In 2017, remote jobs are catching up with the industry needs. With the high demand for talent, companies are hiring remotely. LiveEdu.tv also has most of its workforce working remotely as it fits with the company culture with the aim of reaching a wider audience and providing a platform where anyone can improve their skill and career prospects. A much diverse staff can handle diverse audience better and help them reach their true potential.

It is very common to think “remote jobs” as jobs where you can work on your terms and enjoy free time as much as you can. But that’s wrong, remote jobs are more challenging than traditional jobs, and require more discipline and skill set. You will surely get more free time, but it is not a paradise either. However, there are multiple benefits of working remotely, and we will discuss them shortly.

Benefits aside, landing a remote job is hard. There are multiple factors a company considers. Also, not all positions can be filled by remote roles due to the nature of the position or the culture of the company which may not support remote jobs.

Notwithstanding, the percentage of US workforce working remotely is nearly 40%. Remote work is also very popular among regular workers. If they are given the option to telecommute (note that to telecommute is different from remote work), they will gladly accept the offer. The downside of it is that many who transit to telecommute or do remote job might not like the transition and may change back to their regular job.

As stated earlier, remote jobs are hard to land, and you should not lose motivation if it takes a lot of time to get one. Companies are rigorous in filtering talent, and only a few get the chance to work remotely. But, that doesn’t mean you cannot land a remote job. To land a remote job, you need to take care of different aspects that we will discuss below. At LiveEdu.tv, we excel at helping people improve their skills in programming, game development, data science, design, augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. They can create a presence online which can assist them in their career development.

So, without much delay, let’s discuss how to land a remote job.

You can use communication and collaboration tools

Working remotely demands a good understanding of technology and related tools. When working remotely, you will need to use tools for communicating, tracking tasks and keeping tabs on other key activities for the company. However, there is no need to understand technology deeply — a basic understanding and an open-mind to learn can go a long way.

Tools such as Skype, Trello, Google Drive, etc. are frequently used by companies to manage their work online. You may also have to get familiar with the company’s product or learn some tools that will help you do your job better.

You have good time management skills

Working remotely requires excellent time management skills. There won’t be a manager guiding you every thirty minutes. The remote setup is stale and unforgiving if time and tasks are not managed properly.

Using time-tracking and project management apps can help you gain an extra edge and help you manage tasks efficiently. Self-discipline and having a grip of your skills will help you immensely in staying productive.

You have good communication skills

Online communication is very different compared to an office environment. In the office, you can communicate more freely, whereas, online communication heavily depends on written and spoken words. You won’t be seeing the face and body expression of the other person.

To communicate effectively, you need to know the tools of the trade. You may have to use video conferencing tools such as Skype or Google Hangouts. Email is also used frequently for communicating with other team members.

Another important thing that you need to take care of is the time zone. Remote workers are spread across the globe. This means working with people with different time-zones. Remember, working online or remotely doesn’t mean that everyone is available all the time and you need to check team members’ time-zones before engaging them in a conversation.

You are independent and need minimal guidance.

Working remotely entails little or no guidance. With minimal supervision, you need to take care of all your tasks and work independently. Many companies give you a training period, but it is rare for remote job positions. At LiveEdu, action drives our work. It is one of the core values at LiveEdu.

When you are assigned a project to work on, you need to make sure that you manage the communication channel properly. You also need to brief other team members you are working with and ensure that everyone understands their role completely.

You are flexible

Remote jobs are very demanding, and companies always look for workers who are flexible in their work timing. Not that you need to change your work time every day altogether, but only when needed. This fosters trust and helps you improve your image in the company.

Flexible job positions are very common in the industry, and you can expect the same in a remote position. Also, it is great to let your employer know your availability in advance, if you have something important to address in your daily life.

You plan before you execute

Planning is the core skill for working in any industry. It doesn’t matter if you are working in a remote job or a traditional job, planning can help you tackle tasks efficiently and more confidently. If you are not sure of what you are doing or going to do, it is always wise to communicate the problem to other team members.

Always remember that you will lose more time if you approach a task without a plan. You can also use tools such as Trello to plan and execute your plan accordingly.

What’s next?

Getting hired for a remote job is hard. So, don’t be disheartened if you don’t get a reply from your favorite company. To get started, you first need to establish a good online presence. It doesn’t matter what you do, having a strong online profile can open doors for you.

You can use LiveEdu to build your online presence. By streaming your work online, you are not only enabling yourself to get attention from clients but also building a fan following.

You can also check out job boards such as Jobspresso, FlexJobs, Working Nomads, to get access to remote jobs. You also need to keep ahead of the fake job postings. The internet is full of frauds, and it is always wise to do a quick research before applying to job position you are interested in.

Which skills you think is important to land a remote job? Let us know by commenting below.