Telecommuting Internationally: Yes You Can

Perhaps the best part about living in the new millennium is that our job prospects are not limited to those offered within our own countries. This is a godsend for people here in India where the population is huge but the number of available jobs is small. For many, telecommuting internationally is the best way to earn money to help support their families--not just because there are more jobs available for telecommuters but also because the exchange rates from other countries like the US to here in India are very favorable for us.

Exchange Rates

The exchange rate from USD to Indian Rupees is roughly 1:67. That means that someone in India needs to earn only ten USD to afford a monthly transit pass. Or 175 USD to afford monthly rent on an apartment in a city’s center. The Americans offer high wages to their workers. The current federal minimum wage is 7.25 USD per hour. That translates to roughly 486 Rupees. For just an hour of work done at minimum wage! And, thanks to the increase in international money transferring companies, clients in the US can send money to India for far lower fees than they used to, which works out well for you and your clients.

Finding Work

While it is easy to know that international telecommuting is in your best financial interests, actually finding an employer who will hire an Indian resident (outside of those who outsource their customer service and factory work here) can be difficult. You will need to overcome the language barriers that exist and deal with time differences. You also need to decide which sort of work to do.

Freelance Writing

Many Indians begin by trying their hands at freelance writing. If you can write well in conversational American English you can find blogging and article writing jobs fairly quickly. What is important, however, is that you do not allow yourself to be taken advantage of. There are many companies who understand that the exchange rate can save them a lot of money and they will offer you terrible wages. Some will only pay 5 USD per article. Yes, that works out to more than 300 Rupees but an American would not settle for that low price. For many American freelance writers, even 50 USD (3350 Rupees) isn’t always fair. It will be tempting to take the low hanging fruit because it is there and easy to do but if you are a good writer, insist on a fair wage for the client’s country. Your bank account will thank you.

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