Everything You Need To Know About Finding A Remote Job In 2018

You’re ready to work from home. I get it. Some six years ago, I opted to kick my cubicle to the curb in favor of remote work.

While it was scary at the time (because I knew nothing about working from home), it turned out to be the best decision of my life. For starters, it allowed me to spend more time with my son. And, as a single mama, that was huge. I never put him in daycare. I didn’t have to pay for expensive child care. And after he was diagnosed with autism, I was able to take him to various  therapy appointments during the week. In other words, I fit work around my life and not the other way around.

If I had a traditional 9 to 5, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of those things. So, to say creating my own cubicle escape plan was one of my best professional AND personal decisions would be a huge understatement!

I share this story with you to let you know that I was once where you are right now — unsure of the work from home job options, especially now that we’re in 2018.

Sure, there are lots of programs, systems, and business opportunities out there that promise work from home riches. Let’s be honest, these are often nothing more than scams dressed up as legit online businesses.

That’s why I’m not even going to bother to address anything like that in this post. Instead, I’m going to discuss real remote work that lets you earn a living from home and pay your bills each month without having to set foot in a cubicle. There are plenty of remote career paths to consider and the remote job landscape is ever-changing.

Hopefully this exhaustive guide to work from home jobs 2018 will ease your fears, answer your questions, and make it that much easier to move closer towards remote work.

Settle in. Take a deep breath. Here we go!

The Rise Of Work From Home Jobs 2018

Believe it or not, approximately 1 in 4 people worldwide work from home at least some of the time. And it’s no wonder why — technology has made it much easier for us to connect with each other no matter where we live. The same holds true in the workplace.

Traditional office jobs can now be done out of your home office. This opens up many more career possibilities. And more work from home job options = more work from home workers!

Technology aside, many companies embrace remote work for the benefits it brings to both the company and their employees.

Benefits of Remote Work in 2018

Companies who open up their virtual doors can tap into the best talent out there. They don’t have to limit the applicant pool based on geographic location. Instead they hire the best and brightest regardless of where they’re located. And when you have topnotch talent working for you, it makes for a better company.

Plus, companies can often save money when they hire virtual workers. How so? The overhead costs of operating an office are high — electricity, rent, water, and office supplies can run into the tens of thousands of dollars each and every month. The more employees who work from home, the more money the company is saving each month.

And, let’s be honest, remote workers get a lot of benefits from not having to commute every day too.

Pros Of Remote Work for Employees

For starters, the average commute in the U.S. is now 26 minutes each way — that’s a whopping 5+ hours for most workers just to go to and from work. Saving on expensive fill-ups at the pump each month is worth it for many. But there’s also time saved too. The second you stop commuting, you’re saving yourself an average of 250 hours annually. What will you do with the extra time? Sleep? Get your kids to school? Exercise?

It’s your time, do with it what you please!

Money and time aside, there’s the emotional well-being of remote work that many benefit from. It’s what I like to call the happiness factor (I didn’t’ name this blog Work From Home Happiness for no reason!)

Whether it’s not having to deal with rush hour traffic, feeling like we’re away from our families all day, or simply grabbing some extra sleep in the A.M., remote workers are happy workers. It’s true.

A recent study found the those of us who work from home are some of the happiest employees around. And who couldn’t use a little extra happiness in their life in 2018?

What Kind Of Work From Home Jobs 2018 Are There?

You know how I talked about technology and how it’s changed the way we work? Well, because of it, almost any traditional office job can now be done remotely.

Teachers? You bet! Medical professionals? Absolutely. Clerical support staff? Sure.

It’s not all writing, design, and social media jobs in the remote work sphere (although those are great options too!).

So, no matter what your background, education, and work history, there is, without a doubt, a work from home job for you. It’s never been easier to take your career out of the office and into your home office, without sacrificing any of your accomplishments you’ve built to date.

If you’re not sure what kind of remote job you’re after or are contemplating a career change, that’s okay too. I recommend checking out the latest edition of What Color Is Your Parachute, the classic guide to making sense of your career.

Looking for a little inspiration? I’ve got you covered. Check out some of these popular career paths for remote workers:

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Who Hires Remote Workers in 2018?

Chances are, the mom-and-pop shop down the street isn’t quite ready to hire remote workers. But there are many other businesses, large and small, that are eager to hire you, regardless of your location.

Some big-names in the remote world include Amazon, American Express, and U-Haul. There are also smaller startups like Buffer and Meet Edgar that have built remote work directly into their company culture.

