Own an Apple laptop or desktop and want to work remotely?
Apple computers have a strong following that loves the brand, design, and functionality. And how could you blame them? However, there are a few drawbacks in the realm of work-from-home and utilizing iPads or Macs. One of these is that it may seem more difficult to find work-from-home opportunities that you can qualify for equipment-wise. Don’t despair, though! As I said, it may seem like remote jobs are more difficult to come by as a Mac user, but I have a list of legitimate opportunities to share with you too! This topic will help you get started in your work-from-home career whether you’re sitting with a MacBook Pro or an iMac.
Customer Service Rep
Customer service positions are one of the most widely available employee remote jobs to be found – and also the least likely to accommodate Mac users, likely due to the proprietary platforms they have their customer service representatives use. Happily, there are exceptions in the online marketplace:
- Apple At Home Advisor – It would just be silly if the maker of Mac computers didn’t hire Mac users, right? Right! As one of their phone or chat agents, you can expect them to send you an iMac and headset for your use; they’ll even reimburse you for your Internet connection.
- Arise annually recruits for a Mac client program through their platform – and it fills up fast! The current technical requirements include having the MAC OS X 10.11 – El Capitan with a hard drive of 500 GB or larger. They also prefer you have two monitors. Get more technical details at their site.
- HiringThing periodically hires remote Customer Support Representatives with proven customer support experience and familiarity with both Windows and Mac OS operating systems. They also offer a $100 per month telecom reimbursement (and a $50 per month fitness reimbursement!).
- NexRep is often looking for customer service reps and they hire independent contractors with Mac computers; their agents make on average between $15 – $25 per hour and have great scheduling flexibility.
- U-Haul allows their Inbound Sales and Reservations Agents to use a Mac computer so long as it meets all equipment requirements and is compatible with the position. There are several technical requirements to consider, including having a core i5 processor (or better), 8GB of RAM, and 5GB of hard disc space available for U-Haul’s proprietary software.
Search Engine Evaluator
You probably know that search engine evaluation is all about completing certain searches on various search engines or social media and evaluating ads or search results – well, search features need to be evaluated for ALL platforms, so this is a work-from-home opportunity that won’t discriminate against Mac users.
- Appen only asks that you have secure high-speed Internet access and a computer with a working sound card and speakers. If you’d like to work with your iPhone instead, it must be less than 3 years old.
- LeapForce’s requirements for their independent agents are similar to Appen’s – you need high-speed Internet access and a computer that can run Google Chrome (and must also be running the latest anti-virus, anti-spyware software).
- ZeroChaos occasionally hires Ad Quality Raters and, when they do, they don’t specify needing a certain type of computer. You just need the usual high-speed Internet connection, a college degree, and at least 10 hours a week to spend evaluating ads.
Note: Lionbridge and iSoftStone are two big survey companies in the Ad/Search Evaluation industry as well, and they both specify that you need to be running Windows to work for them – you might look into applying anyway if you can dual boot a Windows OS.
Transcriptionist
Transcription can be a little trickier to break into when you’re a Mac user – some transcription companies use applications that don’t require you to download any proprietary software. Others do. Sometimes, you’re authorized to work around this Windows requirement by dual booting your Mac. (That’s when you run two operating systems on your Mac simultaneously, one being the Windows OS. Read more about dual booting; you should be very tech-savvy to attempt this.)
- AccuTran Global does not specify that you must use a PC, just that your computer should be running Windows 10. This could be a good opportunity to dual-boot your Mac with Windows so you can qualify as a transcriber with AccuTran Global. Just be sure that you know exactly what you are doing and what the risks of dual booting are.
- FF Transcription uses Express Scribe which has a Mac version, so you should have no problem onboarding as a freelance transcriber with them. You can even configure Express Scribe to use a foot pedal! They do require their transcription documents to be done in Microsoft Word, though.
- Quicktate welcomes Mac users to apply and specifies in their FAQ that you must use either Safari or Google Chrome as your browser when doing Quicktate work. They’re a 24/7 business, so you can pick up transcription work whenever you like (depending on what’s available, of course).
- Rev also does not specify that you must own a PC – they specifically state that all you need is a reliable Internet connection and that your computer’s speakers work – while adding that you may find it beneficial to your performance to have headphones and a foot pedal as well.
- TranscribeMe says the same thing as Rev above – you just need a computer with a stable internet connection; additionally, they suggest you use headphones as well. With TranscribeMe, you do all transcription on their WorkHub so you don’t need to worry about a program’s compatibility with your Mac.
Virtual Assistant
Another tactic for finding a work-from-home position that allows Macs is to search for those that don’t have proprietary software you’ll need to install on your computer. Becoming a virtual assistant is one great opportunity that fits this bill – you’ll just need to make sure that your clients don’t require you to use certain programs or file types incompatible with a Mac.
- Belay – while they require you to have at least five years experience as an Executive Assistant or other admin support role and prefer you have a Bachelor’s degree, you can use either a PC or a Mac on the job! You will need to have MS Office suite, though.
- Fancy Hands doesn’t seem to be concerned with what type of computer you use – you just need to have great communication skills, a reliable Internet connection, and an audio headset (they even say that, in some cases, iPhone headphones work). They’re also looking for people with availability at all hours – so if you stay up all night, this could be a great opportunity for extra income.
- Time Etc welcomes you to apply regardless of what type of computer you have – so long as you own one and have some type of office software. They are also particularly interested in freelance virtual assistants looking for part-time work, but also say there’s the potential for full-time work in this role.
- Upwork is a platform where you can offer your services – including your services as a virtual assistant – to clients or business owners searching for this type of support. There are even project listings on Upwork that specify you must have a Mac computer to qualify!
- Worldwide101 also welcomes applicants who work from home with a Mac computer. They’re more interested that you have the requisite amount of experience (seven years or more of professional corporate experience) and fantastic references than what computer you use.
Tutoring
Online tutoring opportunities overall seem to be fairly Mac-friendly, with tech requirements often not specifying a required type of computer. After all, given the nature of the position, you’re either writing in a browser-based system or tutoring through video via an app or program like Skype. This industry is full of great opportunities for Mac users!
- Aim Academics only requires you to have a computer and a broadband Internet connection to tutor online with them! You must have a Bachelor’s degree in the subject you wish to teach and some teaching experience. The pay is reportedly $10-15 hourly.
- iTutorGroup is a popular site for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL): to qualify for teaching with them, you must have TESOL/TEFL certification (or equivalent), a Bachelor’s degree, and at least 1 year of teaching experience. They welcome tutors working on Macs- just be sure you’re running an up-to-date version of Mac OSX.
- StudyPool lets you get paid for helping students at all levels with their homework – they say you can earn up to $5000 per month! Since you browse questions and answer them via StudyPool’s website, you don’t need a particular type of computer to qualify. Just focus on learning their bidding system and maximizing your earnings by helping students!
Now you can feel even better about owning Apple products – you have a sweet machine and plenty of work-from-home job opportunities to keep you busy. Hop to it! And drop me a line to tell me about other remote job opportunities for Mac users that you discover!