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When you first start looking for the remote job of your dreams online, the internet can feel like total chaos. Search results turn up page after page of listings--some of them appealing, some redundant, and some altogether sketchy. You might have some connections to the remote job world through your social media networks, but you might not know who they are or how to get a conversation started. And you’re not sure which job boards you can trust to be up to date when new opportunities arise.
Finding a remote job doesn’t have to be daunting. With a clear roadmap at hand, you can easily navigate the crowded online marketplace efficiently--which will leave you all the time you need to tailor and perfect your application. In this article, we’ll explore the best online channels for finding remote work--and share tips on how to use them to your advantage.
From broad, all-encompassing sites with detailed search technology such as Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor, to niche, targeted, industry-specific sites, job sites are excellent places to begin your remote job search. Depending on the kind of remote work you’re looking for and where you choose to begin, sites like these can offer a range of critical information, including job postings, salary approximations, employee’s reviews of job experiences at their companies, interview expectations (sometimes even questions), and more.
On job sites, it can be easy to fall into the trap of wanting to take in as much information about each company as you possibly can. The best way to navigate these sites is to recognize their capacity, but take in information only as you need it. For example: There’s no reason to get nervous over a position with a notoriously rigorous interview process before you’ve applied! Get just the facts you need: details about the position, application requirements, and salary range, for example.
Furthermore, while employee reviews of organizations are important to consider, remember to take each review with a grain of salt: It’s good information to have, but it’s not all necessarily reliable. As theHarvard Business Review notes, “[O]nline reviews are a dual-edged sword. On the one hand, they’re a blessing if they help consumers to make more informed decisions. On the other hand, there is a systematic problem with many online reviews — they tend to over-represent the most extreme views. [...] This makes it hard to learn about true quality from online reviews.”
Your social networks could be your most valuable asset in the remote job search. You likely already know that LinkedIn is a great place to start. In fact,Kinsta reports that, according to research from Statistic Brain Research Institute, “122 million people received an interview through LinkedIn, with 35.5 million having been hired by a person they connected with on the site.”
But LinkedIn isn’t the only place you’ll want to start networking. Twitter and Facebook are both key ways to share your interest in remote work and discover opportunities from your connections. Through Twitter, you have the potential to reach beyond your immediate connections to garner information about opportunities. That’s especially important when you’re looking for remote opportunities where proximity is less of a barrier. AndFacebook’s Jobs feature enables you to search for jobs by category and proximity, if you’re looking for a remote opportunity that would entail some in-the-office face time with your colleagues.
Social media affords you a bonus opportunity: the chance to network not only with an eye toward jobs that are currently open, but to flex your job search muscles and hone up on your interview skills, strengthen your application materials, and learn more about certain positions in industries you’re hoping to tap. Reach out to people on any social channels who have remote jobs in your field to find out if they’d be open to conduct an informational interview with you, if they would help lend a critical eye to your resume or cover letter, or if they’re aware of any open remote work opportunities.
The self-proclaimed “front page of the internet” may not be the first place your brain goes when considering remote work opportunities, but believe it or not, Reddit offers a wide berth of resources for remote job seekers. Subreddits such asr/remote jobs andr/telecommuting both offer not only opportunities and tips for your search, but also the opportunity to network with people beyond your networks to learn more about their experiences.
When you’re first starting on on a remote job search, the internet can feel as chaotic and untamed as the Wild West. But in truth, the right channels will guide you down a fruitful search. Start broad with job search sites, then narrow your search by niche--and build relationships and garner all the information you need from social media and Reddit. In time, you’ll find the perfect job to jumpstart the next chapter of your remote career.
Looking for more advice on working remotely? Check out our newest book, 30 Hacks for Productive Remote Workers, part workbook and part guide that will help you work smarter, not harder. Oh, and did we mention that it was written by remote workers for remote workers? This advice is tried and tested, and we know it will help you maximize your productivity.
Photo by William Iven
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