4 Work From Home Careers for Today’s College Grad

Young woman at home using her laptop. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The college graduate of today is a different breed of cat. This person is not content with just sitting in a cubicle, hoping for promotion someday. New college graduates are more likely to go an alternative route and perhaps be an entrepreneur or be employed in a less than traditional workplace. As such, work from home careers are increasingly common. Here are four options with plenty of appeal:

1. Medical Coding

Those with technically oriented degrees have the best chance of working from home. A medical coding career has always been an occupation with a home base flavor to it, and those college graduates of programs accredited by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) will find the work is both satisfying and well-paying. Medical coding work is in the area of records keeping and the demand for accurate data, due to both billing and requirements mandated by law, are creating opportunities for people with higher levels of education. The demand for qualified medical coders is expected to stay fairly strong for the next few years, so there will be no want of employment.

2. Web Development

Web development is a high demand area and it is one that can be done from the comfort of a home PC. A college graduate who is well-versed in web design, code updates, or modification of templates can find work almost immediately from various job websites, and these are not necessarily entry-level positions. A person who is willing to work on the tech-support side of web development can also expect to be gainfully employed without much problem. This person can also be based out of the house.

3. Call Center Associate

The soft skilled careers are also capable of being performed from ones home. Call center associates are people who deal with customer service problems from all areas. Although the image of the call center is something that has been outsourced to a foreign country, thousands of call center associates live in the United States. This type of work just requires a headset and a good telecommunications system with which to work. It also means being available anywhere from 7 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time, and it may require a professional to make foreign calls on occasion.

4. Virtual Teacher

The teaching profession has been hammered by budget cutbacks in recent years. Many college graduates with elementary or secondary education degrees may feel considerably frustrated by the lack of positions. Fortunately, there is a trend towards virtual learning that offers opportunities to teachers that not been there before. The software and Internet capabilities enable any person with a degree in education to have a very rewarding career, in the privacy of his or her home, and never have to face a home room class!

Things to Keep in Mind

These are all very attractive options for college graduate but there are a couple things that have to be kept in mind. An individual working from home must have a very reliable Internet access and telecommunication system available. There may also be requirements for software and other materials, which are upfront costs which have to be met. Moreover, a college graduate may want to spend at least two years or so in a traditional work environment, gaining experience that could prove helpful when he or she is alone at a desk. It is also necessary to remember that if the home-based job is a freelance position, all employee benefits and training costs may need to be set-up and paid for by the individual alone.

This being said, a world of possibilities has opened thanks to advances in computer and telecommunications technology. Fewer and fewer people have to make that commute to the downtown area for employment; it is now becoming possible to simply walk from the kitchen to the home office. College graduates have some options to consider as they view a career. Working from the house does not have to be a pipe dream, but rather a place to make a very nice living.

Guest Author: Elyse Hartman is the owner and operator of an educational website dedicated to the medical coding profession. She welcomes your comments and questions at support@medicalcodingtrainingcertification.com
Website: medicalcodingtrainingcertification.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.