Top 5 Reasons To Tutor Online
1. Flexibility to work when you want
I'm on holiday this week, which reminded me about why I chose to become an online tutor and the reasons why it's such a great way to earn a living. To take time off, I didn't have to fill in a holiday request form or ask my manager or even book the holiday 6 months in advance. Because I'm my own boss, I have the flexibility to work when I want and so taking a break is on my terms.
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This is very different to when I used to work for language schools. During the busy summer months, no one was allowed to take holiday. There was a restriction on the length of time off I could take and it was also dependent on other people's requests. Thankfully that's all a thing of the past and I'm now free to plan my schedule the way that best fits my needs.
Last year I was able to take 3 months off to travel and do voluntary work abroad. This would have been impossible when I used to work for someone else, but with some careful planning and organisation, I was able to employ another teacher to cover my lessons during my time away. My business continued to run and when I returned home, I was able to carry on tutoring my students.
One of the beaches I visited during my 3 month break
2. Freedom to work how you want
By tutoring online, you have the freedom to teach and work the way you want to, which means that if you have a particular style of teaching or a methodology you prefer, you can do it that way. You don't have to stick to a rigid system implemented by someone else or a company-wide policy based on inspection criteria. So, if you're a language teacher and you like conversational style lessons, you can focus on this. Perhaps you prefer to prepare people for exams or you love teaching people the intricacies of Excel spreadsheets. Whatever style you have, whatever floats your boat, you can do it your way. Teach in a way that makes each day fun and rewarding.
3. Convenience to work where you want
Although tutoring on the beach while sipping a piña colada might not be a true picture of the flexibility that comes with tutoring online, it's not too far from the truth in terms of having the convenience to work in a place that suits you. I've taught online in cafes, my back garden and a hotel room but mostly I tutor in my home office. So, although I don't float on an air bed in the middle of a pool while tutoring, I certainly enjoy the lack of a long commute to work. The convenience of working where I want to is a daily benefit and a big reason to tutor online.
No commute with online tutoring!
4. Increased earning potential
I remember one of the things I struggled with a lot when working for someone else was the lack of compensation for the hard work that I did. I'm a firm believer in working to the best of my abilities and working hard to do a good job. But sometimes it felt like I was working longer and longer hours but for no additional financial recognition. What I love about having my own business is that there's no limit to the potential earnings I can make. That feeling when I sold my first 40 lesson bundle and watched over £1000 pounds transfer to my PayPal account was very encouraging.
I no longer need to wait to the end of the year to discuss a pay review and hope for a couple of per cent pay rise as recognition of my hard work. Now I can work smart, look for new opportunities and increase my income significantly with online tutoring.
5. In control of your future
That leads me to my fifth reason for tutoring online. You are in control of your future. I've experienced first hand the unpredictable nature of teaching English as a foreign language and the lack of job security within the industry. How about you? Have you ever lost a job, been made redundant or just felt that you're one wrong move away from being let go, no matter how hard you work? I know how that feels and it's not nice. By starting my own online tutoring business, I've been able to take the reins and carve out a future for me and my family. No longer am I reliant on someone else. Now it's in my hands. At first that was a bit scary but as I realised the huge potential and ever-growing market for online tutoring, I'm confident that the future of tutoring online is bright.
If you're thinking about getting started with tutoring online but not sure if it's for you. Ask yourself these questions: Do you want the flexibility to work when you want and the freedom to work how you want? How about the convenience to work where you want and avoid that daily commute? Would you like an increased earning potential and to be in control of your future? If you answered yes to any of these, then online tutoring might just be for you.
To read more about how to get started, check out my following posts about What Every Online Tutor Needs and How To Build An Online Tutoring Site.
