15th August 2019
Everything You Need To Know About Remote Work
Remote work 101: What that is?
What is “remote work”?
In today’s job market, it’s difficult not to have heard the term remote work being used to describe certain jobs. Most people would think that they already have a good idea of what it is, but the definition can actually be quite broad. To put it simply, working remotely allows professionals to work from outside of a fixed office space. It doesn’t always mean they work remotely. It doesn’t always mean their working while travelling either. The spectrum of remote work is huge and can be incredibly flexible. Some people can combine this working style with a few days in the office, whilst others will probably never even meet their colleagues face to face.
Remote work is certainly on the rise. It’s worth learning about all the different ways it could suit you, and taking advantage of all that it has to offer. It allows you to tailor your day to your specific needs and requirements. Perhaps you’re most productive in the evening rather than being an early bird. With remote work, you’re free to make the decision as to how and when you complete your tasks. So long as you meet your deadlines, you can choose your own working style. It’s easy to see why it’s becoming an increasingly popular arrangement for employees all over the world.
Even employers are beginning to understand why remote work can be useful for a company. Saving on office costs, a more content workforce and even productivity gains are all attractive gains to be had. With technology making it much easier to stay in touch and work outside the office, remoting is making headway in the job world. Our Remote-how Academy is there to help you learn more about the work revolution going on today.
The beginnings of the modern remote-work revolution
While remote work is one of the more popular terms for this particular kind of flexible working arrangements, telecommuting was once the preferred term. We get the telecommuting definition from Jack Nilles’ book The Telecommunications-Transportation Tradeoff in 1976. He proposed a system whereby work was brought closer to the workers. Whilst technology couldn’t possibly allow for computers to be installed in every person’s home, they could at least build satellite offices close to their employees’ residences. After testing the idea with an insurance company in LA, Nilles reported that “ [the] productivity of those employees went up 18%, the turnover rate went to zero and facilities costs were much lower”.
What is a remote job… and what even is a digital nomad?
A remote job, sometimes known as a telecommuting job, can be fully remote or partly remote. Some of these jobs can be performed completely from home or another location, whilst others may require a few days in the office. You can find remote jobs in a whole range of different industries, from technology through to customer service and design. Technological advances in computing power and communication technology are making it easier every day to have a remote job. Not all remote jobs require you to be full time. Freelancing and part time remote jobs are also available, ranging from a few hours a week to one off jobs.
Not everyone is working from home as well. Some take the opportunity to travel and work at the same time, living the life of a digital nomad. They can be working from the beach one day in some exotic location, and then jetting off somewhere else next. Telecommuting allows for much greater freedom, especially for those with no geographical ties. Without a fixed home, it’s easy to see why they’re called nomads. Making good use of technology and the internet to stay mobile gives us the digital part too! A life free from numerous possessions and ties is liberating for a lot of people in modern life today.
So then… what is the difference between on-site work and remote work?
For most jobs, the differences between the actual work done on-site and remotely is minimal. Deadlines are set, work if produced and outcomes are reached. The main difference however are the methods used to achieve this. Remote work requires a great deal of independence. You can’t just pop over to your neighbour to ask for a few words of advice. In fact you may not even be in the same time zone as your colleagues! Remote work requires a number of different tools to make it a success. These tools are sometimes different to the ones used in an office, or used more regularly that people working on-site. Remote work relies heavily on communicative tools. Video conferencing, instant messaging and software to aid collaboration make remote work different from being in an office.
Remote Work and the Future of Work
Unstoppable remote work revolution
The remote work revolution seems to be unstoppable. Every year more people are beginning to enjoy the benefits that flexible work arrangements bring. With technology constantly improving and the world becoming more connected, it’s now easier than ever to free yourself from the office. The future of work is changing! Remote working is set to be even bigger in the future. LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report for 2019 reports that 72% of talent professionals agree that work flexibility will be very important for the future of HR and recruitment. It also shows a 78% increase in LinkedIn job posts advertising flexible work arrangements over the past two years.
This is easy to see in today’s job market even for non remote employees. More jobs than ever offering some flexible arrangements. Home office days and the freedom to travel and work at some point are common. The future of HR is also changing, with the global talent pool now available for hire. The millennial generation is embracing these trends and pushing forward the remote work dream.
