Remote work is super in these days. Since the pandemic, it has become increasingly apparent that almost any job can be done from home with a little bit of creativity. That has created excellent opportunities for people who want flexibility and work/life balance in their careers.
However, it has also changed the way that people look for jobs, possibly forever. What does it take to score a great remote position? How competitive is it, and what do I need to do to prepare?
In this article, we answer those questions and more. Read on to find out how to land the perfect remote job in a crowded market.
Personal Brand
Branding used to be a purely business pursuit. Companies put out an image that is meant to describe what it feels like to interact with them. Harley Davidson, for example, has a strong brand that is rooted in freedom. The open road. Wind in your hair (through a properly appointed helmet, of course) and so on.
Dos Equis in the early 2000s set out to project a sophisticated brand identity. Their “most interesting man in the world,” ad campaign outrageously suggested that there was something more fascinating about drinking this beer instead of its competitors.
Branding is all about setting yourself apart from the pack, and that’s an idea that any job seeker should be able to get behind.
When you go about trying to shape your personal brand think about ways to match your skills and personality with the image that businesses are trying to put out. You can find this by taking a look at a company’s “About Us,” page. Usually, it will feature a public statement in which they articulate their values.
It might be diversity in hiring or sustainable business practices or — well. Whatever. The actual value isn’t so relevant as the fact that they probably have one. Businesses look for employees that align with their stated values because it helps them sustain continuity.
No one can say, “You’re the marketing firm that cares about the environment, are you? Then explain this photo of your new hire pouring gasoline in a river while he drinks from a single-use water bottle.”
Expand Your Horizons
One of the nice things about looking for work online is that you don’t necessarily need to look for companies that are located nearby. While it can help to have coworkers who are in your approximate time zone, skilled teams can easily collaborate with great success even when they are spread all across the planet.
Instead of say, looking for “copywriting jobs in St. Louis,” you can just look for copywriting jobs. There are a lot more of those. Just be open about your expectations as you begin your application process.
“I’m not looking to move, but I am more than willing to work remotely.” It also helps if you…
Familiarize Yourself with Remote Collaboration Technology
Most people and their grandma are at least fairly well versed on the ins and outs of Zoom. But many other tech suites allow for remote collaboration. Trello, Slack, Asana, and other software allow you to engage in a highly nuanced and productive workflow with people regardless of how far apart you are in the world.
These tools are mostly pretty easy to use once you get the hang of them. Still, being able to list them on your resume may help give you a small edge as you look for remote work. It tells the hiring manager that you can be onboarded without a ton of new training on the basics.
Be Flexible in Your Expectations
Covid certainly accelerated the rise of the remote job. However, now that the pandemic has cooled off considerably, many businesses are considering hybridizing their work schedule by insisting that employees spend at least one or two days a week in the office.
Now, if this doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work for you. However, by being just a little open-minded, you expand your options and increase the odds that you will find a job quickly.
Prepare for Remote Interviews
Remote work usually means a remote interview. These can be awkward and different from in-person interviews. All the usual discomfort combined with Internet-specific inconveniences. A lagging internet connection. A dog that won’t seem to stop barking in the background. Your daughter heard yelling from another room, “I just went potty. It’s everywhere, everywhere!”
She’s twenty-two. When is she gonna get better at this? you think as you smile stiffly and hope the Internet connection cut out.
You get the picture. It’s a normal interview but with all the crazy variables that come with trying to have an important conversation at home.
How do you prepare for something like this? It’s mostly a question of attitude. If you can accept that things will go wrong, chances are that your future employer can take the interruptions in stride.
Professional Development Still Counts
There is nothing informal or casual about working from home. Well — there’s the sweatpants, sure. But beyond those sweatpants exists the same expectations that commuters face all over the world. You’re going to want to come to the job hunt correct.
That will mean getting your application materials nice and tight, but it will also mean being a professional that is qualified for a high-paying job.
Take professional development courses. Consider the merits of an MBA. Many businesses all over the world run large firms from their basement.
Remote work is just as competitive as any other field. In some ways, a really desirable job may be harder to get than it once was. We mentioned that you can now expand your job search to international positions if that is what you are interested in. Well, the same goes for everyone else.
You’re now competing with people from all over the world so make sure you’re coming to the fray in a competitive condition.
