wherever an employer needs something typed, data entry professionals can help them complete their projects. Word processing, computer programming and entering lists of numbers into a spreadsheet are other examples of data entry work.
  
  

Skills and Pay

• Accuracy, the ability to type quickly, fast 10-key typing and detailed observation are important to being a successful data entry professional. Knowledge of standard office equipment and office computer software is also essential.
  
  The mean national annual pay as of May 2009 was $33,720 for word processors/typists and $28,000 for data entry keyers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.