Who Can Start a Tutoring Business?
A person can start tutoring as an independent contractor.
This means that the individual is not employed by any company and does not have to pay taxes or file tax returns.
The student pays for services rendered, which may include lesson plans, materials, transportation costs, etc.
A person who wants to become a tutor must first obtain a state-issued teaching certificate from their local school district.
In addition, they will also need to pass a background check through the Department of Education.
If you are interested in becoming a tutor, contact your local schools to find out if there are openings available.
How Much Does it Cost to Become a Tutor?
Tutors typically charge between $10-$20 per hour, depending on location and subject matter.
Some students prefer paying more than others so make sure to ask about rates before signing up with anyone.
List Of Legal Requirements For Starting A Tutoring Business
The following are legal requirements for starting a tutoring business:
1) You must register with your county clerk’s office in order to get a business license. If you do not live within the city limits of one of these cities, then you should contact your nearest county seat to check with proper licenses.
2) Your business name cannot contain obscene words or phrases. It must be at least three letters long and it cannot use numbers or punctuation marks. You can use the business name search tool to help you with name ideas.
3) All businesses must provide proof of insurance coverage. Assess the potential liability risks so you can check professional liability insurance and personal liability protection.
4) Any business operating out of someone else’s home needs permission from the homeowner and proper licenses.
5) There are certain types of businesses that require special licenses. These include daycare centers, massage parlours, adult entertainment establishments, pawnshops, and liquor stores.
6) Some states allow people to operate unlicensed tutoring businesses if they meet specific criteria. Check with your state department of education before opening up shop.
7) Most states prohibit individuals under 18 years old from being self-employed without parental supervision. However, some states permit this type of employment when there is no risk involved.
8) Many states limit how much money students can spend on private lessons. Make sure you know what rules apply in your area.
9) When working as a private tutor, make sure you keep accurate records of all transactions so that you don’t end up owing anyone anything.
10) Before beginning work as a private tutor, ask yourself whether you want to teach children or adults.
Children tend to learn better when taught by older peers than younger ones. Adults often prefer learning from other adults because they feel more comfortable discussing personal issues with them.
11) Be aware of laws regarding child labour. While many states allow minors to work part time while still attending high school, others forbid such activity altogether.
12) Always remember to follow safety precautions when providing instruction.
Common tutoring categories
There are several ways to categorise tutoring business based upon their focus on tutoring.
Here are just a few examples:
Academic tutoring focuses on helping students improve grades in subjects like math, science, English, history, geography, foreign languages, reading comprehension, writing skills, test preparation, ACT/SAT prep, SAT prep, GRE prep, LSAT prep, MCAT prep, medical terminology, nursing vocabulary, law terms, accounting, finance, statistics, economics, psychology,
Business Tutor – helps students prepare for college entrance exams, career tests, professional licensing examinations, standardized testing, graduate admissions, job interviews, resume building, etc.
Career Counselling – provides guidance about choosing careers, preparing resumes, interviewing techniques, salary negotiation strategies, networking tips, etc.
Computer Training – teaches computer basics, software applications (e.g., Photoshop, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Quicken, Corel draw, Adobe Illustrator, Dream weaver, Flash, Java, HTML, XML, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, C++, Visual Basic, ASP, cultivation, Perl, Ruby, Python, Delphi, subscript, JSP, servants, CGI scripts, AJAX, DHTML, XSL
How to offer tutoring services
Tutoring jobs have become increasingly popular over recent years due to an increase in demand for qualified teachers.
In fact, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects for those who hold degrees related to teaching seem especially promising right now.
For example, BLS data shows that between 2008 and 2018, the number of new teacher positions increased by nearly 20 percent.
This means that there will probably continue to be plenty of opportunities for aspiring educators looking to break into the field.
However, it’s important to note that not everyone has the same level of success when launching his or her own tutoring company.
So, if you decide to launch your own tutoring business, here are four tips to help ensure that you succeed:
1) Find Your Niche
The first critical step towards starting a successful tutoring business involves finding your tutoring niche in which you excel. If you’re good at chemistry but hate biology, then perhaps you should consider becoming a biochemistry tutor instead.
On the flip side, if you love art but struggle with algebra, maybe you should start offering painting tutorials instead.
By focusing on a specific subject matter, you’ll find that people are far less hesitant to hire you since they already understand why you would be an effective tutor.
2) Create A Unique Brand Identity
Once you’ve found your niche, it’s time to create a brand identity around it. What does this mean? It simply refers to how you present yourself online.
Do you use professional-looking photos? Does your website look clean and organized? Is your branding consistent across all social media platforms?
These questions can make or break your reputation among potential clients so take some time to get everything set up properly before opening shop!
3) Build An Online Reputation
As mentioned above, having a strong online presence is essential to any tutoring business.
You want prospective customers to know exactly what kind of experience they can expect from working with you.
To do this, you must build a solid following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
Make sure that these profiles include high-quality images and videos showcasing your work along with information regarding your qualifications, tutoring approach and specialties.
Also, don’t forget to add links back to your site where possible.
4) Get Connected With Local Schools
When it comes to getting started, nothing beats word-of-mouth marketing more than anything else.
After all, most students aren’t going to seek out someone outside their community just because he or she offers free tutoring sessions.
Instead, they’ll go directly to friends, family members, neighbours, and other trusted sources for recommendations.
Characteristics of a Good Tutor
If you think that being a great tutor requires extensive training, you’d better think again. While many tutors may require college courses as part of their degree requirements, others choose to pursue additional certifications through organizations like National Board Certification.
Regardless of whether you complete formal education or earn certification, however, certain traits tend to separate the best tutors from the rest.
Here are three qualities for tutors that define a truly effective tutor:
1) Passionate About Education
First off, there’s no point in spending hours upon hours teaching something unless you really care about doing so.
This means that you shouldn’t teach subjects that bore you or those that have little relevance to your life.
In addition, you also shouldn’t offer lessons that will ultimately lead to failure. For example, if you plan to become an accountant, then you might want to avoid taking classes in math or science.
Likewise, if you intend to study medicine, then you probably won’t enjoy learning about anatomy or physiology.
2) Knowledgeable And Experienced
Having said that, knowledge isn’t enough when it comes to tutoring. Sure, knowing the material inside and out is important, but even experts sometimes miss key details during class discussions.
Therefore, you should always strive to keep abreast of current trends by reading books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and websites related to your field of expertise.
3) Flexible Being able to adapt to different situations
This is another trait that separates good tutors from bad ones. If one student has trouble understanding a concept, then you should try explaining things differently until both parties understand each other.
Similarly, if two students seem to struggle with similar concepts at first, then you should consider switching gears and tackling them separately instead of together.
By adapting to changing circumstances, you not only help individual students learn faster, but you also increase your chances of success overall.
While some people believe that becoming a successful tutor takes years of experience, this simply isn’t true.
The truth is that anyone can start offering private tutoring services today. All you need is passion, dedication, and patience.
Once you’ve mastered these basic skills, you’re well on your way towards earning money online without any prior experience whatsoever!
A Wife, a mum and a Tutor! I am the Lead Editor at TheTutor.Link & also the Head Tutor there. I love teaching seeing young minds flourish. I also love blogging and sharing my experience on the world wide web.