Since the pandemic, nearly 56% of US workers have a job that is remote-friendly. But, today, more and more workers are being called back into the office. If you’re one of them, you’re probably saying but, “I want to work from home!”

And, you’re not alone. Roughly 26% of workers now work remotely, and enjoy the many benefits that come with it.

Money Saved

Remote workers save money. The average worker spends a whopping $8,466 each year on common commuting costs or about 19% of take home pay, according to Bankrate. By working remotely, those costs are slashed if not entirely eliminated.

Time Saved

Remote workers save a ton of time by not commuting. The average commute in America is about 27.5 minutes one way for a total of 55 minutes spent commuting every work day. That comes out to 275 minutes per week or 13,750 minutes each year!

By working remotely full time, you can save nearly 230 hours annually.

What would you do with all that extra time? Sleep in? Relax? Help get your family out the door in the morning? Exercise?

The State of Remote Work

In Buffer’s Annual State of Remote Work Report, 98% of respondents would prefer to work from home (at least partially) for the rest of their careers! Since you’re here, we’re going to guess you too want to work from home.

Keep in mind, just because everyone wants to work from home doesn’t mean everyone should work from home.

If you’re ready to call your home your office and your office your home, there’s some important steps you should take to turn your work from home dreams into reality.

Question 1: What Kind of Work from Home Job Makes Sense for You?

I get a lot of emails and Facebook messages that say, near verbatim:

“I want to work from home, please help.”

And, if you’ve ever taken the time to email me, you know I always respond and give the best advice I can — if I don’t know the answer, I’ll point you in the right direction.

The problem with the general statement, “I want to work from home,” is it’s just too broad. Working from home is not a one-size-fits-all position. There are seemingly endless ways to make a living from home.

Know Your WFH Type

Once you know you’d like to work from home, the very next thing you need to do is decide which kind of work from home job is right for you:

• Do you need the stability and security of an employee position with benefits?
• Would you rather work part-time around your day job?
• Are you looking to start a scaleable side hustle?
• Have you been bitten by the freelancing bug?
• Do you just want to make a little extra money here and there?

Your answers to those questions will go a long way in helping you have a more successful remote job search. As a reminder, work from home jobs can usually be divided up into six main types:

1. Full-Time Employee

You’re hired on as an employee who just happens to work remotely. Most times, this entitles you to benefits and stable pay. Taxes are taken out of your paycheck for you.

2. Part-Time Employee

Also gives you “employee” status which means you can count on greater stability. You may not be benefits eligible as a part-time telecommuter but you will have taxes taken out of your paycheck.

3. Independent Contractor

As an independent contractor (IC), you provide your services to a company on a per-contract basis. This means, once your contract is up, you might not have any more work. Similarly, your contract may end without warning. There’s no guarantee of work and you’re responsible for your own taxes and fill out a 1099.

4. Freelance

Freelancers offer their services for sale and choose which projects they work on and when. You’re in charge of finding your own work, setting your rates, and collecting payments. Freelancers are also in charge of paying their own taxes on money earned. Writing, virtual assistant, graphic design, and typist are all common work from home freelance careers.

5. Side Hustler

Not everyone wants to work full-time or even part-time to make money from home — I get that. So, if you’re looking for a way to earn a few bucks here or there, you should look at extra-money making gigs. These typically don’t require a resume or application to fill out. Instead, you sign up on a site to earn extra money — surveys and usability testing are two popular examples of ways to earn extra money from home.

6. Home Business

Anything you do from home — whether it’s a daycare business, flipping products for profit on Amazon, or launching a profitable blog are considered a home-based business. You’re completely in charge of running your home business as you see fit and your success will depend on how much you put into it.

Apply to the Right Positions

There’s no sense in applying to jobs that aren’t right for you. Save your time, energy and efforts going after the right kinds of jobs — not every and any work from home job or opportunity out there.

If you need benefits, go for full time employee positions over contract roles. But, for those that need just a little extra here or there, try side hustles. Really, it all depends on what your ultimate career goal is.

Question 2: Do you have a home office?

Now that you (hopefully) know the type of remote employment you’re looking for, it’s time to take an honest look at your ability to actually work remotely.

If you’re not properly equipped to work from home, you’re gonna have a hard time finding a job. Period. But, depending on the type of employment you’re after, your home office requirements will vary.

Home Offices for Employee Jobs

Let’s say you’re looking for full-time employment from home with a company that offers benefits. Great! There are a number of companies that actually want you to work from home and will pay you a competitive wage and offer some pretty amazing benefits. 

But, to land these jobs, you’re going to need a home office setup.

Home Office Basics

This doesn’t necessarily mean you need a full-size copier, fax machine, and laminator — but you should have the basic makings of a home office:

• High-speed internet (typically hardwired to your computer — no WiFi or satellite connections most of the time!)
• Well-maintained computer
• Quiet, distraction-free place to work
• Desk
• Comfy chair
• Basic office supplies — pens, paper, printer, etc.

In some cases, you may need a landline. This is especially true for popular at-home customer service jobs. Does this mean you should run out and install a landline? No! But, it means you should be receptive to getting one and know ahead of time if you can actually have one installed in your home or apartment.

It’s defeating, to say the least, to go through the application process, land an interview, and a soft job offer only to find you don’t meet the tech requirements or are otherwise incapable of maintaining a proper home office.

Home Office Requirements Examples

Most work from home companies are pretty good about listing their home office requirements before you even start the application process.

For example, Sitel has an entire section devoted to their home office requirements:

U-Haul provides similar information upfront before you apply too:

So, when you come across an at-home position that sounds perfect, remember to check the home office requirements first.

Home Offices for Non-Employees

If you’re looking for a non-employee position, i.e., freelance, contract, or home business, you don’t have to worry about your home office as much.

Remember, if freelancing is more your thing or you’re thinking of starting a blog, you probably won’t need anything more than a computer and internet connection.

Similarly, if you want to start a side hustle as an Amazon FBA seller, you can get by with a computer, smartphone, internet and printer and make some pretty good money with this minimal setup.

Again, it all goes back to the type of work you’re looking for. What you’ll need as an employee versus home office requirements as a freelancer/self-employed/home business owner are very different things!

Question 3: Can You Handle Distractions?

I’ve been working remotely for a decade. And, I’ll be the first to tell you, distractions are going to happen. You’ll hit your stride on an assignment and, boom, the doorbell rings. Or, you’ll get frequent calls from friends and family who ask for a ton of favors during the workday because, hey, you work from home and must not be doing anything more than watching Netflix, right?

Oh, and then there’s kids, pets, significant others, neighbors, and about a million other things that can make working from home difficult.

Remote Work is Not a Substitute for Childcare

My point is, you may not be able to devote the time and attention required to work from home, at least not full-time anyway.

Let’s pretend you have kids (maybe you do) — they may or may not be in school (unless it’s summer, then they’re home).

You’ll find it downright difficult to find a full-time work from home job if you have kids in your care during the day — I don’t care how great you are at multitasking — if you can’t provide a distraction-free, quiet home environment, you’re going to find it difficult to land a full-time employment. Impossible? No. But very, very, very difficult.

Now, don’t get discouraged if you’re not in the ideal place to work from home — you just have to get creative.

Help, My House is a Circus

I hear you. I’ve got a homeschooled child, two golden retrievers, three cats, and a lot of Amazon deliveries. Yet, I still manage to work remotely in a variety of roles over the last decade.

Don’t let a busy household stop you from making money from home — just figure out a way to work around your already busy schedule.

This will likely mean freelancing from home, starting a side hustle, or working as an independent contractor. Transcription, proofreading, virtual assisting, and writing all are great options to explore — but really, you’re only limited by what services you’re willing to offer as a freelancer.

Question 4: Will You Miss Working Outside the Home?

I’m an introvert. And most introverts love working from home. But, if you’ve ever worked an office job, you know that office politics are just a part of going to work. And while working from home means you miss the bad stuff, it also means you miss out on all the good stuff, too.

The camaraderie of coworkers, lunches out, impromptu happy hours, and other perks that come with a traditional office job don’t happen as easily when you work from home.

If you hate the rat race but love interacting with coworkers, enjoy break room banter, and count your officemates as some of your best buds, you might find that working from home is lonely for you. Yes, it’s easier than ever to stay connected with chats and video hangouts, but it’s just not the same as being in person.

I’ve heard of too many enthusiastic people start a work from home journey only to find they didn’t like it — and nine times out of ten, it was because they missed the daily human interaction an office job brings.

You know working from home has its perks, and for some people it equals work happiness but it’s not for everyone. Seriously consider how much importance you place on working alongside others in an office environment — if you can’t imagine working alone (save for an office cat), you may want to reevaluate your work from home ambitions

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement for more information.

The post I Want to Work from Home. Now What? Four Important Questions to Ask Yourself appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

This can end up costing you extra time, energy and effort that is better spent on your job search.

Remember, remote job searches are not a numbers game. You won’t get hired just because you apply to more jobs.

Instead, you must refine your job search and focus on the quality of the jobs you apply for. That’s where remote job boards help.

What Are Remote Job Boards?

A remote job board primarily focuses on remote jobs. It really is that simple. Some of these sites have 100% telecommute positions. Others have flex schedules, partially remote or hybrid roles.

Because they are remote-focused, these job boards make it easier to find telecommute positions. As a bonus, you can also find tons of helpful job search tips for remote job seekers through these sites.

If you’re not using remote job boards, you’re seriously missing out! These are my 10 favorites sites I regularly recommend to find thousands of open remote roles right now.

Top 10 Remote Job Boards

1. Remotive

Remotive isn’t just a job board. It’s a community for remote workers. The community side of this remote job board offers a place to network, ask questions, and a chance to connect with fellow out-of-the-cubicle thinkers via a paid-for Slack Channel.

Jobs are broken down by categories like Software Development, Customer Support, Design, and Marketing. Many of the listings are from startups but there are well-established tech companies too.

Don’t forget to check out the Remotive Blog for tips and remote job search advice. You’ll receive honest remote focused content like this tweet from Rodolphe Dutel, founder of Remotive, all the back in 2018:

2. We Work Remotely

We Work Remotely is one of the largest remote job boards. In fact, it receives more than 2.5 monthly visitors each month.

You can easily browse jobs by category like Programming, Design, Copywriting, and more. WWR also maintains a Top 100 Remote Companies list. Be sure to use this list as a job search tool as you research and create your own target company list!

