This is a guest post by Chanell Alexander of The Remote Work Life.
In 2016, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent some time working remotely according to a Gallup survey. This study also found that the opportunity to work from home is becoming a more substantial factor in where employees are deciding to work. So, it is safe to say that remote work is on the rise. However, the variety of jobs that are classified as remote are not as diverse as one would think. According to a study by Flexjobs, there are seven popular industries for remote work.
Flexjobs outlined healthcare, information technology, education, sales, customer service, accounting, and hospitality as common fields for remote work. However, the common denominator for all the positions listed in these fields is the accessibility of the internet. Jobs like customer support, teaching, medical coding, transcription, auditing, and travel agency can be...
A new hire. A new job.
The word new in this context expresses unknown.
In a situation where a new employee is brought onto a team, there are a lot of unknowns on both sides:
The employee is not certain of what to expect of their new position and team; and
The employer is not sure whether the employee will be a good fit or not.
Those unknowns can cause tension and anxiety, not to mention unmet expectations, dissatisfaction, disengagement, and employee turnover.
In a remote environment, there are even more unknowns because you must rely only on virtual communication methods to communicate and understand expectations.
There are several ways you can reduce the number of unknowns in a new hire situation.
Remote Employers can:
Want to work from home but you’re not sure what you can do? You can leverage any of the five skills listed below to find a remote job that you love. Many job seekers spend their time searching by job title — but job titles can vary greatly from company to company and can be hard to understand. Instead, focus on the responsibilities listed in the job description. Look for job descriptions that list skills that you already have.
For each skill I list example jobs and companies, plus keywords to use when using job search sites.
Do you speak more than one language? You can get a remote job as a translator, interpreter, transcriber, or customer service representative. Additionally, you can set yourself apart from other candidates for other types of jobs if you highlight your language skills.
If a job description does not directly say that they need someone with language skills, research the position to see if any...
You've applied to remote jobs but you still haven't gotten any remote job offers. What gives?
Chances are it's because of one of these reasons. Some of these reasons indicate areas you can improve. Others you can't do anything about. Focus on the areas that you can actually work on to improve your chances for the next position.
If you've never had any experience working remotely, this can work against you. Working remotely requires you to be self-motivated and have excellent time management skills. Employers want to know that you will do the work how and when you need to.
Tip: If you've never worked remotely before, then make sure to highlight past experiences that demonstrate the above skills.
The hiring committee just didn't see you as...
When you’re looking for a remote career, there are several options: work for yourself, a large business, or a startup. Large companies like Amazon, Dell, or Humana will have multiple job openings at any given time, which can expand your opportunities. But there are plenty of startups hiring remote workers, as well. Working at a startup can be fun and exciting and can be a pivotal point in developing your career. Below are four startups that are currently hiring in multiple remote positions.
Toptal is a talent network focused on the software engineering, design, and finance industries. They have under 1000 employees and there are many remote positions available across many disciplines and levels.
Head over to their profile on Glassdoor and make sure to check out the reviews — here’s a highlight:
Having been in the workplace for over 20 years this is a...
You’ve applied to the remote job of your dreams, and it finally arrives: a message saying you’ve been granted an interview. Congratulations!
But now, you're wondering: what the interview will be like? How can I make a great impression on the hiring committee?
I’ve brought in a guest to share some tips for how to do just that: Carole Stizza of Relevant Insight. She’s an expert in HR and hiring practices and consults with individuals on how to improve their interviewing skills.
Carole's responses to some common questions about interviewing for work-at-home jobs are below.
Interviewing remotely saves you the headache of traveling, traffic that might make you late, finding the right location, etc. — whew! That’s a load off your plate!
The drawback of having to interview remotely is the lack of physical connection: the handshake, the mannerisms of...
Updated as more tools
Want to find remote jobs? You have a few options to start with:
This blog post will cover the resources you can use to find jobs in any industry at any level. Skill, industry, and level-specific posts are coming soon!
There are a ton of job search sites out there, as evidenced by a Google search.
There is no way that I could list all of them here — and anyway, that’s what a search engine is for, after all.
This list is meant to be abbreviated so that it is manageable. When you are first starting to look for a remote position, it’s more helpful to explore a handful of excellent resources than waste your time combing through every job site that’s out there. That’s why this list only has five resources...
You're already searching for remote jobs using job search engines and boards and you've probably already applied to at least some. If you're looking for other ways to boost your search for the perfect remote job, here are 5 things you can do today. These 5 things are simple enough that you can do in just one day that will improve your odds of landing that ideal remote position.
When was the last time you really took a look at that resume of yours? Are you sure it has all the most up-to-date information possible? Take some time today to really look through it, and use this list as a guide to create your amazing resume.
Reach out to someone in your network to let them know that you're looking for work. If you're not sure how to do it in an email, ask them to catch up by phone or in person so you can bring up the topic more organically. Remember that your personal network is very likely to help you land...
Think of your resume as the very first example of remote work that you can provide a potential employer. It will tell the hiring manager whether you've read and understood the job description. It will also tell them how much you pay attention to detail and care about your work.
As you conduct your remote job search, make sure your resume accurately reflects you and how you wish to present yourself. Make sure it is accurate and well-designed so that your experience and skills stand out.
Make sure you tailor your resume to the job you're applying for. For example, if you are seeking a teaching job, but you don't have much experience, you need to highlight any background that gave you valuable skills that could be applied to teaching. Remember that it’s up to you to show your potential employer what skills you have that would help you perform your expected duties. Your resume is your first chance to show that you would be a good fit for the team. If...
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