Landing a remote job can seem like a great, flexible opportunity for your career. No office politics, rigid work schedules, and commuting. Additionally, you’ll have more time for your side projects and benefit from a better work-life balance. However, working remotely isn’t as easy as you might think—particularly in today’s competitive talent environment, where studies have shown that more people are willing to sacrifice salary in exchange for remote work benefits.
Approximately 3.6 percent of the U.S employee workforce (7 million people) were already working remotely before the COVID-19 pandemic. And the number of people in the remote workforce has increased by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Furthemore, for those who have never worked remotely before, you may find out that a greater deal of autonomy just isn’t the ideal structure for you.
But you’re ready for the challenge (and many find the rewards to be well worth it), there are some steps you can take into the journey of telecommuting. By following the steps highlighted in this article, you’ll be able to know whether or not remote work is for you specifically. You’ll also learn where to look and how to transition into a remote role. Here’s what you need to know:
Start Small
The idea of working remotely and being your own boss is alluring to many people. Who wouldn’t want to find their own work, live a flexible lifestyle, and deliver quality work from the comfort of their own home? But, have you ever considered the fact that remote work isn’t for everyone?
Working remotely often means having a lot of self-discipline and motivation. You have to be comfortable working alone, managing your own task management apps, and operating efficiently without anyone holding you accountable for your tasks. Before jumping into the remote workforce, sit down and carefully consider the pros and cons of having a remote job.
Start by taking on smaller remote projects to determine if remote work is ideal for you specifically. Use platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to get started with smaller projects and determine how you feel about the autonomy that comes with remote work. These platforms may also help you secure funds while you’re looking for a full-time salaried position with a remote company. Also check, VPNCompass remote work statistics 2021
If you don’t like working remotely, then chances are you won’t like your remote freelance gig either. Your lack of satisfaction in remote work will certainly show in the work you deliver.
Take time to understand the remote work culture of a company before accepting the job.
Work With a Recruitment Agency
Essentially, recruitment agencies go out of their way to source the most suitable candidate for whatever remote role they’ve been asked to fill. Their function is to provide companies looking for new employees or remote workers with support in their hiring process.
Since you’re on the hunt for work, you can sign up with a recruitment agency. Take time to find a few recruiters—say no more than three—that are more suited to your needs. Tell them you’re looking for remote jobs and share your CV and skills with them. You can also find recruitment agencies that specialize in certain niches. For instance, as a writer or designer, you might want to work with a creative agency versus an IT agency. Some of the benefits of working with a recruitment agency include:
- The agency negotiates freelance contracts on your behalf
- The recruiter sells you over to clients-one less thing to worry about
- You spend less time doing sales, thereby saving time.
- Access to remote jobs that you might have otherwise never noticed
- A constant stream of high-quality work for you (it’s up to you to choose which jobs to take as the recruiter continues job hunting on your behalf).
Filter and Find Job Boards
You won’t land any remote working jobs if you don’t know where to and not to look. There is plenty of work from home job scams out there. Be wary of job ads that promise easy pay for easy remote work. You might find yourself signing up with a pyramid marketing scheme.You can find work from job boards and platforms that are dedicated to remote jobs as well as those with a sizable collection of remote job openings. Such include:
- Flexjobs
- Remote.co
- We Work Remotely
- Working Nomads
- Remotive.io
- Skip the Drive
- Jobspresso
- Jobscribe
- Remote Ok
Another great way to find remote work is to search for jobs on LinkedIn, Indeed, Facebook, and other niche social media sites as well. Make sure you filter search results to find the most suitable jobs for you.
Be a Networker, Not a Loner
As a remote worker, you must find ways to create opportunities for yourself. The fact that you’re working remotely doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself from other people. It’s important that you build valuable connections as this can help you get remote work.
One way to achieve this is by looking for opportunities to offer value. Find ways to genuinely help and support people—on industry LinkedIn or Facebook groups—who could be struggling to get some work done. Look for opportunities specifically within your area of expertise.
You want to establish yourself as a skilled individual who adds value to others. Remember people like people who take time to help them. As you continue building valuable connections with people, gradually share details about your professional skills and your search for potential jobs. Just don’t rush your network.
