Familiarizing Yourself with Remote Work Terminology

So, then what does this mean for job seekers?

Well, for active job seekers in the current market, it is imperative to ensure that you are ready for what professional life will look like in a remote world. First, it is important to understand some of the key terminology:

4. Full Remote Work (Remote Job) or Work From Home (WFH): this arrangement indicates the job will take place full from your personal home or workspace and will not require in-office interactions, unless specified otherwise.
5. Distributed Team: this is for employees working across remote locations for the same company with no central headquarters.
6. Hybrid: a flexible work structure where employees may work remotely or from an office depending on the specifics of the arrangement for the company.
7. Flex Work: this can sometimes be used interchangeably with a hybrid model, but is more often meant to describe a situation that allows employees to workout outside traditional hours or arrangements for schedules that are most comfortable for them.

While there are additional modes and definitions related to remote jobs and hybrid working models, these tend to be the most common. From here, though, how can a job seeker leverage this knowledge to position themselves for success in the modern job search?

Rebuilding Your Professional Brand

To obtain a remote role, it is important to prepare yourself for one. What’s great about remote work is that it opens up a world of possibilities, candidates no longer restrained by geography can pursue companies and jobs they may not have been able to for other factors constraining them. However, the access that job seekers are excited about isn’t one-sided. Conversely, this means a more expansive, competitive candidate pool for employers to select from. So, while the benefits are great, remote jobs, work from home opportunities, and flex work schedules do pose a unique set of challenges from the outset. With this in mind, it is important to assess all facets of your professional brand and approach to the job market to yield the best results.

1. Creating an Impactful Resume

Being able to effectively communicate the skills, experience, and achievements that qualify a candidate for a role can be difficult. Further, there is an additional layer of complexity in conveying specifically what traits and experience demonstrate a strong fit for a remote role. Some things that employers want to see examples of for a remote role are technology proficiency, examples of innovation, the ability as a self-starter, and tangible results from your work. To help achieve this, working with a professional resume writer can be essential in maximizing your opportunities, like the Certified Professional Resume Writers (CPRWs) at Employment BOOST, a full-service career services company. 

Offerings include a full consultation with a certified professional focused on developing a deep understanding of your career history and ambitions, and working in tandem with researchers and recruiters to accomplish two goals:

1. Developing an engaging, compelling document that speaks to your skills, expertise, and achievements.
2. Optimizing the resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and online databases to ensure you are ranked highly as a candidate.

These services are more important than ever when considering the in-person networking is less likely to yield the same results when applying to positions outside your typical location. However, a resume optimized with the correct keywords and keyword phrases is the first step to obtaining a great role in a remote or work from home model.

2. Leveraging LinkedIn

For the reasons articulated above, it is essential to start thinking sooner rather than later of a plan to promote yourself and identify potential opportunities. A LinkedIn profile is more than just one tool in an arsenal, but can be the best way to optimize your job search if used effectively. LinkedIn itself functions as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), so through the correct branding and keywords, you can significantly bolster your network reach and connections with potential employers. Employment BOOST also offers full LinkedIn profile development and optimization services along with additional guidance to not only increase your reach, but expand your knowledge with the tips and tricks necessary to navigate the modern job search with ease, find roles that speak to you, and ultimately enhance your chances of success.

3. Career Coaching

The final component once you are in the job search, is actually securing and executing a successful interview. Interview coaching at Employment BOOST can vary and be customized to each individual, matched with their goals in the process. But, what does it entail?

Career Coaches are professionals, often certified, with extensive expertise surrounding talent management, career services, human resources, and recruiting. A coach can help you prepare for a remote interview, strengthen your answers, and provide real-time insights on your interview style and responses to questions. But, the opportunities for coaching are limitless, especially for professionals who constantly seek chances to continue their professional development. Coaching services can range support in the actual job search process and interview preparation all the way to salary negotiation and remote work success techniques.

Preparing for Your New Remote Job

Once you’ve reached this phase, first take a moment to congratulate yourself. Trying to find a job can be stressful enough, but professional career services can help navigate a tricky job market to secure a role that’s right for each candidate. However, the work doesn’t end there. In fact, it’s just getting started.

This is where continued career coaching and support can be an excellent resource as you prepare to take on the challenges of a new role. There will more than likely be some growing pains, but preparation can help make the acclimation period as seamless as possible. For starters, though, here are some tips from the Employment BOOST Career Coaches to help the transition.

1. Be intentional with your communications for personnel at all levels. This mean setting goals, cadences, and expectations with management from the beginning to ensure you have clarity on how the role will function. It also means taking the opportunities to try and get to know your coworkers, even in a virtual or remote setting. It may seem insignificant, but displaying a commitment to still build strong relationships and communication channels with your colleagues and leaders is key during the initial period in a new job.
2. Developed an understanding of the resources that are available to support yourself, this includes gaining a familiarity of the technology and tools that will be part of your daily routine.
3. Build a work from home space is optimal for you and can be a space that motivates you to be productive. This can change from person to person, but creating a dedicated space for work can help you accomplish what you need to while mitigating burnout.
4. Be patient with yourself and recognize that the transition can be a process. This is also where communication and a willingness to ask questions comes back into play so that management knows how you are adjusting as you move forward in the new role.

No transition is easy and no transformation is quick, but in today’s job market adaptability and flexibility have become pillars on both the side of employers and employees. And, using these tips, insights, and professional services at Employment BOOST you can take advantage of the newly realized benefits of the remote and hybrid working world.