WHAT IS A DATA ENTRY JOB?
A data entry job is just that: it is a job that requires you to input data from one server to another, always online, and sometimes part-time and sometimes full-time. Especially in recent times with the incredible expansion of online business, data entry jobs are becoming ever-more prevalent in a typical business setting. All companies, from major corporations to the small mom-and-pop shop on the corner, will, at some point, require some data entry.
Data entry also encompasses a wide range of possibilities, meaning that there is no one set thing that someone can enter data for. Companies will use data entry for worker’s logs and timesheets; product inventory; overhead inventory; sales from that day, week, month, year, or to compare consecutive years; company costs, such as overhead costs, employee salaries, production and manufacturing costs (if they have a product), etc.; and even a to-do list, if you are working for a smaller company.
The great part for you, the underpaid freelancer, is that data entry jobs typically do not require you to actually come into the company to work. Like any media freelance job, data entry can be done at home, in your pyjamas, with the help of both Google Spreadsheets and/or Microsoft Excel and your puppy, Rover, who likes to lick your ankles while you type.
HOW DO YOU FIND AND APPLY FOR DATA ENTRY JOBS?
When it comes to locating and applying for a data entry job, they are no different than other freelance jobs. Most online job boards will have listings for data entry positions, from anywhere to beginner entry to much more advanced input. Some typical listing places can include:
- UpWork
- Elance
- Freelance.com
- oDesk
- Monster
- CareerBuilder
- FaceBook / Twitter
Job postings for data entry jobs can be found in remote freelance postings, like Upwork, oDesk, Elance, and Freelance.com, and are much more direct. General job board sites, like Monster, Indeed, and CareerBuilder may take a bit more searching around because when companies post to these boards, they are not usually looking for freelancers or part-time employees. However, the ads do exist if you are diligent enough! Lastly, some companies will simply post ads to their social media pages, such as LinkedIn and Facebook (and Twitter, if you want some White House credibility).
LinkedIn actually has its own job board where the company directors themselves have the ability to post job ads. What is great about applying for a job on LinkedIn instead of your average job board is that whoever put the ad up receives a direct message that someone has applied to the position. Imagine applying for your dream data entry position and having the head of the employee’s department get the message within a few short minutes!
YOUR DREAM JOB AND POSSIBLE SCAMS
Just like any other profession you can apply to online, data entry positions have their fair share of scams floating around. There are a multitude of, sometimes fake, companies that enjoy preying on the low-income, stay-at-home, or student workers that generally apply for a data entry job. These are the typical candidates because you do not need more than a high school degree or a GED in order to qualify, so even current students or school dropouts are able to apply for, and typically get hired for, these data entry positions.
Here are a few ways to avoid data entry job posting scams:
Avoid ads that ask for employment in exchange for a small fee. If your future employer wants your money, they probably just want your money and not your employment.
Always research the company before you apply.
Likewise, if you are using a job-matching service, make sure they are entirely credible before giving them any type of payment for their services.
Don’t buy into anything without a sound return policy.
If a specific data entry position requires online software, again make sure to research the company and mark them as credible before purchasing.
Some other things you can do are to just ask friends and family whether or not they have heard of X, Y, or Z company before. If they haven’t, then maybe reconsider working with them — or at least giving them your hard-earned cash. If they have or if the name is credible enough to warrant good reviews online, then that is a good green light signal to continue on with the company.
QUALIFICATIONS AND THE TASK LIST
So by now we’ve: identified what a data entry job actually is, how to avoid possible data entry board scams, and where to find these magical, stay-at-home-and-finish data entry positions.
So now, how do you know whether or not a data entry position is a good match for you?
Really, anyone with a high school diploma or a GED can apply for, and be hired for, a data entry position. However, if you are pining after a more specific field — data entry for a hospital, law firm, or some other high-reaching corporation with very specific qualification requirements — you may need to obtain a higher degree in order to apply for and be hired for a data entry job.
Aside from schooling, there are some other qualifications that set you over the top on your data entry applications:
TYPING SKILLS. If you know your average words per minute (WPM) on a keyboard, that can only help your application.
CLERICAL EXPERIENCE (BOOKKEEPING, SECRETARY WORK, ETC.). Having worked with computers before hasn’t hurt anyone, has it? The fact that you are used to higher-paced computer entry work will set you apart from other applicants.
PROFICIENCY IN EITHER GOOGLE DRIVE OR MICROSOFT OFFICE. If you have a background in these applications, then great! If not, they are easy to learn and are very beneficial for just about every single profession in today’s technological age.
But what is really required for this job that you may, or may not, be qualified for, you may be asking? Firstly, you are in charge of inputting any data that the company requires into a Word document or Google Document, a spreadsheet, a company regulated database-management system, or maybe even a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation. Some companies will grant remote access to their databases so that the work can be completed, while others may send you one single document and the sheet it should be inputted into.