The future of HR and recruitment
The future of HR looks bright! The whole of the world’s global pool of talent is on offer, as you’re no longer limited simply to people who can make it into the office. By hiring remotely you are able to pick the absolute best candidate for a position. In essence, your team is made up of higher quality employers who are productive and enthusiastic. Cultural boundaries have decreased and communication with others in all corners of the globe is now possible and easy to do.
Remote work is also helping recruitment and the HR department by improving diversity. Creating a remote team from all around the round and from different cultures avoids having a monoculture in your virtual office. Your remote employees will all bring different backgrounds and experiences, that can be helpful for a number of reasons. When problem solving, each remoter can draw from their unique background and perspective. Cultural differences can actually strengthen your team and improve your overall diversity.
Underrepresented groups in the standard workforce also benefit from joining remote teams. People who haven’t been able to work in physical office environment can get employment. This opens up tan even greater talent pool again for the HR team. People who need to stay at home for some reason, such as parents who need to look after children or those with medical conditions, will all benefit.
Technology is enabling remote work
In the past, most offices have had to rely on email, phone calls or physical meetings. Technology is now allowing us to communicate in more and more different ways. Most countries and locations now have access to high speed internet, which has brought the whole world in touch with one another. Communicating by email and over the phone can however make collaboration difficult when not in the office. Luckily over the past few years numerous tools have been developed to help solve this issue.
Instant messaging applications, project management tools and collaboration enabling programs are common in the remote working space. Even more traditional jobs are realising the benefits they can have by implementing them. Exciting advancements in VR technology open up the possibility of having a truly virtual office. Virtual business meetings, where participants can all pull up notes in front of them and see everyone as a virtual avatar, are not too far away in the future. Improvements in internet connectivity such as 5G could also truly make anywhere in the world your office. The range of connectivity is increasing, meaning that more candidates are available to work and more locations can be explored whilst working!
Coworking spaces are popping up everywhere!
By 2020, there will be around 26,000 coworking spaces around the globe. More people are starting to make use of these spaces, making it a future work trend. We’ve generally seen an increase in coworking spaces along with the demand for remote work conditions. Not everyone wants to work alone from home, and there are now more opportunities for people looking for an office like environment whilst working remotely.
Not everyone can work in social spaces like a cafe or hotel lobby as they can’t always meet the requirements of your job. There can be a lot of distractions, a bad internet connection or no printing/scanning facilities. The atmosphere of a coworking space is better suited for working in comparison to a coffee shop or a public place. It’s fairly difficult to concentrate in an area made for relaxing, so an increase in your concentration is expected when working in a coworking space.
2) https://www.smallbizlabs.com/2016/08/coworking-forecast-44-million-members-in-2020.html
What are the pros and cons of remote work?
Remote work has a huge number of benefits that it can bring. You may be thinking to yourself, well… why should I be working remotely? There are so many great aspects to being on a remote team for both you and employers. It’s a win win situation. However, there are of course some drawbacks that you should be aware of. With proper planning and care, these can however be minimised! We’ll start off with some of the amazing things that remote work can bring before moving onto the cons.
Pros:
Remote workers can be more productive
When allowed to work remotely, it surprises lots of people to many that workers actually end up producing better quality work and in a more productive way. The Global Workplace Analytics Costs & Benefits survey demonstrates that remote employers in a number of large multinationals have actually been shown to be between 35-40% more productive than co-located colleagues. The report also notes that “two-thirds of [all surveyed] employers report increased productivity among their telecommuters”.
The reasons for this are wide and varied. To begin, remoting hiring allows you to pick the absolute best candidate for a position. You are no longer confined by geographical location. So in essence, the team you work with is made up of higher quality employers who are already more productive. Flexible working hours themselves are also a help in producing great quality work. There are certainly fewer distractions when working at home due to having a significant decrease in people being in your vicinity. Freedom in location can also allow people to find an environment that inspires and works for them. Remoters may find that his home is the best place to work and another a flexible co-working space.
You can also choose suitable times to work when they are at peak performance. Not everyone conforms to the traditional 9-5 hours in a physical office, and by working at their chosen times you will see a higher standard produced. By also being able to enjoy a better work-life balance, reduced office related stress and minimal commute times, remoters are in most cases be healthier and happier. This, of course, creates the perfect conditions for you to produce better quality work and in a shorter amount of time.
