6 Important Truths About Finding A Work From Home Job You Probably Don’t Know (But Definitely Should)

We go into a job search as a numbers game. The more jobs you apply to, the better your chances of getting hired, right?

Wrong!

In today’s job search — especially a remote job search — it’s all about quality over quantity. The better you can make yourself look in the eyes of recruiters, the better your chances of getting a coveted interview, which can eventually lead to a job offer.

This is especially true for a remote job search, which is a lot different than a traditional one. After all, everything — from the job posting to the application and interview process — is done entirely online.

And this means you, as the job seeker, need to do everything you can to make a strong virtual impression from the start. You won’t be able to meet face to face, shake hands, and show off your in-person charisma. Instead, you’ve got to do all the wowing remotely. Otherwise, you’ll find it next to impossible to make progress in your job search!

So, how exactly do you make the best virtual impression when you decide to become a remote worker?

Here are 7 invaluable truths you should know before going into your job search.

Truth 1: Your Resume Isn’t That Important

I’m just going to come right out and say it — Your resume isn’t that important.

I know, I know. That goes against everything you’ve ever been told.

Since your very first job, everyone tells you to perfect your resume. And you’ve probably taken that advice to heart, spending an insane amount of time, energy, and effort on this one-page document.

But truth be told, it’s not that important anymore. And it’s especially not that important in a remote job search.

In fact, when it comes to hiring and finding a candidate to fill a vacant role, the resume is an employer’s least favorite way to find someone.

That’s not to say you won’t need a resume. You will. But it’s more of a formality than something that will make or break your chances of getting hired.

Keep Reading: Your Resume Isn’t That Important. Here’s What You Should Focus On Instead.

Truth 2: Google Is Your New Resume

So, if your resume isn’t that important, what is?

Google.

Yep, Google is pretty much your new resume as a remote job seeker. After all, a whopping 80% of employers will google you before they decide to invite you for an interview. 80 percent!

And what Google has to say about you is known as your personal brand. Whether you recognize it or not, you are the CEO of Y-O-U. It’s your job to present as perfectly polished online professional. And, like many other searches, it all starts with Google.

Keep Reading: How To DIY A Personal Brand

Truth 3: Your Social Media Profiles Can Keep You From Getting Hired

More than half of recruiters say they would NOT hire someone based on what they find about them on their social media profiles. This is huge. You want to give recruiters a reason to hire you, not a reason to put you in the “no” pile.

Many recruiters will arrive at your social profiles via Google. That is, when they google your name, your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest accounts will likely pop up.

This means that, even if you meant for your status updates and memes to only be seen by friends and family, you can pretty much bet that a recruiter is, at some point, going to get an eyeful of your life — like it or not.

Truth 4: LinkedIn Is More Important Than You Think

You know how I said that employers hate making hiring decisions based solely on resumes alone? A platform they favor over the ol’ traditional resume is LinkedIn.

If you’re not active on this site (and even if you are), you’re probably missing out on a lot of opportunities to build connections that can lead to work opportunities.

In fact, some 90% of recruiters will, at some point, use LinkedIn to scout for talent and make hiring decisions.

Needless to say, it’s important to put some effort into your LinkedIn profile, which includes building your network.

You never know, your next connection could very well be the one that gets you an introduction into the remote company of your dreams.

Keep Reading: How To Write A Powerful LinkedIn Profile That Gets You Hired

Truth 5: You Need To Feel Familiar, Even If You’re Not

You don’t need to be an online superstar to land an interview, but you do need to have an online presence to speak of. When a recruiter googles you (and you know they will), you want to deliver professional search results — not be a complete mystery.

In fact, more than half of employers stated they’d be less likely to interview a candidate they couldn’t find online. That means you absolutely need to give them something, and an easy way to do that (while skewing search results in your favor) is to guest blog!

Think how great it looks to a recruiter who finds a handful of articles written by you that happen to be relevant to your industry? Even if they only click through and read a sentence or two, you suddenly feel 10x more familiar to them than anyone else.

Do yourself a big favor, spend a weekend writing a handful of guest posts relevant to your industry and submit them to blogs that accept open submissions.

This will boost your online profile and knock the socks off of even the most discerning of recruiters.

Truth 6: What You Know Is (Almost) As Important As Who You Know

At some point in time, a recruiter is going to land on one of your social media profiles. That’s a given. And we already know that what they find on these social profiles can make it hard for you to get an interview.

Skew the odds in your favor by delivering social media profiles that are both personable and professional. This gives you a chance to flex your industry-knowledge know-how but still give employers a glimpse into your personality.

Now, that doesn’t mean every single time you post, pin, or tweet it has to be related to your job. Instead, take the time to keep up on what’s happening in your neck of the professional woods. And when you find an interesting article or event, share it on social media!

A recruiter will appreciate you take the time to follow the news and will like to see that you enjoy sharing about your profession with your followers.

6 Truths About Finding A Work From Home Job You Didn’t Know (But Definitely Should)

There you have it — 6 super important truths about finding a work from home job you probably didn’t know — but now you do! Use these to your advantage as you work to create your own cubicle escape plan.

Are you surprised by any of these truth bombs? Think there’s something I missed? Leave it in the comments below!