Curious to see who else hires remote workers in 2018? Be sure to explore the different remote companies by occupation:

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Where To Find Work From Home Jobs 2018

When you’re looking for a real, bill-paying work from home job in 2018, there are some sites you should check regularly. These are the sites that cater to remote workers AND share legitimate opportunities to earn, no MLM, pyramid-type schemes or programs.

My favorite places I scout regularly to find leads for my weekly job leads page, include:

Indeed

You’re probably familiar with Indeed. It’s the world’s largest job search engine. That’s a fancy way of saying Indeed searches the internet to pull job leads from other sites so they can be conveniently found in one place. Pro tip: Set a remote job alert so you’ll receive a daily email digest of the latest work from home jobs directly in your inbox!

Jobspresso

Looking for 1,000+ remote work opportunities? You can find them at Jobspresso. This job board was built exclusively for out-of-the-cubicle thinkers, like you. Browse jobs by category or  post your resume to get discovered.

Remotive

I <3 Remotive. It’s a great site to search for unique remote jobs. But Remotive is also a community of current and aspiring remote workers. Visit them, look around, and be sure to sign up for their newsletter for even more work-from-home inspiration.

Power To Fly 

Okay. You won’t exclusively find remote work on Power to Fly. But it’s still worth a mention. After all, the site is devoted to helping women elevate their careers, and often times this means flexible and remote work options. If you’re craving better work-life balance, Power To Fly is the site for you.

FlexJobs

FlexJobs is a subscription-based job search sites. But, if you’re worried about scams, the price tag might just be worth it because FlexJobs 100% guarantees ALL of their listings are the real deal.

Keep Reading: These Are The Places You Should Look For Work At Home Jobs

How To Get Hired Work From Home Jobs 2018

Now you know what kind of work from home jobs are out there (practically anything!). And you’re armed with the knowledge of where to find legit leads.

Now it’s time to get hired! This is where things can get a little tricky. After all, a remote job search is not the same thing as a traditional in-person one. But that’s okay. Once you understand the remote job search landscape, you can successfully land the remote job you’re after.

Your Resume Is Only A Little Bit Important

Too often we place a lot of emphasis on our resume. But the truth is, it just doesn’t matter that much anymore. For starters, most resumes are never, ever seen by humans. Most recruiters and hiring managers (especially at larger companies), use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to help manage the hiring process. ATS is an easy way for employers to filter through thousands of resumes a matter of minutes. And it’s all done based on keywords!

So instead of fussing about your resume’s format, style or length, make sure it keyword friendly. When you have the right keywords in your resume, you’ll make it past the ATS and onto a recruiter’s radar — and that’s exactly what your resume’s sole purpose is in this day and digital age.

Further Reading: The One Resume Hack You Need To Get Hired

Focus On Your Online Presence Instead

What’s the state of your online footprint? If you have no idea, now’s the time to give it a second thought. Your online presence, also known as your personal brand, can increase your chances of getting hired, especially as a remote worker.

Think about this: About 80% of recruiters will google you before they invite you to interview. What they find can make or break your chances of getting that all-important invite. So, make sure you’re putting your best digital foot forward.

All that means is simply cleaning up your social media profiles. Make sure to keep things PG, refrain from excessive cursing, sharing too much personal details, or diving into politically charged issues in current events.

Further Reading: Your Resume Isn’t That Important. Focus On This Instead.

Network. Network. Network.

You can network online. And it mostly happens on LinkedIn. If it’s been a while since you’ve been on this professional networking site or have yet to sign up, today’s the day to put some effort into your profile.

Rewrite your headline. Put up a PROFESSIONAL shot of yourself. Stand out with your summary. And be sure to enable the Open Candidates feature, where you signal to recruiters that you’re ready to be approached about new work opportunities. Pro tip: You can specify that you’re only interested in remote work via Open Candidates.

Further Reading: How To Write A Powerful LinkedIn Profile That Helps You Land a Remote Job

Learn to Work From Home in 2018

Do you need a little extra boost? Think you want to learn a new remote-friendly skill? You can! There are some professions out there that lend themselves really well to work from home. And the good news is there are online courses that will lead you down that career path, step-by-step with tons of support.

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Grab My Ebook

I’ve literally written the ebook on full-time work from home jobs. You can grab your copy here. It’s filled with extra advice and tons of support for anyone who is ready to get serious about finding work from home jobs 2018.

Happy Remote Job Hunting.

Happily,

Ashlee

Do you have access to my free resources for remote job seekers? If not, be sure to sign up below. My free library is packed with freebies to help you jump-start your job search in 2018.

P.S. This post contains affiliate links, which help me learn a little extra cash. Don’t worry, it doesn’t cost you a penny. 🙂 Learn more about affiliate links here.