You can work at lower costs
One key objective for most people is to minimise costs and outgoings, whilst still producing great work. Whilst you may have to invest in some training, tools and software to make sure you are working efficiently, your company will find in the long run that it is significantly cheaper working from home or away. A reduction in office space, materials and resources needed will create savings in your company who can provider higher wages. You will also save money on your commute, food and other costs if you work from home. 60% of employers questioned in the costs and benefits survey mentioned earlier reported cost savings overall as a significant benefit of allowing people to work from home. When combined with the previous point of overall increases in worker productivity, employers find that they get more work completed at a lower cost.
You can work in a vibrant, diverse team
Being a team from all across the globe and from different cultures helps avoid the kind of problems that a work monoculture can bring. Remote work brings people with different backgrounds and experiences, which all help in a number of ways. When looking at problems, each remote worker can draw from their unique perspective and help solve the issue. Insights are greater and cultural differences can actually strengthen your team.
Underrepresented groups within the co-located workforce also find it easier to join remote teams. Inclusion is much greater, as those who may not previously have been able to work within a physical office environment can now find employment. You’ll make some new friends from places you probably wouldn’t have thought of, have great experiences and gain from it! This is especially beneficial for those who need to stay at home for some reason, such as parents who need to look after children or those with medical conditions.
Flexibility and Work Life balance
A lot of employees value flexibility in their working arrangements for a number of reasons, often dependent upon their own personal circumstances and priorities. One common group are parents, who perhaps need to work from home to look after children or simply to make their day more manageable when organising their family routine. FlexJobs, also cited in the HBR article, found that parents ranked work flexibility and work-life balance as the most important work benefits. This beats even salary and health insurance in the list of priorities.
Flexible working arrangements also help employees better manage their work-life balance. It’s been shown to be conducive to a better standard of mental and physical health, reducing stress and burnout. FlexJobs reports that 97% of over 3000 respondents in their 2018 annual survey said that a flexible job would have a “huge improvement or positive impact on their overall quality of life”.
Fewer interruptions from other employees
When you work outside the office, there are naturally going to be different kinds of distractions. However, usually there are a significantly smaller amount of people around you who will need your attention or help. Your coworkers sometimes can end up being a total distraction too! A small chat when grabbing your coffee can turn into a much longer session of procrastination. Your neighbour may need some help trying to figure out how to use some tool or program. What should be a 2 minute interruption can really affect your workflow. You’re more than likely going to get a much longer amount of time without interruptions or requests when you’re outside of the busy office space. In turn, you’ll produce better work and in a much quicker time.
Less sick days
Having to commute, deal with office politics and be around other employees can be a real drag to your health. Catching the flu off a coworker who refuses to take a sick day can mean that you end up taking even more! By working remotely you can avoid a lot of these points. Lets face it, a lot of us have also taken sick days as well due to just being tired of the office and needing a break. When you already have a much better work life balance, these kinds of “sick days” don’t really need to happen. Also, when you’re ill yourself but can still work, you don’t need to take a sick day to avoid the office and spreading your illness to others. You can simply work from home!
Freedom from your geographical location
For a lot of people, responsibilities or a family can make moving for a job difficult. Not everyone wants to move even without these kinds of ties. By working remotely, you can work for companies that previously would have been impossible due to where you live. Your job options open up much more when you look to work remotely. This is true also for people who don’t want to be tied down to one particular place. If you want to travel the globe and work, then a remote job is for you. Where you happen to be or live has much less importance in the remote world. Some jobs may require you to be available at certain hours to meet client needs, but still can work out for some people who don’t mind working the same hours whilst travelling around.
Cons
Loneliness can sometimes be an issue
Some people can struggle with loneliness when working from home or remotely. If you happen to be travelling, not having friends and family around may take its toll. Not being able to take a break to socialise with other coworkers can also be difficult. Communicating just with technology isn’t quite the same.
Loss of relevance in the office
It’s possible to feel less relevant to your workplace when not physically in the office. A lot of collaboration, ideas and socialising is done spontaneously, so to make this happen from home a different approach is needed.
Work life and home life can get mixed up
The lines between work and home will be blended, making it difficult to switch off when you need to. You can also find yourself getting distracted with home comforts like your TV, games-console or bed! You may also find it difficult to stop working as you no longer have any physical boundaries between your work and living spaces. Having to set aside space for a working area will also take up living area.
Staying motivated can be difficult for some people
Whilst it’s been shown that there are actual productivity gains to be had from remote work, people do struggle with motivation and productivity. Not having a manager to check on your work and being totally dependent upon yourself takes willpower! Staying motivated can be achieved in a few ways.
In an office setting, feedback on your work comes back quickly and often. Supervisors and other coworkers can give you praise for a job well done, which is proven to improve productivity and mental well being. When working from home, this process isn’t so instantaneous. After completing a large project or some work that you’re particularly happy with, give yourself some kind of reward. Doing this frequently directly increases motivation according to a recent study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. This could be a short coffee break, a snack or anything else that will give you some motivation! Even just a moment of self-reflection and acknowledgment of your success can help. You can also planning time for self improvement into your day, along with regular breaks and working patterns.
Company culture can be difficult to create
By physically being in the same office as your other coworkers, company culture can be created naturally. Socialising, jokes and office activities can help foster bonds and build up your office culture. Working remotely, much more effort is needed to create this. Watercooler moments no longer happen spontaneously, and other methods need to be used to recreate this in the virtual world. We’re not saying that it is impossible to have a virtual company culture! It just requires some more time, planning and effort.
3) https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/resources/costs-benefits
4) https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/survey-parents-rank-work-flexibility-ahead-salary/
5) https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-2018-annual-survey-workers-believe-flexible-remote-job-can-help-save-money-reduce-stress-more/
6) https://www.nber.org/papers/w18871
7) https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fpspa0000116
When a remote job may be good for you?
When thinking about getting into remote work, lots of people have different reasons for why they think it’s suitable for them. Maybe it’s your skill set or speciality. It could be your situation or a want to travel. A remote job can be better for those with a want to stay at home, or even for those who don’t! Remote work is allowing people to enter the workforce who may not have been able to do so before. Its helping people achieve their needs and dreams.
Spending more time with your family
A remote job is the perfect opportunity for someone who wants to spend more time with their family. This can be for multiple reasons. Some people may need the time to look after children of family members, whilst others may simply want more quality family time. Online jobs for stay at home moms or dads are becoming increasingly popular. Not all people are trying to escape the office however. Parents and carers who are already staying at home now have the opportunity to find some online work for their spare moments. The flexible work arrangements that remoting allows can really benefit people in a lot of different situations.
You’ll also probably end up saving some money. Without the costs associated with commuting, child care and lunches out, you should end up with more in your bank account at the end of the month! Flexible working arrangements also help achieve a better work-life balance. This means that you’ll also have more free time, even when working from home. It helps support a better standard mental and physical health and reduces stress and burnout. FlexJobs show that 97% of over 3000 respondents in their 2018 annual survey said that a flexible job would have a “huge improvement or positive impact on their overall quality of life”.
When you want to travel
Got the travelling bug but locked in the office? Then a remote job is probably the answer for you! Travelling around the world and living as a digital nomad is an exciting prospect for a lot of people. It’s now getting way easier to work while travelling due to high speed internet being increasingly available around the world. The rise of coworking spaces, cheap technology and even cheaper flights are making a lot of peoples travelling dreams come true. Being allowed to tailor your day to your needs gives you the flexibility needed to travel. You do have to keep in mind though that working across different time zones required a bit of extra effort.
When jobs are difficult to find in your area
For companies hiring remotely, the talent pool is no longer limited to their geographical area. If jobs are scarce around you, then a remote job can help you find work without having to commute or move to a new area. Your options are increasingly large. You could go for a fully remote job, or partly so that you don’t need to travel as much. Competition can be fierce though, as you’re possibly up against talent from all around the globe.
