While a lot of data entry jobs are scams, there are still many that are legitimate. The problem is that demand for these legitimate, well paying positions is so high that it is becoming harder and harder to get into them.

From the outside, this may seem backwards. More and more companies are looking to outsource their employees online, and data entry is a position thats easy enough for anybody to get into.

Well yes, there are still plenty of positions available, and anyone with the right education can find one.

The difficulty is in finding a legitimate company that will pay you a fair wage and value your skills.

Most of the work at home data entry jobs involve ad typing work. This basically involves writing small ads and distributing them around the internet.

Dont get me wrong, this is a perfectly legitimate job and there are numerous companies that need people to do this. However, be aware that for many of these positions you do not get paid unless someone buys the product from your ad. So unless you have exceptional marketing skills or 20 hours a day to commit to distributing ads, most of the ad typing jobs will not yield you an income.

So the search begins for something slightly more professional such as virtual clerical duties. This involves typing data into forms, proofreading and formatting documents and writing letters for the company that employs you. Most of these positions are legitimate, but even if you are more then qualified, you will still find yourself up against a lot of competition.

A great place to start looking for these types of positions is at sites like craigslist.org and Indeed.com

There are still problems though. Many times there will be hundreds of people looking at and applying for the same jobs as you. Thus you need to search everyday for jobs that are suitable to your needs, and hope that you land one. You also need to create a resume and cover letter that is top class.

As you can see, getting a work at home data entry job can be tough, and its only going to get tougher. But the reason why so many people are interested is because it can be an extremely satisfying career. If you are even the slightest bit interested, theres no better time to look into data entry jobs than now.

Here some final tips to help you find a legitimate company to work for:

-- Print out business cards and flyers notifying people about the service you offer... and hand them out at any chance you get.

-- Avoid free listing sites if possible when searching for jobs, as most will be scams. Invest in a website like craigslist.org or indeed.com

-- Be wary of doing business with a company that uses a free email service (such as hotmail, yahoo or msn).

-- If the company asks for a fee before answering any questions, walk away immediately.

-- Research, research and research to find out all you can about the company and to make sure they are legitimate.

Finally, do not be afraid of competition. If you find a posting for a work at home data entry job that you would love to do, then go for it. Too many people sit back waiting for an opportunity to come to them, but they miss out on all the best ones that pass them by. Once you find a company that works for you, do all you can to work for them.