How to find a job working from home: Guide

The great thing about remote jobs is that you are not limited by geography or the local job market. Including home office work in your job search opens up opportunities that you would otherwise not have access to.

But like any job search, the search for a Remote Job comes with a unique set of challenges. Not only do you have to show that you are the best candidate for the job, but also that you are the best candidate for remote work.

Speak the right language

There are at least 19 different ways to say "remote jobs. Since no two companies use the same term, when looking for a remote job, you should know all the different ways to " Remote Jobs " to say. Here are just a few of the most common ones:

• Distributed workforce: you and everyone you work with work remotely
• Work at home (or work from home): You work at home
• Virtual job or online job: all work is done online or in a virtual office
• Work from anywhere: A job without geographical restrictions
• Agile workforce: a flexible workforce

There are of course many other terms that mean "home office". But if you know some of the most common terms, you can make your search more targeted.

"Pay attention to the wording companies use in job ads," advises Brie Reynolds, former Career Development Manager and Career Coach at Remote Scout. "You may notice that companies in your industry or field of work tend to say 'telecommuting' instead of 'remote' or 'remote' instead of 'virtual. With these subtleties, you can focus your search on the best keywords for your specific career goals."

Not all remote jobs are the same

You already knew that, that's why you're looking for a new job! However, not all remote jobs are the same. While there are jobs that are 100% remote, many remote jobs are "blended", meaning they consist of office and remote work. Read the job description carefully so that you don't apply with the assumption that you will be working 100% remotely when you need to be in the office three days a week.

In addition, many jobs where you work exclusively from home require a specific location. This can be a country, a state or even a metropolitan area. There are several reasons why remote jobs are tied to a specific location, including:

Legal aspects: Some license requirements or government regulations may restrict the company in certain locations.

Taxes: Companies may only pay payroll taxes in certain states.

Travel: Just because it's remote doesn't mean you won't have to go on frequent business trips, which makes living near an airport a necessity.

Client base: Remote work doesn't mean you never meet clients in person. If you are responsible for a specific area of clients, you may need to live near them to facilitate meetings.

Fraud alert

Unfortunately, the "remote job" job category keeps attracting scammers. Some of the common scams include:

• Secret shopping
• Product inspection or return
• Processing of discounts
• Watch out for red flags when looking for a remote job:

The ad says things like "Unlimited earning potential", "Investment opportunities and seminars" or "Fast money".

At the beginning of the interview or as part of your Application you will be asked for personal financial information (such as your social security number or date of birth).

The work requires preliminary work from you.

You are offered a job without anyone contacting or even asking for your references.

If the job description, website or even the recruiter seems suspicious, it probably is. Trust your gut and do some research before you give out any personal information. Start by researching the company. The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission are good places to start.

You should also type the name of the company and the word "scam" into a search engine and see what comes up.

Remote-Jobs finden

Now that you know what to look for in a remote job posting, you need to know where (and how) to find remote jobs. While certain job boards cater to all types of jobs, if you're looking for a remote job, you should focus your search on job search platforms that specialize in remote and flexible work, like Remote Scout.

All jobs we advertise are thoroughly checked by our research team to ensure they are legitimate. So the 3% rule does not apply to our members. Take the tour to find out more. Or read the success stories of Remote Scout members.

However, if you want to expand your search options, you can try these tips:

Read the companies' careers pages and look out for terms such as "work-life balance" or "flexibility".

Tap into your network to find out who you know who is already working in the field. You might be surprised! Ask them how they found their remote job and ask them for tips.

Bonus: Take our LinkedIn Learning course on how to find a remote job and succeed as a remote worker.

What remote jobs are there?

Year after year, these companies publish the most job postings for remote work on Remote Scout. Research these companies to see if you like the company's culture and values. Then, when you apply, you can receive a targeted, personalized Curriculum vitae and write a cover letter to show why the company should hire you.