When you have limited mobility
Working within an office environment isn’t always suitable for everyone. This could be for a number of different reasons, such as a disability or chronic illness. People who have been disenfranchised from the workforce now have the opportunity to work remotely and around their own particular needs. Jobs in a co-located office can struggle to help cater for everyone’s requirements. Opening up their workforce with remote arrangements can help them find the best talent, improve diversity and also
When you possess the right qualities and skills
Even when your situation matches up with having a remote job, your skills and personality may not. The vast majority of your work will be done alone. This means then that having an independent personality and self disciple are really important when working remotely.
Self Motivated: Many people can work independently, but often with some kind of push from a boss or colleague. Without having some kind of pressure in the office, remoters can find themselves becoming less motivated. Motivation to work and learn without external influence is key.
Soft skills: These are skills like time management, communication and problem solving. Clear and concise communication skills are extremely important when working remotely, helping stop confusion and ensuring that everyone is on the same page. As you won’t physically be in the office, you will mostly have to rely solely on your communication and soft skills.
Independent: This one really goes without saying! If you find that you really need to rely on being around others in your office, then a remote job may not be the best fit. However, if you’re happy to get your head down and work without distraction from others you’re probably better suited. Making your own schedule and not routinely conforming to office times is also a good sign.
What are the best remote working jobs and careers?
| Job | Average Salary (US$) / hour |
| Software Development | 64,239 |
| Marketing Manager | 48,984 |
| Communications Manager | 64,026 |
| Graphic Designer | 43,995 |
| Vocational Tutor | 19.80 |
| Customer Service | 45,000 |
| UX Designer | 74,025 |
| Data Analyst | 59,335 |
| HR Manager | 65,986 |
| Copywriter | 50,281 |
| Legal Assistant | 43,446 |
| QA Testing | 68,943 |
| Cyber Security Analyst | 75,924 |
| DevOps Engineer | 92,339 |
When thinking about working remotely, take into consideration that some jobs are more suited to the remote world than others. For instance, it’s pretty difficult to be a remote doctor or construction worker! Jobs which are more technology based, or require mainly a laptop and internet access, are where you’ll find more success when looking for a remote job. We’ve listed here some of the top jobs out there for prospective remoters. The list is varied and broad, so there is almost always something suitable for those who want to escape the office life!
Remote Software Development
One of the most common roles that can be performed remotely is software development. Remote coding jobs, such as working in front end, back end or full stack, are usually flexible in the working arrangements that they offer. We’ve even put together a guide for coding languages that you can learn quickly in your spare time. These jobs usually range from freelancing on one off projects to more extensive full time work with a particular company. Due to the nature of the role being very technology based, those looking for remote coding jobs should have a fairly easy time finding openings.
Remote Marketing
Marketing is another particular area that is becoming ever more remote. Remote marketing jobs can be found in a number of companies, as the field has modernised itself and become more technology based. Some areas of marketing do benefit from a physical office space, such as events and community based marketing. However with social media and other digital aspects, remote marketing jobs are becoming much easier to find.
Remote Communication
Remote communication jobs is a broad term, but can include aspects of marketing, copywriting and content management. It will usually require at least an undergraduate degree in marketing, communications or a relevant field. Time will be spent making sure that all communications, internal and external, and consistent. As communications managers work a lot with press releases, reports and other marketing materials, this job is suited towards working outside of the office.
Remote Design
Remote graphic design jobs are also a great way to try the remote world out. These again can work on a freelance basis or as a full time position at a company. Graphic design jobs can range from logo creation through to text layout and visual communication. A degree is more often than not needed for this field, but previous experience and a portfolio of work can sometimes make up for not having a more traditional education in graphic design.
Remote Education
Remote education jobs allow you to teach your skills to students all around the world. These jobs are especially suited towards those teaching languages and students who also want to tutor in their spare time. Often these can be done in a flexible way and charge by the hour. Websites like udemy or teachaway make it easier than ever to sign up and start teaching.
Remote Customer Service
Customer service roles are increasingly being done remotely, as interaction with customers is rarely done face to face in most companies. With a headset and internet connection, you can start working remote customer service jobs fairly quickly. This job requires less qualifications in comparison to software development or tech roles, so can be a good one to test out the remote life being taking the plunge into something full time.
Remote UX
UX is another field that is quite new, concentrating on the user experience of a product or process. This ranges from how you acquire the product, operate it, it’s branding and overall utility. Remote UX jobs are fairly common to find, as they are so technology based. There are a number of companies that offer quick and intense courses in UX design, so this can be a good pick for someone looking to reskill and get into the remote job market.
