How to land a high-paying remote job
There was a time just a few short years ago when remote jobs that paid big money were few and far between. The pandemic changed all that, and today employees can make good money working remotely and are even commanding high salaries from wherever they happen to be — but only if they’re the right employees searching for the right jobs in the right way.
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If you’re ready to take the leap to telecommuting, but you won’t settle for anything less than a high-paying position, you’ll have to make some adjustments to the job-hunting tactics you remember from the last time you were on the professional prowl.
Change Your Hunting Grounds, and Consider Paying To Play
Antoine Boquen, CEO and co-founder of HR management software provider Horizons, thinks that step No. 1 to landing a good remote job is to reconsider where you’re looking.
Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn and the other typical job-hunting sites might include posts for remote positions, but that’s not their bread and butter. FlexJobs, on the other hand, specializes in work-from-anywhere jobs.
“This website provides full-time, part-time, and employment that is ideal for launching a freelance business,” said Boquen.
Many sites charge employers to list positions but allow job-seekers to look for jobs for free. FlexJobs, on the other hand, charges job hunters $9.95 per week, although the price drops for one-month, three-month or one-year subscriptions.
Before you let that cover charge dissuade you, consider what that investment buys.
“I know a few individuals who have found employment through FlexJobs,” Boquen said. “In addition to the subscription service, they offer a large number of free tools to remote job seekers.”
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FlexJobs is good, but it isn’t the only game in town.
“JustRemote has developed a robust remote job search platform to help you find fully or partially remote positions across a wide range of functionalities, such as design, development, writing, customer service, business, editing, marketing, HR, project management, recruiting, sales, SEO, and more,” said Adam Wood, co-founder of RevenueGeeks.
Here, too, you have to pay to join — $6 per month to get started — but just like with FlexJobs, it could be money well spent. “If you’re in a serious job search, it’s well worth the fee to gain access to high-quality remote job postings,” said Wood.
Target the Right Fields and Positions
Now that you’re using the right apps and websites to search where you’re most likely to find the best remote jobs, narrow your search to the fields that have a reputation as being friendly to telecommuters.
“Focus on industries that are known for offering remote work opportunities,” said Helena Sorokina of Andcards, a software provider for co-working flex space.
She gave the following examples:
Technology
Education
Healthcare
Customer service
“Then, look for companies within those industries that have a strong track record of hiring remote workers,” she said.
Once you’ve found a remote-friendly field that you’re qualified to work in, and a few companies in that industry that are known for catering to telecommuters, find a few specific job titles that command big bucks for remote work.
According to FlexJobs, you can earn six figures in the following remote positions:
Clinical trial manager
Marketing director
Medical writer
Art director
Finance director
Cyber security analyst
Business development manager
Cloud architect
Privacy officer
Senior account manager
Be Realistic and Make Adjustments To Stand Out
Ever since the Great Resignation shifted the balance of power from boss to employee, there’s been a common misconception that remote workers can take their pick of positions from desperate employers and name their price. If that’s your frame of mind going into the hunt, prepare to be disappointed by the sheer number of rivals who want the same job as you.
“Any type of remote job has to be looked at differently than an in-person job,” said Madi Waggoner, founder of Building Remote. “There is just a greater level of competition simply because it’s remote. Even more so if it’s not restricted to a specific location and therefore open to everybody. You have to stand out above everybody else because there’s more competition.”
In other words, just because a job isn’t done in the office doesn’t mean that anyone can do it. “From the get-go, if someone doesn’t have a lot of work experience, they are going to struggle with getting a high-paying remote job,” said Waggoner. “In most cases, they can’t necessarily just jump into one. They have to build up to that.”
If you don’t quite have the experience to command big bucks at a top remote position, you might consider filling in the gaps with some freelance work in the field to fill out your resume first.
“Being able to get your foot in the door by being a contractor will help a lot,” said Waggoner. “I’ve done that many times before I ever became full-time.”
Waggoner also cautions remote candidates to make sure they’re up to speed on the technical aspects of remote work before they apply to work remotely.
“Well-written job descriptions for the types of roles and industries you’re interested in will mention what kind of tools they use,” she said. “So start learning those tools alongside some more commonly used tools like Slack, Google Workspace, etc.”
Remember, the Fundamentals of Job-Hunting Never Change
No matter the field or position, the principles of successful job hunting stay the same whether you plan to work in an office building or a home office.
“Create an active online presence by joining industry-related social media groups,” said Ryan Stewart, founder of Webris. “Optimize your LinkedIn profile and prepare an effectively written resume, cover letter and portfolio.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How To Land a High-Paying Remote Job
