Have you been searching for a remote job with no success?
Searching for remote work is a new territory for many of us, and traditional job search tactics don't always apply to the virtual setting. You have to know how (and where) to look and how to stand out as a stellar remote candidate.
Read on to find out 5 tips to optimize your remote job search so you can land the role of your dreams in 2022!
1. Remote proof your resume. First things first: make sure your resume is remote-friendly. Adding remote keywords can let recruiters and hiring managers know that you're comfortable working on a distributed team. If you have no prior experience working remotely, you can highlight skills that show you're capable of that undertaking. Check out some examples below!
Common high-demand soft skills on remote job descriptions include:
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Critical thinking
- Emotional intelligence
- Great written and oral communication
- Creativity
You'll also want to make sure you include productivity tools that are commonly used by remote teams. Some common examples are:
- Slack
- Teams
- Zoom
- Google Hangouts
- Skype
- Trello
- Asana
- Office365
- GoogleSuite
- Monday
2. Polish your professional brand. Because remote workers don't have the benefit of making a first impression in person, it's crucial that your online presence speak for itself. Make sure your personal social media accounts are clean and your professional accounts on sites like LinkedIn are updated and polished. Click here for more information on how to make your LinkedIn profile stand out. You may also want to consider having a professional website or digital portfolio where you can showcase examples of your work.
3. Network, network, network. You've probably already heard this one. Networking is THE MOST important factor in job hunting. When searching for work with global, remote companies, it's not always feasible to go to in-person job fairs, mixers, or other networking events. Our advice is to use the power of the internet to your advantage. Join online networking events like PowerToFly's virtual summit or try attending a virtual job fair (we also host one of those every month!). Click here to learn how to stand out at a virtual event.
4. Apply to the right jobs. If you've been applying to remote jobs, but haven't heard anything back, it's possible that you're not applying to the right jobs. Consider making a list of the types of roles you'd like to apply for and the experience that qualifies you for those roles. When you see a job description, make sure your qualifications match up with at least 50% of the requirements. Applying to roles that are more aligned with your experience and desired career path will inevitably be more successful than applying to every job you see. (P.S. PowerToFly currently has over 5,000 remote roles available — go check them out!)
5. Hone your interview skills. Now that you know how to make your application stand out, it's time to talk about interview skills. Generally speaking, remote companies have a multi-step interview process. You'll likely meet with a recruiter before meeting with the hiring manager, and perhaps you'll have more chats with other stakeholders in the company. Don't be overwhelmed! The best way to do well in an interview is to do your research!
Go on the company's website to understand what they do and their mission and values. You can also check out other sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Glassdoor to learn more about the company and their application process. Once you've done your homework, think of some questions that they could potentially ask you. Practice answering them with concrete examples and try to align your responses with the company's values.
Here are some example questions to practice and tips to help you.
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Are you ready to kick off your remote job search? Check out PowerToFly's open remote roles!
