How To Find a Remote Job | Explained by Remote Year
12. Nov. 2021
Every day the possibility for remote work expands, thanks to technological advancements like cloud storage, real-time digital communication and cross-team collaboration software. Gone are the days of remote work only being available to senior developers and established consultants. Companies across the spectrum, from small startups to Fortune 500 organizations, are embracing the remote work movement and realizing the value of letting their employees work outside of a traditional office environment.
And it’s not just senior-level employees who get to embrace a flexible lifestyle. Remote work used to be reserved as a reward for those who had spent years grinding at a desk in a corporate office setting, but today, even entry-level professionals have the opportunity to find a remote job that aligns with their professional goals.
You heard us right. No matter where you are in your career - even if you’re starting over to pursue a newfound personal mission - it’s possible for you to find a remote job.
Entry-Level Remote Job Ideas
Now that you know that remote work is within your reach, you may be wondering what kinds of titles you should be searching for. Perhaps you don’t know the exact industry that you want to enter, or you’re wondering what kinds of jobs within your field can be done remotely. After doing some of our own digging, we’ve come up with a few entry-level remote job ideas for you to consider.
Sales Representative
Sales representatives in many industries can work remotely - even in an entry-level position! Because most of their work is done over the phone or on a computer, their skills translate perfectly into location independence. Call centers are a thing of the past, and more companies are embracing remote sales work than ever before. Look into this role if you’re looking for a way to work remotely while interacting with people every day.
IT Support
There are many entry-level IT Support roles listed on remote job boards, so if you’re a tech wiz, this could be the way to go. With technology that allows you to access servers or client devices from anywhere in the world, residing in the same city as your client is no longer a requirement.
Remote working
Contributing Writer
Content creation has never been more prevalent, and websites are seeking out contributing writers so that they can stay relevant and at the top of Google search rankings. If you have a way with words, consider looking into Contributing Writer positions at your favorite websites or companies.
Take your entry-level remote job on the road with a work and travel program
Health Insurance Agent
It’s true - you can be a Health Insurance Agent and work remotely. Gone are the days of long commutes into a mega-building filled with other insurance pros. Today, you can work from the comfort of your home office or your local coffee shop. If you’re considering this route, look into the tech that you’ll need to keep your work confidential.
Junior Financial Planner
You can get your feet wet in the finance industry by becoming a remote Junior Financial Planner. You’ll have the ability to conference with your clients using Wi-Fi-driven video call software, which means that you won’t have to work in a stuffy office. In this position, you’ll get to flex your financial prowess for your clients while working remotely.
Medical Coder
Who said jobs in the medical field couldn’t be done remotely? This one proves that stigma wrong. Using your medical coding skills, you can become location independent and ensure that diagnoses are accurately recorded. You may not be in the hospital doing hands-on work, but your attention to detail will have a huge impact on the patients you work for - all from the comfort of your “office of the day”.
Remote working
Online ESL Teacher
Education is another field that has a bad rep for being able to be done remotely. However, online teaching is becoming more effective through its use of video calls and gamifying technology. If you’re passionate about helping others learn, becoming an Online ESL Teacher could be the right route for you.
Customer Experience Associate
Customer service is integral to any business’ success, and you can now contribute to that success from anywhere you please. Replying to customer service emails, calls or social media comments can be done anywhere that you have an active Wi-Fi connection, so this field is a perfect fit for location independence.
Academic Editor
Professors and research assistants alike need a second set of eyes on their work before it can be published. If you have a passion for linguistics, grammar and academic language, think about looking into an Academic Editor position. Since you’ll be spending most of your time editing academic papers on your computer, you can do the job from just about anywhere.
Virtual Office Assistant
If you’re a lover of processes, organization and quick problem-solving, but aren’t so into the idea of a commute, becoming a Virtual Office Assistant could be the way to go. Your duties could include managing a customer service inbox, organizing your boss’ schedule and travel or ensuring consistency across the company’s branded collateral.
Political Outreach Telephone Representative
Politics has become an incredibly active field, and it’s not only activists that are getting involved. Everyday people are more interested in political issues than they have been in the past, and, if you become a Political Outreach Telephone Representative, you could tap into that energy in order to convey your message. Consider this one if you’re passionate about a specific issue, or if you’re just a people person.
How to Find an Entry-Level Remote Job
There are many different ways that you can go about finding a remote job, but when it comes to entry-level positions, you’ll need to be a bit more specific in your hunt.
