How to Find a Remote Work Job

Do you hate packing yourself into the train every morning before 8am like a sardine? Do you loath the gum-popping coworker who sits right next to you? Would you rather work from home than have to trudge into an office every day? Then you should consider finding a job or company that supports remote work.

Besides avoiding all the annoying things listed above, there are plenty of reasons to start your home-based office.

[if !supportLists]1. You get to work anywhere. Take me, for example, currently typing away in my backyard, my laptop dappled in the sunlight peeking through the crabapple tree.

[if !supportLists]2. You can travel and work. Going along with the ability to work anywhere, you can take your work on the road because a virtual office can pop up wherever you want it to.

[if !supportLists]3. You can save time on your dreary commute and avoid life-sucking traffic. With the time you’ve saved, you can start working earlier and finish sooner while saving money on gas or train fare.

[if !supportLists]4. You can work from the comfort of your own home, which you can make as quiet or noisy as you want.

[if !supportLists]5. If you have a dog, you don’t have to hire a dog walker because you’re already home!

[if !supportLists]6. If you have a baby, you can save money on childcare by being home some of the time with the kiddo, and other times utilize part-time help and get productive at a coworking space.

The list goes on, but now you’re getting the idea of how great it is to telework, you’re probably wondering, how do I start?

The first approach is to ask your current boss about switching to remote work. Elizabeth Lowman of The Muse suggests beginning with a formal proposal. Present a plan for how you would switch to telecommuting with a detailed schedule and itinerary. Start by suggesting a part-time remote work plan, as that would be an easier transition, and don’t forget to highlight how your work would improve, as a result of the change. Your boss will want to hear why the company can benefit from you working from home. You could include the idea that you would work part of the time from a local coworking space.

Anticipate the questions and concerns your boss will have and be ready for them. How will you be more productive at home? Will you still be able to communicate with your coworkers and clients? Be ready and open the topic as a conversation, rather than a demand.

The second approach to working remotely is finding a remote job. If the idea seems daunting, thank the stars for that enormously useful resource you have at your fingertips: the Internet. There are tons of sites out there for people looking to work-from-home. Try out some of these while hitting up your network for help and joining job-posting Facebook groups in your field.

[if !supportLists]1. https://www.flexjobs.com/

[if !supportLists]2. https://weworkremotely.com/

[if !supportLists]3. https://www.workingnomads.co/jobs

[if !supportLists]4. https://www.indeed.com/q-Remote-jobs.html

[if !supportLists]5. http://www.internships.com/ -- This site not only posts internships, but entry-level, freelancing, and other types of jobs.

Now you have a solid starting point, good luck on your search! Hopefully we’ll make a virtual nomad out of you yet.