20 Legitimate Online Proofreading Jobs for Beginners

The Best Entry Level Proofreading Jobs Online

If you are looking for legitimate online proofreading jobs for beginners, there are some companies/sites that hire proofreaders with no experience.

Looking for a legitimate way to earn money from home and online?

There are online jobs that will allow you to earn income even if you have no experience as long as you have the skills to do the work.

Some of these jobs offer super flexibility and consistent income even if you are starting from scratch.

If this sounds a good fit for you, then online proofreading can be the best online job for you to work from home on your own schedule and earn consistent income every month.

If you are an avid reader and are good at spotting errors in writing, then becoming an online proofreader is one of the best ways for you to make money from home and online.

In this article you will learn what it takes to become a proofreader, who hires proofreaders, how to find online proofreading jobs for beginners, what proofreading courses you can take, and what you can expect to earn as an online proofreader.


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What Is Proofreading?

Proofreading involves reviewing written documents for grammar, spelling, typographical, and style errors and then correcting any errors you find to make the documents polished and error-free before the documents are printed or published online.

Proofreading is not the same as editing, but often they are used interchangeably. Proofreading is all about making sure the written content is polished and error-free.

As an online proofreader, the type of content you can proofread can include:

  • Academic essays
  • Research papers
  • Resumes
  • Newsletters
  • Novels
  • Blog posts
  • Newspaper articles
  • Social media content
  • Legal documents
  • Text books

The list really is endless when it comes to proofreading tasks!

If you love to read and are good at spotting errors in written texts, then you might consider becoming an online proofreader to earn extra income from home and online.


What Skills Are Required To Be A Proofreader?

Skills needed to be a proofreader will vary depending on the job you want to work on.

The most basic skills required to be a proofreader include having excellent grammar and spelling skills, attention to detail, a great vocabulary, knowledge for proofreading marks, and patience.

Some proofreading companies/sites require proofreaders to have at least a bachelor’s or college degree.

However, others simply require you to have proofreading experience to be accepted as a proofreader by them.

You can start working as an online proofreader even if you have no experience, as many proofreading companies/sites do not require you to have neither experience nor a college degree to find work as long as you have the required skills to do the work.

Many digital publications use the Chicago Manual of Style while many professional organizations and online content sites follow AP Stylebook guidelines.

If you are familiar with certain writing and proofreading styles, then you could get hired for specific online proofreading jobs for beginners.

If you want to proofread academic content for students or teachers, you may be asked by some clients to use the MLA Style Manual.


The Best Proofreading Courses To Learn Proofreading

If you are interested in proofreading but not sure where to start, then there are training courses you can take that will teach you how to proofread properly, how to find the most common mistakes in writing, and how to find clients.

When it comes to taking proofreading courses online, proofreading guru, Caitlin Pyle, offers two popular proofreading courses through her business “Proofread Anywhere”.

These are:

1. General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ and

2. Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™.

Caitlin is one of the most successful proofreaders out there and made $43,000 in her first year proofreading part time

She now teaches people how to become a successful proofreader, find online proofreading jobs and how to start a successful freelance proofreading business from home.

General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ 

If you are interested in general proofreading but not sure where to start, then you may want to take General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ course – even if you have no prior experience.

The General Proofreading course is ideal for those proofreaders who like to proofread books, articles, blog posts, resules, news articles, etc.

The General Proofreading course includes 40+ lessons in 9 modules. This course teaches you everything you need to know about proofreading even if you are starting from scratch.

As a general proofreader, the types of clients you can work with may include bloggers, online course creators, publishing companies, self-publishing authors, students, teachers, government organizations, and different types of businesses.

Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™

Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™is the first and only multimedia training program for transcript proofreading.

Transcript proofreading is a speciality niche of proofreading that involves proofreading legal documents/transcripts created by court reporters during legal proceedings.

Proofreading court transcripts is much more technical and complicated than proofreading general documents and it requires different skills and technical expertise. The pay is higher for a transcript proofreader than a general proofreader.

Transcript Proofreading is definitely worth taking for those proofreaders who want to take their proofreading skills to the next level.

One of the things I love about Caitlin’s course is she offers a completely free 76 minute workshop so you can see whether proofreading is for you before you join the full course.


How Much Do Proofreaders Earn

How much you can earn as an online proofreader depends on your skills, experience and the type of projects you are working on.

You can get paid per project, page, or an hourly rate, depending  on the job you are working on.

According to Indeed.com, the average hourly pay for a proofreader in the USA is $22.27 per hour.

And according to ZipRecruiter, the average pay for a freelance proofreader in the USA is $51,391 a year and as a high as $52,486 on Salary.com, as of writing this article.

As an entry level online proofreader, you can earn $10-$15 per hour. As you gain more experience, you will be able to charge more for your proofreading services.

The more experience you have, the more money you will make per hour as an online proofreader.

