The idea of working another job isn’t something you may want, but if you think having a little extra money would be nice, then doing micro jobs may be the ideal option for you. These types of jobs don’t require you to spend hours padding your resume or go “job hunting” on your day off. Micro jobs are small, quick tasks that can be done from the comfort of your home any time of the day or night, whenever you feel like earning a little extra money. These types of jobs are basically small odd jobs that require very little commitment, but still allow you to bring in some extra money.
Types of Micro Jobs
The first thing to remember when you are considering micro jobs is that these jobs are not like other online jobs, such as affiliate marketing or freelance editing, these are small tasks that can be done entirely online. Some of the most common types of micro jobs include:
- Surveys-completing surveys at home are often thought of as the original micro job. There are hundreds of companies and sub-companies that will pay you anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars to answer questions pertaining to their products. Swagbucks is a popular option for many people. Swagbucks also has micro jobs, such as watching videos to earn rewards that can be later redeemed for cash or gift cards.
- Website usability testing this type of micro job utilizes remote testers to review websites and mobile apps for a set fee, which is typically about $10 per website. The tasks vary and you typically use a voice recorder or a screen.
- Reward programs-these types of tasks mean that you will earn rewards for shopping. For instance, Ebates is one of the most common reward problems that pays you a percentage of each purchase you make as long as you go through their site to connect to online store to make your purchase. Other options include earning money on grocery purchases by simply uploading a copy of your receipt to prove that you have purchased items that a reward is being offered for. Ibotta is one of the most popular sites that offer this type of reward program.
- Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is the ideal option for those looking for super quick tasks. Some of the most common tasks include things like transcribing short audio clips, collecting data from receipts or copying hand-written information into a form. The payouts from MTurk are made as deposits into an Amazon account, so you do have to have an account. Once you accept a payout, the funds can either be transferred to your bank account or you can use them on Amazon.
- Online juror-this isn’t so much as micro-task, but it is an opportunity to earn a little pocket cash, rather quickly. The task is offered by attorneys that are preparing for trial. They create a mock jury in order to get feedback from individuals similar to those who may sit on the actual jury. The task may require you to listen to audio and/or watch a video presentation or read the material and then answer questions. This type of task typically requires you to answer detailed questions (don’t ever disclose your bank account or social security number). The pay is generally $10-$60 per “trial”.
There are several perks to working on micro job sites. This type of work doesn’t require any startup fees (as long you already have a computer and internet connection) and there are no interviews. Some tasks do require phone calls, but only if you choose to these types of tasks. Micro jobs are definitely not “get rich” quick jobs, nor are they generally going to allow you to quit your full-time job; however, they are tasks that require very little concentration, in fact you can often do them while watching television, and they will give you some extra pocket money.
Dana George-Berberich is a freelance reporter and novelist. She has written finance articles for newspapers across the country and for companies like Dun & Bradstreet and Bankrate.
