Remote working has become a popular option as the COVID-19 crisis has taken over the world. The pandemic has resulted in a major shift in the labor market and one of its immediate and massive consequences in making the concept of working from home prevalent. And most of the companies are now hiring for the remote work.
So, here are the five things that you should know about applying to remote work since it is here to stay for a while now.
1. There are remote working opportunities outside the IT Department
A huge and common misconception about remote work is that IT has been the only sector where people have been working from home. Whether or not this was the case it’s really a a thing of the past now. Given the current environment, there are tons of roles available now within the remote workspace.
So when you’re looking for a remote based job, it’s a good idea to look for companies that already advocate remote work rather than engaging in an uphill battle with a company that’s as new to it as you are. On many job search engines you can filter for remote positions and find a wide range of such roles on job sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed.
2. Try freelancing or a contract based job
If in case, you are not getting the kind of job you’ve been looking for, freelancing is a great option to kick start your career in a remote environment. Additionally, as a freelancer, you can always make a list of clients or potential clients and work on many smaller projects at a time, or you can always sign one or two priority contracts and focus solely on them.
3. You’ll need your own tech tools and work space
This might not come across as a challenge immediately but it can be, especially in terms of tech tools. For starters, you’ll need a decent laptop with a good RAM that can handle your work needs. You might need to purchase one yourself in case you don’t have it. If your job requires, you might also need hardware items like a printer and a scanner. Also a high speed internet connection is a must have.
However, when it comes to building work space, it can be challenging to find a place in your home that offers work privacy and minimum disturbance if you live with your family.
4. Planning your day in advance
While the biggest perk of remote work is the flexibility that comes with it, it sounds great only in theory, especially when you’re low on motivation which is pretty common in the current environment.
So, if you have a plan in place already, it makes it much easier to stick to the plan for your day and go ahead with it regardless of how productive or motivated you’re feeling.
You can also set a self imposed deadline for yourself to keep you on your toes.
5. Long-distance relationships are not easy
Before you wonder if you accidentally clicked on a dating tips site, nope, this is about your teammates and putting in the effort to keep things cordial between all of you. And this is really important at the moment because it’s very difficult to talk to people over chats or emails and a lot of context can get lost in translation. Plus, the miscommunication can be highly damaging.
Although trust takes time even in a physical environment, it takes longer and more effort to build up that trust in a remote environment.
But fret not because sometimes just listening to each other’s water cooler banter about how difficult the time is and what your virtual colleagues are doing to keep themselves sane and productive can go a long way in building up these new professional relationships.
Yes, the process of snagging a remote gig and making it work sounds daunting and intimidating at the first, but trust me, it’s not only possible, but is all kinds of worth too. You’ve the freedom to set your own schedule at times you’re most productive, and if this works for you, it pretty tough to return to the standard 9 to 5 routine.
However, don’t forget the basic mantra: One step at a time and no need to get too overwhelmed. Soon, you’ll be in your own ‘flow’ before you even realize it!