We Work Remotely also has a Slack Channel to join for even more ways to learn about remote work.

3. Just Remote

Just Remote is a great site to search for fully remote and partially remote jobs. As a reminder, partially remote jobs allow remote work sometimes but also require some in-office time too.

At Just Remote, you can search by category, job type, and even job origin. There’s also a large list of awesome remote-friendly companies from around the world.

You can even get a little resume help from Just Remote too! Through the Resume.io link simply select a template and create a remote resume that gets you hired.

4. Remote OK

Remote OK has a large collection of tech-focused remote jobs. But there is also an entire category of non-tech remote jobs too.

There’s a unique profile feature at Remote OK. You can sign up as a remote job seeker and join the talent pool. After that, you get matched with remote companies.

As far as remote job boards, Remote OK is a great way to supplement your job search. It’s convenient to create a job seeker profile and also sign up for daily job alerts. This makes it easier than ever for remote jobs to come directly to you.

5. FlexJobs

FlexJobs (be sure to use promo code AFFILPROMO for 30% off) is a membership site. That means you have to sign up for a paid plan in order to search remote jobs. Memberships range from monthly to yearly. For freelancers, a yearly plan works best (and saves the most money) since you constantly look for new clients and projects.

But for traditional remote job seekers, a month-to-month plan is ideal. Your job search (hopefully) won’t last for an entire year. If it does, you’re probably making some common remote job search mistakes!

What’s great about FlexJobs is the fact you don’t have to worry about scam posts. FlexJobs guarantees all its listings are 100% the real deal. Another perk with membership are the virtual career fairs. These are held to help remote job seekers instantly connect with hiring managers.

Please check out my full FlexJobs review to learn more and grab a promo code to save on your membership.

6. Jobspresso

Jobspresso is one of my favorite remote job boards because it hand picks leads. In other words, every single job listing is vetted before it’s posted. That means you never have to worry about work from home scams here. And even though all jobs are curated, it’s still free for all job seekers to use!

Easily browse jobs by popular categories like Developer, Marketing, and Customer Service. There’s even an option to post your resume so employers can find you.

Jobspresso sends out weekly job leads as well as daily remote jobs via Twitter and Facebook, so be sure to give them a follow on both platforms. Remember, the more active you are on remote job boards, the more leads you’ll discover.

7. Remote.co

At any given time, there are hundreds of new positions posted on Remote.co. Jobs are broken down by categories like Accounting & Finance, Data Entry, and Customer Service to name a few.

Of all the remote job boards on this list, Remote.co is the most information forward. The site provides a lot of helpful resources for job seekers including a Q&A section written by remote companies. It provides tons of insight into remote work from a company perspective.

Pro Tip: Use this information to your advantage by creating a job search strategy instead of aimlessly sending in applications!

8. Dynamite Jobs

As I type this, Dynamite Jobs has 1,223 positions listed. What I like about Dynamite Jobs is the search features. You can search by category, of course, but also time zone. This is super helpful for anyone living outside the United States and in need of international remote jobs.

You can also find amazing remote job resources and sign up for weekly handpicked job leads delivered to your inbox.

9. Hubstaff Talent

Hubstaff Talent connects companies with the best remote talent (that’s you!). Keep in mind, remote work found on Hubstaff is freelance.

Quick reminder, freelance work is a lot different than employee work. As an employee, you receive benefits like paid time off and health care. Freelancers are not entitled to these perks and work on a per project basis.

Please read my Freelance vs Employee guide to find out which type of remote work suits you best!

10. Working Nomads

Working Nomads curates its jobs from other remote job boards and similar employment sites. However, there is an emphasis on digital jobs and worldwide work here. So, if you want to be a true digital nomad and roam the globe while earning cash, this is a good site to start with.

There are both freelance and full time positions here. But be sure to read the job details carefully as some will require you to reside (or roam) within a specific country or time zone!

Get The Most Out of Remote Job Boards

Don’t just run to remote job boards for the leads (although you totally should). Make sure you take advantage of all the resources they offer too.

Most of the sites listed allow you to create job alerts. All you do is put in your email address and — boom — remote jobs delivered to your inbox on autopilot.

This makes it super simple to receive thousands of job leads every week and you don’t have to physically search for them. Again, your time is best spent on customizing your resume and making connections – not endless searching (and applying) for remote jobs.

When possible, join Slack channels. Many jobs are filled via networking. In fact, there’s an entire source of unpublished jobs called the “hidden job market.”

Tap into these unadvertised listings by networking specifically within the remote work world. And, for remote job seekers, there is no better networking than getting to know current remote workers and the companies that hired them. (After all, if they hired them, they can hire you too). When you do this, you expand your professional network with remote workers, learn about new roles, and uncover leads you won’t find anywhere else!

Need Professional Help?

I’m a certified career coach that specializes in remote work. It’s one thing to browse remote job boards to find leads, but getting hired? Well that’s where things get tough.

I’m here to help.

Whether you need a resume audit or full overhaul, help to determine a career path, major assistance in the LinkedIn department, or just feel lost — send me an SOS.

Take a minute to introduce yourself and say hello. I’m happy to help point you in the right direction. We can even jump on a free 15-minute call. I offer a variety of career coaching services for remote job seekers, like you!

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post Top 10 Reliable Remote Job Boards To Find Thousands of Work From Home Jobs Right Now appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

What’s a 2022 remote job seeker to do? First, don’t panic. The only way to fix mistakes is to know which remote job search mistakes you make. Then you can fix them!

So, if your job search is stalled read on. You may accidentally make these common mistakes that sabotage your search. But, don’t worry. Once you know what they are, you can easily fix them. And, the sooner you do, the easier your remote job search becomes.

1. You Don’t Have a Focus

There are a lot of benefits to remote work. Time and money saved are just two of the obvious ones. But, don’t forget about the all-important ‘happiness factor’ too! Studies repeatedly show that remote workers = happier workers. (I didn’t name this blog Work From Home Happiness for nothing).

Of course, the happiness boost and no daily commute makes remote work incredibly appealing. And, I don’t blame you for wanting to do anything and everything to land a remote role ASAP. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to stack the remote job odds in your favor.

Unfortunately, many enthusiastic remote job seekers opt for the wrong way. They declare they will do any job as long as it’s work from home.

Sound familiar? If so, you’re making perhaps the biggest mistake to job search success.

Remember, you are neither qualified for or interested in the literally thousands of remote jobs available at any given moment. For starters, you can’t position yourself as the perfect hire with this generalist approach. And, more importantly, you don’t have to settle to work from home. Instead, focus on jobs you’re qualified for and actually want to do.

Remember, remote job searches are not a numbers game. Job seekers are better off applying to fewer jobs that they are well qualified for and interested in doing. I call this determining your remote work type.

When you determine your type, your remote job search suddenly becomes more clear. With greater clarity, comes more progress. In job searches, progress = interviews & job offers.

2. You Look In The Wrong Places

Big-name job boards are great for local job searches. Remote job searches? Not so much. That’s because traditional job boards often list office jobs as remote-friendly when they’re not. Unsuspecting job searchers spend precious time and effort on a job application only to ultimately find it wasn’t remote after all.

Similarly, looking for remote work on sites like Craigslist or Facebook can be a waste of time too. Often, scammers will prey on job seekers here and promise work-from-home riches for a small upfront investment or fee. (More on that in a minute).

Of course, these aren’t real remote jobs from legitimate companies. They are nothing more than scams. Period.

I always recommend you stick to niche job boards and LinkedIn. If I can find literally hundreds of job leads on a handful of sites, you can too!

3. They Don’t Optimize Their Resumes

A single remote job can receive hundreds of applications. One recruiter can’t possibly sift through them all on their own.

That’s why most mid-size and large companies rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to do the heavy-lifting for them.

ATS is able to scan through hundreds of resumes in a matter of seconds and find the best matches for the job.

But, how does a computer know which applicants are a good fit and which aren’t?

Keywords!

That’s right. The ATS scans your resume for keywords. If yours has the right ones, you’re put in the ‘yes’ pile. If not, your resume is discarded and never even see by a real person.

Most remote job seekers do not optimize their resume. Instead, they send the same carbon copy out to every single job they apply to. Sure, they apply to dozens of jobs a day. But, in the end, they don’t get callbacks or interview requests. Remember, remote job searches are all about quality over quantity.

Yes, it takes longer to keyword optimize your resume. But, it pays off in the long run with a shorter job search and greater job offers!

4. They Don’t Prepare For Remote Work In Advance

Hiring managers want to know you’re ready for remote work BEFORE they hire you. That means you need to prepare in advance for remote work.

To do this, set up your home office. Make sure you have high-speed internet. Learn how to use common apps and tools like Google Docs and Slack.

The more you know about remote work, the better. In fact, during the interview process, you will get asked about your ability to work remotely. There are common interview questions specific to remote workers.

Prepare answers in advance to position yourself a great remote worker. A ready-to-go home office and knowledge of remote work is invaluable in your job search.

5. They Fall for MLM and Pyramid Schemes

We know how awesome remote work is. So awesome, in fact, that some people will do anything to kick their cubicle to the curb — including falling for MLM or pyramid schemes.

I’ve made it my mission to help job seekers avoid these work-from-home scams. Multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes rely on recruiting to make money. You pay a fee to get started and then try to recruit others.

The more people in your ‘down line’ the more you earn. Hence why those on the top are the ones that make money. Everyone else in the pyramid struggle to turn a profit as they endlessly recruit others.

There are a lot of #bossbabes on Facebook. They make their “business” seem like a dream. You earn a ton of money for little work. All you have to do is pay an upfront fee to get started.

Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s because it is.

Please check out r/antimlm for more advice to spot and avoid pyramid schemes.

6. They Aren’t Organized

Job searches are tough. Remote job searches are harder. A remote job search can easily get away from you. The best way to combat this is to be organized.

Keep track of all the jobs you apply to. A simple spreadsheet can accomplish this. Note where you found the job, the position title, contact information and how you applied (ATS, direct email).

The average remote job search takes 5-7 months. In that time, you will apply to hundreds of jobs. It is impossible to keep track of them all in your head. Get in the habit of tracking your applications now. This simple step helps you feel in control instead of endlessly spinning your wheels.

You should also create an email address you use exclusively for job search activities. Gmail is free to use and comes with bonus apps that remote teams commonly use. You can even use this email address to receive job alerts. Now all your job search activities are conveniently housed in one (searchable) location.

