Data entry jobs are some of the most sought-after positions in today's technology-driven world. Data entry jobs often revolve around a well-defined process—entering data into an electronic system.
Data entry jobs are available everywhere and to anybody who owns a computer and has an internet connection. However, to apply and excel at these jobs, you'll need a specific set of skills and abilities that not everyone has.
So, what exactly are data entry jobs, and how can you apply online? This guide on data entry jobs will answer these questions and more.
- What Are Data Entry Jobs?
- Education Needed for Data Entry Jobs
- How to Apply for Data Entry Jobs
- Excelling in Data Entry Jobs: Tips and Tricks
- Advantages of Data Entry Jobs
What Are Data Entry Jobs?
Data entry jobs involve company employees taking manually or electronically-obtained information and converting it into electronic data.
For example, employees use company-provided software to input sales figures, add raw data into a database, or transcribe recorded meetings. Generally, data entry jobs pay annual salaries within the range of $25,000 to $35,000.
For their role, data entry specialists need a computer loaded with the chosen software and the necessary data stored in the memory. Aside from the software and the computer, you also need to know how to use the software.
If you're working remotely in a freelance position, your employers may not provide a computer. Hence, that responsibility falls on your income. So while you're receiving salaries, you should save enough to buy yourself a computer or use a friend's computer to get your job done until you can afford yours.
Types of Work in Data Entry
Jobs in the data entry industry include clerks, typists, word processors, transcribers, and coders. The title you're given for the job or work involved depends on the organization's needs.
What is unanimous with each job is that you'll use a computer with data entry software such as Excel and a keyboard to type in the information.
Some companies prefer to hire data entry specialists through temp agencies on a short-term basis. While it isn't a full-time job and may not pay much, it's a great way to accumulate work experience and build your resume in preparation for full-time work.
Education Needed for Data Entry Jobs
To become a data entry clerk, you need computer skills, basic administrative skills, and a high school diploma.
However, having a degree does give you an upper hand in hiring decisions as it'll be assumed that you have more experience in a structured environment than someone with a high school diploma may not have.
General Skills Needed for Data Entry Jobs
At any point in time, a data entry specialist might have hundreds to thousands of pieces of data to enter electronically.
Therefore, you must have great time management and organizational skills and the ability to quickly type and edit information using different software such as Microsoft Excel, Word, Powerpoint, or project management software.
The most important skill to have when entering data into a spreadsheet is the ability to operate computer systems. You don't need to know how to program them, but you do need to know how to use simple functions such as opening and closing files and saving your work.
How to Apply for Data Entry Jobs
Company website pages, online job websites, and local newspaper listings are the most popular ways of finding data entry jobs.
In addition, some organizations have a career page on their website that lists current job opportunities that people can apply to, so find them and follow their instructions. You can also have a friend or former colleague recommend you as a data entry clerk for their company.
The second option is online job sites where multiple companies list job vacancies in their organization. Using online job websites will allow you to access more data entry jobs at multiple companies in one location.
This method saves you the time and energy you would've used to check through individual company websites one after the other.
More Ways to Find Data Entry Jobs
The local newspaper is also a good but underserved place to find a data entry job, particularly in our digital age. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage of it. Get a bunch of newspapers at the end of the week and flip through the ad pages for data entry job vacancies. You just might find your dream data entry job.
In addition to these methods, if you're fixated on a company they don't list a data entry vacancy, feel free to email the hiring manager and pitch yourself as a viable addition to their organization.
However, before doing any of these, ensure your resume is in top shape with the tips we provide in the next section.
Data Entry Job Application: Resume Advice
A data entry resume is a document highlighting your experience, skills, and education that are relevant to the data entry job. Start with a concise resume objective that summarizes your experience, skills, and accomplishments.
Then list your relevant work history using active verbs and quantifiable achievements, with the most recent and relevant entry at the top.
Finally, for a targeted resume, read the job requirements carefully and make use of any keywords or phrases that are specifically mentioned as a requirement.
Additional Sections and Formatting
To score extra points, include additional sections with relevant information such as certifications, Excel courses, computer training, and hobbies. Lastly, format the resume using standard fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman in font 11 or 12.
It's best to keep your resume under two pages and send it in the PDF format, and not a Word format.
Excelling in Data Entry Jobs: Tips and Tricks
The first step to excelling at any new job is to communicate explicitly and ask your superiors the right questions.
You should not wait for someone to explain things to you. It's your responsibility to ask questions if something isn't clear. If you don't understand some things, you shouldn't wallow in silence and cause yourself any downtime or repeat work.
Rather, ask the right questions to the right people, especially your supervisors. Then, let them know when you've found the answer to the problem.
Doing this shows your superior that you're an administrative staff with strong problem-solving skills.
Showcase a Self-Starter Character by Learning New Skills
If you want to move up in your career, one of the best ways is to show that you're a problem-solver and self-starter. When your superiors know you're always ready to up your game, they'll never forget about you when it comes time for promotions and more paid responsibility.
This may sound obvious, but the easiest way to stay relevant is to learn new skills through online courses on advanced ways to use software like Excel. With these skills under your belt, you can increase your work speed and save time.
Advantages of Data Entry Jobs
Depending on the employer and your bargaining power, data entry jobs are divided into remote and full-time jobs. If you're able to get a remote data entry job, you won't have to go to the office every day. And even if you do, you can negotiate for either one day to three days off the office floors.
Data entry jobs require minimal technology capabilities. Although some organizations use their special software for data entry, a majority of them use the Microsoft suite, which includes Excel and Word. With this software, you're able to enter data of all kinds and process them if required using certain keyboard commands.
Lastly, if you find a job at a company and you're required to work from their office, the company should have given you access to an official company computer. You don't need to buy your own computer unless absolutely necessary. And if you have to buy yours, the computer will remain your personal property even after you leave.
Disadvantages of Data Entry Jobs
Data entry jobs can be flexible depending on your employer and may be easy to start. However, the salaries aren't as lucrative as other administrative positions. For example, administrative assistants earn more, between $38,000 and $49,000, with a median salary of $43,000.
That's why data entry shouldn't be a long-term career, as the salary might not be enough for some people to take care of themselves, pay bills, raise a family, or go on vacation. In addition, most employers don't have a direct path for data entry workers to advance up a career ladder, so it's best to do your research and ask your supervisor about your chances of growing into another department or a higher position.
Lastly, newbies hoping to begin or switch into a career as a data entry worker will find that finding data entry jobs as a newbie isn't easy. So when you start, you must work hard at finding the right paying job and apply for them with an unmissable resume.
Conclusion
Data entry jobs are administrative positions that require the ability to use a computer to transfer information into a specified format. They're not as lucrative as some other administrative jobs, so they're unsuitable for long-term career progression.
Write a relevant resume and apply online via job sites or company career pages to find a data entry job you'll love
