There has been a remote work revolution over the last 12 months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to lockdowns, social distancing and the many sudden changes in working habits, remote jobs have become more common than ever. 

However, as we near the end of restrictions on movement, working from home is becoming a choice rather than the expected norm again.

If working remotely is your goal, however, it is important to know what to look for in a job and even more essential to have a positive digital employee experience by making sure you can show you are an effective remote worker. Below we explain what it takes to make your work from home job search a success.

 

Use Your CV to Highlight Your Remote Working Strengths

Your CV will be an essential ally in getting remote employers to take you seriously. When you design your resume templates there are a few extra points to include on the page to make your search a fruitful one.

 

Show Self-Sufficiency With Your Skills

Your CV’s skill section can do a lot of the leg work in showing why you’re a good fit for a remote job. This is a crucial area to highlight what makes you perfectly qualified to be a work from home employee  

The skills that impress remote job employers include:

• Communication skills
• Self-motivation
• Proactivity 
• Familiarity with digital tools
• Teamwork
• Organisation

Of course, always try to tailor the abilities you include to the precise requirements of the job being advertised. Especially if you’ve used any digital team management tools like Slack, Monday.com or Jira before. 

If possible, also highlight that you have access to a reliable internet connection and stable work equipment. This might not always be necessary as a company might provide computers and other equipment but it may still help.

Anything that removes doubts from the recruiter’s mind in this way will be good for a strong work from home CV. Make sure to play to the strengths you can bring to a position such as this. 

 

Highlight Relevant Work Experience Examples

If you’ve had a chance to work from home already on either a group university project or temporarily for a company, you’re already a step closer to getting a full-time remote job. This will be important to information to focus your CV.

Relevant examples of home working or remote project management are highly valued and will give employers a much clearer picture of what you can do. They will also show that you’re comfortable with working in this way and can get quickly settled.

Like with your skills, you should ensure to link whatever examples you choose with the desired criteria the recruiter has asked for. This will help tailor your CV precisely to what is being searched for. 

 

Reach Out Via The Right Sources

Whilst sites like LinkedIn, Reed and TotalJobs all show job listings for remote positions, it’s often quicker and easier to trust a specialist job site. This will help cut through the chaff and avoid too many non-remote jobs coming up in your search results.

Numerous job search specialists cater exclusively to remote workers. Some of the best  websites to search for work from home jobs include:

• FlexJobs
• Remoters
• Upwork
• We Work Remotely
• Remote OK
• Adzuna

Social media also plays a role in making it easier to find remote jobs. There are lots of Facebook groups dedicated to flexible working in different local areas that can be followed for tips and job opportunities.

Twitter is also a good source for these kinds of job openings. By following some of the dedicated sites mentioned above you’ll be able to find relevant opportunities and other helpful content. 

 

Work Your Personal Network

Just like with any job search your personal network can play an important part in getting you hired. Who you know and the inside information they can give you counts in this situation too.

You’ll be well-positioned if you already know someone who has a remote job. They will be able to tell you the most about what their company wants from prospective employees and how to get ahead in the recruitment process. 

Even if there are no openings in their own company your personal connections can still open doors for you. They might even know a friend or colleague elsewhere that is looking to hire someone fitting your profile. This can help make your introduction to certain roles a lot smoother overall. 

 

But! Don’t Forget to Consider if Remote Jobs Are Right for You

Taking the nine-to-five home with you may seem like a dream come true but the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. Whilst there are many advantages to it, it’s not for everyone. 

Before you start seriously looking for work from home positions you should ask yourself the following questions for extra certainty.  

 

Is My Career Remote-Friendly?

Before you start looking for a remote job have a good think about whether your career path would make this easy to do. 

For example, if you’re working in a career that involves a lot of on-site activities like police work, engineering services or construction, you will find it more challenging to find open positions that allow you to work remotely.  

 

Am I Suited to the Teleworking Lifestyle?

If you’re reading this article then you’ve probably thought about remote work seriously at some point. However, it’s worth giving the lifestyle of working from home a bit of thought before committing to it full time.

Would you miss chats around the watercooler, the chance to brainstorm spontaneously in a break out room or the occasional temptations of cake when someone’s birthday rolls around? If these are things you are happy to live without for a while then a full-time remote job is probably up your street. 

Working remotely is a goal that’s within reach for more and more employees. If it’s your aim too, just follow the simple tips noted above to get your next remote job with ease.