Data entry jobs essentially involve processing numerical, text based or imagery data from one format to another.
In an age where data, especially on the internet, drives the activities of businesses and organisations alike, manipulation and transference of data is a key requirement. To give a sense of the importance and significance of data in today’s world, research firm IDC predicted that the “digital universe” online would grow to 2.75 zetabytes in the space of a year. This clearly demonstrates that data is certainly big business.
The scope of available data entry jobs is broad. Organisations – from private companies to universities and the health service – have multiple reasons for employing people to enter data and the nature of the tasks vary considerably. Fundamentally, organisations outsource data entry to cut their costs, or to add pace to their operations – to get tasks done quicker as they don’t have their own resources internally.
One example of data work would be Customs Data Importing and manually typing specific details and instructions on shipping orders. Alternatively, taking information from web pages – such as the contact and address details of businesses – and typing that information into a database is another example. Transcribing work can also be viewed more broadly as data entry – where verbal or video recordings (data) are transcribed into written words. Proofreading and editing of text can also fall within a broader definition of data entry. However, these are just a few examples of many online data entry jobs and as such means that the work can be highly varied, which keeps the job interesting and appealing.
The popularity of data entry jobs
By their nature, data entry jobs are often temporary assignments or one-off projects so you can apply for posts whenever it’s convenient. Data entry jobs can also pay well given their flexibility and the lack of set-up costs to enable you to perform the work. Given that a lot of data entry work can be done online you don’t necessarily need to apply for posts in areas that are geographically close to you – or even in the same country. Plus you can literally work from your bed or kitchen table if you choose!
Therefore in these times of economic uncertainty, and where most people’s incomes and benefits are reducing in real terms, the popularity of data entry jobs is as high now as it has ever been.
What will you actually be doing?
First and foremost, you will be sitting working at your computer and there will fundamentally be two key parts to your work – finding jobs and completing them. The former will require significant effort and should not be underestimated or ignored. Given the popularity of this form of work as described above, competition from all over the globe can be intense for the best jobs so finding work should be tackled as professionally as completion.
Completing work essentially involves typing – or keystrokes – working on a conventional computer keyboard and inputting information.
Who would data entry jobs suit?
Data entry jobs are ideal for a whole host of different people with different circumstances. A non-exhaustive list is detailed below:
- Stay-at-home mothers who can fit short periods of data entry around their child’s routine as well as working in the evenings or weekends.
- Students who can fit data entry work around their studies and can use data entry jobs to fill long periods of holiday.
- Part-time workers who are looking to supplement the earnings of their primary job.
- Long shift workers whose primary jobs result in large blocks of free time.
- Anybody who is currently unemployed.
- Anybody looking for an injection of money to fund a holiday, Christmas or an extra-ordinary purchase.
- Anybody considering starting a business from home.
- Anybody looking to gain administrative experience or practise with a view to building an administrative career.
Data entry job benefits
There are a lot of benefits synonymous with doing data entry work online. Firstly, it is home-based; so you can work in an environment where you are relaxed and comfortable and there are no costs associated with travelling to and from work. It can also be done in your own time, as there are usually no set working hours and work can fit around your daily or weekly routines. There are no barriers to completing work in the evenings or at weekends.
Being a freelance data entry clerk / technician is one of the few online businesses that needs no investment given that most people already have a computer with the standard Microsoft packages (or equivalents) and an internet connection.
Doing a data entry job not only earns you money in the short-term but also evidences the use of certain skills that are transferrable into other jobs. In other words, doing a data entry job can allow you to build a bank of experience where your circumstances may not enable you to do so in other ways.
What qualifications are needed?
There is no exact set of qualifications or requirements that you need to enter this career path and most entry level positions require no experience. This makes them perfect for people looking to earn money quickly online without much preparation or training.
Having said that, the more skills you have the better you will likely be paid and the more easily you will attract the best employers / organisations in need. Knowing certain Microsoft spreadsheet formulae and word processing shortcuts will certainly make you more efficient which means that the faster you can work, the more money you will earn and the more lucrative the work will be. Therefore becoming familiar with the more in-depth functions of the Microsoft Office suite of packages has a lot of value.
There are a number of other personal competencies that are important enablers to being successful in data entry jobs:
- patience – data entry can get monotonous at times; you need to be able to focus on long-term goals and get through the short-term distractions
- attention to detail is paramount to your success as it lies at the heart of completing a quality job for the client
- ability to work to deadlines – clients will expect you to meet the deadlines they set out and that you commit to up front
- good communication skills and a high level of literacy – again, these will result in higher quality work for the client
- depending on the nature of the work, a high level of analytical skill may be required.
Having a well-constructed CV which outlines your experience, education and any relevant skills can be a helpful tool to have to be able to send to potential employers to enable you to concisely demonstrate your suitability for a job. Keeping a template cover letter that you can personalise easily and quickly will also act as a differentiator when competing with other candidates for data entry jobs.
Free guidance on writing a CV is available from a number of online and offline sources. If you would like excellent assistance in appropriately structuring and organising your CV for a Data Entry role, submit your CV on our website by following this link. After all, it’s extremely important that you ensure all the information on your CV is accurate and your punctuation and spelling are perfect. If they are not, any potential employer will think negatively of you, especially as you’re applying for work where attention to detail is crucial. To that end, use spelling and grammar checks and ask a friend or relative to read through your CV one or two time before you finalise it and send it to prospective employers.
A typing test/KPH test
The core of any data entry job is entering data using key strokes of a keyboard. Simplistically, the quicker you can type with a high level of accuracy the better. A generic typing test, or keystrokes-per-hour (KPH) test as it can be known, measures speed and accuracy. A test essentially consists of typing a set passage of text or data while you are being timed. An assessment of data quality and words typed per minute is then given and a KPH score can be calculated.
Fortunately, practice can pay off in this area and it’s easy to recognise and measure improvement. There are many websites that offer free online tests, games and help modules to support you.
There are several basic ‘tips’ that can support your typing / data entry development.
- Try and memorise where the keys are on a keyboard. This sounds difficult but with practice it gets a lot easier. Placing small, round stickers over a few keys
in the first instance and adding stickers so keys are masked provides motivation / assistance!
- Understand keyboard shortcuts to completing tasks in the given program you are using. For example, in Microsoft Word, “Ctrl + S” is “save” and can be completed
in less than a second versus picking up the mouse and selecting “save” in the toolbar menu. The “Help” function in most programmes will provide information on shortcuts or indeed use an online search engine to find the best ones. Shortcuts will increase your speed which will increase your earning capacity – it is as simple as that!
- Use the 10 digit number pad on the right hand side of a conventional keyboard, especially when you are dealing with a lot of numbers rather than words. This will increase your accuracy and speed.
- Set up your equipment so that you’re comfortable – it will both increase your proficiency and your enjoyment of the work.
Are you actively seeking a job within Data Entry? We currently have a vacancy for a role which specialises in Data Importation within the field of Customs Operations. You can view it by following this link!
– SurveyCompare
