A job in online writing can mean many things. Ranging from working on self-owned blogs to creating articles for clients with their own websites, the variety allows for many writing styles to find an eager market. While no formal education is required for most online writing jobs, solid writing skills are expected and specialized knowledge in certain areas can be an asset. Some companies offer special opportunities to writers with degrees or credentials in areas such as medicine or law for example. Unfortunately, with the ever-growing interest in online writing jobs, a potential author must take care in finding a good job in the field. Applying the same caution as a job seeker would in any other field, be wary of companies offering jobs which seem too good to be true. Be especially cautious if those lofty offers require paying the company to become part of their 'team'. A legit writing brokerage will not need the authors to pay in, they should be willing to pay you for offering quality work. If you intend to use any work in a portfolio, be sure to read over the terms and conditions very carefully. Once you've been paid for 'full rights' on a piece, it cannot be part of a portfolio or even shared elsewhere as your work. As the internet is a worldwide workplace, be sure that the agreed upon rates for your writing make it worthwhile. While some writers around the world are able to get by on fifty cents a page, most of the world cannot. The majority of online writing work pays by the word, though some offer flat-rates for a piece and others vary according to any number of factors. If you can work quickly and don't take too long to craft a quality piece of writing, it can be a disadvantage to agree to an hourly rate. Understanding your work style and the market rates for your caliber of work will determine the best options for you in the variety of online writing jobs.