In search of remote jobs - Source: pexels.com

Remote jobs can include full-time positions, part-time positions, freelance work or work on a contract basis. Certain career fields are also more suited to remote work than others. While there are many work-from-home jobs in data entry, customer service, and computers and IT, there are also often openings in other categories, such as:

• Medicine & Health
• Education and training
• Sales
• Accounting and finances
• Marketing
• More

Although many of these jobs are full-time, you should not rule out part-time work, freelance work or contract work. Choosing a position that is not full-time will allow you to balance work and family life. They are also a great way to try out working remotely or even learn a new profession.

Apply for remote jobs

You have found the perfect remote job and now want to apply for it. This means you need to create a thoughtful and well-written cover letter and resume for remote work. However, creating cover letters and resumes for remote jobs is not just about highlighting your skills and experience. You need to highlight your remote work skills and experience.

Sell your skills

If you have previous experience with remote work, you should mention it in your cover letter and resume. However, if you have never worked remotely before, you may need to do some research to find relevant experience that highlights your remote working skills.

Start with your customers and employees. Are they based in a different location? If so, have you ever coordinated a meeting across multiple time zones? Have you worked on a project? How did you manage these tasks? What software did you use? Talk about your successes in these areas.

Even if you've never worked with someone outside of your office before, that doesn't mean you don't have the skills necessary to succeed as a remote worker. Employers offering remote jobs expect applicants to have skills in the following areas:

• Time and task management
• Self-motivation and concentration
• Comfort with technology
• Proactive communication skills

Think about what skills you have that show, for example, that you are self-motivated. Is there a work project that you have completed with minimal guidance or supervision? How did you do it? What steps did you take to stay on top of it? What about a personal project that you tackled on your own initiative? What prompted you to start and finish it?

"Your resume should include a section highlighting your technology skills, because being confident with technology and basic troubleshooting are critical to working in the field," Reynolds says. "List any programs you're familiar with, including general programs like Microsoft Office, Salesforce or Quickbooks, as well as remote-specific programs like web and video conferencing tools, online chat programs, document sharing, project management, collaboration tools and more."

A personal inventory may reveal that you have far more "remote" skills than you realized, making you an excellent candidate for the job.

Interviews for remote jobs

In some ways, preparing for a distance learning interview is the same as preparing for any other interview. In other respects, however, preparing for an interview abroad requires some special steps.

Get ready for your close-up

Happy remote job employee - Source: pexels.com

Remote interviews usually involve a phone or video call. This is a great opportunity to show off your technical skills. However, make sure you don't overlook the practical aspects of a remote interview.

For example, if you know you'll need the internet for the interview, make sure you have a reliable connection. Wi-Fi and cellular connections are fine, but a wired internet connection is usually the more secure solution. Download software (if necessary) and test your connection. Is everything working with your equipment?

Also consider where you will be conducting your interview. Do you have a home office? If so, does it look professional? Check the area around you and behind you. Make sure it is tidy and clean. If you don't have a home office, is there somewhere you won't be disturbed during the interview?

"For video interviews, practise answering questions in front of the camera, either on your own or with a friend who wants to help you. Prepare everything and speak your answers out loud while looking into the computer camera. It's hard to get used to at first. So practicing in advance will calm your nerves for the real interview," says Reynolds.

Take care of these things in advance so you're ready when the time comes. The last thing you want to do is tell the person you're talking to to "wait a minute" while you download the program, only to find out that it's not compatible with your system.

The questions

As with every job interview, standard questions are also asked during an interview for a sales representative position. "Tell me about yourself", "Why did you apply for the job?" and "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" - all of these questions are likely to be asked during the selection process. You can of course prepare and practise for this, but you should not overlook some specific questions for an interview abroad.

• Where do you work when you are on the road?
• Why do you want to work remotely?
• How do you deal with distractions?
• Or: How do you stay focused?

These are just a few examples, but they will give you an idea of the kind of questions you can expect from a potential employer when it comes to remote working. Don't think of these questions as awkward interview questions. Questions like these will help the interviewer assess whether you have the skills to be successful in this role and as a remote worker.