What You Need To Know To Get A Remote Job

March 9, 2018

If you're reading this, I'm earning money. Thanks for helping to feed my family. Please see our disclosure for more information. Also, any advice provided is for informational purposes only. I'm not a CPA, lawyer, or doctor, although my parents wanted me to be all three. So, talk to a professional before acting on anything you read below.

If you've clicked on this article, you're obviously interested in a remote position and the chance to work from home. I'm also going to assume you don't work from home yet, you have a job that doesn't allow it, or you're one of the unlucky ones who aren't offered the privilege to work from home.

It can be frustrating.

After all, you're trying to craft a lifestyle for you and your family. You don't want to be married to your work -- and be a slave to the day job. Totally get it.

But, work at home jobs are scams you find on Craig's List, right? Or they're at least incredibly difficult to find, correct?

Wrong. And wrong again.

It is possible to work from home and find that dream remote job. Fortunately, I had the chance to pick the brain of Brie Reynolds, who just happens to be the Senior Career Specialist at FlexJobs. She spoke about the 14 most common remote jobs (and how much they pay) along with FlexJobs' free guide for finding a remote job.

14 Most Common Remote Jobs -- And How Much They Pay!

Let's start with what kinds of remote jobs are available out there. Brie provided some interesting answers to my questions as you'll see below. Time to get on the ball and start seeing if you qualify for one of these exciting positions!

Why do you think these particular 14 jobs are in such high demand?

"There are likely several reasons. Many of them fall into career fields that are in high-demand in the larger job market, not just in remote jobs (medical and health, customer service, education). But when it comes to working remotely, each of these types of jobs lends itself really well to that sort of work arrangement. Many of these have long been the most common remote jobs because they can so easily be done from home. For example, writers, accountants, and tutors can do their work well with minimal devices and office supplies--laptops, phones, and strong Internet connections are the main necessities."

Do some of these jobs require the employee to be within a certain distance to the home office?

"Yes, about 95% of remote jobs have a location requirement. But that requirement can vary widely, from a city to a state to a region of a country or even within a whole country. This typically has to do with reasons like employment taxes, in-person training or meetings, or being located close to clients or major travel hubs for work-related travel."

Do all of these jobs require a college degree?

"Not all require a college degree. Depending on the company's needs, remote jobs like customer service representative, virtual assistant, and even developer don't always require a college degree. Most do require at least some experience. We also created this list of 9 remote jobs that pay well and don't require a college degree."

Here's How To Land One Of These Sweet Work At Home Positions!

What kind of person is best suited for a remote position?

As Brie explains:

People who are naturally self-motivated and don't require a lot of structure or guidance to be productive
People who are comfortable working alone for most of the day
People who can create a healthy separation between work and life when the two happen in the same space
People with excellent written and verbal communication skills
People who are proactive communicators and aren't afraid to speak up or ask questions

How can people learn more if they suspect a potential remote position is actually a scam?

"One of the easiest ways is to open a new browser and search the internet for the company's name or the suspicious job title and the keyword "scam." Reports of this company or job being a scam should come up in the results, giving you some insight into what you may have found. Also, sites like the Better Business Bureau and SiteJabber offer reviews and ratings for companies so you can see if others have reported something as a scam. FlexJobs also regularly reports on job scams on our blog, which anyone can read here."

What's your best tip for somebody trying to land a remote position for the first time?

"Do your research! It's vital to know what's being offered in your career field when it comes to remote work. Research your job title with keywords like remote, telecommuting, and virtual to see if current listings are available. Look up companies in your industry or career field that have strong remote work reputations. The more research you do at the beginning, the better off you'll be when you're ready start applying!"

Well, there you have it. A crash course in not only how to land a dream remote job -- but an inside look into the top jobs and what they pay!

I know. I know. You're welcome.

And, thanks, Brie and the folks at FlexJobs for the outstanding information. It's a huge help to know what's available for us as we navigate how best to provide for our growing families!

I want to hear your thoughts. Do you work from home now? Do you want to? Let's hear it.