he last few years have been hard on us all due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether you’re a parent, student, office worker, or all three, the pandemic has affected many of our lives in ways no one could have predicted. Strangely enough, not all of the pandemic’s effects have been negative. I don’t believe it’s wise to dwell in the misery of hard times, instead, I believe one should try to find a silver lining.
One good thing to come out of the pandemic is the shift from onsite work to remote work. In case you’re unaware, a remote job is a job in which you can work from practically any location as long as you have a stable internet connection and meet any other company requirements. This shift has opened the door for many remote job opportunities and made life easier for a lot of people. It’s also opened the door for many individuals who previously couldn’t find work due to their location or other home obligations. So, with this new booming form of employment, you may be asking, how do I land myself one of these remote jobs? Have no fear, that's why this blog is here. We’ll walk you through some of the best steps for landing that much-desired work-from-home position.
Preparing for Remote Positions
You should always prepare for the job you’re applying for. There are many types of remote positions out there, some of which require more from their workers than others in order to qualify. For example-- the concept of working from home may make you think you no longer need to worry about a schedule. Sleep in every day and work when you feel like it. It is true that some remote positions function that way, but most don’t. A lot of companies have only recently started making the move to remote work, as a result, many of their practices and policies will remain similar to those of their office space. Including the work schedule. You may not have to drive to work every morning but you’ll still need to be up and ready to clock in when the job requires.
Equipment is also something to consider when applying for a remote position. This will vary based on the job and company you’re applying for. You may need things like a quality microphone, a decent webcam, specific programs, or even a particular type of computer or laptop.Some jobs may even require a mechanical keyboard, so it's always a good idea to check the company's remote work policy for any specific equipment requirements.
If you don’t have certain equipment, don’t lose heart. Some companies will provide remote workers with certain equipment if they don't have their own.
These last points may come off as common sense, but they are still very important so they need to be acknowledged.
- Make sure you have a stable internet connection.
- Make sure you have a quiet place to work where you won’t be disturbed.
- Make sure you dress appropriately when on camera.
- Get a comfy chair. You may be sitting a lot.
Now that we have these things in mind and taken care of we can move on to actually searching for the right remote position, something you’ll likely find to be a job in and of itself.
Picking the Right Remote Job
The most important part of remote job searching is knowing what you're looking for. There is a figurative ocean of remote jobs out there and sifting through all of them will take up way more time than anyone has available, especially since quality jobs tend to only remain open for a short amount of time. This is why efficient searching is so important. Searching for positions you know you qualify for or have experience in is a great first step. You should know your strengths as an employee and search for jobs you can effectively market yourself to over other applicants.
The job hunt isn’t all about finding a remote job that you’re a good fit for, it’s also about finding a job that is a good fit for you. It’s important to have a list of requirements that the job you are searching for must meet. Here are some good things to put on that list--
- What is your required salary?
- What hours are you available to work?
- Is the position fully remote?
- What kind of benefits do they offer?
Remember, jobs are a give and take between employers and employees. You shouldn’t be willing to provide your amazing work skills if you aren't getting what you need in return, even if you do get to work from home.
Another big tip for improving the search process is to make use of remote-specific search engines and filters. Many online job boards have filters that allow you to search for remote work exclusively. This can range from freelance work to full-time positions. There are also websites and search engines that focus specifically on remote work like Upwork and some even focus on specific fields of remote work like ProBlogger. Using resources like these can help cut the time spent searching for remote jobs significantly.
Presentation and the Interview
Your work is not finished yet. Once you’ve found your remote dream job you’ll want to make your odds of landing an interview as high as possible. To do this you may need to adjust your resume or CV to better highlight the skills that make you a great choice for this remote position. If you have any previous experience with remote work now would be a great time to include it. Showing off skills and accomplishments that are relevant to self-motivation and the ability to work well both by yourself and in a group is also a good idea.
Some good practices for highlighting remote work experience on your resume would be to add location and description information. Adding the location of your previous jobs is pretty standard for most resumes, so list remote work locations as remote alongside the company's main office location. You should also mention your responsibilities as a remote worker when describing what you did while working in that position. You will likely have to completely restructure your resume for applying for remote work, so it’s a good idea to make two versions of your resume, one for on-site jobs and the other for remote jobs. This way you don’t have to keep adding and deleting information when applying for different jobs.
Finally, you’ll want to prepare for your interview. Remote interviews share a lot of similarities with standard in-person interviews, such as dressing professionally, speaking clearly and confidently, and being prepared to answer questions related to working in the position. However, some challenges that are unique to the remote interview experience are things like technical issues and location. Please test your mic and camera before you interview to ensure they are working correctly. You also need to make sure you’re in a quiet place with a strong, stable internet connection. No need to lose out on a job opportunity just because you got disconnected mid-interview.
Remote interviews are still interviews so let’s review some helpful tips for a successful interview. Make sure you’re on time! Just because it’s remote doesn't mean you can be late, in fact, there is a higher expectation for you to be on time since you can have the interview practically anywhere. Remember, being early is on time, being on time is late, and being late is unacceptable. You should also maintain a proper posture during the interview, and make eye contact. Try to focus on topics that relate to your strengths and skills. Keeping tips like this in mind and practicing them before the interview is a great way to massively increase your confidence and odds of success.
Conclusion
It’s clear that remote work is here to stay, and in fact, it will likely take over as the primary form of work here in the United States. It’s best to develop those skills for applying for remote work now while it’s still relatively young. Having said skill will give you a leg up on those new to remote job hunting in the future. If you keep these tips in mind you shouldn’t have any trouble getting your hands on the best remote jobs you can.
