Figuring out how to land a remote job? Right now, remote career opportunities seem like a reasonably desirable objective for 2023. Want greater flexibility in your schedule, then look for more remote career opportunities. No more traveling or getting stuck in traffic! More time to devote to side projects. Incredible, isn't it?
Getting a remote job has a long list of advantages. Whereas, a full-time in-office job asks for your time, efforts and money. Furthermore, being in a full-time business for yourself entails added dangers, higher expenses, and a constant chance of tough times.
Remote work opportunities can be a great middle ground between the two extremes of self-employment and working 10 hours a day in an energy-draining office.
Let’s explore how you can get remote job opportunities in 2023.
Remote work opportunities and their essentials
As more and more companies throughout the world transition to remote employment, changes are already visible. Microsoft announced in mid-March 2020 that 44 million concurrent users had used its Slack rival, Microsoft Teams.
In the upcoming weeks and perhaps months, it is expected that this will only get worse. 74% of CFOs believe that remote work will become a more common practice.
Hence, it is only apparent to prepare yourself well with the remote work essentials for your remote career opportunities. The proper balancing act should be struck when using the fundamentals of remote work. These could include:
- Laptops/computers that are compatible with current technology,
- Ergonomic desks and chairs,
- Dependable internet connections,
- Collaboration and communication software for easy team interaction,
- Laptop peripherals,
- More compact remote work accessories, and
- Most importantly, a designated workspace.
These are the fundamental requirements for remote work.
How to figure out if remote work is cut out for you?
You’re cut out for remote work if:
1. You’re an initiator or a self-starter- You'll probably succeed as a remote worker if you have the innate drive to operate independently with no guidance or direction.
2. Self-disciplined- Discipline is essential when working remotely because it can be particularly difficult to resist the urge to give in to a little Facebook browsing or to stay in your jammies all day after breakfast when no one is watching.
3. You crave higher autonomy- You might make a great candidate for a remote working position if you are one of those people who do better with a bit more freedom and whose productivity rockets with greater autonomy. Just be sure you use your remote access and video conferencing resources wisely and stay in regular contact with your colleagues to make up for your physical absence.
4. You don’t miss out on being social- Some people genuinely love the social aspect of working in an office and are more motivated when they have the opportunity to meet and communicate with their team in person. However, not everyone has the same social demands, and some people are by nature more at ease in a more peaceful setting with little to no social interaction, particularly if the alternative is a hot desk or working in a noisy public location rather than a private office.
5. You are okay with downsides- WFH employees may miss out on crucial in-person conversations and connections that occur organically among co-workers.
The truth is that even when an employee's performance is otherwise excellent, busy supervisors might easily overlook how hard an employee is working if they can't see what they're doing.
6. You can navigate and solve technical problems- You are ready for remote career opportunities if you can handle technical problems yourself. You will inevitably experience computer issues, internet issues, and other problems when working from home. The more you can troubleshoot and resolve these problems on your own, the better.
How to prepare for your first remote job?
1. Enjoy your success
After a long job search, you could feel nervous about beginning a new position, especially if it's remote and you can't rely on the customary in-person encounters to help you adjust. Given the job market, you may be beginning a job in a field you've never worked in before.
So, Melody Li, a therapist in Austin and the founder of Inclusive Therapists, advises taking some time to enjoy your new position.
2. Set your workspace
According to Dan Black, global recruiting head at the consulting firm EY, it can be beneficial to highlight the changeover to a new position by redesigning your home office. Whether you're setting up a remote workspace for the first time or simply adding new artwork or a plant to your desk, give it a fresh look.
3. An in-depth conversation with your manager
You should have a more in-depth conversation with your manager regarding their expectations for you during your new role after your initial few days of orientation.
Inquire broadly about the goals they want you to achieve in the first 6 to 12 months of your employment.
Demonstrate your willingness to go beyond the call of duty to remain profoundly appreciated and employed in the next six to twelve months.
4. Build strong communication
How do you think are strong relationships built? Obviously, communication is the key to that.
- Learning how to interact digitally becomes even more crucial in remote career opportunities.
- Because of this, according to Dan Black, one of your first inquiries of your new team members should be, "What's the best or easiest way to connect with you?"
- Find out if they have a favorite form of communication (email, instant chat, phone, or video), time of day, or even frequency.
- Inform them of your preferences so that you both can meet midway to establish a strong communication channel.
5. Ask for help when needed
Ask your coworkers for their suggestions. To assist you to adjust more quickly, it will be useful if you ask for a mentor.
Also read: How to evaluate and accept a job offer
6. Know your team
When you can't just bump into your coworkers, getting to know them will need more effort.
