Are you tired of traveling for hours to and from your office? Do you think that the 9-5 lifestyle is not for you? Do you want to spend more time on your hobbies and with your loved ones? If you answer yes to all of these, an online job is your best bet especially now that we’re advised to stay home because of the pandemic.
Contrary to popular belief, you can earn decent money with a full time online job. Some high-paying jobs are also not hard to come by. Just like a traditional office position, an online job may require you to have the relevant experience, skills, and degree. Keep on reading to learn the pros and cons of this work set up and explore some of the best online jobs in the Philippines.
Read More: How to Financially Recover from Unemployment in the Philippines
Why Should I Consider an Online Job?
An online job offers many perks that can help you achieve work and life balance. See and weigh the advantages and disadvantages below.
Advantages of Having an Online Job
- You don’t need to commute. Filipinos spend about 16 days a year stuck in traffic, resulting in about PHP 100,000 of lost income[1]. With an online job, you can avoid the rush hour traffic to and from a traditional office job. You can work at the comforts of your home, not worrying about being at the office on time.
- More time with your loved ones. Since you don’t need to spend countless hours a day traveling, you can use your extra time for some family bonding. Working online may also give you a much-needed "me time" for your passions and hobbies.
- Saves you money. With an online job, you don’t have to spend money on gas or fares. You also spend less on breakfast and lunch since you have more time to make meals at home. In most cases, your clothes won’t matter as much compared when you need to be in the office, saving you thousands of pesos in updating your wardrobe.
- Flexibility. An online job mainly requires an internet connection, a computer or laptop, and time management. You can work from anywhere because your job doesn’t confine you to an office. Want to work at the beach today? You can—and you don’t have to ask your boss for permission as long as you’re doing your work and submitting your output on time.
Disadvantages of Having an Online Job
As with everything, online jobs have their disadvantages too. Some of these cons are:
- Minimal human interaction. If you’re a social butterfly, you may find working an online job difficult. While you will have online meetings and calls with clients or your colleagues now and then, you will be working on your own most of the time. There will be no lunch out with coworkers and talking about weekend plans.
- Difficulty switching off. It can also be difficult to separate your work life from your personal life if you work from home all the time. If your job has flexible hours, you may also find yourself working from early morning until late at night.
- Many distractions. Your household chores and the newest season of your favorite Netflix show can distract you from doing your online job. It takes a lot of discipline to focus on your tasks instead of procrastinating.
- Internet dependency. You need a reliable internet connection to do your online job. In case of a power outage or shaky connection, you may lose hours of work time, affecting your performance.
Read more: 7 Financial Mistakes to Avoid When Working from Home
20 Online Jobs in the Philippines
Here are some of the top online jobs in the Philippines you should consider if you’re planning to quit your office job.
1. Computer Programmer
Monthly salary range: PHP 35,000 – PHP 70,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 200 – PHP 700
As a computer programmer, you will write and test codes for computer applications and programs. Programmers in the Philippines earn an average of PHP 50,000 a month. The more experienced ones can earn more than PHP 100,000 monthly.
2. Content Writer
Monthly salary range: PHP 15,000 – PHP 45,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 93 – PHP 282
Content writing is one of the most popular online jobs in the Philippines. It’s easy to get into this line of work, as long as you write well and have a good command of English. There’s also a huge demand for writers who can produce quality content for websites, blogs, and e-books. The more experienced content writers earn as much as PHP 80,000. However, the average writer salary ranges from PHP 15,000 to PHP 30,000.
3. Data Entry Encoder
Monthly salary range: PHP 15,000 – PHP 25,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 93 – PHP 157
This job will require you to encode information into various systems that your client or company uses. The data can be anything from personal data to company reports. Other responsibilities may include scanning and organizing documents and managing client files.
4. Data Researcher
Monthly salary range: PHP 20,000 – PHP 40,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 125 – PHP 250
As a data researcher, you have to collect information on logistics, sales, and market research online. Your tasks depend on your client’s needs. You may also have to update data given by your clients from time to time. If you’re good with research and don’t mind looking at a lot of numbers, this online job may be ideal.
5. Digital Marketing Specialist
Monthly salary range: PHP 25,000 – PHP 45,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 157 – PHP 281
Digital Marketing Specialists are responsible for creating and delivering marketing programs that assist the growth of a company’s services and products online. You should be proficient in digital advertising, marketing campaigns, and analytics to succeed in this role. The average salary for this position is PHP 25, 000 to PHP 45,000. However, experienced Digital Marketing Specialists can earn more than PHP 60,000 a month.
6. Graphic Designer
Monthly salary range: PHP 23,00 – PHP 80,000+
Average hourly rate: PHP 143 – PHP 500+
Talented in creating and designing various graphics? You can work online as a graphic designer for overseas and local clients and earn over PHP 80,000. The highest-paid designers even charge as much as USD 25 per design or job order.
7. HR Officer
Monthly salary range: PHP 17,000 – PHP 25,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 106 – PHP 156
An HR Officer is responsible for screening applicants, onboarding new employees, and creating HR policies and procedures. You will also be coordinating daily admin operations and addressing employee concerns. Traditionally, screening applicants is done face-to-face, but these days it can be conducted online. Digital tools like BambooHR and Hubstaff have also made remote human resource management a lot easier.