Remote Job Search Mistakes

I know you don’t purposefully commit remote job search mistakes. Even still, these mistakes negatively impact your search.

Remember to always practice remote job search best practices:

1. Focus Your Search
2. Turn to Remote Job Boards
3. Optimize Your Resume
4. Be Remote Work Ready
5. Avoid Network Marketing/Multi-Level Marketing/Direct Sales
6. Get Organized

These best practices combat all the common remote job search mistakes. Soon enough, your diligence will pay off with interviews and job offers. Plus, you’ll land a remote role you actually want!

Don’t settle for just any work from home job. Find a remote role you’ll love. You’ve got this!

Happily,

Ashlee

PS I use affiliate links throughout Work From Home Happiness. Please read my disclosure statement to learn more about them and how I use them

The post 6 Biggest Mistakes Remote Job Seekers Make (And What To Do Instead) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Remote work job boards are everywhere. Since the pandemic, there are more of them now than ever. And, honestly, that’s both a good thing and a bad thing.

It’s good because it shows remote work is here to stay. But, brand new job boards don’t yet have a reputation, so it’s hard to tell whether their job leads are the real deal, fake, or scams.

That’s why I only recommend a select group of remote work job boards. The ones on this list are trustworthy, have checks and balances in place, and supply a steady stream of job leads. So steady, in fact, you can find just about any type of remote job with just these three core sites. When I say steady, I mean steady. In fact, I find thousands (yes, thousands) of remote jobs on these sites on a daily basis. If you can’t find what you’re looking for using them, it’s time to head back to Square One and determine your remote work type.

As a career coach, I recommend these job boards as a starting point for all types of remote jobs in As a career coach that specializes in all things remote work, I have used and recommended these remote work job boards to my clients. I know you will find them helpful too.

What are remote work job boards?

Before we dive in to the list, I want to quickly touch on remote work job boards. These are sites that specifically share remote-friendly job leads. These include 100% remote work, hybrid remote work, remote work with location requirements, freelance gigs, and contract positions.

Always read the job description carefully when browsing these sites. The job descriptions will tell you what type of remote job it is (freelance, contract, employee) and if there are any geographic requirements (select US states, worldwide, etc.).

FlexJobs

• Who It’s For: New remote job seekers.
• Why It’s Worth Searching: All job leads are vetted and guaranteed to be 100% authentic.
• Types of Remote Jobs Listed: A mixture of 100% remote and hybrid-remote jobs. Also some freelance, contract, and temporary positions listed too. Job leads come from all types of companies. Mostly, I notice large corporations and staffing agencies regularly posting.

Number One on my list is FlexJobs. This job search site has been around since 2007. Its searchable leads include:

• 100% Remote Work
• Remote During Pandemic
• Hybrid Remote Work
• Option for Remote Work

Plus, options for employee, freelance, part-time, and temporary remote jobs.

Your searches are easily filtered so you can narrow down results to your ideal remote job. Job seekers can find leads from entry level to experienced, freelance to full time, select US states to worldwide — and everything in between.

Plus, FlexJobs offers amazing support and resources for its members like career coaching, webinars, virtual job fairs, job search guides, and more.

Take a Quick Tour of FlexJobs: One of My Favorite Remote Work Job Boards

FlexJobs Membership Perks

Keep in mind, FlexJobs is a membership site. To access the job board and most resources, you have to sign up for a paid plan. Membership options include:

• Free 5-job Trial
• 1-month subscription
• 3-month subscription
• Annual subscription

Prices (starting as low as a few bucks a month) are pretty affordable for what you get in return. Your paid membership includes:

• Full access to hand-screened jobs (nearly 30,000 at this very moment!)
• Job search checklist
• Webinars
• Soft Skills Quiz
• Member Perks
• Ability to get recruited
• Skills Tests
• Courses
• Weekly Career Coach Q&As
• Virtual Job Fairs

Try FlexJobs for Yourself for Free

Ready to take your remote job search to scam-free status? Sign up for a FlexJob membership today and use promo code SAVE30 at checkout to save up to 30% on your paid plan. There’s also an option to check out 5 FlexJobs listings for free.

Remember, FlexJobs is a highly-rated BBB-approved company with more than 14 years in business. They stand behind their services with a no-questions asked 30-day money-back guarantee. You can request (and receive) a refund for any reason at any time during your first 30 days.

Remotive.io

• Who It’s For: Remote job seekers interested in startups and tech companies
• Why It’s Worth Searching: Leads are hand screened and you can find remote job listings at companies you might not have heard of before.
• Types of Remote Jobs Listed: Mostly startups and tech companies here with a mix of freelance and employee positions. There are more “work from anywhere” positions here than what I’ve found at other remote work job boards

Remotive is one of the remote work job boards to visit for startup and tech industry enthusiasts. In fact, Remotive is on a mission to help remote job seeker find job satisfaction at startups.

So, what is a startup? According to Investopedia,

A startup is a company in the first stages of operations.

Generally, a startup is less than five years old and is founded by one or more entrepreneurs who want to “disrupt an industry.”

Startup Examples You (Probably) Know

You probably don’t realize it, but a lot of your favorite companies were once startups. Examples of successful startups include:

• AirBnB
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Uber
• Square
• Pandora
• Wayfair

Crazy, right? At one point these were all small companies built from big ideas and grown into successful brands we all recognize today.

Why Work Remotely for a Startup?

Today, many startups and tech companies build remote work directly into their company’s culture. Some have entirely distributed workforces with no physical headquarters. Others have a combination of in-office and virtual workers on their team.

Either way, startups are often fast-paced places to work with a lot of change. Plus, many startups offer amazing perks to attract top talent from around the world.

Some noteworthy benefits I’ve seen offered by startups include:

• Unlimited vacation days (yep, as many as you want)
• Flexible scheduling (work when its best for you)
• Free tech
• Monthly allowances for everything from office supplies to gym memberships
• Paid tuition for continued education classes
• 100% covered health care costs
• Stock options

And that’s just a short list!

Some Minor Warnings

Since startups are newish, many rely on investors or venture capitalists to fund initial operating costs until the company becomes profitable. I mention this because some startups fail. In fact, about 90% of startups fail within 10 years.

Research from the Small Business Administration (SBA) found 21.5% fail in their first year, 30% in the second year, 50% in the fifth year, and 70% within 10 years.

I don’t want to scare you away from startups. After all, they are often remote-friendly, have noteworthy cultures, and provide great benefits and plenty of career opportunities. However, I want you to be well-informed before you make a major career change.

Remote Work Job Boards: What Remotive Offers

Like FlexJobs, Remotive hand screens every single remote job it posts. Currently, there are approximately 1,500 leads posted with more added all the time. To date, more than 1,000 companies have used Remotive to find and hire talent from around the world.

I love that international job seekers can “hide US-only” jobs to find employment options around the world. There are also some unique resources Remotive offers that you can’t find anywhere else.

Remotive Resources & Webinar

It’s free to search for and apply to jobs on Remotive. There are even in-depth guides and an amazing free webinar you can attend. The webinar is titled, “3 Mistakes to Avoid When Looking for A Remote Startup Job (And What To Do Instead). It’s a must-watch for anyone who is serious about working remotely for a startup and is committed to finding a remote job.

Remotive Slack Community

Want to network with current remote workers at amazing startups and tech companies? You can join Remotive’s Slack Community for just $75. This price gives you lifetime membership with no recurring fees. The perks of joining the community include remote job leads shared exclusively within the community, direct access to people who hire remote workers, and constructive feedback from members.

Quick Remotive Tour

Remote Work Job Boards: Freelance Sites

Today, tons of remote workers want total control over how they work and when. That’s why so many people choose remote self-employment as a freelancer instead of working remotely as an employee for a company. (And, yes, you absolutely are self-employed when you freelance).

In fact, a whopping 59 million Americans freelanced in 2020 according to Statista. This is roughly 36% of the entire workforce!

The Perks of Freelancing

Why are so many people forgoing traditional employee positions in favor of freelancing? For many, it’s the total autonomy that draws them in.

I’ve been freelancing as a self-employed entrepreneur for more than a decade. The fact I schedule my work days around personal commitments is better than any benefit a company could provide.

Additional perks of freelancing include:

• Ability to sell services you enjoy doing
• Set your rates
• Work on projects that interest you
• Pick and choose clients that align with your personal values
• Flexibility to work when and where you want or can
• Can grow your “business” as you see fit

The Cons of Freelancing

Of course, freelancing isn’t always easy. It’s especially difficult when just starting out. And, there are definite “cons” to keep in mind before going full freelance.

• You are in charge of everything (billing, invoicing, completing work, finding clients, etc.)
• Have to find your own clients
• No paid time off — you don’t work, you don’t get paid
• Health insurance and taxes are your responsibility
• Need to keep track of all business transactions including expenses and payments

Again, I share the cons to give you a big picture of a remote work type. I don’t want to scare you away from anything. However, it is important to have a complete understanding before making a huge decision, like making a career move!

So, where can new freelancers find work immediately before they build up a network of clients? The short answer: Freelance marketplaces.

Freelance Marketplace Sites

Love ’em or hate ’em, freelance marketplace sites bring clients and freelancers together. Typically, clients post a project they need help with and freelancers “pitch” their services or make an offer for that particular project. The pitch includes your rates and why you’re the best person for the job.

From there, the client picks a freelancer and they enter into a contract. The marketplace site acts as the middleman and helps with invoicing and collecting payments. These sites can also step in if there is a dispute.

The Fees of Freelance Sites

Since they are facilitating the freelance-client relationship, these remote work job boards charge fees. Each site has different fee structures. Common fees associated with freelance marketplace sites include:

• Transaction fees
• Bidding fees
• Monthly membership dues
• Percentage of earnings

For example, Upwork, one of the largest freelance marketplace sites, takes a percentage of freelancer earnings. On projects $500 an under, they take a 20% cut. For projects between $500 – $10,000 it drops to a 10% cut, and anything over $10,000 is a 5% cut.

Fees suck. There’s no other way to put it. The fees and constant bidding for jobs (often undervaluing your worth) is why a lot of freelancers have a strong dislike for marketplace sites.

Keep in mind, it’s easy to criticize these sites once you’re established. But, these same freelancers often used the very sites they hate on today to get started:

Use Freelance Remote Work Job Boards with Caution

I launched my freelance writing career years ago using Upwork. The fees sucked and the constant pitching wasn’t my favorite, but it was a good learning experience. And that’s exactly how you should approach these sites — as a learning experience.

