One of the great things about remote work is that you aren’t limited by geography or your local job market. When you include remote work in your job search, you open yourself to opportunities that you otherwise might not have access to.
But like any job search, finding a remote job comes with its own set of unique challenges. You have to demonstrate not only why you’re the best applicant for the job but also why you’re the best remote applicant.
How to Find a Remote Job: 5 Steps
To help you get a remote job, we’ve outlined some tips on how to identify remote jobs and how to find legitimate remote jobs online, as well as some best practices for applying for remote jobs.
1. Speak the Right Language
There are at least 19 different ways to say “remote work.” Since no two companies use the same term, you should know all the different ways to say “remote work” as you’re searching for a remote job.
Here are a handful of common terms for remote work:
- Agile workforce: An adaptable, flexible workforce.
- Distributed workforce: Your entire team or company works remotely.
- Virtual job (online job): All of your work is done online or in a virtual office.
- Work at home (work from home): This one is pretty straightforward—you work from home.
- Work from anywhere: A remote job without any geographical restrictions.
There are, of course, many other phrases that mean “remote work.” But knowing some of the more common terms will help you target your search.
“Pay attention to the wording used by companies in job listings,” instructs the career experts at FlexJobs. “You might notice that companies in your industry or line of work tend to say ‘telecommute’ instead of ‘remote,’ or ‘remote’ instead of ‘virtual.’ Those subtleties can focus your search on the best keywords for your particular career goals.”
2. Search for Remote Jobs Online
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 may be focused on all types of jobs, if you’re looking for a remote job, you may want to focus your search on niche job search platforms that specialize in remote and flexible work, like FlexJobs.
All of the jobs we post are thoroughly vetted by our research team to ensure they’re legitimate. Take the tour to learn more. Or, read success stories from FlexJobs members.
And if you want to widen your search options, try these tips:
- Read over company career pages and be on the lookout for words like “work-life balance” and “flexibility.”
- Tap your network to see who you know who already works remotely. You might be surprised! Ask them how they found their remote job and ask for tips.
- Consider leveraging AI in your job search, which can speed up the process, offer more personalized job matching, and help you create tailored application materials more quickly.
— What Remote Jobs Are Available?
To learn more about your remote career options, check out a few of our lists of top remote companies:
- 20 Companies Embracing Permanent Remote Work-From-Home Jobs
- 25 Companies Hiring Now for Remote, Work-From-Home Jobs
- 25 Companies That Hire for Hybrid Jobs (Partially Remote)
- 30 Companies Hiring for Part-Time, Remote, Work-From-Home Jobs
- 30 Fully Remote Companies Hiring Right Now
- Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs in 2023
Year after year, these companies list the most remote job postings on FlexJobs. Research these companies to see if you like the company’s culture and values. Then, when you apply, you can create a targeted, personalized resume and cover letter to help demonstrate why the company should hire you.
Remote opportunities can include full-time jobs, part-time jobs, freelance jobs, or work on a contract basis. Also, certain career fields are more remote-friendly than others. While many work-from-home positions exist in data entry, customer service, and , there are frequently openings in dozens of other categories, such as:
- Marketing
- Sales
While many of these jobs are full-time positions, don’t rule out part-time, freelance, or contract work either. Choosing a job that isn’t full-time gives you the ability to balance work and family life. They’re also a great way to test the remote work waters or even try out a new career.
3. Applying for Remote Jobs
You’ve found the perfect remote job, and you’re ready to apply. That means creating a thoughtful and well-written remote work cover letter and resume. However, creating cover letters and resumes for remote jobs means highlighting more than your skills and experiences. You need to highlight your remote skills and experiences.
— Sell Your Skills
If you have experience working remotely, mention that in your cover letter and resume. But if you haven’t worked remotely, you may have to do some digging to find the relevant experience that spotlights your remote-savvy skills.
Start with your clients and coworkers. Are they located somewhere else? If so, have you coordinated a meeting across multiple time zones? Collaborated on a project? How did you accomplish these tasks? What software did you use? Talk about your successes in these areas.
Even if you’ve never worked with someone outside your office, that doesn’t mean you don’t have the skill set necessary for remote employee success. In general, employers offering remote jobs want applicants to demonstrate:
- Comfort with technology
- Proactive communication skills
- Self-motivation and focus
- Task and time management
Think about the skills you possess that demonstrate, for example, how you’re self-motivated. Is there a work project you completed with minimal direction or oversight? How did you do that? What were the steps you took to stay on top of things? What about a personal project you undertook because you wanted to? What drove you to start and finish it?
According to FlexJobs’ career experts, “Your resume should include a section that highlights your technology skills because being comfortable with technology and basic troubleshooting is critical for remote work. List the programs you’re familiar with, including general programs like Microsoft Office, Salesforce, or Quickbooks, and remote-specific programs like web and videoconferencing tools, online chat, document sharing, project management, collaboration tools, and more.”
Conducting a personal inventory may reveal that you have far more remote skills than you realized, making you an excellent candidate for the position.
