Looking to leave your office desk behind?

These days, more and more people are working from home, trading their company workspace for a home office. This shift could well be only the beginning. Globally, remote working has grown by 159% since 2005, according to the latest statistics, and it will continue to soar.

Perhaps you've realised that this is the ideal lifestyle for you. So then, what does it take to get a full-time remote job? Let's take a look at how you can get started and where to find that job that lets you work hard whilst staying home.

Decide if a remote job is right for you

Are you ready for the big, bad world of remote work? You may have already experienced a taste of this unique lifestyle here and there. However, you should understand that working from home full time comes with its own set of challenges. To be successful as a remote worker, you will need to:

  • Be organised and self-motivated

  • Have excellent communication skills

  • Have a good understanding of modern technology

  • Be happy working alone

  • Be able to separate your work life from your home life

Generally speaking, working from home means that you have more control over your environment. You wave goodbye to the daily commute and, oftentimes, any office politics. But despite these benefits, there are some drawbacks too. You will have to deal with working on your own, and you may find that lonely. What's more, if you're not a highly scheduled person, you may struggle when it comes to being productive outside an office setting.

Taking the leap and becoming a remote worker is a huge deal. Before you make this decision, take some time to ponder if it's right for you. Consider your strengths and your weaknesses and whether or not you think you can adapt to the new way of life. It may help to get a second opinion from friends or family members who know you best. Your ability to succeed here will depend on your personality and work style.

Tailor your CV to suit remote work

If you're sure that you want a remote job, it's time to update your CV. Keep in mind that you will need a new skill set to succeed in the virtual world. Whilst you should outline the skills and experience that are relevant to the role itself, you will also need to include additional traits and examples relating to remote work.

For example, imagine that you're applying to be a remote marketing executive. There will be two parts to your CV. First, you should include your marketing qualifications and industry experience ‒ basically everything you would include in your standard CV.

When you've done that, go over the document again and incorporate skills and experience that are specific to remote work. Do you have experience of holding video conferences? Do you currently use a workflow management tool, such as Asana or Trello? Are you confident in managing your own workload and organising your time?

When you've asked yourself these crucial questions (and answered "yes" to some of them), update your CV. When writing your previous role descriptions, include information about how you communicate with your team online. Within the skills section of your CV, highlight that you can use certain programmes, understand video conferencing, or have a specific way of managing your time.

The key is to demonstrate that you're not only qualified for the job, but that you are also ready to do it remotely.

Check out the best sites for remote roles

Once your CV is up to scratch, the next step is to start searching for remote roles. Whilst you can use the traditional job sites, it may be easier to get specific here. With that in mind, here are some of the sites that can help you find remote roles:

FlexJobs

There's a decent mix of freelance and remote roles on FlexJobs. You can use the drop-down filter to select "Only remote jobs" when looking for your role. From account management to writing, there's a broad range of sectors from which to choose. It's all pretty intuitive. You will have to pay a small premium to view listings, though.

Pangian

Next is Pangian. You'll need to sign up to this job site before you can find roles. However, when you do, you'll find a continuous influx of remote roles available from all around the globe. The main categories include sales, IT, marketing, operations, and teaching, among others. You can use filters to find the right role to match your skill set and experience.

We Work Remotely

We Work Remotely is an easy-to-use jobs board that is packed with remote-only positions. You don't need to sign up or pay a premium to use this particular site. Simply head to the page and get searching. The only drawback is that you may have to scroll down a bit to find roles that are in your industry.

Remote

Remote boasts many positions in new companies and startups. The site allows you to search for remote roles by keyword, which is a helpful feature. You can either set up a free profile or pay a small premium to see more jobs. There's a steady stream of roles on this site too.

Use social media to network

It's not all about the job sites ‒ you should use social media sites too. A good place to start will always be LinkedIn. Use the Jobs section to search for new positions. You can put a "remote" filter on at the top of the page, so you'll only see roles that are entirely work from home.

Believe it or not, LinkedIn is not the only social media platform that will help you to find a new job. Facebook may be one of your best tools when it comes to networking and finding a remote role. You can find remote-role specific groups and pages on this platform, where people share new positions. Examples include Digital Nomad Jobs, Female Digital Nomads, Remote Jobs and Remote Work & Jobs for Digital Nomads. Join some relevant groups and follow the pages to get regular remote-job updates.

Prepare for a video interview

It should come as no surprise that applying for a remote job often involves a video interview. Naturally, if you've never had one before, you may find the idea slightly daunting. In some ways, you should treat this experience much like any other job interview ‒ prepare your answers, do your research, and select an interview outfit to boost your confidence.

However, there are some challenges that are unique to video interviews, including proper computer setup and specific ways to answer questions. Check out our video interview checklist ahead of time to ensure that you're prepared.

Remember, the video interview is a good chance to show how you communicate remotely. This skill will be essential when it comes to excelling in any remote work, so if you fall short here, you may be in trouble. From the moment you're offered an interview, be as responsive as possible online by replying to emails swiftly and making use of meeting scheduling platforms. Then, in the interview, do your absolute best to prevent any technical issues from arising.

The takeaway

Have you got what it takes to become a remote worker? Once you decide that working from home is right for you, use these tips to land your new role. Since this style of working is on the rise, getting ahead of the game and bagging a position now may be a savvy move.

To ensure you can land a remote role, you need a remote-ready CV. Get a free CV review to find out how yours stacks up.

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