You can learn a lot while earning a little and get to practice pitching and working with paying clients. Eventually, take these experiences with you to strike out on your own.

After a bit, you can rely less on marketplace sites as you build your network, do good work, earn referrals, and have leads coming your way. But until then, feel free to use sites, like Upwork, to get started.

However, don’t get trapped using them. Give yourself a SMART goal that includes a specific stopping point where you will walk away from these sites for good. Otherwise, it becomes too easy to get stuck using them over and over again. This keeps you in an endless cycle of pitching and working for low rates instead of growing your business of one.

Turn to LinkedIn to Get Started

As a freelancer, you need to be on LinkedIn. It’s a great place to connect with other freelancers and network. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find all your clients and referrals via LinkedIn!

A nice feature about LinkedIn is the newly launched Services Marketplace. It’s the perfect platform to turn your existing LinkedIn Profile into a client-generating, money-making Services Page.

Remote Work Job Boards for Tons of Variety Without The Scams

Remote work job boards offer a streamlined way to find real remote jobs. When I say real, I mean no direct sales, pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing or scams.

Sure, you could scour big-name job sites, like Indeed or Monster, but you have to filter through thousands of non-remote jobs first. That takes a lot of time, energy, and effort.

Plus, you can’t guarantee you won’t stumble on a scam listing.

That’s why I highly recommend remote work job boards like FlexJobs or Remotive. For aspiring freelancers, marketplace sites provide support and help you get paid if a client won’t pony up.

In the end, these remote work job boards are the quickest and easiest way to discover thousands of job leads in a matter of minutes.

Happy Job Searching,

Ashlee

P.S. This post contains affiliate links for FlexJobs. These links can earn me a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking them. Don’t worry, it doesn’t cost you a thing! I use them to keep this site free of ads and annoying popups. You can check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post Remote Work Job Boards: Scam-Free Sites with Thousands of Real Remote Jobs appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

“What kind of remote worker are you?” It’s one of the first questions I ask career coaching clients. The answer sets the stage for your entire remote job search. (No pressure).

So, it’s essential you can confidently answer it. But, most job seekers have no idea.

Sound familiar? Don’t panic. By the end of this post, you will hands down have an answer and feel completely confident in your search.

There Are Different Types of Remote Workers

A lot of job seekers are surprised to learn there are different types of remote workers. It’s true. I like to sort remote jobs into two main categories:

1. Remote Employment
2. Remote Self-Employment

Both have specific pros and cons unique to its type.

Remote Employment

Remote employees work full time, part time, or hybrid schedules. A hybrid schedule lets you work remotely a few days a week. Whether they work full time from home or head into the office on occasion, remote employees:

• Have set schedules
• Are benefits eligible
• Receive steady pay (weekly, bi-weekly)
• Have taxes withheld from paychecks
• Must ask permission for days off or vacation time

Every company that hires remote employees has specific home office requirements. A dedicated workspace, quiet home office, and high-speed internet are common requirements. Always carefully read a remote job ad to make sure you have the right equipment to get hired.

If you’ve worked a traditional office job, you already know what it’s like to be an employee. The only difference is remote workers don’t have the daily commute.

Is Remote Employment Right for You?

When asked “what kind of remote worker are you,” your answer is remote employee if you:

• Value benefits like health insurance and paid time off
• Prefer a set schedule like M – F, 9 to 5
• Can provide a quiet, distraction-free place to work
• Like to have accountability
• Enjoy collaborating virtually with coworkers

Signs Remote Employment Isn’t Your Type

An employee position isn’t for you if you:

• Have caretaker responsibilities during work hours
• Want to work a flexible schedule
• Prefer solo work when and where you can
• Hope to travel frequently while working
• Don’t want to be tied to your desk during specific hours or days

Now, don’t jump to conclusions just yet. Before answering “what type of remote worker are you,” let’s look at your other option: Remote Self-Employment.

Remote Self-Employment

A lot of remote workers are self-employed. Freelancers, independent contractors, and online business owners are all examples of self-employed remote workers. (I am a self-employed remote worker for more than a decade!).

When you’re remotely self-employed you:

• Get to set your own schedule
• Have greater flexibility
• Need to find your own health insurance
• Must pay quarterly estimated taxes in the US

Self-employed remote workers come with tons of different titles like blogger, coach, consultant, writer, proofreader, graphic designer, and so much more!

Is Remote Self-Employment Right for You?

If I asked you, “What type of remote worker are you,” your answer should be self-employment if you:

• Want to have total control of your schedule
• Enjoy working alone
• Need to work around responsibilities like child care
• Are self-driven
• Do not value benefits like paid time off and health insurance

Signs Remote Self-Employment Isn’t Your Type

Self-employment from home offers plenty of flexibility but it’s not for everyone. You should pass on self-employment if you:

• Prefer the security of a steady paycheck
• Are nervous about being in control of your earnings
• Shy away from being in charge
• Don’t feel comfortable managing yourself

Remember, you are your own business and have total control of your schedule, earnings, and workload. This is a lot of responsibility that takes time, energy, and effort.

So, What Kind of Remote Worker Are YOU?

Remote work is amazing and has tons of benefits. Virtual job searches, on the other hand, aren’t exactly fun. You have to know where to search, understand remote work terms, avoid scams, and stand out among competitors.

However, you can simplify your job search with a plan. And the first step in your plan is to answer, “What kind of remote worker are you?”

Remote Employee VS Remote Self-Employment

So, how do you choose the best fit for you?

Your Remote Work Ideals

When you picture yourself as a remote worker, what do you see? Are you joking with coworkers over Slack and attending Zoom meetings? Or do you envision yourself working independently on projects of your choosing?

Your work preferences are known as your career ideals. These ideals guide you to the “ideal” job for you. Makes sense, right? Awesome. Let’s check out common remote work ideals.

The first ideal to consider is schedule and flexibility.

Flexibility and Remote Work

When I help job seekers answer “What type of remote worker are you,” the first thing we discuss is schedule. Often, scheduling requirements will immediately indicate a need for one type of employment over another.

If you need total autonomy and full control over where you work and when, remote employee positions can’t provide that for you. Instead, consider self-employment through contract work, freelancing, or starting a virtual business.

Accountability and Remote Work

Next up, consider accountability. Are you one to thrive while working alone or do you need supervision and feedback to stay motivated?

As a remote employee, you have others relying on you to get work done. When you work for yourself, it’s up to you (and you alone) to complete projects.

Isolation and Remote Work

I’m an introvert, and introverts often thrive as remote workers. That’s because introverts don’t rely on interaction with others to recharge. However, even as an introvert I’m quick to admit that working remotely is isolating, especially if you are self-employed.

As a one-woman show, I rarely have interaction with others outside of emails or text exchanges. Some weeks I only leave the house a few days. Is this healthy? Probably not. Does it bother me? Not particularly.

Some people, however, find remote work to be isolating to the point it negatively affects mental well being. We don’t want that. So, truly think about how much interaction you crave in order to feel fulfilled. An employee position from home provides a chance to collaborate with others and check in with coworkers via Slack or Zoom. Remote self-employment does not lend itself to steady interaction (unless you count your cat, which I do).

Why Does it Matter What Type of Remote Worker I Am?

Fair question. I get asked this a lot. Most people want to work remotely so badly that they reason they will take ANY job. So, they hop online, search job sites, and apply to every listing they come across.

This is a terrible strategy for two reasons:

1. You’re not qualified for every remote job
2. You won’t be happy at all remote jobs

I named this blog Work from Home Happiness for a reason — remote work provides a happiness factor commuting doesn’t offer, but only when you find the right remote job.

And as I mentioned before, the first step to find the right remote job is to answer, “What type of remote worker are you?”

So, now it’s your turn, are you better suited for remote employee or in need of remote self employment options?

Remember, when you answer this question honestly you:

• Simplify your job search
• Know which roles to seek and which to avoid
• Save time by avoiding jobs that won’t work with your ideals
• Make progress faster
• Find greater happiness in work

Needless to say, it’s important to reflect on what really matters to you in remote work.

Start Your Job Search Plan with a Statement

Now, take out a pen or paper or open up a new Google Doc. I want you to write a simple sentence:

My remote work type is [blank] because I [blank].

Next, fill in the blanks! For example:

My remote work type is remote employee because I prefer connecting with coworkers and value benefits like health insurance and paid time off.

Or, you could write a more personal sentence like:

My remote work type is remote self-employment because I want to earn a living while working a flexible schedule that allows me to spend more time with my kids.

As long as you’re honest, there is no right or wrong way to fill in the blanks. Now, anytime you feel unsure or stuck in your job search, you have a reminder of what you’re working toward and why.

Need Help?

It’s not always easy to know “What kind of remote worker are you.” Feel free to ask questions in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them. You’ve got this!

Happily,

Ashlee

P.S. This post might contain affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post What Kind of Remote Worker Are You? appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Even if you’re currently employed and doing okay, it’s still beneficial to know what your dream job is. In fact, it’s one of the first questions I ask my career coaching clients.

I ask this to get job seekers’ thinking about where they’re at in work. Are they happy? Unhappy? Where do they hope to go in the future? Most of the time, remote job seekers simply do not have a career plan or dream job in mind.

And that’s a problem.

When we don’t know what we want out of work, it leads to dissatisfaction and complacency. Not knowing what are dream job is makes it difficult to evaluate our current role Or, when at a crossroads in career or reached a dead end, it makes it impossible to make the right career pivot.

Knowing what our dream job is helps provide motivation and keeps us moving forward in our career. This forward momentum is important to professional satisfaction. Without it, we end up feeling complacent or as if something is missing. But we can never actually put our fingers on what that ‘something’ is.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone!

Meet Melissa

Melissa did everything the ‘right way.’ She went to college, graduated, and entered her chosen career path. Over the years, Melissa did well. Her performance reviews were on point. She was promoted. By all accounts, Melissa was thriving.

But, Melissa didn’t feel fulfilled. Often, she felt like she was spinning her wheels. That’s when she turned to me for help.

Melissa was successful on paper. Her colleagues loved her. Still, it wasn’t enough. Melissa needed personal satisfaction too.

That’s when I asked, “What’s your dream job?” To which she said, “I have no idea.”

Get Clear

Melissa was simply going through the motions. She did everything based on what she thought she should do and not what she wanted to do.

