Do you want to work from home every day?
Many people have been working remotely at some point during the last few years. And, if you liked the taste of remote work and have been called back into the office, you might be on the hunt for remote and work from home jobs.
In this article, we look at:
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Are remote jobs right for you?
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How to attract remote job employers
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Quantifying your remote work skillset
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Finding opportunities and remote positions
Are remote jobs right for you?
Remote jobs can be a dream come true, but how do you know if working remotely is right for you?
You probably already know the benefits of having a work from home gig. These include avoiding a lengthy, unpleasant, and expensive commute, saving money on drinks and meals, improving your family life and work life balance, higher average salary, fewer distractions, flexible hours, and working from literally anywhere, not just in the confines of your home.
However, truly determining if you are suited to remote work comes down to performing a personal and professional self-assessment. Before you embark on a mission to find a new remote job or convince your employer to let you work from home, you should ask yourself the following questions:
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Am I self-motivated? - Remote workers are responsible for managing their time and need to work with less support and guidance.
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Do I thrive on inclusion and socialisation? - Remote positions can isolate you from your co-workers. So, if you love having a natter by the coffee or vending machine or partake in work-organised social activities, a remote job may not be right for you.
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Can I separate work and home life? - Work from home jobs can be difficult if distractions exist at home, such as young children or even your spouse. Furthermore, just as you need self-motivation to complete your required work hours, you need the discipline not to overwork, which can be disastrous for your mental health.
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Do I have the right communication style? - Remote work requires new communication skills, with most conversations taking place via email, video conferencing, or telephone.
Hiring managers have a sixth sense and heightened intuition. So, if your motives for finding remote jobs are to remain in bed all day, you may find it extremely difficult to get through the vetting process and remote interview.
How to attract remote job employers
If you want to attract the attention of remote companies, you need to keep your online presence active. Building a professional network is crucial, and various ways of doing this exist.
You could and should have a LinkedIn profile detailing your employment history, including any previous remote work experience. You should change your status to looking for work, so hiring managers know you are open to remote work opportunities and that you will welcome a contact request.
To increase the frequency that you appear in LinkedIn or social media searches, post that you are looking for remote working opportunities or share insights that demonstrate your professional knowledge and expertise. Many remote freelancers run a regular blog or have a professional website to improve their online visibility further.
If you want to secure remote freelancing gigs or permanent remote positions, you also need to make sure you have your remote work technology in place. A good internet connection, professional-looking email address, headphones or microphone, webcam, and popular conference calling software, such as Skype, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, are essential.
If you are an employer looking to recruit a remote employee or a remote work candidate looking to find out how recruiters interview and hire remote freelancers, we recommend reading; How To Conduct A Remote Interview.
Quantifying your remote work skillset
Remote employers are seeking partially and fully remote workers with the proficiency and skills to work effectively in their remote team. Therefore, your online professional profile and your CV should highlight and prioritise the skills that make you a superb candidate for their remote job.
To quantify your remote work skillset, your CV and professional profiles need to demonstrate:
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You are an excellent communicator - Communication is critical in most jobs, but remote positions rely more heavily on written communication. It will help you make your case if you can demonstrate written communication examples, and don’t forget to ensure your CV is free from spelling and grammar mistakes.
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You can deliver results - To be successful in a remote job, you need to recognise that they are less about completing a set number of hours, and more about delivering results. Quantify your successes by using facts, figures, and recognition you have received.
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You have evidence of your work - If you are searching for freelance work, a portfolio of work examples can be extremely beneficial.
If you want to work remotely, we also recommend reading How To Identify The Skills I Should Include On My CV.
Finding opportunities and remote positions
There are several ways of finding remote work online and securing your remote position. From performing a job search on remote work sites to having a conversation with your current employer about opportunities to work remotely.
The options to find remote opportunities include:
Asking your employer
If you are already employed, you could approach the subject of opportunities to work remotely with your current employer. If you experience resistance, then maybe a flexible job, working some days in the office and some days from home, would be an acceptable solution or compromise. You could also suggest a remote working trial, to see how things work out.
If you are preparing to make a case for remote work, we recommend reading How Has Working From Home And Remote Jobs Changed The Landscape Of The Job Market to discover the benefits of remote working for employers and employees.
Making a job search on remote job boards
Although there are not too many dedicated remote job boards, you can find remote work and remote job listings on Working Nomads, We Work Remotely, Jobspresso, FlexJobs, NoDesk, Remote.co, Remote OK, SkipTheDrive, RemoteJobs, and AngelList.
Making a job search on general job boards
General job boards include remote positions, mixed in with all the companies’ regular office-based job advertisements. Many include filters that will let you refine your search, so you can enjoy hunting for new jobs and remote opportunities with ease.
Examples of regular job board sites include Jobsite, Indeed, Reed, and Monster.
Employers: Promote your job listings on job board and remote job board sites here.
Job sites for freelance jobs
If you want to join the ranks of the more than two million freelance workers in the UK, you should check out new job postings on remote job sites created for freelancers. Examples include Worksome, YunoJuno, If You Could Jobs, Toptal, Fiverr, Wired Sussex, Upwork, Freelancer, Behance, 99designs, and DesignCrowd.
How to find remote jobs through social media
The most logical place to hunt for remote opportunities away from a job board is social media. LinkedIn Jobs is the most popular choice and is frequented by recruiters and employers hiring a partial or entirely remote team.
Remote workers FAQs
Here we tackle your remote job site and remote working frequently asked questions.
What remote jobs are available?
Remote job websites have opportunities across most business sectors. However, remote roles in hands-on professions are less common. Healthcare, logistics, and construction are two examples where few remote job listings are created. IT, communication, design, marketing, and advertising jobs are some of the most frequently posted work from home jobs.
What are the best remote jobs?
The best remote job opportunities include project management, virtual assistant, personal finance, software development, web development, telecommuting jobs, and part time jobs. For example, if you have a talent for creating a gorgeous user interface, then there are excellent remote Job opportunities for web developers, mobile app developers, and web designers alike.
What companies are hiring for remote jobs?
Following the pandemic, most companies have realised the benefits of remote workers. With remote work on the rise, you can find remote jobs in most professions, along with those that traditionally offered remote positions, such as startups, design, and tech companies.
Do remote jobs pay more?
Remote jobs and flexible jobs often pay slightly more than their office equivalents.
Find your remote job
If you are looking to work from home, you can find UK remote job listings in the following business sectors:
