How to Land Your Dream Remote Job!
Advice from those who did it.
By Summer Paulus
The Perturbed Job Seeker
You’re a wide-eyed job seeker trying to land your dream job working remotely. And you’re feeling pretty confident because you had gotten that shiny piece of paper showing that you are a graphic designer, writer or business leader and you’re ready to get to work!
Excitedly, you write your resume and cover letter, and begin applying to company websites. After filling out a few job applications, you wait a few days to hear back. Then a week passes, then a month slips by.
You become worried because you’re not hearing back from any of the jobs you have applied to. In fact, you haven’t even received letters of rejection, telling you why you didn’t land any of these dream jobs.
You begin to question yourself. Your potential. The anxious feeling of not being “good enough” invades your thoughts.
You tell your friends and family your frustrations. Your dream of being a content writer while relaxing on the pebbly, black beaches of California seems out of your reach. You thought your paperwork was immaculate, you believed you had done X, Y and Z correctly.
So, what’s stopping you from that California shoreline?
If you feel you’re in the same situation, of struggling in a pool of millions of other applicants jockeying for the same dream remote job, then here are some tips and tricks on “How to land a remote jobs” from Mag Boron, the founder of Pangian remote nation and a remote worker herself, to make your dream a reality.
Before you know it, you will be seated on a lounge chair in paradise, working remotely from your laptop while watching the sun rise and the waves crashing against the shoreline.
Resumes and Cover Letters?
Alright, so what if you haven’t even begun writing your own resume or CV? Or, are you asking yourself right now what are these “mysterious, mystical things” that I should know about? And how do I go about creating them?
What’s a resume? A resume is a marketing document meant to showcase your skills, education and experience that matches the job posting you’re applying for. It also positions you as a best-fit candidate for the job. It may include the following:
- Your name and contact information.
- Your education.
- Your experience.
- Your results.
- Certifications.
- Awards.
- Extra curricular activities.
For example, if you had worked as a cashier at a supermarket, but you’re applying for a position in business management, do not include that cashiering position. Or, reframe it to showcase business management skills acquired as part of that position in order to showcase the best-fit for the job.
Also, put the most relevant information first before you list any other details that does not pertain to the job you’re applying for. This way, your resume and CV won’t immediately be tossed out, since employers have to review so many documents throughout the day.
If you included juggling at the beginning of the resume, and you’re applying for a remote job blogging, it’s a good way to have your resume tossed out.
Another example is if you’re applying for a position in Technical Communications and that was your major as an undergrad, list that first before including anything else. It shows immediately why you are a good fit for that job.
What’s a cover letter? A cover letter is exactly what it sounds like: a letter. It should be clear, concise and be specifically characterized for each job your applying for. It should contain the following:
- Who you are.
- Why are you passionate about what you do, about the job and the company to which you are applying.
- How you can add value for the company today and in the future.
However, if you’re still scratching your head, you’re in luck! For Pangian has already provided content to get you started on the road to being a successful applicant with Pangian Remote Academy.
Check out the extensive library:
- Remote Resume/CV Video Training
- The Ultimate Remote Resume Webinar
- Remote Cover Letter Video Training
- The Ultimate Cover Letter Webinar
And most importantly, check out the insider tips from Pangians, like Gina, Jossie, Anderson, Sally, Pearl and more who recently got hired for remote jobs and are now ready to help you land that remote dream job!
Applying for remote jobs and not hearing back?
Although, if you think your resume and cover letters are golden and you’re submitting applications and you still haven’t heard anything back from the recruiters, than skip on down to the networking section.
Do keep in mind that it is vital that the documents you submit to employers are spotless of grammar errors and fits the criteria they’re looking for.
Now, does the term “Networking” ring any bells?
No? Are you staring blankly into the white blaze of your computer screen, wondering exactly what “Networking” is?
Read on and find out future remote nomad!
“Rubbing Elbows,” AKA Networking
Networking is simple: Its making genuine connections with people who might hook you up with that dream job you’ve been craving for. Of course, the keyword here is might.
Hold on a second, why would I bother talking to people if they might or might not help me land that dream job?
Granted, it’s all about taking chances and risk, right? Yet, if you don’t make connections, how are you to be noticed by employers?
And if you have no connections to speak of, how can you go about getting those connections?
The answer: Start out small, such as participating in Pangian Facebook Group.
Huzzah! That blackened lightbulb in your head has sizzled on and you’re more confident than ever to land that dream remote job!
You go to Pangian’s Facebook Group, ready your springly fingers over the keyboard, and begin furiously typing…
Wait, not so fast! Before you even begin rubbing elbows with “would-be” connections, or, ahem, let me remind you they’re living breathing people after all, you need to showcase yourself.
