Fair or not, college students are notoriously known for not having a lot of spare cash available to them at any given time. It is understandable that a group of people that are typically between the ages of 18–23 have yet to establish themselves in the workforce in a way that enables them to have bounties of disposable income. It is difficult to be a college student with limited work experience, but everyone has to start somewhere. Fortunately, there are some types of work that appeal to those just starting out. Data entry jobs are ideal in these circumstances. Data entry jobs for college students are typically bountiful, and we want to highlight some of those jobs as well as the pros of taking a job in this line of work.
Reasonable Wages for Reasonable Workload
Juggling a job and a full course load of classes is not easy for anyone to pull off. This is why online data entry jobs for students may just be the ticket to success. Some of these jobs allow the student to set his or her own hours, and the compensation is very reasonable for the work expected. According to salary.com, the median hourly wage for data entry jobs for students in the United States is $16 per hour. This far exceeds the wages that one might earn in a restaurant or retail job, and the work is less taxing on the body.
Additional upsides to working in a data entry job as compared to other lines of work include the following:
- The ability to earn extra money for superb typing skills
- Gaining insights into the working structure of different industries
- The chance to work from home in the case of online data entry jobs for students
- Many of these jobs come with at least some benefits
- Full-time hours (if desired) are the norm in the industry
It is a struggle to find all of these great upsides in any other industry that is actively and eagerly pursuing college students. Those looking for work while working on their studies could do a lot worse than to take a job in data entry.
Beginning the Process
Understandably, a college student with minimal experience in the work world is likely to be nervous and perhaps overwhelmed by the prospect of a data entry job application. They may not know precisely what to put on their application or exactly how it ought to be worded to make them stand out. Fortunately, this is all a part of the process, and getting past those nervous moments is just about taking this challenge by the horns and getting past it.
Before diving right in, a quick reminder that not all data entry job companies are created equal. The industry has seen its fair share of scam artists looking to take advantage of those in need of work. Thebalancecareers.com has an important reminder to anyone seeking data-entry job employment when they mention the following:
Unfortunately, many online ads for work-at-home data entry jobs could very well be work-at-home scams. Any data entry position that promises high pay is most likely not what it seems and should be avoided, or at the very least vetted carefully.
Don’t give out any personal information, especially not your bank account information, before verifying that you’re dealing with a legitimate company.
It is easy to get sucked into the idea that a company is willing to pay well above the national average for your work. The promise of that quick cash causes some people to lose their heads about them and give out far more personal information than they ever should. Do not be one of those people! Now that we have put that out there, let us take a look at a list of companies offering data entry online jobs that are legitimate.
Adecco
This is perhaps the most famous company that you have not yet heard about. Adecco is a leader in online medical transcription work and is currently seeking to fill a contract position for approximately the next five months. This position would require the applicant to possess at least a high school diploma, have a working knowledge of medical terminology, be able to work overtime as needed, and process large volumes of data quickly.
These requirements come with a handsome offering of $16.29 per hour to the person who takes this job, and the position would be a minimum of forty hours per week. That is some significant work for someone who needs to make a nice little income for themselves. This position would be best suited for someone who is taking college courses at night as the hours are 7:30 am to 3 pm, but that is ideal for someone in those circumstances.
Staffmark
Staffmark is a great choice from the job listings offered on the incredibly useful job board at Lensa. This staffing agency has been in the business for more than four decades and has filled countless data entry jobs for college students. They know how to pair up the right people with the right employers, and they are great at weeding out the potential scams in the market.
This company currently has a role at $16 per hour that asks of its applicants that they have a strong understanding of Microsoft Office, an extreme level of attention to detail, and the ability to work with large amounts of data. A college student who can meet those qualifications might be able to find work through Staffmark.
Settlement Music School
A college student looking for data entry work that is strictly done from home could look to the Settlement Music School for a job right now. They have a job posted on the Lensa job board that involves transferring data from a paper format into databases and onto computers. The work is straightforward once the applicant has taken the time to get into the groove of how this job is designed to work.
The compensation varies greatly depending on previous experience as well as job performance. Settlement Music School is willing to pay between $12 and $22 per hour for the right applicant. They want to see someone who is dedicated to the work and is willing to put in the hours and attention to detail that they require to get the job done correctly. Anyone willing to do that has a shot at the higher end of that pay scale.
The Future Of Data Entry Is Bright
We mentioned three of the potential job openings available in data entry right now, but that is just a tiny sampling of all that is out there. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that this industry will continue to grow rapidly as the need for more and more data across industries expands. Companies have begun to lean in heavily on their ability to access essential data for business decision-making, and that means they will need an army of people to enter that data into usable spreadsheets and so much more.
This is an excellent industry to begin one’s career in, and the prospects only continue to brighten as the years go on. What starts out as a gig for a college student to earn some extra cash can turn into so much more.
Interested job-seekers should take a look at the constantly updating job listings on the Lensa job board. There are plenty of exciting opportunities for those looking for full-time, part-time, or flexible work that meets their schedule!