• Graduate college? Check.
• Get a job? Check.
• Climb the corporate ladder? Check.

Outside of the basics, Melissa had no idea what she really wanted. So before we could identify her dream job, we first had to gain clarity.

Career Ideals

The easiest way to get career clarity is to establish your career ideals. What are career ideals?

Let’s take a closer look.

Your career ideals are what you want (and don’t want) from your career. They can be super specific, i.e., earn at least $75,000 a year with unlimited vacation policy. But they can be general too.

If you’re here visiting me, I bet one of your career ideals is “work remotely.” There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to your career ideals. But to get to them, it does require some self reflection.

I encourage you to take 15 minutes to complete this task. Seriously. Right now. Tell Alexa to set a timer for 15 minutes. Then open up a blank Google Docs or grab a pen and paper. Divide it into four columns and nine rows. Across the top write Area in Column 1, Can’t Have in Column 2, Must Have in Column 3, and Nice to Have in Column 4.

Now under the Area Column label each row as followed:

• Salary
• Job Duties
• Skills Used
• Benefits Offered
• Hours/Schedule
• Industry
• Department
• Commute

Your document should look something like this:

How to Fill In Your Career Ideals Worksheet

The eight labeled rows under the Area Column are the common career ideals categories to consider.

You’ll think about each category individually. Then jot down your Must Have, Can’t Have, and Nice To Have ideals. Let’s do one as an example:

Let’s look at the Salary Row. Think about what your next job in terms of salary. What can’t it have? What are must haves? Can you think of something that would be nice to have but isn’t necessary?

For me, I said my next job cannot be commission based or anything less than $50,000 annually. It absolutely must pay at least $50,000 and come with annual performance reviews that can lead to raises. As for nice to have, I prefer that it is an annual salary and not hourly wage. It would also be nice if the job paid $60,000 (or more!).

Make sense?

I’ll fill in the rest of the worksheet so you can see how it’s done.

Helpful reminders:

Think about previous jobs and jot down what you liked and disliked about the position. Often, it’s easier to come up with things you didn’t like — but remember, you need to figure out what you like too!

Your career ideals are not set in stone. In fact, they will change over the years as you progress through your career and life. For example, my career ideals changed quite a bit after I become a mom. I was more worried about hours worked and schedule flexibility than I was in the past.

There’s a reason you’re looking for a new job. It’s important you figure out why you’re unhappy in your current role and what would fix that. These are your career ideals. They will help drive your job search and make all the difference in finding your next job or landing your dream job.

Determine Your Remote Work Type

I’m always amazed by how specific we are when it comes to who we’ll date. Most singles will have a long list of traits they prefer. Heck, you can even ask someone what their “type” is and they’ll know immediately what you’re referring to.

Now, if you ask that same person what their remote work type is they’ll probably look at you with a puzzled look on their face like:

As a career coach, it’s my job to help you figure out your remote work type. Your type will build off of your career ideals that you just discovered in the previous step. When you combine your type and career ideals — well that’s where the magic happens.

The two together paint a picture of your dream remote job. Remember, if you’re unhappy in work right now, we want to fix that. And the best way to fix that is by finding your ideal job, not just any old job.

Sure, you could find a remote job pretty quickly. But what are the odds you’ll find satisfaction and happiness there? Pretty slim! When you make a career change or pivot, it should be towards something that provides lasting satisfaction and happiness.

To do this, you need to find your career ideals and remote work type.

So, what is your remote work type? Let’s figure it out.

The 3 Types of Remote Jobs

Generally speaking, there are 3 main types of remote jobs:

1. Employee
2. Freelance
3. Contract

They all have their unique pros and cons. You’ll use your career ideals determined in Step 1 to complete Step 2: Determine Your Remote Work Type

But before we do that, let’s look closer at each of the three remote work types.

Remote Work Type 1: Employee

Remote employees are hired on a W2 basis (here in the US). That means taxes are withheld from paychecks and you are entitled to certain benefits. For example, employees are often eligible for company-sponsored health insurance, paid time off, and other perks.

Employees usually have greater job security and stability. For example, most employees know well in advance what their schedule is like and what hours they’re expected to work for example Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.

Employees can be either full time or part time. It’s important to note, part-time employees may not be eligible for benefits!

On the flip side, remote employee positions don’t offer a ton of flexibility. Typically, you are expected to work set hours or shifts every week. You may also be required to provide (and keep) a quiet home office free of distractions. In other words work is your priority and you have to schedule life around it.

Remote employee positions are just like traditional in-office jobs. You wouldn’t bring your kids to the office or allow your dogs to tag along to work. Companies that hire remote employees expect that you’ll treat your home office just as you would an in-person cubicle. The only difference is, instead of a daily commute, you get to work from home.

If your career ideals include stability, health benefits, paid time off, advancement opportunities, set schedule, and steady pay, you’re remote work type is probably Employee!

Remote Work Type 2: Freelance

Freelancers are their own bosses. When you freelance, you sell your skills or services for a pre-determined fee. For example, you might freelance as a writer. You sell your writing services at a rate of $0.05 per word. If you write a 1,000 word blog post for someone, you charge them $50.

Freelancers are not employees. That means you do not have taxes taken out of your payments. Instead, you must remember to pay quarterly estimated taxes to the IRS. Also, freelancers are not eligible for benefits like health insurance or paid time off. You would have to get your insurance through Healthcare.gov, for example.

Because freelancers are not employees, they enjoy greater flexibility in how and when they work. In fact, freelancers can keep their own schedules and can work whenever or wherever they please.

Feel like sitting at Starbucks to work? Great! You can as a freelancer. Prefer to hit the road while earning a living? No problem! Freelancers can be digital nomads, working with nothing more than a laptop and wifi.

You can sell just about anything as a freelancer. Some popular freelance services include:

• Content Marketing
• Virtual Assistant
• Writer
• Proofreader
• Social Media Manager

Keep in mind, freelancers have to find their own clients. It’s up to you to find potential clients, pitch your services to them, and secure them as clients. A good place to start is to create a freelance service website and scout leads on LinkedIn.

If your career ideals include flexibility in how and when you work, 100% telecommute, unlimited earning potential, and indifference to benefits, freelance would be a good fit for you! Remember, as a freelancer you don’t have to maintain a quiet home office or be available during standard business hours. Freelancing is often attractive to parents, caregivers, or those who want to pick and choose when they work.

Remote Work Type 3: Contract

Contractors are hired on a 1099 basis. At the end of the year, you’ll receive a 1099 showing “non-employee compensation” earned throughout the year.

That means you need to track earnings and pay quarterly estimated taxes to the IRS. Similarly, you are not eligible for benefits like health insurance or paid time off.

When you contract with a company, you receive a steady stream of work. In other words you don’t have to find clients. Instead, the company you contract with provides work for you but might require that you complete a minimum number of hours each week.

Companies that hire remote contractors:

• ModSquad
• Appen
• LiveOps
• NexRep
• Lionbridge

Contract roles offer greater flexibility than employee positions, but not quite as much freedom as freelancing. For example, if you contract with Appen as a Search Engine Evaluator, work will be provided to you but you have to complete at least 10 hours of work each week.

Similarly, a lot of transcription companies hire remote workers on a contract basis. These companies often require you to complete a set number of transcripts per week or be available to claim work during typical business hours.

If your career ideals include flexibility, stable pay, 100% telecommute, predictable schedule, and indifference to benefits, contract work would be a dream job for you.

What is Your Remote Work Type?

Now that you know all about the different types of remote work, it’s your turn. What type of remote worker are you?

Remember to take a look at your career ideals to figure this out. If health insurance through your job is a must-have, then employee positions are right for you. However, if your prioritize flexibility over all else, then freelance is more your style.

Only you can truly evaluate you and your ideals to determine your remote work type. If you’re not sure, refer to this handy flowchart. It will help:

Step 3: Set a Career Goal

Goal setting for your job search is important. I can’t stress this enough. Goals give us direction, purpose, and provide motivation. Plus, research shows that career goals provide these benefits:

• Clearer focus
• Optimum use of resources
• Better use of time
• Peace of mind
• Clarity

Wouldn’t it be great if you could confidently enter your remote job search with a clear path of where you want to end up? Well, you can. All you have to do is provide yourself a goal. Doing so will help you make better job decisions, offer peace of mind, and free up time for job search activities that matter most. But you don’t want to set just any goal. Instead, give yourself a SMART goal.

What is a SMART goal?

SMART is a system for goal setting that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. You will use your career ideals and remote work type to give yourself a SMART goal that will show you the way to your dream remote job.

The good news is, SMART breaks goal setting down into easy chunks.

This is important because most job seekers provide a very broad and general goal, i.e., “Find a work from home job.”

But now that you’re aware of your career ideals and remote work type, any remote job simply will not do. So, let’s set a goal that is SMART. First up, Specific.

Specific Remote Work Goal

Be sure to get specific and reference your remote work type when goal setting. Most remote job seekers simply say, “I want to find a work from home job.” But not you! You’re going to specify what kind of remote job you’re after using your career ideals and remote work type. For example:

I want to find a remote employee position in human resources at a non-profit. Now let’s build on that and make your goal measurable.

Measurable Remote Work Goal

How do you know when you’ve achieved a goal? If you don’t provide measurement, you’ll never really know. Let’s look at fitness for an example. If your goal is to get into better shape, how might you make that goal measurable? Well, you might say:

Lose 25 pounds

Run a 5k

Deadlift 150 pounds

See? Once you’re able to do that, you’ve reached your goal. So, how can you do the same when your goal is career oriented?

Well, you could say something like:

• Get one job offer in writing
• Apply to 5 jobs a week over the next month

Now your goal might be: Apply to five jobs a week until I receive one job offer in writing for a remote employee position in human resources at a non profit.

Hooray! Your goal is both specific and measurable. Now it’s time to see if it’s Achievable.

Achievable Remote Work Goal

There is nothing more defeating than giving yourself a goal that was impossible to achieve from the start. Doing so is literally setting yourself up for failure. Do not self sabotage. Instead, focus on giving yourself a goal that is achievable.

Let’s look at our example: Apply to five jobs a week until I receive one job offer in writing for a remote employee position in human resources at a non profit.

Are you able to apply to five jobs a week? If you’re a busy parent or caregiver, going to school, and/or working full time, applying to five jobs a week might not be achievable. If not, then scale it back to two or three.