- Initially, Brownlee advises setting out at least 30 minutes each week for pure networking.
- Do this first with those you interact with most frequently at work, such as your manager, your peers, or those you directly report to.
- Do not take it easy and believe your manager will arrange everything for you. Rather, go out of your comfort and converse.
7. Understand the impact of COVID on the company
Team morale may not be high if you join a company that has had pandemic-related difficulties, such as budget cuts or individual losses as a result of the virus. Melody Li advices taking into account that the organization's low morale isn't a result of your entry. Furthermore, having compassion for those who have had to make significant adjustments over the past year can be good.
You should openly inquire with your manager about how changes at the company might affect your role. Instead of relying on rumors, arm yourself with accurate facts about what has been happening at the organization from reliable sources.
8. Learning is a curve and not a straight line
Cut yourself some slack if it seems like it's taking a while to adjust. After all, you're entering a completely new atmosphere at work.
Working remotely during the pandemic can make things feel particularly insecure or disorganized.
It is highly advisable for you to use the first few months of employment as a time to learn everything you can about the business and your position. Give yourself at least a year to adjust.
Tips to set up a successful remote career
1. Set your home office with some elements from nature
Healthy environments that allow you to focus with few interruptions and clutter foster productivity. Setting up an orderly and pleasant workspace is the first step to successful remote working. This should preferably be in a peaceful section of your home, away from distractions from daily life, to encourage productivity.
It's critical to pick a position that enables you to maximize natural light. Working in a natural habitat will make you feel more energized and less lethargic.
2. Set fundamental house rules
While working remotely, interruptions from kids, animals, and background noise might reduce your productivity. That might make people frustrated at work. Interruptions can be frustrating, although we would all like to spend more time with our loved ones and overly affectionate animals. This is especially true when trying to work on crucial documents or take part in a conference call from home.
For these reasons, it is crucial to establish some fundamental house rules.
3. Use various management tools
Successful remote working depends on having effective workflow and task management solutions in place for you and your coworkers. Asana is an excellent example of a web and mobile tool that may help manage, track, and organize their work. However, there are also a lot more options available, many of which are free. Some of the solutions that provide various capabilities that can be helpful to you include Workzone, Trello, and Jira.
4. Adhere to your logging-off time
It can be simple to lose track of time and allow work to run over into your private time when working outside of an office and the typical nine-to-five daily framework. In fact, a lot of individuals consider this to be the biggest obstacle to remote career opportunities, especially at the start. After all, we have to make a deliberate decision to unplug now that technology allows us to stay connected round-the-clock via email or chat notifications.
Setting a time each day when you formally log off is one approach to preserve the boundaries, which are crucial in this situation.
5. Strengthen communication
While there are numerous advantages of remote career opportunities, they can also result in feelings of isolation or loneliness. Many remote workers lament the lack of social interaction and lighthearted office humor that they experience. This is true if you are working alone from home and have no one around you to entertain.
Therefore it is advisable to make healthier and stronger communication networks.
How to apply for a remote job?
1. Find out what employers are looking for
The majority of remote companies primarily seek out two types of candidates: those who are trustworthy and those who genuinely enjoy their work.
- Remote employers need to have confidence in each team member's ability to perform their duties and produce high-caliber work.
- In addition to hiring trustworthy individuals, remote businesses want workers that are enthusiastic about their work.
- Remote businesses are seeking people who can solve problems.
- People that love, or at least genuinely like, what they do should only work remotely.
Also read: Top 11 skills to add on your resume
2. Build a resume
To land a job, your resume needs to be modified as per the remote job and the remote company.
You can now build your resume with AllRemote's resume builder which helps you tailor your resume to the job requirements.
3. Follow-Up
Following up after your job application or interview is highly crucial. It shows your level of interest and your sincerity in the particular remote career opportunity.
Also read: The best follow-up emails
Best websites to apply for remote jobs
1. Just Remote
JustRemote is a strong remote job search platform to assist you in finding fully (or partially) remote career opportunities across a wide range of functionalities, including—design, content writing, editing, HR, recruiting, social media, and more.
2. WeWorkRemotely
Although almost entirely a job board, this one is excellent for remote career opportunities. The website is quite user-friendly, and there is no application charge. Slower application responses are a drawback.
The majority of positions are in software engineering or design, but if you're looking for remote work, keep an eye on this website.
3. AllRemote
Cut through the noise, have your qualifications evaluated, and AllRemote will ensure you find employment within a few weeks. With AllRemote, you can find the best-of-the-best remote career opportunities in 2023.
Our private community is made to assist you in learning, developing, finding remote job opportunities, and pursuing your passions more.
You can discover all remote work opportunities worldwide through our job portal.
