The dream of working from home is a luxury that is becoming more and more possible with the ever-growing and changing world of technology. A lot of companies no longer need an actual office space to conduct business, therefore remote work is easier to find than ever! But that doesn’t mean they’re easy to get.
Here are 6 tips to get you started on a path towards an amazing remote position.
1. Think about if you are right for a work-from-home position.
Working from home sounds attractive because of the idea of working in your pajamas with your dog snuggled against your feet all-day sounds really relaxing. But remote work can be just as, if not more, stressful as going into the office. You need to be disciplined enough to sit down and focus all day as you would at an office, avoiding the temptations at home like Netflix, magazines, and napping while no one is there to supervise you. You also have to be willing to hop on Skype calls and phone conversations at any time. If you think you are ready to work from home successfully, keep reading!
2. Figure out what you’re best at.
Are you a writer? A fantastic organizer and email writer? A graphic designer? A social media aficionado? Whatever your passions are, you can land great remote work opportunities in your field of expertise. Consider freelance writing if your niche is a good blog post, or being a virtual assistant if you love organizing calendars, answering emails, and booking appointments. After you figure out what your good at, you can begin looking for jobs that let you work from the comfort of your own home.
3. Think beyond freelancing.
When talking about working remotely, a lot of people assume that you have to be a freelancer to have a successful career from your couch. But there are so many remote job opportunities aside from freelancing - anything from administration to content writing. Signing up for notifications from job sites like Nexxt can help you sift through the possibilities. That being said, it is worth the time to consider freelancing possibilities.
4. Write a good resume.
When trying to land a job working from home, you have to have a resume that makes you seem exceptionally skilled in a variety of areas without being micromanaged. Your resume should include any experience you have in the field you are interested in, but also any self-started side gigs or projects you have done. This shows that you’re a self-starter and don’t need a lot of supervision to work. You should also include knowledge of any tools that you are well-versed in. A lot of companies that have remote employees utilize tools like Slack, Asana, and Google Hangouts to communicate.
5. Write a killer cover letter.
When applying for a remote job, your cover letter should follow the same basic rules as any other cover letter an in-office job would. It’s becoming less common for jobs to ask for a cover letter, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t impress. Don’t just rattle off about the experiences listed on your resume, though. This is the company’s opportunity to get to know who you are off the resume - you’re writing voice, your personality, and why you really want the position. If you can write a nearly perfect cover letter, you are making a great first impression by showing that you always produce quality work.
6. Don’t be afraid to be yourself in the interview.
If you get lucky enough to land an interview for a remote position, you should be yourself. Working remotely means you won’t actually see anyone you work with at an office setting, but employers still want to know that you’re a nice, enthusiastic person who is great to work with.
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