Remote jobs are all about the search. Where and how you look for them can make all the difference in your over all job search experience.
Look in the right places for remote jobs and you’ll make progress in the form on employer interest. But if you look in the wrong places, you end up finding nothing but scams and feel like you never get anywhere.
I always want you to feel like you’re moving forward in your search. In order to get that forward momentum, I always advise my career coaching clients to hone their online job search skills, because it’s the foundation of any good remote job search.
What Makes Remote Job Searches Different?
If you’re new to remote job searches, you need to know what makes them different. For starters, they are conducted virtually. The entire process — from ad placement to interview and onboarding — is done remotely.
You won’t get to meet people in person, hand out copies of your resume, shake hands or network in the traditional sense.
That means you need to get comfortable behind your computer and getting online because it is going to be the driving force of your search.
The 2 Best Sources of Remote Jobs
Not all job boards are created equal, especially when it comes to remote work. It’s important you know the best places to search (and those to avoid).
1. Remote Job Board Sites
My favorite places to send people on the hunt for remote work are remote job boards. These were created specifically to share remote-friendly job leads. You don’t have to spend time searching for “remote jobs” because they’re ALL remote jobs.
Convenient, right?
It is!
Here are some of my favorite niche remote job boards you should definitely get familiar with.
These are all free to use. You don’t have to pay a penny to access job leads. Remember, companies post jobs here looking specifically for remote workers, like you. Be sure to take advantage of these sites as you begin your job search.
2. LinkedIn
Have you ever heard the saying “it’s not what you know but who you know?” Well, apparently this is true when it comes to hiring. According to Business Insider approximately 70% of job openings are never even listed. Instead, they’re part of the “hidden job market.” Essentially, knowing the right people can really give your remote job search a big boost.
Tap Into The Hidden Job Market
Typically, the hidden job market is a word-of-mouth job market. That is, when a hiring manager needs to fill a position they ask around. They hope to fill the job via a referral instead of having to accept online applications.
That’s because hiring is expensive and tedious, especially in the remote world. A single job lead can receive hundreds and even thousands of applications. Many of the applicants simply aren’t qualified or able to do the job. That means a recruiter has to sift through all those bad applicants to find just the right one. It can take months to do that and in the business world time = money.
That’s why it’s so very important to get social on LinkedIn and grow your network. It starts with a powerful LinkedIn profile. From there, you need to make quality connections.
If you want to take a deep dive into how you can connect with employers, recruiters and decision makers on LinkedIn, I recommend, Ignite Your LinkedIn Profile.
It’s an ebook that you can read in a weekend and implement some of the techniques used before Monday. Plus, it comes in under $10 and can be found on Amazon.
Try Not To Look In These Places
Now that you have a head start and know where to look, let’s discuss places to avoid.
1. General Job Board Sites
You’re probably familiar with job board sites like Indeed, CareerBuilder and Monster. They may be the first places that pop into your head anytime you start a new job search. And while these are find sites to use for local office jobs, they’re not ideal for remote work.
While you can find remote jobs on Indeed by searching for “remote” in the location box, it’s not so simple.
You have to weed through each individual listing to make sure it’s actually remote-friendly. Many jobs are returned as “remote” but really aren’t. So, it can quickly turn into a time suck trying to determine which job leads are really remote and which aren’t.
Plus, since these job boards are so popular, there is a lot of competition on them. In a matter of minutes, a single job ad can already have dozens of applicants. It’s hard to stand out and make progress when there’s so many others to compete with.
2. Facebook
As a career coach, I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. I love it because it’s a great way for remote job seekers to give themselves an online presence and make worthwhile connections. But I hate it because of all the scammers there are.
Every day, I encounter dozens of scam job ads targeting remote workers. Typically, these Facebook Posts promise work-from-home riches and great pay with no experience needed. Sounds too good to be true, right?
It is. These scammers are after your personal details or your money. Period. There are no jobs. It’s a system of scams disguised as remote work.
Career Coaching for Remote Job Seekers
Did I mention I’m a Certified Professional Career Coach? 😉 Please feel free to learn about my career coaching services tailored specifically to remote workers.
A career coach can help you find career clarity and direction. Plus, it’s just nice to have someone to lean on while you’re navigating a job change.
Happily,
Ashlee Anderson, CPCC
P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement to learn more.
I should definitely work on my LinkedIn profile ASAP. Yes, I’ve been on it for some time, but I didn’t exactly care about my profile appearance nor did I have the mindset of people looking for hire through their connection on In.
Thanks for the view.