Remote jobs are in high demand. Employees enjoy the flexibility of being able to do their job from the comfort of their own home or a co-working space. They don’t have to worry about battling traffic or being distracted in a busy environment. Plus, they can set their space up in a way that works for them. Whether you have worked a remote job before or are looking to make the switch, how you position your resume can affect your job search.
The Job Market is Changing
During the pandemic, many companies enabled employees to work remotely. This has continued in the years since, and people have settled into this routine. However, there has been a recent shift where more employers are requiring employees to come back to the office, at least a few days a week. This has made some people unhappy, especially if they prefer to remain fully remote or they do not live close to an office location.
More employees are considering other job opportunities in order to continue working from home. That means that there is more competition for open roles since fewer are becoming available. You may be up against hundreds of other candidates across the country all vying for that same remote job. Plus, it takes a certain skillset to be successful in this type of environment. Tailoring your resume is essential to make yourself stand out and show employers that you have the necessary skills to thrive.
If You Have Experience Working Remotely
You already have a leg up on some candidates if you have previous experience working from home. When listing this job experience, make sure you highlight that it was remote. You can do this in a few different ways:
- List the company name and replace the city and state with “remote.”
- Next to your position put “remote” in parentheses.
- Include within the context of the role that you worked 100% remotely.
You can take the same approach for hybrid roles where you worked some days from home and some days in the office. While it is not fully remote, it shows that you do have that capability and can easily make the transition.
Update Your Keywords
Within your summary, core competencies, and work history, make sure you are incorporating keywords that denote a work-from-home situation. This could include things such as remote, virtual, or distributed team. List online collaboration tools that you are proficient with such as Zoom, Teams, Slack, Asana, Dropbox, or Google Suite.
Highlight Remote-Oriented Accomplishments
Discuss how you led a team of remote associates or collaborated with clients or customers from across the country. This could be via phone, email, or video conferencing. Strong communication skills are essential.
Include any metrics that demonstrate your performance, such as exceeding goals or productivity rates. Did you win any awards as a top performer? Let employers see that even when you’re not based in an office, you can still drive results.
If You Do Not Have Experience Working Remotely
Just because you have not worked from home before does not necessarily mean you are not capable of successfully doing so. Chances are, you have gained a lot of transferable skills that would make you a good fit for a remote job. This could include things such as:
- Collaborating with colleagues located in different offices.
- Working with clients across time zones.
- Completing projects ahead of deadlines.
- Learning different technology or software systems.
You want to demonstrate that you have key soft skills such as strong communication, time management, organization, and adaptability. This is also true for people who have remote experience. Ideally, you want to position your experience in a way that employers can see that you would be able to do the same thing whether you were in an office or at home.
Include Freelance Roles
If you have done any freelance work that was virtual, that is worth including as well. Even though it wasn’t your full-time job, you were still completing a project in a remote setting and delivering quality results. Plus, freelancers have to be able to effectively manage their time and quickly adapt to different tasks or short-term assignments.
Use Your Cover Letter to Your Advantage
Since cover letters are more flexible than resumes in terms of structure and tone, you have the opportunity to really sell yourself here. Include a few sentences or a short paragraph that shows the connection between what you have done and why it would help you be successful in a remote position. Emphasize once again those transferable skills that the employer is looking for and align your cover letter with the qualities and capabilities desired.
Cover letters are not always required, but you are only doing yourself a potential disservice by not including one. If it comes down to you – who did provide a compelling cover letter – and an equally qualified candidate who did not, it might give you the edge you need to land an interview.
Partner with a Professional Resume Writer
The remote job market is highly competitive, and you want to position yourself as effectively as possible for each role to which you apply. A professional resume writer can help you pull out relevant strengths, skills, experiences, and accomplishments to show why you are a good fit for a remote role. Contact Grammar Chic at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net to schedule a consultation.