How to Prepare For and Find a Remote Job

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Preparing for a remote job

Preparing for and Finding a Remote Job

Remote work has much value for military families. For military spouses and college-age dependents, remote work allows stable employment even while PCSing or transitioning out of the military. What do you need to know about finding remote job opportunities?

Join Community Groups

On social media, communities and employment-themed groups are dedicated to helping people find remote jobs. Remote work community groups are a forum to share tricks of the trade and share tools and resources for landing remote jobs. These groups are a good way to ask those already working remotely questions. The Paradigm Switch is one example of a remote work community group for military spouses.

Gain Remote Work Experience

If you lack experience in online or remote work, you can build a remote work portfolio by finding remote volunteer positions. Remote Volunteer work can help expose you to the remote world and gain resume-worthy experience. Volunteering also provides you an opportunity to see if remote work is right for you. Another remote volunteer suite, Points of Light, can help you do the same.

Join Military-Friendly Job Boards

Consider two things when deciding what job board to be a part of:

Is the job board military-friendly?

Many companies don’t understand or know the value of the military community. Find a job board that has already done the leg work for you in explaining the value the military community has to offer. Military-friendly job boards include Hire our Heroes and Recruit Military.

Virtforce is a military-focused job board dedicated to finding remote jobs. Research job boards to see if they have partnered with companies in your desired industry.

Search for Remote Work

When searching for remote jobs on a job board, use keywords such as “remote,” “virtual,” and “telework.” When searching for remote jobs using a search engine, use keywords such as “completely distributed” or “100% distributed company.” This narrows the field down to what you are looking for.

Also, remember to tap into local resources as companies are willing to hire remote workers who are already local. Make sure business profiles on networking sites indicate you are looking for remote work, and indicate what career field or position you are looking for. This distinction will help recruiters identify you more easily.

Sign-up for Mentorship

Mentorship is a great way to receive one-on-one guidance to achieve your career goals. A mentor can help you establish a career path, update your resume, expand your network, and recommend training and certifications you might need. The military community has a variety of free mentorship programs, such as Americans Mentoring Veterans and the ACP Mentorship Program.

Build Your Skills

Use your time strategically by taking a certification course or signing up for industry-specific training. This will help to build your resume as well as show future employers that you take initiative.

Great resources for training and certifications include The Institute for Veterans and Military Families, and Salesforce Military.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I gain remote work experience if I’ve never worked remotely?

One way to gain remote work experience is through volunteer positions. Many organizations offer remote volunteer opportunities that allow you to build resume-worthy experience, learn remote work tools, and determine if remote work is the right fit for you.

What are some good job boards for finding remote jobs, especially for military spouses?

Military-friendly job boards that focus on remote opportunities include Virtforce, Hire Our Heroes, the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program, Corporate America Supports You, and Recruit Military. These platforms partner with companies that understand the value of the military community and offer remote positions.

What keywords should I use when searching for remote jobs online?

When searching for remote jobs, use keywords like “remote,” “virtual,” “telework,” “completely distributed,” and “100% distributed company.” These terms will help narrow your search to positions that offer full remote work.

 

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