8. Instructional Designer
Monthly salary range: PHP 20,000 – PHP 50,000+
Average hourly rate: PHP 250 – PHP 500
As an instructional designer, you will write educational materials typically used in online learning. You also have to write interactive course content for students and teachers. Companies usually provide online resources and tools for instructional designers to make writing a bit easier. If you’re an experienced instructional designer, you can earn more than PHP 50,000 a month with this online job.
9. Online ESL Tutor
Monthly salary range: PHP 15,000 – PHP 40,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 100 – PHP 200
Even if you have little to no experience in teaching, you can get a job as an Online ESL Tutor if you speak good English with a neutral or American accent. Some of the well-known companies hiring ESL teachers are RareJob and 51Talk.
10. Search Engine Evaluator
Monthly salary range: PHP 5,000 – PHP 40,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 150 – PHP 250
A Search Engine Evaluator isn’t a fulltime job. However, this can help you earn extra money during your free time. You only have to provide feedback to help a search engine improve their online services. Other tasks involve rating online ads and videos on social media. The average hourly rate for this online job is USD 3. Some of the most popular companies hiring Search Engine Evaluators are Google Raters, Appen, and Lionbridge.
11. Social Media Manager
Monthly salary range: PHP 15,000 – PHP 60,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 93 – PHP 375
Digital marketing agencies and businesses abroad hire remote social media managers in the Philippines to handle their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest accounts. If you have the knack for creating engaging content and potentially viral memes, then you can make good money working as a Social Media Manager.
12. SEO Specialist
Monthly salary range: PHP 36,000 – PHP 50,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 220 to PHP 300
You will need prior training and experience before starting as an online SEO Specialist. In addition, you may be required to have at least two to five years of SEO experience to qualify. With online jobs in the Philippines like this one, you should be able to launch and implement SEO campaigns and link-building activities with minimal supervision. This is why the starting salary for an SEO Specialist tends to be higher than its office-based counterpart.
13. Software Engineer
Monthly salary range: PHP 35,000 – PHP 140,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 218 – PHP 600
The IT industry offers some of the highest-paying online jobs in the Philippines, among them is a software engineering job. You can earn as high as PHP 100,000+ in this line of work. You must have at least a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or any related field to work as a software engineer. Clients may also look for experience, technical skills in programming languages like JavaScript, C++, and PHP before considering you for this role.
14. Technical Support Representative
Monthly salary range: PHP 17, 000 – PHP 30,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 106 – PHP 188
As a Technical Support Representative, you will be assisting customers in resolving software and hardware technical issues. You have to walk customers through the steps needed to fix their technical problems. Additionally, you have to keep call logs and reports for the cases you have handled. If you have great people skills, this job may be for you.
15. Telemarketer
Monthly salary range: PHP 16,000 – PHP 40,000 (plus commission or bonus)
Average hourly rate: PHP 100 – PHP 200
Apart from the good pay, telemarketers working online can enjoy additional perks such as commissions and bonuses. If you are fluent in English and have experience in sales, lead generation, or telemarketing, this online job may be ideal for you.
16. Transcriptionist
Monthly salary range: PHP 15,000 – PHP 30,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 94 – PHP 188
As a Transcriptionist, you will be creating written versions of video and/or audio recordings. The recordings can be interviews, meetings, or live speeches. Clients may send the recordings to you online and you can submit the written document the same way.
17. Video Editor
Monthly salary range: PHP 25,000 – PHP 60,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 156 – PHP 500
Aside from creativity, this role requires a keen eye for details. A Video Editor should know how to manipulate raw footage and turn them into a seamless final product. You should also know how to input music, dialogues, or special effects into a video. This role requires knowledge in using video editing programs like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premier. You may also need to have a powerful computer because video editing requires plenty of computer RAM.
18. Virtual Accountant
Monthly salary range: PHP 30,800 – PHP 100,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 193 to PHP 250
International companies are looking for home-based accountants, CPAs, and bookkeepers to manage their taxes, payroll, and other financial aspects of their business. This role is as lucrative as its office-based counterpart. You can earn as much as PHP 100,000 working online as an accountant.
19. Virtual Assistant
Monthly salary range: PHP 15,000 – PHP 35,000
Average hourly rate: PHP 100 – PHP 300
This online job requires minimal skills such as data entry, email management, basic writing, and organizational skills. Some clients even hire virtual assistants with no experience, as long as you’re eager to learn and can do so quickly.
20. Web Designer
Monthly salary: PHP 26,000 – PHP 100,000+
Average hourly rate: PHP 162 – PHP 1,000
If you’re tired of your corporate job as a web designer, you can try working online in web design. A lot of overseas companies, especially those in the U.S. are looking for web designers to build their websites, landing pages, and blogs. Designers working online usually charge USD 4 per hour work, but you can earn more if you also have experience in coding.
Related article: Top Online Jobs in the Philippines You Should Consider
Final Thoughts
An online job lets you spend more time with your family and hobbies. It can also help you save money since you won’t need to travel daily and buy meals on the go. However, how much you earn depends on your location, skills, and experience. Just like you would with a traditional office position, choose an online job that you love—or you may experience burn out a lot faster than you think!
Source: [1] Carmageddon: The indignity of commuting in Metro Manila (Santos, 2020. Aljazeera)
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