If you are a freelance proofreader, you can make anywhere from $25-$50 per hour, depending  on your experience and how fast you work. Some experienced proofreaders earn anywhere from $50 to $100 per hour.


The Best Online Proofreading Jobs

If you are looking for legitimate online proofreading jobs for beginners, there are some companies/sites that hire proofreaders with no experience.

But each of these companies or sites has their own requirements such as educational qualification, how to apply to become a proofreader with them, how to apply for a job, etc., and may require you to pass a proofreading test before you can start work, depending on the company/site. 

If you are wondering “Where can I find online proofreading jobs for beginners?”, then here is a list of 20 US companies hiring proofreaders for online proofreading jobs for beginners:

1.ProofreadingServices.com

This company pays $19-$46 per hour depending on the turnaround time. Both part-time and full-time positions are available for proofreaders. ProofreadingServices.com hire proofreaders from any country.

2. EditFast

EditFast is a reputable proofreading site that hires for online proofreading jobs for beginners. You can apply to become a proofreader if you have a degree from a recognized university, but no experience is required.

3. Gramlee

You can apply to become a proofreader by filling out an online application on the site. No experience is required.

4. EditorWorld.com

EditorWorld.com hires for entry level online proofreading jobs. To apply with them, you must be a native English speaker and have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

5. KellyConnect

KellyConnect is a staffing agency where you can find jobs posted in all fields, including proofreading. Simply submit your resume and you shall get a notification when a proofreading job matching your skills is posted.

6. Polished Papers

Polished Papers hire proofreaders with no experience who can pass a 35-question test. Submit your application to get started.

7. Reedsy

You can sign up and create a free Reedsy profile and advertise your proofreading skills.

8. Domainite

Domainite accepts applications for online proofreading jobs from proofreaders with no experience.

9. LifeTips

LifeTips accepts applications from proofreaders with no experience through an online form. As a freelance proofreader, you will work directly with clients.

10. Kirkus Media

Kirkus Media hires proofreaders with entry level experience. You need to submit your resume along with writing samples and a list of reviewing samples to apply for jobs.

11. Scribbr

Scribbr is one of the best proofreading companies to work for. If you have at least a bachelor’s degree and some experience in proofreading academic texts, then you could become a proofreader with them.

12. ProofreadingPal

If you are proficient in several popular writing styles, and have some experience proofreading academic papers, then this company may be the perfect fit for you to work with as an online proofreader.

13. Babbletype

Babbletype hires proofreaders with entry level experience from time to time.

14. Freelancer

Freelancer is one of the largest freelancing sites that lists online proofreading jobs for beginners. Simply create a freelancer profile, advertising your skills and services and then apply for jobs that match your skills.

15. Fiverr

One of the best places to find online proofreading jobs for beginners is Fiverr where you can create a seller account to offer your services. Buyers can see your services on the site and hire you for your advertised services. You get to set your own rate, starting at $5.

16. Upwork

Upwork is a freelance site where you can create a freelancer account to advertise your proofreading services online. Clients post jobs and you can bid for those jobs that match your skills and  interest. You can accept the rates clients offer or negotiate the rates with them.

17. PeoplePerHour

Another reputable freelance site that features online proofreading jobs for beginners. Clients post jobs and you apply for those that match your skills and interests.

18. ProBlogger Jobs

ProBlogger Jobs is an online job board for mostly blogging jobs. But sometimes you can find online proofreading jobs for beginners on this job board too.

19. Mediabistro

Mediabistro is an online job site that features various types of jobs, including proofreading jobs from companies all over the world. You need to sign up as a freelancer to apply for jobs.

20. Indeed

Indeed is one of largest job sites on the web. You can search the site to see what online proofreading jobs are available for beginners.


Final Thoughts

If you want to work as a freelance online proofreader, then you can start your own proofreading business online today – there really is no need to wait.

Proofread Anywhere is the perfect course to get you started where you can get the right direction and guidance you need to start your own freelance proofreading business from home or to become a successful online proofreader.

The free 76 minute work shop Caitlin Pyle offers really is worth its weight in gold if you’re genuinely interested in this work from home opportunity.

There is a huge demand for proofreaders. If you have a pair of eagle eyes, excellent attention to detail, and excellent communication skills, then proofreading could be the perfect online job or work-from-home job for you to make money from home and online.

You do not need a degree in English or journalism to be a proofreader. And you do not even need experience which makes it one of the most accessible work from home jobs available.


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About the author

Oliver graduated from law school in 2008 and has practiced exclusively in the field of civil litigation for the last 10 years. He has a wealth of experience and expertise in litigation involving large financial losses and a special interest in consumer law. He has achieved numerous 7 figure settlements and has been involved in multi-billion dollar class-action consumer lawsuits against companies such as the Volkswagen Group. Away from the law, he is a consumer information and personal finance writer, having been featured in key publications such as Yahoo Finance, GO Banking Rates, NewsBreak, MEL Magazine, and many more.



-Chief Editor and Founder

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