There are thousands of ways to generate income these days. Some of the available options include working for a company, investing in a partnership, or signing up for a reselling program. You could also look into working on some of the many micro-jobs available online.

Micro jobs have become increasingly popular over the past several years. They offer workers the opportunity to achieve their personal and career goals, and to generate income quickly.

Micro jobs are essentially small jobs or sets of tasks that could be accomplished relatively quickly. Entire projects take only a few hours to complete, and workers are paid per assignment.

Freelance workers who take on micro jobs usually work under an Independent Contractor Agreement. Unlike regular employees, freelancers work on a “per-project” basis. Their working hours and terms of employment typically depend on the terms and conditions stipulated in the contract.

What types of micro-jobs are currently available?

There are hundreds of micro jobs available nowadays. Depending on the terms of the agreement, you may be required to work online or report to a physical location. Some positions may require you to work from your home part of the time and in an office on other days. Here are some examples of micro jobs currently available:

Real-world tasks

These types of micro jobs require your physical presence as opposed to allowing you to work from home. The work involved may vary considerably depending on the employer and the terms of the contract. Some clients require workers that have specific skill sets. Others simply require workers to perform routine tasks.

Other contracts require workers to perform errands such as getting prescriptions filled, dropping off packages at the post office, and getting the laundry done. Depending on the specifics, workers may function as personal assistants.

Online tasks

The range of online tasks is often just as varied as real-world tasks. The main difference is that these tasks can be performed remotely, either from the worker’s home or from another location.

The majority of online tasks involve working on a computer. The work may include writing articles, managing and designing web sites, and maintaining user communities. Online work may also involve providing support or technical assistance to customers.

Among the requirements for working online are a computer, a fast and reliable internet connection, and a reasonably quiet place to work. Depending on the specifics of the job, you may also need to have a webcam and basic communications equipment.

Crowdsourcing projects

Crowdsourcing refers to the process of accumulating knowledge, goods, or services from a large group of people. The people who participate in the project may also contribute views and opinions in response to online requests. These requests may be made via smartphone apps, social media sites, or crowdsourcing platforms.

Employers may give workers access to a website so that they can perform the necessary tasks for the project. The site may provide instructions for formatting, submission, and other project requirements.

Online surveys

Another option is to answer online surveys. Market researchers commission surveys to generate data that they can use to improve the quality of their products and services. Business firms also use the feedback to gain insight into the behavior and purchase decisions of customers.

Online surveys usually don’t pay a lot of money, which is why most people do them in conjunction with a regular job. Companies will usually require workers to have a valid email address to gain access to the survey questions.

Online service marketplace

Online marketplaces are sites that provide opportunities for buyers to connect with sellers. These opportunities may be made available via an app or a distributor’s website.

Online marketplaces essentially function as digital middlemen that connect buyers and sellers so that they can engage in transactions. Buyers have the opportunity to purchase products or services, while sellers have a wider range of customers.

Legitimate and trusted micro jobs sites to make money online

Now that you know the different types of micro jobs available, here are a few sites where you can find some legitimate options.

Fiverr

Fiverr is a micro job site that is ideally suited for aspiring writers, designers, graphic artists, and musicians. The site offers many opportunities for these and other creative professionals to sell their services.

Fiverr has provided more than 50 million jobs to workers from around the world. The site claims to close job contracts every four seconds. The cost of services on the site range from as little as five dollars to $10,000.

Signing up for a gig on Fiverr is quick and easy. After creating a profile, you can begin offering your goods or services with a corresponding price. You may also bid on requests and attract customers to purchase your services.

After connecting with a customer, you may negotiate other terms and conditions that aren’t stated in your listing. Fiverr gives you 80% of the gig fee and takes 20%.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a short-task site that allows you to perform a variety of micro jobs for money. Job options include answering surveys, watching videos, discovering deals, searching the internet, and playing games. Since the site was founded, it has earned its members more than $300 million.

Every task that you complete on Swagbucks corresponds to a certain number of points. One thousand points equal $10. You can redeem your points for cash via PayPal or for gift cards from Amazon, Starbucks, or Walmart.

Clickworker

Clickworker is a crowdsourcing platform that lets clients distribute tasks to remote freelance workers. As a worker, you can perform a wide variety of tasks for pay on the site, including typing, taking surveys, categorizing data, and proofreading. You could also earn your pay by making short audio or video recordings.

One of the best things about Clickworker is flexible working hours. Creating a profile in Clickworker requires completing a skills assessment process. You will then be matched to specific jobs depending on the results.

Earnings in Clickworker start at $11 or €5. Payments are sent biweekly or at the end of each month via PayPal or Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).

Amazon Mechanical Turk/MTurk

Amazon Mechanical Turk or MTurk offers workers the opportunity to work on micro jobs known as Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs). There is a wide range of tasks available on the site, including performing Google searches, validating data, completing surveys, and transcribing audios or videos.

MTurk also allows you to assist Amazon’s front sellers by editing and validating their online listings. You essentially help sellers generate more sales, which in turn affects the purchase decisions of buyers.

Upon accomplishing a HIT, you will get paid from $6 to $10. You will usually receive your money in ten days.

Skyward

Skyward is ideally suited for those who want to work in branding and marketing. An online site that provides workers many opportunities to connect with potential customers, Skyward caters mainly to freelance writers, photographers, and designers.

Getting started on Skyward is as simple as uploading a portfolio of your work and marketing it on the site. After creating a profile, you need to be accepted by a channel owner who will determine your pay rates. You will also have to specify your remote working location.

Skyward pays workers per assignment, with rates ranging from $10 to $250 per project. You will receive your payment via PayPal between the first and the fifteenth of the month.

Key takeaways

Perhaps the best thing about micro jobs is how they let you generate income more quickly than you would from a standard office job. In most cases, micro jobs are a lot simpler as well, allowing you to earn money right from your computer or even your smartphone.

The value of micro jobs truly comes to the fore when you consider the global pandemic that we now face. For many people, there is an increased need to make money via non-traditional means.

Online micro jobs may provide the ideal solution, allowing people to circumvent the obstacles of working a traditional job. So if you are looking for a way to support yourself in these increasingly trying times, you would do well to consider the opportunities presented by micro jobs.