Remote data analyst
Working as a data analyst, you’ll have the task of turning large amounts of data into something much more understandable that can be used by the company. This involves creating reports, reviewing, interpreting and organizing data. Sometimes coding and scripting skills may be required. Remote data analyst jobs can be found on the usual remote job sites such as weworkremotely or Jobspresso
Remote HR & recruitment
HR and recruitment are jobs that are often already done on a freelance basis in the non remote world. This makes them even more suitable for those who want to do it outside of an office! You will often find that people working in remote HR & recruitment often do so for a few different companies. Experience however is often required, and a knowledge of the relevant skills needed for certain jobs is essential. Good areas for HR & recruitment are often in the tech and IT sector. These are good places to start when you’re looking for a remote human resources job.
Remote tech & startups
Startups and technology companies and great places to look at for remote jobs. More often than not, these companies are the ones that are really championing remote work and flexible working arrangements in general. As a lot of these companies are really rooted in technology, having an office becomes less important for completing and handling work. Remote tech jobs can be found more often than not online, and some startups are actually fully remote. Take a look at remotive or even LinkedIn to find postings for jobs.
Remote writing & copywriting
Remote copywriting jobs can work on a contracted basis or more freelance. This could include working for an ad agency or other business that requires online/print copy Individual articles or other pieces of content can be picked up and done for a set amount. This has traditionally been one job that hasn’t required people to be in the office, as all that is often needed is a brief and deadline. Remote copywriting jobs may also include some proofreading.
Remote law & legal
Remote legal jobs can be found either on a freelance basis or with a legal firm/partner. Offering legal advice, checking contracts or giving corporate legal counsel can all be done outside of the office. This of course is a highly skilled area, and can’t be undertaken without an appropriate degree and experience. Most remote legal job listings will also require experience within an office first, so it’s not one that can be done straight after becoming qualified in the relevant area.
Remote QA testing
QA testing ensures quality in the products that a company brings to the market. This is done by analysing the processes and methods used throughout a company. This means that products come out with less bugs and at a higher quality. Remote QA testing jobs are a proactive way to make sure that the software or service is good from the start, and won’t need reactively improving upon.
Remote Cyber Security
With an increasing amount of cyber security attacks threatening companies’ information, the need for remote cyber security jobs is increasing. Working remotely in this field requires expert knowledge in areas such as network management, identity/access management and research into the newest cyber security threats. Like other heavily tech based roles, this can be done completely remotely or partly depending upon the company that you work for.
Remote DevOps
DevOps is a relatively new field within IT. It utilises a set of practices to try and streamline the systems development process, allowing systems to evolve quickly and efficiently. They often work across the different development teams to try and bridge the gap between silos in a company. Along with software development, DevOps is an area where it’s fairly easy to find remote job listings. Remote DevOps jobs are however particularly niche, so obviously this isn’t suitable for everyone that is looking for a remote job.
How to find remote jobs?
Landing a legitimate work from home job can be tricky if you have no experience already in the area. Not all remote jobs are in fact the same! Some may be fully remote and others only partly. Not all jobs will be full time either. Depending on what remote job openings you are looking for, the process can be a bit different. Somethings are however similar to the standard job hunt process, so no need to worry! For those looking to get their foot on the ladder, there’s no better idea than trying out something part-time. You don’t have to make the full transition straight away, and you can see if it’s a good fit for you.
Taking your first steps in finding a part-time remote job
Finding a part-time remote job can be easier than finding something full time. Freelancing and small side gigs are one option when you don’t need to fill out the hours of a full working week. In fact we’ve even provided some tips and tricks already covering these. Part time remote work is also a good way to ease in the remote world before making the big leap. You can also use it to generate a bit of extra cash outside of your normal working hours. In order to find these jobs, don’t limit yourself to the usual remote jobs boards. Websites like Fiverr can provide small freelance jobs that you do quickly in your free time. Even answering surveys can offer some part time remote work with websites like Grabpoints. After getting used to remote work and trying out some part-time jobs, it’s time to evaluate whether it’s really for you. For some people, this level of flexibility offers everything they need. There are of course some benefits to working in a colocated office, so if you’ve found the right balance then great! If however you’re still hungry for more freedom, then get on the hunt for a full-time remote job!