To learn more about highlighting your remote work skills, check out a few of our guides on sought-after remote skills:
- 7 Skills Employers Look for When Hiring Remote Workers
- The Top 10 Skills Employers Want You to Have
- Top 7 Skills for Remote Workers (Webinar Recording)
- What Companies Look for in At-Home Workers
- What Employers Look for When Hiring Remote Workers
4. Look for Legitimate Remote Jobs in the Right Location
The key to finding legitimate remote job opportunities and avoiding job scams is knowing where to find vetted remote jobs online, as well as knowing how to distinguish one type of remote job from another.
— Not All Jobs Are Equal
While there are jobs that are 100% remote, many remote jobs are hybrid jobs consisting of both in-office and remote work. Make sure you read the job description carefully, so you don’t apply to a job thinking it’s 100% remote when it turns out you have to be in the office three days a week.
Also, many fully remote, stay-at-home jobs have a location requirement. This can be a country, a state, or even a metropolitan area. There are several reasons why remote jobs have location restrictions, including:
- Clients: Remote work doesn’t mean never meeting clients in person. If you work in sales, for instance, and you’re responsible for a certain territory of customers, you may need to live close to them to facilitate meetings.
- Legal: Licensing requirements or government regulations may restrict the company to and from specific locations.
- Taxes: Companies may only pay employment taxes in certain states.
- Travel: Some remote jobs may entail business trips, which may make living near an airport a necessity.
— Scam Alert: How to Find Legitimate Remote Jobs
Unfortunately, remote work tends to attract scams. Some common scams include but are not limited to:
- Product testing or reshipping
- Rebate processing
- Secret shopping
When searching for a remote job, keep an eye out for red flags, such as:
- The ad says things like, “Unlimited earning potential,” “Investment opportunities and seminars,” or “Quick money.”
- The job requires upfront expenses from you.
- You’re asked for personal financial information (like your social security number or birth date) early in the interview process or as part of your initial application.
- You’re offered a job without an interview or anyone contacting or asking for your references.
If the job description, website, or even recruiter seems fishy, it probably is. Trust your gut and do some research before you part with any personal information. Start by researching the company. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are great starting points.
You can also use a search engine to search for the company name plus the word “scam” to see what comes up.
To learn more about avoiding job scams, check out a few of our guides on protecting yourself from common job scams:
- 5 Job Interview Alarm Bells That Signal a Job Scam
- How to Protect Yourself Online During Your Job Search
- How to Stay Away From LinkedIn Scams
- What Are Recruiting Scams? 6 Ways to Spot Recruitment Fraud
5. Ace Your Remote Job Interview
In some respects, preparing for a remote job interview is the same as preparing for any interview. However, in other respects, preparing for a remote job interview requires some special steps.
— Remote Interview Tips & Strategies
Remote interviews usually involve a phone or video call. This is a great chance to show off your tech-savviness. But make sure you aren’t overlooking some of the practical aspects of a remote interview too.
For example, if you know the interview requires an internet connection, make sure you have a reliable one. Wi-Fi and cellular connections are OK, but a wired internet connection is usually a safer bet. Download (if necessary) and test your connection. Does everything work with your equipment?
Also, think about where you will have your interview. Do you have a home office? If so, does it look professional? Check the area around and behind you. Make sure it’s tidy and clean. If you don’t have a home office, is there someplace at home where you won’t be interrupted during the interview?
FlexJobs’ career experts suggest, “For video interviews, practice answering questions on camera, either by yourself or with a friend who wants to help. Get everything set up and speak your answers out loud while looking at your computer camera. It’s hard to get used to at first, so practicing ahead of time will calm your nerves for the real interview.”
Attend to these things in advance, so you’re ready to go when it’s time. The last thing you want to do is tell your interviewer to “hang on” while you download the program only to find that it’s not compatible with your system.
— Common Remote Job Interview Questions
Like any interview, an interview for a remote position will include standard questions. “Tell me about yourself,” “Why did you apply for the job?” and “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” are all likely to make appearances during the vetting process. You can certainly prep and practice for those, but don’t overlook some remote-specific interview questions, such as:
- Where do you work when you’re remote?
- Why do you want to work remotely?
- How do you handle distractions? How do you stay focused?
These are only a few samples, but they give you an idea of what kinds of remote work-specific questions to expect from a potential employer. And don’t think of these as curveball interview questions. These remote work-specific interview questions help the interviewer assess if you have the skills to work and succeed in the role and as a remote employee.
To learn more about interviewing for remote jobs, check out more of our job interview tips:
- 10 Things to Do the Day of Your Job Interview
- 30 Common Interview Questions, Tips, and Example Answers
- How to Ask About Remote Work During a Job Interview
- Top Situational Interview Questions and Example Answers
Start Your Remote Job Search
For even more tips on finding remote job opportunities, we created a comprehensive, downloadable guide. This in-depth look at how to get a remote job will help you figure out which remote jobs are best for you and what you can do to make yourself stand out among all the other applicants and start your remote career.