What do you mean by “showcase?”
Showcasing, AKA “Peacocking”
Showcasing can equate to “humble peacocking.” You don’t want to come off as overbearing, but you do want to illustrate yourself. Like your talents, hobbies and passions, in order to be noticed by an employer.
So, ready those fingers again and go to Pangian’s Facebook Group and begin by introducing yourself, illustrating your passions and discussing your hobbies.
“Think creatively. Turn it upside down, instead of asking for the job, showcase the value that you are delivering and that’s going to immediately make you stand out against everybody in a job market.” – Mag
For example:
You’re a UX Designer, with a large portfolio and credentials to back it all up. Introduce yourself and type out your passion for creating “easy-to-digest” flow for users, your past achievements in UX design, some other hobbies and maybe some of your personal life. You could even drop-in some pics of some of your designs.
Suddenly, you’re not just a faceless X factor to an employer. You’re a living, breathing human being, which is exactly what employers are looking for.
And you know what else makes you appear human? Giving advice and tips to others which, in turn, creates a positive impression as well.
Found a job in Copywriting when you’re a Business Manager, but you saw another member discuss their passions for writing in the comments? Share that resource!
Who knows, that connection you just made might lead you to your ideal remote job when they drop your name to their boss!
This is exactly what Charli Marie did, by showcasing herself at a conference called Seanwes where she had given a speech.
Afterwards, she was invited to lunch by another speaker who ended up being the CEO of a company called ConvertKit. Both talked for about four hours, where she discussed her passion for design, her goals in life and her work. In the middle of her “showcasing” her passions, Seanwes asked:
“Have you ever considered working remotely for an email marketing software company?”
Surprised, it wasn’t until Charli’s friend went: “Dude, I think he just offered you a job,” that it hit home that Charli could work remotely. After an interview and a trial of freelance work, she landed the gig.
“I think that my conference talk and through my side projects, and what Nathan had seen and heard about me, demonstrated those qualities to him. And that’s why he was interested in hiring me.” Charlie Mari
Now, Charli is loving her life working remotely and it’s all because she showcased her passions and caught the attention of an employer! Instead of lengthy commutes, Charli gets to set up her own daily schedule, or travel to Florence if she wants to.
And she doesn’t have to worry about using up her vacation time neither!
“I love this digital nomad life, let me tell you! I love the freedom of not having a commute in the mornings, of being able to set my own hours. I love that I can work from anywhere.” Charlie Marie
The key here is that Charli didn’t step onto the stage and began asking for a job. So don’t hop into a new community and begin typing:
“I am the perfect fit for BLANK position, because I achieved BLANK, gone to BLANK University, and I need a remote job NOW! Hire me!”
Although this seems to be the best way of going about marketing yourself, you might as well have thrown yourself into the middle of the ocean, to struggle among the thousands of others in need of a remote job.
The fact is, you’re not going to stand out, you’re going to be lost in a sea of applicants. Instead, be like Charli and show your passions and talents to the world and, before you know it, employers will be flocking to you.
But what if you had done all of the above, and are still struggling to land that dream remote job?
Venture Out
Once you have polished up your resume and cover letters, networked, created a portfolio and participated in online communities, research other sources to use in your job hunt. That means going directly to other websites, such as LinkedIn or Pangian chat and repeating steps one and two.
You could also venture out and freelance your skills until you build up your portfolio. This is exactly what a member had done after joining the Pangian community.
Jocelyn Curtis joined in the discussions on Remote and Travel Job & Life Facebook Group, but she still had difficulty finding a job.
So, instead of asking for a job and discussing her passions, she decided to ask for help and resources. When another member suggested she try going to an outside source, PeoplePerHour, she signed-up and began creating content. It didn’t take too long before she landed a freelancing gig.
The best part was that the contractor loved her content so much they hired her for a full-time position.
Revaluate
Lastly, if all else fails make a plan of attack to land that dream job by asking yourself the following questions:
- Are you consistently applying to jobs each week?
- Is your resume and cover letters adequately tailored to the job(s) you’re applying for? If you’re applying for a position in computer programming, but you had listed retail, remove it so your resume is more focused.
- Do you meet the job’s criteria? If it states “Must” in the description, and you do not meet those standards, be strategic and look for another position where you’re the best match!
- Are you getting involved in the company’s social networking group and being active in their online community?
Revamp your resume and create a professional cover letter for each position you apply to. Network with others by being genuine and helpful. Widen your horizon of being hired by applying to outside sources or going directly to the companies website career portals.
Before long you will land in your dream, remote job and will be bragging to everyone you know about it!
About Summer Paulus
Passionate writer. English Major at the University of Central Florida. Contributing writer at Fantasy-faction. Loves living on the space coast.
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