Getting yourself ready for a full time remote job
Finding a full-time remote job will mean that you will have to look in slightly different places than for part time. Requirements will be a bit more stringent, and you’ll probably have to do a bit more preparation. Get together a cover letter and CV that really emphasizes your remote ready skills. Try and get someone you know already in the remote world to give it a once over to make sure it really fits the bill. Researching some of the best and biggest companies that are hiring remotely will also help you in your job hunt. You can find out more information in the previous What are the best companies to work for remotely? Section. After you’ve prepared all the documents you’ll need, it’s time to get looking on some remote job boards!
Where to start looking when you want to work remotely full-time
You’re probably already familiar with sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor or Monster when looking for a standard office job. Remote job openings are posted on these sites, but you should also have a look at some remote job boards which only list location independent positions. We also have our own exchange for finding your dream job. Our Remote-how Talent Marketplace can put you in touch with our hand picked employers. We’ve partnered up with Asana, Doist, Gitlab and PWC to give a service that other job listing sites can’t really offer. Make use of our contacts and have a look at it today. There are of course other places worth checking it in the meantime, so we’ve listed some of the best sites according to size and field:
Weworkremotely.com This is currently the largest website for remote job postings by community size. It has remote job openings across lots of different industries, along with part time and fully remote positions
Workingnomads.co This remote job board is aimed at all you budding digital nomads out there! It caters for people wanting to travel while working. There are both temporary projects and regular employment.
Remote.co is another of the larger remote job boards. It’s a great place to find employers who are also just entering into the remote job market themselves.
Flexjobs.com screens all job postings to make sure that they’re legitimate work from home jobs. This is great when avoiding scams and time wasting!
Legitimate work from home jobs – how do you check their credibility and avoid scams?
Unfortunately for those looking for a remote job, there are a lot of scams out there. Fortunately these can be fairly easy to spot if you know what you are looking for. Some of them are fairly common sense, and would even apply to a normal position too. For example, remote jobs offering huge salaries for not much work are more often than not a scam. If the email address used for the listing is also from a generic mail service like gmail or hotmail, rather than a work address, then it’s also probably a fake. Rushing the application and interview process is also a fairly good indicator that something isn’t right. Occasionally they will even offer a job just based on a CV application! Usually if the listing seems too good to be true, it probably is. Keep your eyes peeled and try use job boards which screen already for fake postings.
You probably already use LinkedIn, so it’s a great place to start
With LinkedIn having more than 65 million members to date, there are numerous opportunities for people looking for legitimate work from home jobs. Whether you’re looking for freelance, part time or full time positions, you’ll be sure to find something on its job board. By simply clicking on the job tab at the top of the page and using keywords such as remote or telecommuting, you can get off to a good start. Even better is to make use of the boolean search feature that LinkedIn offers. For example, if you’re looking for a remote developer job, then search: (Remote OR Telecommuting OR Virtual) AND Developer. This will provide you with results that have any of the remote terms when describing the developer job.
Another good way to search for remote jobs on LinkedIn is through discussion groups. There are a lot of different groups on the site that cater towards different fields. Job leads, remote job openings and direct contact with employers are all on offer if you do some research.
How to start working remotely?
After you’ve decided to make the jump to start working remotely, it might seem a bit daunting getting your career off to a start. You’ll need to spend some time preparing a few things to make a success out of it. A good place to start is with your CV, as it probably is aimed and written for a normal office job. You will want to make sure that you really make your remote friendly skills shine. Different skill sets are more important in the remote world, so try and make then shine. Communication in the remote game is key. So are all the soft skills we previously mentioned before. Make sure to balance your technical skills with all these remote friendly aspects. Problem-solving, self-motivation and independent learning are great ones to mention.
Try and get to know and familiarise yourself with the main tools in use in the remote world. Project management apps like Trello and Asana are in use in a lot of companies and can be researched online. For communicating get used to using Slack and Google Hangouts, both extremely popular tools for keeping in touch with your colleagues. Consider getting yourself some remote training with our Remote-how Academy to really prepare yourself and make your CV shine.
