While many more people have been working remotely in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic, a large percentage of that number is going back to onsite work, at least on a part-time basis.
Truly remote jobs, however, are still around, especially in certain fields. And FlexJobs, the top jobsite for remote work, has published a guide outlining how to find them.
Working at home is becoming increasingly popular, partly because people have come to discover that remote work offers a variety of advantages, including improved mental health. A 2020 survey conducted by FlexJobs and Mental Health America of 800 employees with flexible work options that included remote work found that:
- 48% of respondents reported decreased stress levels.
- 34% experienced less anxiety and depression.
- 32% saw their sleep improved.
- 28% felt that their overall physical health got better.
Remote jobs are growing
This remote work, however, is far from the type of scams one might find online offering low paying gigs and often meaningless work. Or multilevel marketing or commission-only jobs. FlexJobs carefully screens the jobs it lists, and those jobs offer good pay. The number of jobs on the site is also growing. Between 2022 and 2023, it saw an increase of 20% in remote job listings. While most of the jobs are for people with experience, about 6% of the listings are for entry level positions.
Among the fields the jobs encompass are computer and IT, customer service, medical and health, marketing, sales, writing, graphic design and project management.
If you think you might be interested in exploring the possibility of remote work, a very good place to begin is with FlexJobs’ How to Find a Remote Job and Start Working From Home.
In it you’ll find a wealth of information about the types of remote jobs available and how to find them. You’ll also learn how to avoid the scams and find good quality jobs with reputable companies.
FlexJobs outlines how to be successful as a remote worker
According to the FlexJobs guide, there are certain character traits that you will need if you want to be successful as a remote worker. These include being able to:
- Be self-motivated and work independently.
- Avoid distractions.
- Set boundaries if you share your home with other people.
- Provide proper childcare for your children, if you have them.
- Effectively use technology – email, video-conferencing and instant messaging – to communicate.
Learning the remote work landscape
The first thing to do is to get to know the landscape of remote work, so you’ll understand what it’s all about. This type of employment may be referred to as telecommuting, a virtual job, home-based employment or an off-site job, among others.
With some remote jobs you will be required to be onsite every once in a while. Although remote and on-site jobs tend to pay similar salaries, there could be a bit of a difference based on a variety of factors. And the guide teaches you how to estimate if there might be a discrepancy by using online resources.
Companies that offer remote jobs and how to find them
The guide includes the top 25 companies that offer remote jobs. The most recent list includes Williams Sonoma, Robert Half International, UnitedHealth Group, Amazon, Oracle and Salesforce.
Among the subjects in the guide is a series of job search tips for securing remote work, including:
- A list of questions to ask yourself.
- How to find others doing remote work who can tell you the ins and outs of this type of employment.
- Where to search for remote jobs.
- How to tailor resumes and cover letters for remote jobs, so that they include both the hard and the soft skills you’ll need.
- The need to learn and highlight your knowledge of digital communication tools.
- What to do to prepare for interviews for remote jobs and a list of questions you might be asked.
- How to determine if a job is a scam.
And if you decide that remote work is for you, you may want to sign up for a FlexJobs membership. There’s an introductory rate of $2.95 for two weeks, with one-month and three-month plans beyond that. It offers access to more than 68,000 job listings from about 5,600 companies, as well as a wide variety of job search resources, including career advice, articles, webinars and Q&A sessions with a career expert.
