There’s no place like home, and there’s no time like now for looking for that perfect position to get 2024 off to the best possible start. So whether you’re a work-at-home mum or a nine-to-fiver that can’t stand the thought of another commute to the office, here are a few ideas to help you score that work-from-home gig.
Update your résumé and profiles
Before you start hunting down that tailor-made job, make sure your credentials are in a presentable state in case you’re the one hunted down first. This means giving your CV a good spring clean by ensuring it’s up to date with all your latest job history and achievements. You might also consider cutting it down to size if it’s now looking a little on the long side.
Network
In these times of social media, news spreads remarkably quickly, so take advantage of it by posting about your remote-work plans so your contacts – friends, family, former colleagues – can be on the lookout for opportunities. The more info you can give them (the type of work you want and your available hours), the easier it will be for them to find a good match.
Use the online platforms
With around 3 billion current users, Facebook is one of the best places to start your remote-work search. There are also some groups on Facebook geared towards working from home, although you’ll have to watch out for the scammers.
LinkedIn is the next obvious choice. To find work-from-home jobs on LinkedIn, type the word ‘remote’ in the location search field. LinkedIn also allows you to create up to 20 job alerts, which can be emailed to you either daily or weekly.
Google Careers is another resource, with both job-search and job-alert functions. To create a job alert on Google Careers, first search for the job and then turn on the alert switch that will appear at the top.
Check out the job sites
Thanks to the rising trend in freelance work, there is now a wealth of websites for jobs you can do at home. You can find some of the most popular sites here.
Narrow down your search
If you have a company in mind, go to the careers section of their website to see if they have any remote work available. They might also post any current opportunities on their Facebook page or LinkedIn profile, so it’s worth checking there too. If nothing suitable is being advertised, you could try writing them a speculative letter.
Be persistent
Finding the right remote job is often a combination of skills, luck and timing, so persistence is the key. The frequency with which you job-hunt can also determine how successful you are, and with so many job-hunters fighting over the same work, it’s important to stay in the game so you don’t miss an opportunity. Even if your job searches turn up nothing, you might find your persistence pays off eventually, with an out-of-the-blue message or email that makes all your efforts worthwhile.
For help with finding websites for remote work, see our article ‘The Best Websites for Remote Work’.
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