Though they’re becoming more common everyday, there are still far fewer entry-level remote jobs than there are mid-level or senior-level positions. You can bet that any entry-level, location independent job will have a large number of qualified applicants, so you need to stay up-to-date on the job market, and use every resource available to you, in order to be one of the first to apply for an opportunity that catches your eye.
Learn more about all the jobs you can do from anywhere and how to get one here.
Use remote job boards
There are plenty of job boards on the internet that are dedicated specifically to remote jobs. They curate hundreds of listings every day, with positions from every industry, so you know that you’ll be able to find a role that fits your skill set. The only problem: keeping up with that many listings can get incredibly overwhelming.
We suggest sticking to a few of the most well-known remote job boards, as most remote positions end up there and are then cross-listed onto smaller sites.
Once you’ve found your favorite remote job aggregator website, make sure that you’re including the term “entry-level” in your search. You’ll save yourself some time weeding through confusing, generic titles and get straight to the position you’re looking for.
When using job boards as your main source of potential opportunities, you’ll need to put in extra effort to stand out. Remote jobs are highly coveted, especially among entry-level professionals. A study conducted by AfterCollege found that 68 percent of millennial job seekers said an option to work remotely would greatly increase their interest in specific employers. Make sure that your resume is up-to-date and weave some professional skills and characteristics that would make you a great remote employee into your cover letter.
Remote working
Pro tip: don’t say that you’re applying for the job simply because it’s remote. If the company is a fully-remote company, you can mention that you too value flexibility and the ability to be work where you are most productive and creative, but don’t make that your selling point. The employer wants to know why you would be a great fit for the company, not why the company would be a great fit for you.
Tap into your connections
Your network is your biggest asset when it comes to finding any job, but that sentiment is particularly true when you’re seeking out a remote position. One quick clarification: when we say your “network”, we’re not just talking about the people that you’re connected to on social media. We’re talking about your lifetime friends, your neighbors, the other members of your young professional organization. Though as an entry-level professional your connections may not be the ones making the hiring decisions, they may be able to put in a good word for you at their company, or let you know about upcoming openings. Opportunities for a remote lifestyle are all around you, if you’re willing to put yourself out there and ask for a foot in the door.
Another tip for sourcing job opportunities from your community is to do your research beforehand. See who you know that could be connected with a company that is known for being remote-friendly, even if it’s a third-degree of connection. Think: your best friend’s older sister or a cousin with an incredible career. Reach out to the people who might be willing to help you reach the next level and see if you can help them with their own personal or professional goals (perhaps a bit of social media assistance or offer to participate in one of their relevant research studies) in exchange for an introduction. It’s important that you don’t approach this as a chance for you to be the only beneficiary, but as a way to make a good impression and earn your recommendation to your dream company.
Pitch your own position
If you’ve exhausted the two options above, or you’re simply not finding any positions that you think fit your skill set, consider breaking all the rules and creating your own dream job. This could come in the way of a freelance gig or an entrepreneurial venture, but it could also find its place in a more established corporate setting.
Poke around the websites of your most-coveted companies. Head to their “Careers” page where they list all of their open roles. Even if those titles don’t feel like they encompass what you want to pursue professionally, the page probably includes a contact email address that you can use to pitch your own position.
That’s right. Even if a company doesn’t currently have an available role that stands out to you, you could help them create one.
Remote work spot
To make this happen, you’ll need to go the extra mile. This isn’t your average job application, it’s an opportunity for you to pitch an incredible company on why they should hire you to fill a need in their business. This is your chance to explain why you are the perfect person to help them solve a business problem. It’s not the time to talk about how much you want a remote job.
If you’re applying to a fully-distributed company, this is already a given. You won’t need to bring it up in the interview or in your application. If you’re pitching an established, traditional company that may have a few (or no) remote positions, remote work can be a part of the negotiation conversation once you’ve received a job offer. Asking a company to make concessions for you as an entry-level worker might work for some very-qualified, superhuman professionals, but it’s not a good strategy for most.
If you’re hoping to break into remote work early in your career, this is the time to do it. Entry-level remote jobs, while not available in all industries, are popping up more frequently than ever before. Use the tips above to start your search and, when in doubt, take that more traditional job and start a side hustle to put yourself on the path toward becoming a remote worker. Everyone’s path to freedom and flexibility is different. Follow the one that makes the most sense for you.
