How To Get A Remote Job In 2024: The Ultimate Guide

Remote Job Hunting

We’ll show you how to outsmart AI in hiring, write the best remote resume, stand out, & land your dream remote job today!

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Ready to step into your work-from-anywhere era?

Then you need our game plan for how to get a remote job in 2024!

Gone are the days of boring resumes, generic cover letters, and winging your interviews. With great work-from-home opportunities comes lots of competition.

Candidates in today’s job market must not only stand out and show off the most in-demand remote skills. They have to play nice with AI, form genuine connections, and prove they can thrive in an asynchronous environment.

Don’t worry; our guide covers all that and more. Follow our tips, and you’ll be another remote career success story in no time!

How To Get a Remote Job In 2024: Your Ultimate Checklist

Remote work is our jam here at We Work Remotely. We know what it takes to land a remote job at the top remote companies. So, use this checklist (and the links to explore each topic in-depth!) to find a remote job you love:

🤔 Know Thyself and Your Dream Company First

Before you send out applications like a confetti cannon, begin with a minute or two of self-reflection. Applying to everything is basically like applying to nothing. So get super specific about what you’re really looking for. Consider questions like:

What type of company do you want to work for? There’s a big difference between startups striving to change the world and established companies focused on pleasing shareholders. Learn how to spot the signs a company is right for you.
Do you want to work fully remote or hybrid? Many companies are adopting hybrid models, where employees work remotely some days and in the office on others. Is a hybrid work model vs. remote work better for you?
What are you passionate about, but maybe less experienced in? Look for short-term remote projects, gigs, and microtasks to test the waters and see which of the best industries for remote work light your fire. Explore different remote career paths here.

⚡ Niche Down, Supercharge Up

Forget being a jack-of-all-trades. Master a specific remote-friendly skill, and you’ll skyrocket to the top of the interview pile. Bonus points for skills in high demand like:

Cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI/ML, software development (think Python, Java, React), and other skills for remote jobs in tech.
Content creation, SEO, social media management, copywriting, and expertise for other remote marketing jobs.
Graphic design, UX/UI design, web design, and other design skills.
Product management and project management for remote teams.
Organization skills for virtual assistants and communication skills for remote support specialists.
Telehealth tech, remote patient monitoring, data analysis, and other skills for remote healthcare jobs.

🤖 Gain the Upper Hand Over AI

Artificial intelligence is shaking things up in the remote hiring world. Teams big and small are using AI in hiring to:

Search for keywords in resume databases, online platforms, and social media to identify candidates with the right skills and experience.
Analyze employment history to identify patterns and predict which candidates are most likely to be successful.
Run game-like simulations to evaluate soft skills like problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.
Offer and grade coding assessments for technical roles.
Conduct preliminary interviews with chatbots.
Analyze video interviews to identify key behavioral indicators and personality traits.

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Since AI in remote hiring will become a staple in the future of remote work, you’ll need to turn it from foe to friend. Here’s how:

Optimize your resume, cover letter, online portfolio, LinkedIn profile, website, etc., with relevant keywords for your skills and specialties. Keywords unlock the doors AI and applicant tracking systems guard.
Showcase quantifiable achievements. Use numbers and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work. AI thrives on data-driven intel, and these speak volumes.
Stick to clear, concise language. Avoid jargon or overly complex phrasing that might confuse AI systems.
Practice common coding challenges. Familiarize yourself with various skills tests and assessments on platforms like HackerRank. Focus on improving your accuracy and speed, as many of these are timed.

🌟 Build Your Personal Brand

Just like your favorite companies have their own unique vibes, creating a personal brand lets you show off your personality and stand out from other applicants.

Your personal brand should form a cohesive, memorable impression of who you are across touchpoints recruiters and hiring teams are likely to interact with — from your website and social channels to your resume and cover letter.

Put your best foot forward by following the tips in these guides:

💪 Make The Portfolio Power Play

Don’t just talk the talk — walk the walk (virtually, of course). Build a dynamic online portfolio that puts your best work in the spotlight, even if it’s freelance, personal, or recent school projects.

Think: interactive websites, code samples, writing clips, or even a well-curated social media feed showcasing your expertise.

You’ll prove to recruiters and hiring teams that you have the goods to back up your resume.

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Even better? Portfolios are one of the best ways to land a remote job with no experience, which is super helpful for new grads, self-taught gurus, or those hoping to make a career change.

👉 Learn how to build your remote job portfolio and stand out online here!

