Working remotely is an attractive option for many individuals and companies during this uncertain time. Although hiring has slowed down, many companies are still actively recruiting and looking for strong talent to problem solve and continue to be resilient in this new normal of Covid 19. While less overall hiring right now means a more competitive search, you can also leverage this time to stand out within your job search by being strategic, intentional and flexible.
How to Search for Remote Work
There are a number of ways to search for remote work. One way is to do searches using terms like remote work, telecommuting, virtual job and off-site job. You’ll want to avoid searching for things like work from home or work at home. These are the two terms used the most often by scammers.
Avoiding Remote Work Scams
There are a number of clues to look for that might indicate a scam. For example:
- Company only communicates with you through on-line chat
- If they use a generic e-mail domain rather than a company e-mail
- When they ask for anything other than basic information (never give SS# or bank info)
- If you are asked to send money for training or anything else before the start of the “job”
- Employer sends packages to your home and ask you to send those packages on to foreign address
- If something sounds too good to be true, if the “job” seems too easy to get, or if it seems that you’d be doing very little work for a lot of money, it’s probably a scam.
Safer Way to Look for Remote Work
An easier and often safer way to look for remote work is to use remote work sites like www.flexjobs.com. Flexjobs is the most heavily vetted and is considered the safest remote work site. There are also plenty of other sites that you could try such as www.remotive.io, https://freeeup.breezy.hr/, www.remote.co and www.upwork.com. Another option is to sign up for the newsletter www.remotejobsclub.com to get bi-weekly e-mails of jobs that fit the criteria you’ve selected.
Update Resume for Remote Work
Finally, make sure your resume reflects the fact that you would be a good, productive remote worker. Highlight past remote work experience on your resume. If you have never worked remotely, highlight work that you’ve done with co-workers in other locations, work you’ve brought home or projects you’ve completed remotely. Make sure to show initiative, communication skills, collaboration skills, problem-solving and time/task management.
You might find that remote work is a great fit for you and that you never want to go back to working in an office.