Voice transcriptions may also be used to complete some jobs, as well as conducting surveys, scan photos into their database, shred and/or discard other files, perform background checks, and file confidential files. Talk about the whole company being in your hands!
TYPES OF DATA ENTRY POSITIONS
Unless you are a member of a very, very specified field, most data entry positions are easy to understand and even easier to perform. Aside from the specialized and custom data entry positions, there are fifteen common data entry positions that you can apply for to make some side-cash from the comfort of your living room.
COPY AND PASTE → This is probably the most basic data entry position. Your employer will send you two (generally) documents and ask that you copy the information from one document and paste it into another document. No typing required!
SURVEY FORMS → Being in charge of survey forms is another data entry position that doesn’t require you to type. Instead, you merely fill out survey forms that help the company gain insight into either their products, services, or some combination of the two. Survey jobs can also be to create surveys for a single corporation, but you definitely need a bit more qualifications for that.
CAPTCHA ENTRY JOBS → You know those little pop-up bubbles that appear before you purchase a product or enter an encrypted website? That’s a Captcha, and Captcha data entry jobs are maybe one of the simplest jobs you can wrangle. Essentially, you create the Captcha’s for a company’s website through a designated software that they provide for you. All you need as a username and password to get you started! (However, remember our talk about scamming here, because anything that requires software purchases also requires you to do a bit of background research first.)
IMAGE TO TEXT → Image to Text, unfortunately, requires you to type a bit. Your employer will send you an image with text on it, and you simply transcribe the image text into a Word document or Google document.
CATALOG DATA ENTRY OPERATOR → Ain’t that a mouthful? Basically, this position is building an inventory list on either a Microsoft Excel or Google spreadsheet for your employers. Typically, per item on an inventory list you need to record their: serial number, product name, number available in stock, manufacturing cost, wholesale price, retail price, etc.
PROOFREADING AND COPYWRITING → Proofreading and copywriting is a bit different than normal data entry positions because they require a bit more writing on your part, and are not necessarily the brainless type. For proofreading and copywriting an extensive knowledge of the English language is required, as is attention to detail and the proper usage of the Oxford Comma.
CONTENT WRITING → Like proofreading and copywriting, content writing is a more heavily word-focused style of data entry. Similar to a journalist or freelance writer, a content writer is required to write and publish articles for online publications, company blogs, or other websites.
BASIC TYPING JOB → The much simpler version of content writing is basic typing. Essentially, this position requires you to input information from one document onto another document. (Writing speed and heavy language knowledge not required.)
MICRO JOBS → Micro jobs are just that: small, simple jobs. These are normally very basic and can be done two or three at a time, and range through a wide amount of possibilities. Generally, though, they are basic data entry.
EMAIL PROCESSING → Filing emails, anyone? Email processing is all about reading, sorting, and rummaging through company emails. The main idea of this position is to find out the main content of each email and sort based on this information — and most companies will require you to sort through thousands a day.
MEDICAL CODING → Medical coding is an example of a data entry position that requires a hefty skill set to complete. The job requires you to write coding for several medical concepts, the content of which is up to your employer, though are generally about different kinds of types of medicine. Proofreading your work before submission is absolutely necessary.
PAYROLL DATA ENTRY OPERATOR → Payroll data entry is very similar to catalog data entry, because, hey, they are both about data entry. Payroll data operators are in charge of creating payroll lists for multiple employers so that they can keep track of and pay their employees. The information needed is typically an employee’s full name, home address, current salary, starting salary, and so on.
FORMATTING → Formatting takes place entirely on either Microsoft Word or Google Documents and actually can be more difficult than it sounds. Proper formatting requires extensive knowledge of Word and/or Google Docs, and typically requires aligning, bulleted lists, etc.
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION → Medical transcription is by and far the most popular, and maybe one of the easier, data entry positions today. Transcription simply means to record what you hear, and medical transcription means that you are writing down medical terms while listening in on phone calls. For this position, you need fabulous listening skills and an innate ability to multitask.
FORM FILLING → The least common type of data entry job is form filling. Form filling requires you to fill out online forms with basic information, and the information can vary based upon the form. However, sometimes you need to find the information yourself because it is not provided.
THE TAKEAWAY
If you are looking for a quick, somewhat easy, and definitely convenient way to make some extra cash at home, then look no further than a data entry position. Data entry requires very little skillsets for a majority of jobs and can pay upwards of $500 extra per month for either simple or more complex jobs. Just be sure to watch out for scammers, though: they’re everywhere!
REFERENCES
- Nagrale, Pritam, 2015.
- Fernandez, Danielle, 2018.