The recent pandemic left no facet of life untouched. It changed how we live day-to-day and most directly impacted how we work.
According to a study made by OECD stated that once the pandemic hit in April of 2020 a total of 50% worked from home. Working during a global lockdown meant working from home for anyone outside of essential workers or physical trades. It meant a lot of time on the computer and even more time in video conferences. It required juggling – and often combining – work with parenting for many. And it demanded employees figure out how to remain productive while trying to complete tasks next to a bed, a kitchen, or a crowded living space.
Plenty thought remote work wouldn’t last and surely would decrease as vaccines rolled out. But, companies found it difficult to create an entirely safe and employee-friendly work environment. They tested hybrid work conditions, mixing in-office and remote staffing. Then, in late November, news of the omicron variant of Covid-19 arrived. Precautionary shields are once again necessary.
If remote work has been a factor in your life over the past two years, remote work will likely remain a part of your employment environment for some time to come.
Therefore, in searching for a new position, you want to prove that you have value as a remote employee to an employer.
Looking for a new remote job
So, you have a remote job and want a better one. Or you were previously a remote worker and want to continue. Either way, you have experience in the working conditions you anticipate for your next job.
In order to present your best case, think back to the last remote job you held. Consider the times when you completed a task successfully and on time. Now, find a way to describe that situation in detail to indicate just how you managed to do the job while working from home.
Anyone can say they have had success working remotely by being a productive remote worker. But, you can provide verifiable and quantifiable success in your resume or cover letter.
Be precise. Be direct. Be specific.
What you like about remote employment
Remote employment has its perks. You’re independent and can work without having eyes on you at all times. You can stretch your legs without drawing attention to yourself. You can eat or play music while you work.
But employers want to know what it is about the remote work ethic that makes you successful and employable. How does the setting fit into your personal work structure? Do you thrive on your own? Are you self-motivated?
How do you avoid the trappings of remote work – the previously mentioned bedroom, couch, or kitchen? How do you remain as active at home as in an office setting?
There are many aspects of remote employment that people do not enjoy. Zoom meetings are tedious and seem unnecessary or unnecessarily long. How do you respond to those complaints? How do you get the most out of online staff meetings?
Don’t lie about these topics. If you can’t stand virtual meetings, keep that information to yourself. They are a necessary part of the modern workplace, and you’ve navigated them in the past. You can do so in the future and use that fact positively with your potential employer.
Looking for your first remote job
You are one of the thousands of high school or college students who graduated during the pandemic, and you are looking for your first remote job. How do you prove to employers that you are a productive remote worker who can handle the freedom and accept the responsibility of the remote workplace?
Although you don’t have remote work experience, you do have a remote learning experience. Consider how you managed your academic studies while completing assignments virtually. Did you study with others, or did you complete tasks individually? If you now know you are a self-starter, make sure employers know it. If you thrive on social connections through video, tell that story.
Identify what remote education taught you about how you learn and work best. Did you enjoy video conferences, recorded lessons, or material outlines? Even if it’s an area you want to improve in, let companies know you’re focusing on strengthening specific skills.
A new world for a productive remote worker
We are in an entirely different world regarding white-collar work. Remote and hybrid workplaces abound and will be the standard for some time to come.
You need to indicate how you prosper as a remote worker in your resume and cover letter. You need to tell true anecdotes about your successes at a previous remote workplace or school. Take the lead and address the elephant in the room. Companies need to know that, left to your own devices, you are responsible and responsive.
In looking for a job that you expect to be remote, let employers know at every turn that you can be both a virtual and a productive employee.