How to Land Your Dream Remote Job

For many people, being able to work from home is the idea of living the dream. We can imagine why. In the morning, there’ll be no need to rush when your alarm goes off, no pesky commute to deal with, and you can have homemade meals every day.

Depending on the role, remote work allows you to clock-in or log-on whatever hours of the day that you feel the most productive. Those who work remotely can decide to stay in a home office or move to a cafe or coworking space for some days of the week. 

Luckily, this lifestyle is on the rise, and for a good reason. There’s research that shows that people who work remotely are less stressed and more productive than people who work in an office. 

That being said, it’s still not easy to land remote jobs. Many people find that the recruitment process is more complicated since much of traditional hiring revolves around in-person encounters. In this article, we’ll go over five tips to help you land your dream job working from home. 

Know the Players and the Game

You won’t get very far without having some knowledge of the landscape of the remote work world, so let’s go over a few basics.

There are two ways that you can launch your remote career. The first is to start your own business. As a freelancer, your focus will be on landing clients, rather than one singular gig.

The second option is to join a fully or partially-distributed company. In this case, you’ll have a position in a company with a specified role. Applying will be similar to landing a traditional office job. 

If you’re looking for more stability, you’ll prefer the latter route. Many companies offer flexible work arrangements, and the internet is full of resources for finding them. To hunt down the perfect position for you, it’ll require some serious research. 

Take a look at AngelList, which is the top directory for startup jobs. Make sure you use the ‘remote’ filter on any job boards. 

The good idea is to follow critical founders and team members on social media to learn about the organizations that you’re interested in. Keep all of this information organized in a spreadsheet so that you can access the information when you come into contact with any company representative. 

Get a Feel for Company Culture

Since you’re not going to be able to meet company representatives in person, it’s more important than ever that you’re well informed of the culture of the organization. You’ll be working miles or oceans away, so they’re going to need to trust you thoroughly. 

Remote companies look for people who are self-starters, great communicators, and people who fit seamlessly into their community. 

An excellent way to get to know the company is by reading their story and the profiles of founders. Identify their values and how they fall in line with your own. This communication should be well-researched, but still, feel authentic. 

Hone in on Your Skills

Now that you know the players, and a little more about the game, you have to let recruiters know what you have to offer. There are many remote jobs that require tech-oriented skills, but there are others that are less technical. Identify your capabilities that are in demand. 

Ask yourself a few questions and identify what you’re good at and enjoy doing, but also what people will pay for. Your sweet spot rests between these three points. Once you define it, market yourself. 

Create a portfolio and a website for yourself, so others can see what you have to offer. If you don’t have much experience, take on some projects to build up your portfolio. 

Don’t Be a Hermit

Even though you’ll be working from home, you want to make sure that you still get out in the real-world to network. This may seem intimidating at first, but it’s crucial to building your brand. 

Having a personality on and offline is key to success. Talk about your projects and exchange ideas with colleagues. Talk to others who are in roles that you’re interested in and see what they can teach you. 

Be Financially Responsible

If you’re planning on becoming a digital nomad, it’s easy to let your finances get out of hand. Make sure that you keep track of your spending and savings. It’s best to have a cushion to start, so you can cover the cost of building a website and making accounts on remote work job boards. 

According to this Tax Law Canada site, self-employed professionals need to have support when they transition to being independent. If you’re working for a company full-time, then you’ll continue to file the way that you had, while you might be able to write-off home-office expenses. 

Conclusion

Landing your dream work-from-home job is by no means easy, but if you do your research and networking, you’re sure to find something that works for you. Build up a portfolio and put yourself out there, who knows what opportunities you’ll find!