After Covid-19 hit, the work-from-home culture was boosted. For the freelancers, this was not something new but for on-site workers, this was a blessing. The popularity for remote work positions is still popular even after the pandemic is over. Majorly, the people are comfortable within their home environment to work but more than that, the freedom that comes with remote jobs are too good to let go of.
Added factors to preference of remote work include:
Advanced technologies
With the rise of digitalization in every possible industrial aspect, the world has become a global village. And softwares has been developed that monitors employees regardless of their location. So, if you can keep a check on the work performance, the special need for an office becomes a bit vain.
Employee satisfaction
Remote jobs offer flexibility and for every employee, it means that they can balance their work and life commitments in a better way. Not only does it increase employee satisfaction, it also improves productivity because with lesser stress for work/life balance, the focus, therefore efficiency, is enhanced.
Limitless hires
While employees receive a ton of advantages from remote work culture, organisations do as well. From less utility expenses to a wide range of potential workers, the organisations extract their benefit regardless of the geographical borders.
Remote Job Nuances
While different in setting, remote jobs have a whole nature of nuances as compared to the corporate culture.
Corporate Discipline
Unlike the offices having a hierarchical structure and schedules, and continuous supervision on employees, jobs from home come with rather flexible settings. So, if you don’t have a powerful self-discipline to sustain your focus, you can very easily become distracted. And if you don’t want your manager to call you up, then you must adapt well to the lack of corporate structure at your remote job.
Health Matters
The allure to eat or stay in bed is strong but in order to make sure that your work doesn’t lag or is interrupted, the matter of taking care of your health should be a priority. In offices, you can throw back concerns and follow the schedule for breaks but home office jobs provide more control and it is your responsibility to take care of your health. You can take short breaks when working, or have a standing desk to change it up from continuous sitting.
Environment
Our minds have been trained to go into an all work zone when we are sitting in an office setting. A job from home might be freeing but it can be difficult to maintain the focus unless you have a home office. While it is not necessary, save for some video conferencing, a home office can get you into the headspace that makes you focused because the environment closely resembles the corporate environment.
Getting a Remote Job – Part I
Generating a CV Fit For Remote Job
Surpass the ATS
All of us have been through the time where we tried to send in a generic CV to every company hoping that one of them will call back. While this could have worked about 5 to 8 years ago, now, not so much. Today’s industrial sector is technologically advanced and they incorporate an ‘applicant tracking system’ (ATS) when surfing through thousands of applicants’ CVs. And to stand out from the competition through this tech barrier, you can use ‘keywords’. The ideal way to understand which keywords you can use is by the job descriptions written by the hiring personnel. What they say about the job and the candidate they are looking for can help tailor your CV perfectly to fit their criteria.
Traditional Experience
Any CV is incomplete without your ability to showcase your experience. If you have remote experience, that is even better. It is always a smart choice to showcase your experience related to the job you are applying for. Even if it doesn’t match per se, it can match operations and the work you did. You should also make sure to use statistical data when mentioning your experience. It radiates the empowerment of your work practice that boosted a company’s value.
For example, if you are applying for the sales and marketing division, you can say that “Led the remote sales and marketing team of 12 members to advertise and convert clients which surpassed the initial revenue expectations by 24%.” Not only will you be showcasing your ability to lead a team remotely, you will also be highlighting your achievements and simultaneously saying how you were an asset in your company.
Skills Package
Experience can get you far, but having additional skills, specially those that are handpicked for remote workers, are the bonus any employer looks for. You can elongate your impression and stand out from the crowd. These skills can be hard skills or soft skills, both:
- Communication
- Technical Skills (Proficiency in using Microsoft 365 or other technical softwares)
- Adaptability
- Time Management
- Linguistics etc.
Getting a Remote Job – Part II
Finding a Suitable Remote Job
Searching Diverse Platforms
A plethora of remote job boards have risen and gained popularity (Consider Fiverr or Upwork.) And with the rise, the market of these boards have become equally as saturated. Therefore, finding a job board that aligns with your job requirements is important before you dive into the search for work from home. A few of them are as follows:
- Remote.co
- FlexJobs
- We Work Remotely
- PowerToFly
These platforms cover a wide range of industries such as design, marketing, programming, etc. So, if you want to kickstart your career with a legitimate remote job that will offer you benefits and experience, then these platforms are smart options.
Keeping Up With Companies
It is possible that you found a suitable remote job but it didn’t work out in your favor. Don’t give up. You can quite literally follow the company on their social media pages such as LinkedIn and Twitter where they can announce any open vacancies and you can find your opportunity. This can work with any company you find interesting. If you want to work with them, keeping up with their latest news can really do the trick.
Networking
Honestly, you can never understand the power of networking unless you actually experience it and watch how networking unfolds millions of ways for you. Schools don’t teach you this but networking can truly make ways for you where otherwise you might be stuck. When searching for a job, your network can help you stand out from a number of applicants. That is why having strong networking skills helps you power through the toughest of market dynamics. You are not the only person looking for the perfect remote job with a huge amount of experience. But your network can definitely help make you look like one. It is similar to advertising but through networks, the subject becomes you.