5. Writer
What better service industry to get into that one which doesn’t require your physical presence?
Most self-employed workers either sell a physical product or provide a physical service. With writing, you have the burden of neither. Your product is words which you pull from your imagination (or Google’s) and your service is stringing those words together into more or less coherent paragraphs for your clients…clients who may operate in another town, state, or country!
Though writing may be the world’s most exportable career, it’s no joyride. Mastering the craft is hard work, and finding consistent paying customers is even harder. But with enough tenacity, many writers are able to make a comfortable living from home (or a beachfront cafe with WiFi). No degree is required, but a solid understanding of the English language and how to use it to engage readers is the key.
For web or marketing content especially, understanding the objective of the piece (to entice a sale, to solicit a donation, to make a “call to action”) and knowing who is going to be reading it can make the difference between a writer how gets work and one who, well, needs more practice!