A recent study found that after the pandemic, nearly 60% of employees whose jobs can be done remotely are working from home. Just like the modern workplace is changing, so is the job hunting process.
Whether you’re looking for a stay-at-home mom job or just want to switch to a work from home lifestyle, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about how to find work from home jobs:
Where to find real work from home jobs
Working from home is a trend that’s here to stay, but finding steady remote work can be a challenge. To help you find genuine work from home job opportunities, we’ve compiled a list of reputable job boards that cover many industries.
9 best work from home sites for job hunting
Check out these sites to find the best work from home jobs:
1. FlexJobs
FlexJobs provides vetted job listings for professional positions in 50+ career fields. The platform gives you the option to browse US-only work from home jobs, or to expand the search to anywhere in the world.
2. Remote.co
Remote.co features job listings in almost every category and industry, all for free. The website offers the option to browse through companies hiring remotely, a great way to find a company with the right work culture for you.
3. Indeed.com
As one of the most popular job boards online, Indeed offers employers a trusted place to find the right candidate. While Indeed’s keyword search tool is powerful, you’ll need to spend extra time browsing through job listings because of limited filters.
Working Nomads advertises 30+ new, curated remote jobs per week on average, mostly in software development, marketing, management, and customer support. Thanks to their vetting process, only serious job offers end up on the platform.
Remote Work Hub lists hundreds of remote-friendly jobs daily from companies all over the world across a variety of industries. Since job postings are more limited in some sectors than others, it’s best to use the search bar to find a job that matches your skill set.
6. Remote OK
Remote OK has a freelancer directory that allows employers to find you based on your skill set. You can also set your location, desired salary, and preferred work benefits like paid time off or a four-day workweek.
Hubstaff Talent advertises 50+ full-time remote jobs each week and plenty of freelance gigs. This site is a good choice for those just starting out in remote work, but do note that the jobs on the platform tend to offer lower pay. If all you need is a little extra income or you want to gain some remote work experience, this is a good platform to use.
8. Idealist
Idealist is a good option if you’re interested in remote volunteer opportunities or internships. Additionally, if you’re looking for paid employment opportunities related to fundraising, social work, or consultancy for nonprofits, social enterprises, and government agencies, Idealist is the right place.
9. Upwork
Upwork is one of the better-known work from home sites and is a great place to look for work from home freelancing gigs in a variety of industries. Getting started on the platform can be difficult when you’re new, but be patient and build your reputation to score higher-paying projects.
How to get a job working from home
Figuring out how to find work from home jobs effectively can be confusing if you’ve never worked remotely before or if you want to transition to doing so. Here are two tips on how to improve your work from home job hunting strategy.
1. Emphasize your work from home skills on your resume
Working from home typically requires a different skill set than working in an office. To find a work from home job more easily, successfully showcase these essential skills on your resume to make your resume stand out and convince employers that you have the discipline and technical abilities required:
Time management skills
Employers expect remote employees to be able to meet deadlines while working independently. Highlighting your time management skills on your resume is essential to convincing an employer to trust you to do the job even while away from the office.
Computer skills
When working from home, you’ll need solid computer skills to do your job and stay in touch with your team.
Demonstrating familiarity with Google Workspace and digital communication tools like Zoom, Slack, or Chanty will show employers that you have the technical know-how necessary to work from home. These skills are especially important for companies with teams spread across different time zones.
Troubleshooting skills
It’s not enough to have up-to-date equipment and software. Show your reliability and autonomy by emphasizing your ability to troubleshoot a sudden home Wi-Fi issue or fix a tech-related problem on your own.
Virtual communication skills
On top of your interpersonal skills to get along with your colleagues, you’ll need solid virtual communication skills to contribute to the smooth progress of team projects and answer questions in a timely manner.
What’s more, knowing how to foster relationships in a virtual workspace and getting to know your colleagues will help you contribute to a positive work culture.
2. Avoid scams on work from home job websites
When looking for a work from home job, it’s important to be able to tell real and fake job ads apart. Fake job listings, job offer emails, and mobile texts usually share similar red flags.
Here are eight red flags to look out for on work from home sites:
What to look out for:
- Vague job descriptions
- Over-eagerness to hire immediately without checking your qualifications
- Personal contact email address or a company email address with numbers in it
- Higher pay than what the job market offers for the position
- Spelling and grammar mistakes
- Requests for sensitive information (social security number, driver’s license number, personal financial information)
- No social media presence or short company history
- Requests to pay a deposit or buy a training program, a starter kit, or supplies
Additionally, some scammers create online profiles for fake companies and might contact you through legitimate channels on large, established job platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed.
If you’re contacted by someone on a legitimate site, check to make sure you actually applied for the work from home job. If not, confirm that your skill set matches the job description and that you’re a qualified candidate for the type of job they claim to offer, and proceed carefully.
On LinkedIn specifically, look out for suspicious profiles with no shared connections within your network or from countries you have no connection to. You can also use Google reverse image search to ensure the profile photo isn’t of a celebrity or a stock photo.
If you get a connection request from someone in a senior or executive position at a large company, like the CEO, the account is likely fake. Generally, employees in HR or middle management positions contact potential candidates regarding job offers.