Getting to know the remote market
Before starting your remote job search, take a look at some of the major companies that are hiring remotely. Not all of them are fully remote and may actually require you to spend some days in an office. Big companies like Github or Buffer hire fully remotely if you need to be outside of the office the whole time. A lot of startups can offer partly remote jobs if you only need to have some flexibility, and often embrace diversity in their workforce. If you’ve always worked in a physical location, you might not know some of the best places to even look for remote work. There are however some great websites where you can search for that perfect job. Jobspresso, Remote.co, and Remotive are some of the biggest ones out there when you’re on the hunt for a new job.
Do remote workers earn less than people in an office?
It can be a bit worrying when considering how much you will earn as a remote worker. It’s cheaper for you and your employer to work outside the office. Does that mean you will have less money at the end of the month then? In fact, it’s usually the opposite. Less expenses means more money for salaries! Due to the increased talent pool available to remote employers, they also need to attract the best talent. Remote work also demands higher skills, with employees having to manage themselves and make better use of technology. Do keep in mind that your salary will probably be dependent on the country that your remote employer is based in. This can work to your advantage if you live somewhere with cheaper living costs.
How to manage remote teams?
After having learnt a bit more about remote work, you or your company may decide to implement flexible working arrangements in your workplace. When managing remote teams, it can provide new challenges that you don’t always have normally in an office. By not supervising your remoters properly, you will end up not getting the best results and your employees lose the opportunity to grow. Gains in productivity and an improved work-life balance won’t come around with teams are mismanaged! Motivating your team is also important, along with keeping up with all the relevant tools and best practices.
Don’t just use emails, get on a video call!
Use videos calls to reduce any communication misunderstandings that can sometimes occur with email. Asynchronous communication is great when setting tasks and for future reference, but just relying on these can make you a lot less efficient. A video call can save hours of time having to clarify exactly what needs to be done through email. Also, seeing your team member through webcam can make the conversation more personal and human. Just using email can make it easy to forget that there is a person on the other side.
Think about what tools will work best for your remote team.
There are loads of great tools that will make your life easier supervising remote teams. Just using emails and video calls isn’t enough. Making sure you collaborate well and are working efficiently can be more challenging when working remotely. Instant messaging tools like Slack or Hangouts Chat or project management applications such as Asana will all making the job much easier. It’s worth training your remoters how to make the most of them as well to get the best results.
Constant communication and concentrating on deliverables
By not communicating regularly enough, your team can become confused and work inefficiently. Seeing tasks and not checking on progress may give an unexpected outcome or deliverable, as your remote team gets lost on the way without any guidance. Checking in just isn’t as easy online as going over to someone’s desk, but it should still be done! Don’t overdo it though, as micromanaging and constant checking can be overbearing.
Concentrate on the deliverables that your remote team produces, rather than the time spent. When tasks are completed to a high standard and on time, then the amount of hours spent on the task shouldn’t particularly matter. One of the reasons a lot of people want to work remotely is for the improved work life balance and flexibility. Constantly asking how long and when people are working can make your team put in the hours but actually slack.
Schedule some one on ones
Have some regular one on one sessions with every team member. This way you will find out any issues they’re having quickly and also be able to help at the right time. It also helps you build more personal relationships with your remote team members. Put in the effort to schedule them yourself, as your employees might not always take the opportunity to do it. Find out any problems, asks for feedback yourself and take suggestions from your remoters
Encourage healthy habits
Make encouraging healthy working practices part of your work mentoring. A healthy and happy workforce will produce better results and feel more engaged. It can be easy to fall into bad habits when working from home, and loneliness can sometimes strike when traveling. These all negatively affect your remote employee’s mental and physical health, along with their output and collaboration. Creating a suitable morning routine, learning how to wind down after work and taking regular exercise should be in the advice you give to remote employees. Sometimes team members can slip through the net due to them not having a physical presence within the office, so make sure to keep an eye out!
Grow your employee’s network
If you already have a large remote network, then you’ll probably know people who will be able to help out your team members if they are struggling. Maybe one remoter is struggling with a task or finding one aspect of working remotely difficult. Look at your network and see if someone else can help provide some help or tips and tricks to guide them on their way. The larger your team’s network, the more beneficial this is for your remote company.
