With the unemployment rate hovering around 10% and not seeming to be getting better anytime soon, you might be hard-pressed to find a job even if you are really looking for one. However, if you really are trying to find a way to make ends meet, there is no need to restrict yourself to traditional jobs or traditional methods to find jobs. Unknown to some, there are hundreds of thousands or even millions of temporary jobs online that you can do from the comfort of your own home in order to pick up some extra dollars. I have made several thousand dollars using these methods and just about anyone with a computer can also. These are not get-rich-quick things and actually do require you to work. However, they are a good source of part-time income and if you really enjoy and have a knack for doing them, can turn into a full-time career. This article will talk about some hotspots on the internet where you can land paying jobs that you can do from the comfort of your home.

1.Elance(elance.com) --- This is definitely one of the premier spots to get started if you are seriously thinking about making some money online. Elance is a place where there are thousands of people hiring for different tasks. Many of these jobs are related to programming or databases so if your a techie, you definitely have an edge. Popular jobs are those relating to PHP, SQL, ASP, .NET or other online development languages. However, even if you don't know how to program, you are not going to be shut out. There are also people hiring technical writers so if your good at writing instructions or have experience writing documentation, you can also get a paying gig. For someone starting out, definitely check out this site as one of the major stops.

2.vworker(vworker.com) – Another site like elance and one that also focuses on technical jobs. The bulk of the jobs listed here are development jobs for online applications but as with elance, writing jobs, and other miscellaneous jobs are posted here. There are thousands of jobs here that you can apply for so there are lots of opportunities to pick up some extra cash.

3.mturk(mturk.com) – This looks to be a more international place and as a result rates will probably be lower as people from lower-wage countries can usually underbid you. However, it is a huge hotspot and there are many, many, online projects here that your can do covering a wide range of areas. I have never used this myself because when I was doing these online jobs, I did not know about this site.

4.Digital Point Market place(forums.digitalpoint.com) – This is actually a sub-forum at Digital Point. Its under the "Buy, Sell, or Trade" forum and is labeled the "services" forum. You may have to sign up at DP forums, post some posts and wait a few weeks to get permission to post in the "services" forum. You'll find people wanting to both and buy sell many services here ranging from programmers, artists, writer, search engine optimization experts, and other online services. I actually get most of my start here at DP as I got odd jobs online writing essays, programming applications, posting on forums(yes people actually pay you to do this), as well as perform a variety of other online services. People are generally pretty cheap at DP, but you can make some serious money if your willing to work a lot and build up a reputation.

5.Sitepoint Marketplace(sitepoint.com) – Not sure which subsection of the site this is at. I've actually written 1 or 2 articles for Sitepoint myself in the distant past. Most of the jobs at Sitepoint are design or programming jobs. The pay is better obviously but people who post jobs here are generally expecting more professionalism from the people they hire. Many also like people with experience. This may not be the place for first-timers but you could give it a shot.

6.Helium – Helium is basically a site where writers can write certain articles for money. I have a some articles published at helium but I've never tried taking up any of the articles that they pay you to write. You'll have to join helium and suggest topics to be accepted. After you've written a few good articles, you should look to start applying to write paid articles that people or Helium wants you to write. I have never written paid articles here so I am not sure what the going rate is. Buzzle offers similar opportunities but the application process there is a little different.

7.Squidoo – Squidoo requires writing good articles(called lenses) and promoting them. Squidoo shares its revenue with its authors so you can stand to make some money here. However, unless you are really good at getting people to read your stuff online, there's no guarantee you'll make anything here.

8.Other – There are plenty of other places online where you can pick up temp jobs places like talkarcades(for arcade-site related stuff) and flashkit(for simple flash jobs) have people that are wanting to hire for simple to complex tasks. If you specialize in a Niche, go to business forums for that niche and usually there will be someone hiring. Do not be afraid of rejection as you will probably get "no thanks" more often than you land a job. You've got nothing to lose.

Whatever you choose to do in terms of an online job, note that when you first start, rates will be pretty low as you do not have a reputation and people generally go online to hire because they want to find someone that will work cheap. You are truly competing against global competition so that will drive prices down. However, there are people that will pay a premium for good communication and on-time delivery, so never slack off in your work. Payment is handled for the most part by Paypal, so be sure you have an account set up to receive payments. Always keep track of your clients and build your reputation and portfolio as you go. In time you will no longer have to apply for jobs as people will come to you if you are regarded as someone who does good work. At that point, the rate for your services will also go up as people will see you as a more qualified professional. I've met many people that actually turned these temporary jobs into a full-time career that pays well but most people just do it to pick up some extra cash. Whether your unemployed and looking for some relief or your a student trying to work your way through school, these online jobs can really help you make ends meet.