If you are looking for a career that provides flexibility and freedom, there are a vast amount of online employment opportunities in a multitude of fields, including:

• Medical Transcription
• Virtual Assistant
• Digital Marketing
• Bookkeeping
• Web Development
• Teaching

There are hundreds and sometimes thousands of position openings on the web. Finding the best match for your skills can be a daunting task. You also want to avoid scams that disguise themselves as legitimate jobs.

Below are seven ways to boost your chances of finding the best online career opportunities to meet your needs and requirements.

1. Do Your Research

It's not unusual for recent grads or anyone looking for a career change to not know exactly what they want to do.

However, researching to learn more about the fields or jobs that you are considering will help you understand what is involved in each role and will assist your narrowing down your choices.

Take time to learn about the qualifications, job duties, and what aspects of the opportunities that are interesting to you.

Having knowledge about industries and position openings before you apply will enable you to customize your cover letter and resume to match the requirements for each different job.

2. Use Your Network

We have all the heard the phrase "it's who you know". It applies to musicians and artists who want to get discovered as well as getting your foot in the door for a job you want at a specific company.

Business Insider reports that between 70% and 85% position openings are not even posted or listed. The number one reason is due to networking and referrals.

Enhance your odds of landing a job interview by getting a referral from someone you know who already works for the company. Or, that person might know someone else who does.

Receiving an offer is still in your hands because it is your responsibility to sell yourself to the hiring manager.

Talk to family and friends and let them know you are looking for a job and where you would like to work. It is possible that someone you know can lend a helping hand and make an introduction for you.

Try to create meaningful relationships with others who share similar professional goals. Attend local industry events, join online networking groups or forums, and visit discussion boards.

3. Use Social Media

92% of companies and recruiters are using social media in their hiring efforts. Not only do they post position openings online, 70% of them screen job applicants by looking at their social media activity to determine whether they are a good fit for their company.

Below are a few ways to use your social media profiles and activity to increase your chances of getting a job offer.

• Build a personal brand\
• Avoid controversial subjects, arguments, and embarrassing or inappropriate photos
• Be professional and courteous
• Stay engaged and active, especially on LinkedIn
• Join conversations and stay current on trending topics

Keep in mind that the suggestions above apply for all your social media accounts. A potential employer might not necessarily look for your qualifications on Facebook.

But they will see how you present yourself. This is also known as your personal brand.

While some social networks such as Facebook and Instagram are used more for personal sharing and fun, LinkedIn is a valuable professional social media resource.

4. Focus on LinkedIn

The more completed and optimized your LinkedIn profile is, the higher the chances hiring managers or recruiters will find you.

Once they do find you, they will want to see your work history, skills, accomplishments, education, recommendations, and anything else that makes you stand out from others competing for the same position.

Customize your URL to include your name by following the steps below:

• From the navigation, click on your profile picture
• In the top right-hand corner, click on Edit profile and URL
• Find and click on the pencil icon to the right of your public profile URL
• In the space provided, enter your name as you want it to appear in your custom public profile and save.
• If your name is unique, you should have no problem. However, if your name is common and someone else already has that URL, use a variation that is consistent with your personal brand.

Other tips include:

• Write a headline that contains keywords, is descriptive, and makes you stand out
• Use a professional photo as your profile picture
• Include multimedia such as videos, photos, and slideshow presentations to your profile summary

5. Start a Blog

Creating a blog site is a great way to write about your interests and passions, complement your resume, and build your online presence.

While anyone can set up a Twitter or Facebook profile, putting time into creating and maintaining a blog takes more time and dedication.

Other benefits of writing a blog include:

• Standing out from other job applicants by showing initiative and proving that you are a go-getter
• Demonstrating your qualifications and suitability by showcasing your knowledge
• Using your blog to network with others by encouraging engagement on your posts
• Getting to know other industry professionals
• Building your personal brand by sharing your posts on social media, gaining a dedicated following, and growing your online network

Blogging will strengthen your brand. It will also help create an engaging and compelling value proposition for yourself as a valuable professional asset to companies.

6. Create a Portfolio

An online portfolio is an easy way for potential employers to see your credentials and samples of your work.

It enables job seekers to compile their best work and qualifications for employment in an easily accessible format via a link on the Internet.

You should include in your online portfolio package items such as:

• Your resume
• Artwork or design work
• Articles or blog posts
• Certifications
• Transcripts
• Reports
• Recommendations

Creating a cohesive and comprehensive portfolio will differentiate yourself from others competing for the same job openings.

It will show prospective employers the quality and scope of your training and experience.

7. Be Prepared

The goal of everything you do to boost your online career prospects is to land an interview where you present yourself as the most qualified candidate to get the job offer.

Take the time to learn as much as you can from as many sources as possible about the company before the interview.

Ask intelligent, meaningful, and relevant questions to show that you have done your homework and researched the business.

Some other ways to get prepared for an interview include:

• Prepare how you will answer the question "tell me about yourself" because most interviewers will ask
• Dress professionally and neatly to create an excellent first impression
• Plan and rehearse your responses to typical interview questions
• Pay attention to your non-verbal communication such as body language
• Know your resume, skills, experience, and training to best answer relevant questions
• Get a good night's sleep

Follow some of the tips above to increase your chances of getting an interview for a job you want. And of course, your ultimate goal is to get the job offer.