Let’s look at our fitness example again. You wouldn’t say “lose 20 pounds in a month.” That’s setting yourself up for failure. Instead, you might say lost 1-2 pounds a week. This is still a challenging goal, but definitely not impossible.

Remember, your remote work goal should challenge you slightly but still be easily achieved with hard work.

Next, we’ll look at your goal to see if it’s realistic.

Realistic Remote Work Goal

Again, goals should be challenging but not impossible to reach. If you just graduated from college, you would give yourself a goal to get a remote job as the CEO of a large corporation, right? It’s just not realistic at the moment.

Similarly, if you want to make a career change that requires a new set of skills you might have to go back to school. If you don’t want to (or can’t) enroll in school, then your goal isn’t realistic.

Only you can decide whether your goal represents a career objective you are able and willing to work toward.

Timely Remote Work Goal

Lastly, you want your goals to be time sensitive. Why? Think about it, you spend most of your time accomplishing things that have a deadline.

• Going on vacation on a specific day? You start packing that week.
• Have a test coming up? You make sure to set time aside to study.
• New Year’s Eve next week? You start figuring out party details.

When you give your goal a timeline, you’re more likely to spend time working on it.

By now, you created a specific, measure, achievable, realistic goal. Now, let’s make it timely.

You can easily do this by adding a specific start day and end date.

For example:

Starting January 1, I will spend the next six months applying to five jobs a week until I get one job offer in writing for a full time remote employee position in human resources at a non profit.

Boom! How’s that for a SMART goal?

Of course, you can revisit your SMART goal at any time. If the six months is up and you still haven’t reached your goal, that’s okay. You reevaluate, reset, and re-start your goal.

That’s the beauty of SMART goals. They are not set in stone. You can change them as needed or break them down into much smaller action steps.

Find Your Dream Remote Job

That’s it! My three-step, fool-proof system to help you identify your dream remote job. Because you don’t have to settle for any remote job. You can shoot for the stars and get the remote job that makes you happy and provides satisfaction.

Now that you know which remote job is perfect for you, how about you start your job search?

I highly recommend The Effortless Remote Job Search. For just $27, you get lifetime access to the e-course that teaches you where to search for real remote jobs so you can avoid scams and pyramid schemes.

The course is totally self-paced and purposefully split into bite-sized lectures. In a matter of minutes, you’ll know exactly where to find thousands of real remote jobs. The best part? You don’t have to spend a ton of time searching so you can spend more time applying:

The post The No-Fail 3-Step System to Figure Out Your Dream Remote Job appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

We don’t want that.

As a career coach, I recommend a different plan of attack for someone who is unemployed compared to someone who is currently working but hoping to find a new job.

So, what should you do when you’re unemployed and looking for remote work?

1. Determine Your Career Ideals

Just because you’re out of work doesn’t mean you need to take any remote job. Instead, you need to determine your career ideals.

Your career ideals are the must-haves and have-nots when it comes to the way you work.

Example of career ideals include:

• Your working hours – Do you need a steady 9 to 5 or are you a night owl?
• Type of job responsibilities – Hate customer service but prefer data entry?
• Pay rate – Need to earn a bare minimum of $15/hour?
• Benefits eligibility – Is health insurance a must have through your employer?
• Schedule – Are you only able to work certain days or times?

Only you know your career ideals. When you’re unemployed is the perfect time to reflect on them.

Think about past positions. What did you like about them? Can you remember what you hated? Name some tasks or skills you used that coworkers would compliment you on.

For example, “Ashlee is so good at making spreadsheets!” (I’m not, but it’s just an example).

Hint: It’s often easier for us to look back and remember things we hate about jobs. And that’s good to know what you dislike so you can avoid those tasks/things in the future. But it’s equally important to know what you do like. That way you can target those types of jobs in the future. It’s not always so easy to come up with tasks, skills, and responsibilities we enjoy at work.

So seriously take a few minutes right now to reflect on your past employment. Grab a pen and paper or open up a Google Docs. Jot down your haves and have-nots when it comes to remote work.

2. Determine Your Remote Work Type

I have a son. If you ask him what Mom does, he’ll say, “She works from home.” He’s not wrong. But he believes that working from home is a job in and of itself. Oddly enough, a lot of unemployed remote job seekers think this way too.

As a career coach, I ask clients, “What kind of job are you looking for?”

And, a large majority simply reply, “I want to work from home.”

The truth is, there are A LOT of work from home jobs. And as someone who is unemployed looking for remote work, you need to determine your remote work type.

Remember, not all remote jobs are created equal.

You have employee positions, freelance, and contract options to consider. Each come with their own unique pros and cons. You will use your career ideals you determined in Step 1 to help you figure out your remote work type.

Employee

Employees who work from home are just like in-office ones. The difference? Well, you don’t have to commute every day. As an employee, you are benefits eligible, have taxes withheld from your paychecks, and can count on a pretty consistent schedule and hours worked weekly.

This also means you are expected to virtually show up for work every day, be available during office hours, and maintain a consistent schedule, i.e., Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.

Employees need a quiet, distraction-free office to work from. In other words, you cannot pull double duty as a remote work employee. So, you can’t teach your kids as distance learners and work at the same time. (Seriously, don’t do it).

If your career ideals include steady schedule, set pay, and benefits, employee positions are a good fit for you.

Freelance

Freelancers are service providers. They sell their services for a set rate. Some popular types of freelance jobs include freelance writer, freelance proofreader, freelance virtual assistant, and freelance typist. This is just short list of common freelance jobs. If you can do it, chances are you can sell it as a freelance service.

Freelancers are not employees. That means taxes are not withheld from payments received and there are no benefits like PTO or health insurance.

A freelancer can work whenever and wherever they want and pick and choose the projects they take. However, freelancers are completely responsible for finding their own work and need to pitch their services to potential clients.

Many freelancers turn to LinkedIn to find clients or use popular freelance marketplace sites like Upwork to get started.

If your career ideals include flexibility, unlimited earning potential, and work from anywhere, freelance is a good fit.

You can learn more about popular freelance career paths and how to develop those skills and turn them into a business on my Resources Page under “Remote Skills & Professional Development.”

Contractor

Contractors work with companies on a 1099 basis. As a 1099 worker, you are not an employee and will not have taxes withheld from your checks. Instead, you are responsible for paying quarterly estimated taxes.

Contractors have greater schedule flexibility than employees but less flexibility than freelancers.

That’s because, as a contractor, work is provided for you (you don’t have to pitch to get it). As such, the company you contract with will expect you to have your work done during certain times and/or days.

ModSquad is a good example of a company that routinely hires contractors to work from home.

If your career ideals include flexibility but consistency, contract work is a good fit.

How to Determine Your Remote Work Type?

A lot of clients I work with get hung up on their remote work type. And this really illustrates why it is so important to determine your career ideals. They will point you in the right direction.

In the meantime, I’ve created this flowchart to help you make your decision:

It looks overwhelming, I know. But start at the top, answer the questions honestly, and it will point you (see what I did there?) in the right direction. I promise.

3. Give Yourself a Remote Work Goal

When you’re unemployed, you need a sense of purpose. There is a big link between unemployment and self-esteem. And the longer the unemployment goes on, the worse off you feel.

We want to avoid feelings of desperation and hopelessness. A great way to do that is to give yourself a remote work goal.

Goal setting is important for job seekers. According to Butler University, goal setting can help you feel better, improves focus, and promotes a sense of purpose. This sense of purpose is extremely important for job seekers.

That’s why, as a career coach, I help job seekers create SMART goals.

Grab your pen and paper again or open up that same Google Doc you used for your career ideals. Now add a goal for yourself.

Most remote job seekers simply say my goal is to “find a work from home job.” But you’re not like most remote job seekers and you can do better than that.

Remember, use your career ideals and remote work type to set a specific career goal for yourself.

For example, “I will land a remote employee role within the next six months in education that pays me $50,000 a year, offers great benefits, and steady pay.”

See how much more concrete and clear that goal is? SMART goals are more effective and work better for remote job seekers.

And make sure you write it down! I don’t care if it’s on a post-it note, in your bullet journal, or on a card in a Trello board. Studies show you are far more likely to achieve a goal just by writing it down.

4. Create a Remote Job Search Schedule

When you’re unemployed, you suddenly find yourself without a schedule. And as humans, this isn’t good. We are, after all, creatures of habit and our jobs play a big role in our daily habits.

After years of getting up, getting dressed, and getting out the door (or to your home office) you suddenly find yourself with no timeline to stick to. This can easily lead to procrastination and loss of motivation.

Before you know it, you’re not sure what day it is or when the last time you left that house was. We don’t want you to get to this point.

That’s why I recommend unemployed remote job seekers create and stick to a job search schedule.

So, what does a remote job search schedule look like? Great question.

It doesn’t have to be incredibly detailed or entirely time blocked (unless that’s your thing, then you do you). But, you should have a list of tasks to complete every day, Monday through Friday, just as if it were your job — because it is your job to find a remote job.

Sample Remote Job Search Schedule

• Wake up at the same time every day
• Shower and get dressed
• Look at your written down job search SMART goal
• Check your email for any communication from potential employers, i.e., interview requests — Look in your spam folder too
• Hop on LinkedIn. Check out remote-friendly companies and make valuable connections. Join groups. Check for any new job leads
• Take a lunch break and stretch your legs
• Check your email after lunch for any job-related communication
• Browse job boards for any new leads that interest you. Save them
• Apply to all the jobs you found during your afternoon search
• Make sure you optimize your resume for every single one
• Keep track of every job you apply to including the link to the ad and contact information
• Send follow up emails to positions you’ve applied to but haven’t heard back from yet
• Check your email one last time before heading out for the day
• Walk away from your job search until tomorrow

The Effortless Remote Job Search

Yes, looking for a remote job is your job when you’re unemployed. But it doesn’t mean it has to be a full time job.

That’s why I created The Effortless Remote Job Search. It’s a crash course that teaches remote job seekers how to save time on the search part of their job search, so they can spend more time on job search activities that actually get results like optimizing resumes, making LinkedIn connections, and networking.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How to job search effectively on LinkedIn
• The 3 best remote job boards to avoid scams
• Discover thousands of remote jobs with Google
• Remote-friendly staffing agencies to supplement your search

You’ll also learn where you can automate your job search so job leads get delivered to you.

Plus, bonus content that includes:

• LinkedIn Profile Checklist
• Job Search Tracker
• Now Hiring Spreadsheet
• Scam-Guard Checklist
• List of Hundreds of Remote-Hiring Companies

The best part? You can enroll in this time-saving, scam-protecting course for just $27.

