With almost everyone who is able working from home during the global pandemic, there’s a definite rise in the desire for many professionals to continue the remote work trend even once it is safe to go back into the office. In this article, I’m sharing a few strategies that can help you find—and land—a remote job this year.

One thing to keep in mind is that employers that don’t already have virtual workforce and only have a physical presence in one state may be hampered from providing “work-from-anywhere” options due to HR taxation laws. Don’t assume that your current employer will make the switch when the pandemic eases.

Filter your job search by using remote work keywords.

The current jargon for a 100% virtual company is “remote first.” This should be something you use as a keyword on sites like Indeed, Ziprecruiter, LinkedIn, Monster, CareerBuilder, Builtin, etc. in addition to the location listed as “remote” or “virtual.”

Pay attention to the job posting. If there is an expectation that the role will eventually be onsite, it will generally say so somewhere in the job description. If there is a physical location listed, but it says “virtual” in the job posting – be sure to ask if you end up talking to someone in HR or recruiting. Some applicant tracking systems require a physical location to function (usually for larger companies).

Add remote work keywords to your resume.

To highlight your own successful career working in your home office, some of the resume keywords you’ll want to use are

  • WFH (and “work from home”)
  • Virtual
  • Distributed team
  • Global
  • Remote

All of these indicate that you are used to working across time zones and potentially continents.  

You’ll also want to make sure you include productivity tools that are commonly used by remote first employers. Some common examples are:

  • Slack
  • Teams
  • Zoom
  • Google Hangouts
  • Skype
  • Trello
  • Asana
  • Airtable
  • O365
  • GoogleSuite
  • Monday

If you work in a global organization, include your WhatsApp contact info on your resume. 

Use reputable job sites.

There are a lot of scams out there to take advantage of the unwary during this global upheaval. Search on well-known publications for lists of vetted job sites. Sometimes a site will cost you a subscription fee to access job postings. Read online reviews before you invest. Here are some verified sites or resources I suggest:

Be aware of your online footprint.

If you’re already a “digital nomad,” chances are high that you have a vast digital footprint. Make sure all your social media profiles are either aligned or completely separated. You don’t want videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or your Facebook wall where you post your crazy weekend antics to show up in an employer search for you.

An easy way to manage your personal vs. professional profiles is to use two completely different email addresses, and to lock it down tightly in terms of followers and friends. There are a few sites that you can use to highlight your professional experience – and the more professional content you have online, the farther your personal digital channels fade.

  • LinkedIn: this should be a no brainer for anyone these days. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is closely aligned with your resume in terms of employers, timelines, and general work overview.
  • About.me is a great professional branding site that is free. 
  • A blog on WordPress or Medium where you wax enthusiastic about your career. Post content at least monthly and you will show up on search engines if someone is looking for you explicitly. 
  • Establish your own website that focuses on professionally curated content that is of interest to you. 

Working from home permanently is becoming more and more prevalent, but it is still not that norm by any stretch. Maximize your opportunities by applying current search and branding methods to your resume, and your digital presence.

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Kristen Fife

Kristen is a Senior Recruiter in the Seattle area, as well as a writer and guest speaker.

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