How to Find Remote Jobs

After many companies pivoted to remote work in 2020, demand for remote jobs and their flexibility continues to grow. In many industries, the temporary switch to remote work during the pandemic demonstrated that many jobs could be done just as effectively—or even more effectively—from home. It’s no wonder than remote work can be a win-win for organizations and workers.

In this post, I’ll share some tips for finding remote jobs and some important questions to ask when applying for remote jobs.

Keywords to use to find remote jobs

There are many remote jobs listed on major job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed, but sometimes they can be hard to find. By strategically using keywords likely to show up in the job description, you can return more results. Here are some keywords I’ve seen used in remote job descriptions in a variety of sectors:

• Remote
• Virtual
• Work from home
• Telecommute
• Anywhere (in the location field)
• Distributed (when describing the company or team, e.g. “geographically distributed”)
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Digital nomad

Look for these words in the job description or enter them into the search bar in combination with other keywords, like: remote ‘graphic design’ photoshop to find a work-from-home job as a graphic designer.

Some of these keywords will show up in descriptions of the company (e.g., “we are a fully distributed team”) and others in the description of the job. If you’re applying to a remote job at an organization that is not fully remote, make sure you check what obligations, if any, the remote job may have to visit the office.

Job boards dedicated to remote jobs

If you’re looking exclusively for work-from-home jobs, you may prefer to use a job board that only includes remote jobs. These three are go-to resources that I recommend checking out:

• Skip The Drive - A no-frills, free search engine dedicated to telecommuting and remote jobs.
• Remote.co - Another free job board dedicated to remote jobs. Remote.co also offers advice for fully remote companies, Q&A for managers and workers, and tips for living a digital nomad lifestyle.
• FlexJobs - FlexJobs is the industry leader in remote work job postings. Their job board requires a subscription to access full details, and that’s because FlexJobs staffers confirm every posting to ensure it’s a legitimate opportunity. FlexJobs also includes some on-site temporary and part-time jobs that offer similar flexibility that some workers interested in remote jobs are looking for.

What to watch out for

With the huge shift to remote work during the pandemic, you’d think that listings for remote jobs should be pretty straightforward. However, as some big companies are still working out if, when, and how to bring their employees back to the office, you’ll want to make sure you’re clear on what the company means by “remote.”

For each job at a company that is not fully remote, make sure you find out the answers to these questions:

• Is this job permanently remote or temporarily remote?
• Do you need to live within X miles of an office? If so, how often will you be expected to go in?
• If you can live anywhere, are you expected to travel to the office X times per year? If so, is that travel covered by the employer?
• Does the employer provide tech and/or other equipment that you’ll need to work from home (e.g., a standing desk)? Does the employer provide a stipend for internet and/or other costs you’ll incur working from home?
• If you would prefer to work from a coworking office in your city, does the employer cover the cost of membership or rent?
• Are you colleagues on-site or also remote? What commitments has the employer made to effective communication between on-site and remote workers? How does the employer approach hybrid meetings?

Remote work offers enormous flexibility and mental health benefits, especially for parents, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people. By using these job search tips, you can focus your search on remote jobs, and land a role at a company that does remote in a way that works with your life.

Looking for assistance in your job search? Check out my coaching services for 1-on-1 guidance, or the Career Club for upcoming webinars and group coaching opportunities.