How to Find a Remote Job When You’re Unemployed

Being unemployed is tough. It takes a toll on your mental, financial, and emotional health.

Fortunately, you can take steps to keep your job search on track so you can find a job quickly and easily.

Remember, you don’t want to find any ol’ remote job. Instead, determine your career ideals and let them guide your job search. It’s amazing how much simpler and effective your remote job search becomes when you have career clarity.

From there, determine your type and give yourself a SMART goal. Now, you can tackle each unemployed day with a sense of purpose and meaningful schedule.

And, if you need help, reach out! I’m a Certified Professional Career Coach that specializes in remote work. I have career coaching sessions available specifically for remote job seekers who need help with goal setting, identifying career paths, and jump-starting their remote job search.

Send me an email to introduce yourself and inquire about my services.

You’ve got this.

Happily,

Ashlee

P.S. This post might contain affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post Do These 4 Things If You’re Unemployed & Looking for a Remote Job appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

But, while now might be a good time to purchase an Instant Pot or save on a TV, you can also rack up the Black Friday savings for your career.

That’s right. These sales aren’t limited to stuff. You can actually leverage the power of Black Friday Online Savings to learn new skills and boost your remote career.

Plus, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. After all, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic and more and more companies are embracing remote work into 2021 and beyond.

So, instead of worrying about what’s next for your career, take charge and make strategic career moves today. Check out this list of online courses for remote job seekers. You’ll learn an in-demand remote-friendly skill and supercharge (and pandemic-proof) your career for the new year. Plus, these savings are bananas!

Online Courses On Sale for Remote Job Seekers

1. 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success

Want to get paid to write? You can, even if you have zero professional writing experience. Freelance writers are in demand and can work for large publications or smaller projects. It really just depends on you and your interests. The best way to launch a Freelance Writing Career is with the online course 30 Days Or Less To Freelance Writing Success over at Horkey Handbook. It’s on sale right now for 25% off!

Use this link and enter promo code BFCM25% at checkout to save 25%. This sale runs right now, Friday, November 27 through Monday, November 30.

2. 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success

When you’re a master of to-do lists, it would be selfish to keep those skills all to yourself. That’s why you should share them with the masses as a virtual assistant (VA). You can learn the ins and outs of becoming a VA in a mere matter of weeks too when you sign up for 30 Days Or Less to Virtual Assistant Success.

Use this link and enter promo code BFCM25% at checkout to receive 25% off your new career course. This sale runs until Cyber Monday, November 30.

3. Become a Virtual Project Manager

Are you a highly-organized people person? Then you would make a great virtual project manager. Use your natural talents to help others get their sh*t together and earn money while doing it. Sign up for the Virtual Project Manager course at Horkey Handbook to learn how to transform your skills into a money-making remote-friendly career.

Use this link and enter promo code BFCM25% at checkout to receive 25% off your course. This sale is ongoing through Monday, November 30.

4. Become a Virtual Real Estate Assistant

Real estate agents and realtors are busy, busy, busy. You can help them manage their clients, closings, and listings as a Virtual Real Estate Assistant. This pandemic-proof career path is perfect for remote workers. You too can learn this remote-friendly skill with the Virtual Real Estate Assistant Course at Horkey Handbook.

Use this link and enter promo code BFCM25% at checkout to receive 25% off your new course.

5. Diva Dog Bakery

Have you ever wanted to start your own home-based dog bakery business? You’re in luck. Diva Dog Bakery is now open for enrollment and for a limited time offering $100 of its course price.

Use this link and coupon code: BF$100 at checkout for instant savings. 

6. Facebook Side Hustle

Do you love all things social media and consider yourself a bit of a Facebook fanatic? Well, now you can actually get paid to learn about the inner workings of Facebook from a business perspective. In no time, set up a remote career as a Facebook Ads expert and charge businesses, bloggers, and brands for your newfound expertise. And it all starts with the Facebook Side Hustle course.

Use this link and promo code THANKS at checkout to receive 30% off right now.

7. Internet Scoping

Internet Scoping School is an online training program that teaches you how to build a successful scoping business. What is scoping? Scoping is the process of editing a court reporter’s transcript. Scopists are well paid, are in high demand and, best of all, can work remotely!

Be sure to use this link and coupon code BLACKFRIDAY2020 to receive nearly $200 in savings.

8. Transcribe Anywhere

Now through Cyber Monday you can save 40% at Transcribe Anywhere. Courses include General Transcription Theory & Practice, Legal Transcription Theory & Practice. There’s also a bundle course where you can learn General Transcription and Legal Transcription. Transcriptionists are in demand and are able to work (almost) anywhere with an internet connection.

Use this link to automatically save up to 40% so you can start today to launch a new remote-friendly career in 2021 as a sought after typist.

9. General Proofreading

One of the most popular remote career paths is proofreader. But it’s not something you can jump into without a little help. That’s where General Proofreading: Theory & Practice comes into play. This online course teaches you how to break into proofreading and finally get paid for spotting mistakes.

Use this link and save 60% now (yes, 60%!!!) so you can get paid to read all day.

10. Career Step

Career Step is one of the highest-rated online career-focused schools. They have two programs I highly recommend for remote career seekers: Medical Transcription and Editing and Medical Billing & Coding. Both programs are in demand, remote-friendly and expected to grow in the years ahead.

Now is the perfect time to enroll using this link with up to 20% off plus bonuses through Cyber Monday!

11. Bookkeeper Launch

Bookkeepers are able to help small businesses keep track of their finances without having to set foot into an office. And, today, more and more companies hire virtual bookkeepers to manage money coming in and going out. If you love numbers and want to use it to start a remote career, learn how to become a remote bookkeeper at Bookkeeper Launch.

Right now you can save a whopping $504 and learn how to start, scale, and succeed as a home-based bookkeeper. Savings go through December 1. No promo code needed — all savings are automatically applied at checkout when you use this link.

Pandemic-Proof Your Career into 2021 and Beyond

We know remote work is here to stay. Now is the perfect time to learn remote skills that lead to job security. These 11 best online courses for remote job seekers will help you learn remote-friendly skills so you can reach your career goals.

Have questions? Let me know! Not only can you email me, but I’ll personally answer you too. As a career coach, I’m on a mission to help you pick the perfect remote career path that’s right for you. All you have to do is ask.

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson, CPCC

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Please check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post The 11 Best Black Friday Online Courses Deals 2020 appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Even still, not everyone has a job that is remote friendly. For example, service workers, tradesmen, construction workers, first responders, and many other professions are traditionally in person.

If you’re a server at a restaurant or bartender, it’s impossible to do these jobs remotely. Similarly, if you’re a welder or electrician, you can’t exactly telecommute.

But that doesn’t mean if you work a traditional in-office or on-location job you can’t transition to telecommuter.

In fact, as a remote work career coach, I regularly help job seekers do just that! Many aspiring remote workers want to ditch their out-of-the-house job for a more remote-friendly position.

Here’s what I advise them to make the transition as easy as possible.

Assess Your Skills

The more skills you have the more opportunities for remote work. Traditionally, employers want similar soft skills in their remote hires. These include attributes like trustworthiness, written communication, time management, and problem solving. In other words, they look for potential hires that have the ability to put in a full day’s work independent from the office.

While soft skills are important, what is really going to make you a competitive remote job seeker are your hard skills.

What are hard skills, you ask? Great question. Let’s look at hard skills:

What are hard skills?

According to the Balance Careers, hard skills are teachable abilities that you can easily quantify. Often, you learn hard skills via on-the-job training, certification, college or other schooling.

Example of Hard Skills for Remote Workers

So, what are hard skills that are in-demand in the remote world? Here are the top ones I see again and again:

Customer Service

From sales to support, and everything in between, companies need a remote workers with a variety of customer service skills. Most want to see technical skills in this role, including troubleshooting and problem resolution.

No hard skills in customer service? No problem. Check out Become a Customer Service Specialist Learning Path via LinkedIn Learning. In just 5 hours, you learn how to troubleshoot, de-escalate angry callers, and even best practices when communicating with chat and email.

Medical Billing & Coding

Medical billing and coding skills are in huge demand as there are more jobs than professionals to fill them. These hard skills are used in healthcare settings to ensure doctors and nurses get paid for their services.

You can receive online training and get certified in medical coding and billing in less than a year via CareerStep. To learn more, check out my free guide: How To Become A Medical Billing Pro in Less Than A Year.

Typing

Most of your communication will be done in writing as a remote worker. So, employers want to see remote workers who can type efficiently. Some jobs will absolutely require you have a minimum typing speed.

For those who have never had to use a computer to communicate, it’s time to brush up on your typing skills. You can learn touch typing for free at Keybr.

Graphic Design

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, graphic designers create visual concepts. Graphic design is used to develop websites, brochures, magazines, ads, and many different visual elements.

Learn the Fundamentals of Graphic Design over at Coursera.

Web Development

Web development is a broad term that can apply to a number of different coding languages out there. Developers use a series of code to create apps, games, websites, and more.

To learn more about web development, coding languages, and their respective career paths, I highly recommend visiting Fullstack Academy.

Sales

Sales is a valuable skill to businesses because more sales = more money. So, if you are able to demonstrate sales experience, you become an asset to companies.

Check out this course Sales Training: Building Your Sales Career to find out more about developing your own sales skills.

Marketing

Marketing ability means you can transform a company’s central message and appeal to buyers. Marketing skills can include social media, email, blog posts, and more.

Introduction to Marketing is an online course taught through the University of Pennsylvania that will help you prepare for a career in marketing.

Project Management

Project managers ensure products are delivered on time and within budget. To do this, they must be able to apply problem-solving and clear communication to effectively allocate resources.

You can learn this highly sought after skill online through: How to Get Skilled: Introduction to Individual Skills Management (Project-Centered Course)

SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Understanding SEO helps businesses and brands rank higher than competitors on Google. Again, this is a valuable skill set to have because higher Google rankings = more customers = more money.

You too can master the ins and outs of SEO via the online course Search Engine Optimization (SEO) taught by UCDavis.

Bookkeeping

Bookkeepers monitor the flow of cash in a business. They keep track of all money coming in and going out. Often, bookkeepers rely on software, like QuickBooks, to maintain accurate financial records and generate reports.

Check out this free 3-part video series to learn more about bookkeeping and whether it’s the right path for you.

