Side Hussle: Proofread a text and get paid
10 COMPANIES THAT PAY YOU TO PROOFREAD.Today I bring you tea on one of the most flexible work from home jobs, the art of proofreading.Dear six-figure mom this might just be the answer to your secret prayers as proofreaders have not seen this much demand as it is now this is a result of the influx of brands and online businesses who need the content of their websites free from error. Make sure you take notes from the content of this post to guide you on your way to becoming a freelance proofreader. With that being said let us get startedWHAT IS PROOFREADING: Proofreading Is a careful examination of the text before it is shared. It involves running through each line of text to check for errors that the writer missed.Proofreading is the last stage of the writing process, as it fixes errors like wrong spelling, incorrect punctuation, and sentence inconsistencies.WHAT CAN YOU PROOFREAD: Any editable text can be proofread if it falls under any of these forms of text.* Academic papers* Job applications* Online articles* Announcements* Fliers and newsletters.Most people believe Copy editing is the same as proofreading, but there exists a huge difference between the two. Proofreading corrects errors and minor details focus on checking text for grammar mistakes, sentences structure, and misspelled words. Editing changes the tone of the text, replaces sentence that is inconsistent with the format of writing.Proofreading happens after an editor has gone over the text and deemed it fit for sharing.TIPS TO HELP YOU PROOFREAD LIKE A PRO:It is important to have basic proofreading skills, even if you are just a writer, if you learn and develop your proofreading skills, you could start earning like most professionals in the field. These tips do not cover the total guidelines necessary for becoming a professional hence I advise you to take courses on this subject so you can learn from the best and confidently charge your rates without the fear of being called a fraud.* Use a printout; what I mean is you should go for the manual approach where you print out the text and read through it circling the mistakes you missed on the monitor screen.* Proofread only articles that have passed through final draft edits. This will save you the time and stress of proofreading an article only for it to go through another editing process which will require you to read through it again. * Utilize software; software like Grammarly, Spellcheck, Ginger help you spot errors easily hence reducing the stress and time it would take you to complete a job.* Read through the text more than twice to spot errors you might have missed the first time.* Take a day after the first read to proofread, but if you are on a tight schedule taking a half-hour break in between corrections can boost your productivity.* Choose an area of specialization, it will help you get used to a type of writing, and through repetitive analysis, you will learn to spot the common mistakes in such a text.HOW PROOFREADERS GET PAID:For freelance proofreaders, the charge rates are usually per hour or by the length of text. Another system that determines your fees is the number of years of experience you have as a proofreader as people tend to pay more for seasoned proofreaders the general belief being that through years of practice they have gained expertise on the job.SKILLS YOU NEED AS A PROFESSIONAL PROOFREADER:* Patience; the work is a tedious one especially in cases where the work spans through many pages that will leave your head reeling from the overload. You will need to learn how to develop a tolerance for lengthy text.* Sound mastery of the English language and correct placement of punctuations in a text.* Attentiveness to details; you need to have a sharp eye for spotting errors easily as that is the core of your job.HOW TO GET STARTED:* Practice; proofread articles your friends write, college essays, reports, newsletters sny pieces of edited text you can find use its content to practice your craft.* Develop a portfolio; grow the list of jobs you have done, this will be what you show to prospect looking to hire you. It will be proof of your expertise.* Take classes and courses on proofreading. Get a mentor someone who will hold your hands on your journey.* Send out proposals to brands and businesses you would love to work with, send out applications to companies seeking to hire proofreaders.* Don’t wait to start, start from what you know, research tools that can help you work better, and proofread for free till your portfolio gets you paying jobs.WHO YOU CAN WORK WITH: As a freelancer, you can work with online businesses that need the content they share with their audience error-free. Authors are your best bet as they need proofreaders to check their books before it gets printed. You could also work with companies that employ proofreaders on a large scale due to the high rate of demand they have.
According to salary.com, a survey was carried out, and the statistical data gathered showed that proofreaders earn an average of $52 per annum. Some earn an hourly rate of $25.These charges are usually based on the perceived value of the proofreaders, that is why you must gain mastery of this craft.At this point, I am sure you have understood what it takes to be a proofreader and how lucrative the job is. You will agree with me that for a stay-at-home mom, it is a flexible work-from-home job that is not time-sensitive except you have multiple deadlines to beat. Since we have gotten acquainted with the world of proofreading, let me help you with a list of companies that employ proofreaders this list will help you narrow down places you should send your application letters to.1. SCRIBBR: applicants go through an initial language test, lots of screening processes including simulations to test their editing abilities.
2. PROOFREADING SERVICES. COM; this company hires applicants whose portfolio shows their work ethic and accuracy level.
3. UPWORK: A site for freelancers in any niche to find clients. When you sign in, you will get a list of prospects who need the services of a proofreader all you have to do is send a proposal and await a response.
4. FIVERR: a site that allows freelancers to get demand jobs.
5. CRAIGLIST: They offer opportunities to both experienced and startup writers.
6. GURU.COM has been in existence for quite a while, so if you are searching for a reliable and safe company to work at, then this is your go-to place.
7. LINKEDIN: this is one of the most underrated tools in finding employment, it is underutilized as people don’t know how to set it up as both a portfolio and a visibility tool.
8. FREELANCER: This is a good place to start building your career, as they serve clients who are in the market for either seasoned writers or newbies.
9. POLISHED PAPER: The company only works with experienced proofreaders, its screening process starts with an application form that checks the level of expertise an applicant has, after which the job seeker gets to solve a 35 question quiz to rate his/her accuracy
10. LIONBRIDGE: Offers a wide range of services to the mainstream market with proofreading as one of its branches of interest.
There are lots of other companies that can pay you for your proofreading skills but if you wish to be a full-time freelancer, you would need to develop a solid portfolio and write compelling proposals to convince your leads of your ability. They might have doubts about the quality of your work, what you need to do is to show them previous works to alleviate their fears. Set your prices so it doesn’t raise dust in the future. Be sure to deliver on deadlines as this will help you build a loyal customer base.If you still need clarity, leave a message in the comments and I will gladly answer you. Cheers to your earning ability.