Tips on How to Find a Remote Job, from Real People Who Have Done It

When people learn that you’re looking for a job, you’ll often be on the receiving end of a whole lot of unsolicited advice. And as well-meaning as it might be, sometimes it can be incorrect or misleading. That’s why it might be best to get job seeking suggestions from those who are already working remotely. These five remote workers offer their tips on the best way to find a remote job in a Remote.co Q&A.

Real World Tips on How to Find a Remote Job:

Find your niche.

More isn’t always better when it comes to job searching, especially if you’re spending hours weeding through job listings that aren’t applicable to what you’re looking for. “Look on job boards dedicated to remote working opps,” says Kat Christofer, a Woocommerce documentation editor with Automattic.

If you’re looking for a remote job, either for a career change, new opportunity, or returning to work, target job boards (like FlexJobs, for example) that specialize in flexible and remote jobs. You’ll spend more time applying for quality positions—and less time scanning listings that won’t work for you.

Get into freelance.

Let’s say that your goal is to find a full-time telecommuting job, but you haven’t had any success so far. Don’t despair—or worse, think that you have to return to a traditional office job if you don’t want to. Instead, “Dive headfirst into freelancing,” urges Hillary Heinz, a marketing strategist at Skillcrush.

Freelance jobs can range from full- or part-time, temporary to permanent and can be a great way to get your foot in the door at a company that you’d like to work for. And if you’re new to working remotely, freelancing can give you insight into what it’s really like to work from home.

Think big.

If you thought that remote jobs were relegated to small- or medium-sized companies, think again. Many of today’s Fortune 500 companies offer flexible and remote jobs. Says Lauren Antonian, manager, proposal development at Anthem: “Large companies with a nationwide footprint tend to be in the top 50 of Fortune’s list and, due to their national presence, are more likely to have remote working options.” So look at both small and large companies to give yourself the best chance of finding a remote job.

Be open to opportunity.

While looking on job search boards can be one of the best ways of finding flexible work, you never know when (or where) a lead might fall into your lap. Liz McGrory, owner/coach/writer at Coach LizzyMc, found her job through a working mom blogger group on Facebook. She says, “Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities. That’s how I found out about my job.” So be open and alert to any possible networking or job opportunities that might come your way.

Use Remote.co.

We think that Remote.co is a pretty great resource for finding remote work, and it seems that Karen LaGraff, Xerox’s VP of employee relations for the North American Region, might agree. “Career websites that provide an aggregate picture of remote jobs at various companies can be helpful,” she says.