Google Suite

So many remote teams rely on Google Suite and it’s many web-based apps to stay connected and collaborate. If you’re not familiar with Google Suite as an aspiring remote worker, you need to be.

Google offers its own G Suite Learning Center where you can learn the basics and familiarize yourself with everything from Gmail to Forms, Slides to Drive, and so much more.

Administrative

Like many of the other hard skills on this list, administrative skills is a blanket term that covers a lot of different abilities. In a remote setting, administrative pros often handle scheduling, calendar management, coordinate meetings, and email for members of a team.

LinkedIn Learning is a great place to uncover administrative-based courses you can use to strengthen your profile and brand as a remote job seeker.

Writing

Writing is an essential skill to have as a remote worker, that’s because the bulk of your communication is in writing. Companies want to see you can effectively get your message across in writing. But, if you want to write for a living, you’ll need to hone this hard skill even further. Some career paths for remote writers include grant writing, copy writing, and SEO writing.

Check out the Good with Words: Writing and Editing course to brush up on your writing skills.

Learn More About Hard Skills

The list I just gave is not an exhaustive one. It includes some of the top hard skills companies routinely seek out in popular remote positions. For more inspiration check out the Top Skills In Demand for 2020 – And How To Learn Them.

Pick a Path

Before you launch a new job search, it’s important to niche down. You aren’t qualified for every remote job under the sun. Similarly, you wouldn’t want to do every remote job out there. So, it’s time to figure out which type of remote job you want to go after.

Be sure to think about hard skills you would enjoy using on the job. Even if you don’t have those skills right now, that’s okay! Remember, you can learn hard skills. The point right now is to determine a potential career path that interests you and you would enjoy doing. There’s no point in settling for any remote job. You want a remote job that fulfills you (I didn’t name this blog Work From Home Happiness for no reason).

To determine a career path, I highly recommend you figure out your career ideals.

What Are Career Ideals?

Simply put, your career ideals are your must haves and have-nots when it comes to how, where, why, and when you work.

Let’s take a look at an example. Are benefits like paid time off and employee-sponsored healthcare a must have for you? If you answered yes, then one of your career ideals is working as an employee (and not an independent contractor or freelancer). That’s because employee positions offer benefits and contract positions do not.

In this scenario, it wouldn’t make sense for you to even consider contract or freelance roles. That means you can easily narrow your job search down to employee positions only. And, when you do this, you save yourself tons of time, energy and effort.

Needless to say, it’s important to determine the right type of remote work for you so you can find and land your dream remote job.

Fill in Any Gaps

Chances are, there’s a remote job out there that sounds amazing to you. It fits your career ideals and is something you would enjoy doing. The problem? You don’t exactly have all the right skills to get the job.

That’s okay. Remember, you can learn hard skills (that’s literally what they are — learned skills). So, don’t panic if there’s a remote job out there that sounds perfect for you but you don’t quite have the know how.

Instead, it’s time to start learning. Today, it’s easier than ever to brush up on skills or learn something completely new.

As a career coach, I often direct my clients to online learning. My two favorite resources are LinkedIn Learning and Coursera.

I prefer these two platforms because they are both well respected and provide certificates you can proudly display on your LinkedIn profile and resume upon completion.

These certificates will show remote-friendly employers that you have the right hard skills to get the job done. And that will go a long way in helping you get hired in your ideal remote career.

Re-brand Yourself and Your Career

Now that you know your career ideals and have filled in any skills gaps, it’s time to re-brand yourself. This means you need to write your career marketing materials for the job you want to get and not the jobs you’ve held in the past.

Your career marketing materials include your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. These are all documents recruiters and hiring managers will use to determine whether you’re a good fit for a job.

It’s important you take the time to rewrite these. In fact, you should adjust your resume to match every job you apply for.

It’s up to you to take control of your career narrative. So what if you worked as a bartender before and are now looking to get a virtual bookkeeping position?

All positions have transferable skills and it’s up to you to position them in a way that works for the role you’re going after. Plus, when you learn new hard skills relevant to a role, it shows you’re serious about the career pivot and not just applying to any and every position on a whim.

Get Help When You Need It

Remote job searches take time. On average, they last between 5 -7 months. So, don’t get discouraged and give up if you don’t get interviews within your first few weeks of applying.

Plus, don’t forget, you vary well need to enroll in an online course or program to learn new skills you can use to market yourself effectively as a remote job seeker.

If all of this seems overwhelming, I’m here to help. As a career coach, I specialize in helping traditional workers transition to telecommute roles. I can help you too.

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to give your remote job search much needed clarity and direction.

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson, CPCC

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post How To Find A Remote Job When You’ve Never Worked Remotely Before appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Needless to say, it can be draining to tie your self worth to your job search. Often, it takes days if not weeks and months to hear back from jobs you’ve applied to (if you ever hear back at all). Add that to the lack of in-person connections and daily routine and, well, it can be a recipe for self-isolated disaster.

But, fear not! As a career coach, I work with remote job seekers to implement science-backed strategies to help build much needed momentum when unemployed.

1. Wake Up Early.

When you don’t have a job, why wake up early? For starters, an early start gives you a sense of purpose that goes missing when unemployed. Also, most recruiters and hiring managers start their own days at 9:00 a.m. sharp. You want to be readily available to take their calls.

Plus, it’s just plain good for you. Psychologists agree: waking up early and consistently is beneficial for your mental health. So, set your alarm clock or ask Alexa to gently wake you at 8:00 a.m. to Taylor Swift. Just don’t hit the snooze! You don’t have to hop out of bed ready and rarin’ to go. But you do need to get up and show up physically and mentally to your job search.

2. Get Showered and Get Dressed.

Many clients I work with envision endless days of PJs and yoga pants as a remote worker. And while remote work does allow for a certain level of comfort, it doesn’t mean you should nix pants altogether.

Just like waking up early, getting showered and dressed in an actual outfit changes the way we think. You put on business casual attire and you feel ready to work. When you stay in day-old pajama bottoms and sloppy tops, your attitude matches your lazy attire.

This is what psychologists refer to as enclothed cognition. (It’s a real thing. I promise.)

The positive mindset of getting showered and dressed is something to take advantage of every single day. So, get off your leggings clothed butt and put on some real pants. Your mental shift is beneficial to your job search (and your dog will thank you too).

3. Set Goals For The Day. Every Day.

There’s a reason I offer an entire coaching session focused solely on goal setting: Because setting short-term goals gives you motivation. I’m talking a full pot of coffee before 9:00 am. level of motivation.

Why?

Well, here’s some more science for you. According to researchers, goal setting leads to more successful outcomes. This is true even on a small scale, like daily goals.

Goal setting allows us to envision our ideal future. When we ‘see’ what can be, we’re more inclined to accomplish the tasks we need to get there. In this instance, that means picturing yourself as a full-time remote worker and committing to completing daily tasks to help you reach this vision.

So, how exactly do you set daily goals for yourself? Well, I like to tell my clients to focus on their Daily Top 3. These are 3 non-negotiable daily tasks that absolutely must get done. They don’t have to be giant tasks. Simply making a new LinkedIn connection, applying to a job or revising your cover letter count. What matters is these goals are job search related and will help you move forward.

And, don’t forget to write your goals down! Back to science, writing your goals down increases your chance of achieving them by 40%. Grab a post-it and a pen and jot them down. Place it in a spot you’ll see throughout the day. This little step helps you stay focused, on task and keeps you moving forward.

4. Check Your Email on Schedule.

Your inbox is a total time suck. It’s easy to get caught up in an endless cycle of emails, even when you’re unemployed. And, honestly, you have no control over how many people email you in any given day.

But, what you do have control over is how often you check your emails. Do not leave your inbox open so you get an alert every time a new message comes your way. You end up checking your email while conducting other job search activities. And this type of multitasking is counterproductive.

Studies show that it takes more than one minute to recover from an email interruption. Don’t give up precious time to email distractions.

Instead, schedule email breaks. These are set times throughout the day you devote to popping into your inbox and responding to messages.

Researchers found that those who schedule email breaks into their day reduced their daily stress. And who couldn’t use a little less stress when job searching?

So, do yourself a favor and schedule three breaks throughout the day to check and respond to emails — once in the morning, once midday, and once at the end of the day. That’s it.

5. Get Out of The House.

You know the saying that looking for a job is a full time job? Well, it’s true. I’ll give you that. But, it doesn’t mean you should tether yourself to your desk all day every day. It’s not good for you, which means it’s not good for your job search.

When you find yourself unemployed, your reason for getting out of the house every day (i.e., your job) is no longer there. Before you know it, it’s been days since you last ventured out.

This isn’t great, especially since science tells us that getting outside is beneficial to our mental health. Even a simple walk outside can boost creativity by as much as 60 percent.

It doesn’t mean you have to plan an outing every day. However, you should try to get out and about as much as possible. Take a walk. Meet a friend for lunch. Treat yourself to coffee. Go feed the ducks at the park. It doesn’t matter what you do. What matters is that you take a break from the confines of your home so you can experience greater clarity and increased productivity — two important factors that will contribute to success in your remote job search.

6. Get Social.

A job loss undoubtedly results in financial losses. But, studies show us that our social well being takes a major hit too. That’s because, through work, we fulfill psycho-social needs like having contacts and interactions with people outside of our immediate family.

When we lose a job, we lose those daily social contacts and sense of purpose that goes along with it. And, when we try to fill our days with job search activities, it gets pretty isolating and fast.

Not to mention, the unemployed tend to place a social stigma on themselves. That is, they don’t want to go out and enjoy themselves because they’re out of work. Other times, they want to avoid social interactions so as not to have to talk about their job loss.

But social isolation isn’t good for you or your job search. Don’t feel like you have to take a step back from socialization while out of work. Being social gives a big boost to your mental health and can lead to job opportunities. Remember, as much as one-third of jobs are landed via personal referrals.

Get Help.

Okay. This is a bonus one, but it’s totally okay to get some help. In fact, that’s why I’m here. As a career coach, I support your job search and keep you accountable. A level of accountability when unemployed often eliminates distractions and time spent on unproductive tasks according to this study.

Remember, the average remote job search takes 5-7 months. You don’t have to go through the monthslong process alone. Hire a career coach to stay on task and reduce the isolation that often hits when facing a job loss.

Find out more about my career coaching services or send me an email.

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson, CPCC

The post 6 Science-Backed Strategies That Benefit Your Remote Job Search appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.