Working remotely is a lot of fun. You can work from home, travel around the world, and wear sweatpants all day long if you want. The only thing that might not be so fun? Finding a remote job and having the necessary remote job skills.
Even though remote work is growing in popularity, it’s still a tough gig to land. To help you stand out among other applicants and give yourself the best chance at landing your dream job, we’ve compiled a list of skills that employers look for when hiring for remote positions.
Collaboration
Remote collaboration skills are essential for remote jobs because you’ll need to communicate clearly with your team and take the initiative when problems arise.
If you’re working remotely, you’ll need to be comfortable asking questions if something doesn’t make sense and being proactive about solving problems independently rather than waiting for others to come up with solutions. You’ll have to learn other ways of communicating effectively with your colleagues, including through email or remote working tools like Zoom, Slack, or HipChat.
Remote collaboration is critical if you’re working remotely since you won’t be able to walk down the hall and ask someone how to solve a problem.
General guidelines for remote collaboration:
- Be clear, concise, and direct in your communication.
- Ask for more information if something is unclear or you need help with a problem.
- Try to avoid “canned responses” (such as “Thanks!”) when replying to emails or messages from your team members.
- Be honest about what you can and cannot do. If you don’t know the answer to a question, let your team member know that you’ll look into it and get back to them as soon as possible.
- If there’s something in particular that you’re working on or struggling with, let your teammates know so they can offer support or advice.
Communication skills
Remote communication skills are the ability to understand what others are saying and to express yourself clearly. You may have heard that communication is a must-have skill for remote job seekers, and that’s true!
If you want to work remotely and succeed, you’ll need these skills in spades. In fact, many remote companies claim their employees use Slack, Discord, or other tools to communicate with their coworkers.
It’s essential because they can’t just walk over to someone’s desk or ask them face-to-face if they need something done—they have to be able to communicate effectively while working from home through written messages or video chat calls.
For example:
You’re on a video call with your boss, and they ask if you can make sure your team members are working on their assigned tasks. It’s up to you to communicate this information to the rest of your team so everyone gets done what needs doing without wasting time or losing sight of what needs their attention first.
Organisation
We’ve all been there: you have a million things to do and nowhere near enough time to do them. As someone who has spent countless hours dreaming of meeting that perfect match, it’s easy to get sidetracked by new opportunities and exciting challenges. But if you want to land the remote job of your dreams, the ability to keep everything organized is essential.
There are many ways in which an organised person can manage their time more efficiently. If you’re looking for some inspiration for how to get started, here are some tips on how to stay on track with your work:
- Set yourself a schedule and stick to it.
- Break large tasks into smaller ones and set goals for yourself.
- Prioritize your work: what is most important? What do you need to get done today?
- Use a calendar or planner to keep track of important dates and deadlines.
- Plan your day the night before, so you’re ready for anything that comes your way.
- Set aside time each morning for planning ahead (e.g., what tasks need to be done, when they need to be finished etc.)
Tech savviness
Having the ability to use technology is very important in the workplace, remote or otherwise. This skill can range from simple tasks like sending emails and creating presentations to more complex ones such as understanding how to use a particular platform or software program.
If you don’t have this skill already, don’t worry! You can learn it by taking online courses through sites like Udemy or YouTube. Apart from a great resume and cover letter, understanding technology is essential when applying for a remote job.
Another option is attending meetups where you can connect with other techies who will be happy to teach you what they know! As long as internet access is nearby, there are plenty of ways for anyone interested in improving their tech skillset.
Self-motivation and goal setting
If you’re like most people, you can’t just go to work and expect that someone else will tell you what to do. You have to be self-motivated. Self-motivation is the ability to work independently without being told what needs to be done; it’s also a critical skill in the workplace.
If you’re going for a remote job or are already working remotely, you must know how to set goals and are motivated to complete them.
Remote jobs often require more entrepreneurial spirit than traditional full-time roles because employees must manage their schedules, projects, and responsibilities effectively for businesses to run smoothly. This means remote workers need motivation from within themselves rather than from their managers or superiors at all times (at least until they’ve proven themselves).
The same goes for remote job seekers: They’ll need motivation during the remote interview process to show employers exactly why they should be selected over other candidates with similar qualifications and experience levels.
How to learn remote job skills?
Now that we’ve discussed the five must-have skills required for a remote job let’s talk about how to get them. For remote job seekers looking to land a remote job, they will need to work hard and do what it takes. That means learning new remote job skills, practicing them until they become second nature, and putting yourself out there to get experience in your field.
It also means looking at how you work and ensuring that everything is working well for you (and the people around you).
If something isn’t working out as planned or if something seems like it could be better handled by someone else who has different skills than yours, then make sure that happens before applying for any positions!
Conclusion
Don’t let those remote job skills intimidate you. They are all things that can be learned and developed over time, no matter how old or young you are. We hope this article has given you tips on becoming a better digital nomad and landing your dream remote job.
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