#1 Recommended Remote Job For Beginners
When you leave the military, no one tells you that over 55% of veterans end up underemployed. You go from leading teams and solving real-world problems to clocking in at a 9-to-5 where your skills are ignored and your schedule is controlled by someone who’s never led anything more intense than a group chat.
But what if you could flip the script?
This post is your field guide to remote work that pays well, leverages your military experience, and doesn’t require a degree, a suit, or pretending to care about Karen’s birthday in accounting. These aren’t “just customer service jobs”—these are legit, flexible, high-paying remote roles that finally put your discipline and leadership to work on your terms.
First, Let’s Bust the 3 Biggest Myths Veterans Hear About Remote Work
Myth #1: Remote jobs are just glorified call center gigs.
Wrong. Remote work has expanded. You can now run operations, manage projects, write content, do research, or even create digital products—from anywhere.
Myth #2: You need a college degree.
Not true. Most of the jobs in this post are skill-based, not degree-based. If the military taught you anything, it’s how to learn fast, solve problems, and lead. That’s more than enough.
Myth #3: You’ll make less money remotely.
Only if you’re picking the wrong jobs. Many of the roles below start at $60K+, and you don’t have to spend hours commuting or iron a single dress shirt to earn it.
1. Operations Coordinator
Salary Range: $22 to $85K+
Difficulty: Medium
Best For: Veterans with logistics, admin, or leadership backgrounds
If you’ve ever coordinated chaos, led a team, or made things run smoother without anyone really noticing—it’s time to get paid for it. As an operations coordinator, you’ll keep the backend of a business running smoothly.
Where to Find It:
We Work Remotely, FlexJobs, RemoteOK
Search: “Operations Coordinator,” “Virtual Project Assistant,” “Remote Operations Manager”
Pros:
- Leverages leadership skills
- High growth potential
- Flexible hours
Cons:
- Can feel like adult babysitting
- If you hate spreadsheets, skip it
2. Freelance Research Specialist
Salary Range: $20/hour to $100+/hour
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Best For: Veterans with intelligence, recon, or investigative experience
If you were the go-to recon guy or the one who always had the best info before command did, this job’s for you. You’ll be paid to dig up data, insights, or trends that help companies make smarter decisions.
Where to Find It:
Upwork, Contra, PeoplePerHour
Search: “Market Research,” “Freelance Researcher,” “Content Research”
Pros:
- Mostly solo work
- You pick the topics
- High flexibility
Cons:
- Requires real focus
- Some searches are wild goose chases
3. SaaS Customer Success Specialist
Salary Range: $45K to $120K+
Difficulty: Medium
Best For: Veterans with communication, training, or leadership skills
Customer Success means helping people who already bought a product get the most out of it. It’s not sales. You’re walking customers through tools, answering questions, and making sure they don’t hit roadblocks.
Where to Find It:
Remote.co, AngelList, BuiltIn
Search: “Customer Success,” “Client Onboarding,” “SaaS Support”
Pros:
- Paid training
- Remote-first culture
- Great long-term income
Cons:
- Multiple clients at once
- Some Zoom calls (but minimal)
4. Digital Product Creator
Salary Range: $100 to $10K+/month
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Best For: Veterans who are creative, strategic, and love working solo
You can create digital products once—like workbooks, templates, ebooks, or military-inspired mindset guides—and sell them forever. No clients, no meetings, no follow-ups. Just passive income and creative freedom.
Where to Sell:
Etsy, Gumroad, Shopify
Market via Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok
Pros:
- No meetings or clients
- Full creative control
- 100% remote and async
Cons:
- Takes effort upfront
- You’ll need traffic to get sales
5. Freelance Virtual Assistant (VA)
Salary Range: $20 to $100+/hour
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Best For: Veterans who are organized, tech-savvy, and want flexibility
As a freelance VA, you support business owners or content creators by managing email, scheduling, basic tech, or customer service. You get to choose your clients, your niche, and your rates.
Where to Find It:
Upwork, Fiverr, Belay, Facebook Groups
Search: “Virtual Assistant,” “Online Business Support,” “Freelance Admin”
Pros:
- You set your schedule
- Low barrier to entry
- Easy to scale
Cons:
- Juggling clients takes time
- Learning curve for new tools
The Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Remote Work
Mistake #1: Copy-pasting the same résumé everywhere.
Instead: tailor it with keywords from the job post and show how military experience = real-world value.
Mistake #2: Waiting to “feel ready.”
You won’t. Start now. Apply, learn, and get paid to grow.
Mistake #3: Thinking remote work is easy.
Remote freedom = self-discipline. If you can’t stay focused without someone hovering, build a structure that keeps you on track.
Your 5-Step Plan to Start Working Remotely
- Pick one job from this list that fits your skillset.
- Tweak your résumé using relevant keywords.
- Apply to 3–5 jobs with custom messages—quality > quantity.
- Set your remote routine now—before you land the job.
- Learn, deliver, and repeat. One gig leads to another.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a degree. You don’t need a corporate suit. And you definitely don’t need another boss who uses “synergy” unironically.
What you do need is a plan, a little effort, and a willingness to bet on yourself.
Whether you’re fresh out of service or you’ve been out for years, these jobs let you take control of your schedule, your income, and your peace of mind.
So if you’re ready to go from boots to bandwidth, the best time to start is now.
And if you want a head start, check out my top recommended beginner-friendly remote job—it pays you to learn and gets you in the door fast.
Because you’ve already done hard things. This? This is just your next mission.