💎 Customize Your Resume for Every Job

Generic resumes scream “lazy,” and that’s not the impression you want to leave. Recruiters and hiring teams see hundreds of resumes every day. So follow these tips for writing a remote resume that slays:

Ditch the objective statement and learn how to write headlines for resumes that land more interviews.
Learn which skills to put on a resume to land your dream remote job, from hard skills and soft skills to transferable skills. Specificity=perfection, so include all the certifications, talents, and experience the job ad mentions that you actually have.
Highlight remote-specific skills. The ability to work independently and with a virtual team, asynchronous communication, time management, tech skills for remote work, and self-motivation are essential.
Use a resume builder to improve your remote job search. You can include your personal branding colors and format your doc so it’s easy for both humans and robots to scan.

👉 Dive into this guide on How To Tailor Your Resume For Remote Jobs next!

🤝 Form a Connection with Your Cover Letter (or Video Introduction!)

While your resume spotlights your professional achievements, your cover letter should reveal more of your personality and intentions. So when strategizing about how to write a cover letter for a remote job you want, start by answering questions like:

Why do you want this role at this company?
What makes you the best candidate for this role?
Why would you be an excellent addition to their team?
Why should the company check out your resume?

To nail your cover letter, research their company culture, mention specific projects of theirs you admire, and try to form a connection between your passions and skills and their future trajectory. Tell your story, explain what makes you different, and tout how you’ll add value to their team.

You may also need to address certain issues that may prevent employers from considering you. For example, let’s say the job ad mentions they’re hiring in a specific time zone you don’t live in. Your cover letter is the perfect place to discuss your ability to work across time zones.

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Next-level tip: Why not add a short, engaging video introduction along with your cover letter? Or a personalized infographic championing your skills? Show you’re willing to go the extra mile, and you’ll score exponential bonus points.

💡 Psst! Here’s what a cover letter should look like and include for remote job seekers.

👥 Network Your Way To Quiet Hiring

You’ve heard about quiet firing, but what about quiet hiring? It’s when companies hire new employees without formally advertising those open positions. And it often happens when people come highly recommended by a recruiter, current employee, or network connection.

Translation? You never know who might become your next remote job lead. So, check out our best tips for building a professional network remotely to nail this step (even if you’re an introvert).

🤑 Become Salary Savvy

There’s nothing worse than the dreaded salary expectations question. But if you’re well-prepared, you can negotiate a salary that reflects the value you’ll bring to a new team.

So, research remote-specific salary ranges for your role, experience, and location. Don’t undervalue yourself, but also be realistic about market rates. There’s a big difference between the top entry-level remote jobs and the highest-paying remote jobs.

😎 Perfect the Art of the Virtual Interview

Follow all those tips, and you’ll have remote interviews filling up your calendar. Now, it’s time to seal the deal. Treat your virtual interview like a conversation, not an interrogation. And remember, you’re interviewing them too.

So, ask insightful questions about the company culture, remote work setup, and opportunities for growth. Show genuine interest and initiative. Be prepared to discuss your remote workspace setup and how you stay productive without direct supervision too.

You’ll find our best remote interview tips in these helpful guides:

👻 Don’t Ghost Employers

The conversation doesn’t end after you send off that application or complete the first round of interviews. If you want to stay top-of-mind with hiring teams, you have to be persistent (but not annoying).

So, use this guide to learn how to write a thank you email after an interview. You can also send polite follow-up messages on LinkedIn, even if you never hear back.

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This kind of effort and dedication could solidify a company’s choice to hire you, make them reconsider if they were on the fence, or put you at the top of the list for a future role if this isn’t the one.

🙌 Know Where To Look for the Best Remote Jobs (Hint: It’s We Work Remotely!)

Do you know how to find legit work-from-home jobs?

Those big job boards 99% of people use to find a new role? They may have a few, but it’ll take you a while to uncover them. Plus, they’re not geared for remote companies, which have a totally different work culture and hiring process than companies that allow workplace flexibility.

That’s why We Work Remotely just makes sense. It’s the best remote job board to find virtual opportunities all over the world. We’ve got over 10 years of remote work under our belt, so we know exactly what you and the top remote employers are looking for.

👉 Start your remote job search here, and you’ll not only scout the hottest remote opportunities but score an inside peek into their company culture, employee benefits, DEIB policy, and more from their WWR Company Profile.

👍 Create a free account, and you’ll get a tailored feed of job listings, the ability to upload your resume, one free resume review, and LinkedIn Account Verification. You can also follow companies and save jobs to be the first to hear about and apply to the hottest roles. Already have an account? Check out these five reasons to upgrade to Pro Job Seeker.

Let’s Conquer Your Remote Job Hunt Together!

Landing the remote role that’s perfect for you takes strategic planning, showcasing your unique value, and building genuine connections. With our remote job search tips and your hustle, you’ll be fielding stellar opportunities in no time.

We get it — job hunting can be tedious and noisy. So let We Work Remotely do the heavy lifting. From our ever-updating remote job board and Advanced Job Search to our roundup of the Top 100 Remote Companies hiring, we make finding your dream role a cakewalk to career bliss.

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