How To Write A Resume For A Remote Job

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the global working population across industries. Many industries had to evolve, restructure, or even shut down. The pandemic disrupted the lives of both the employers and the employees. Several jobs are now being done remotely. And as the work-from-home opportunities have gone up, the value of a strong resume has also increased. To qualify for remote employment, it is important to update your resume accordingly.

If you have prior experience with remote working, play up the experience in a manner that communicates your eligibility for the remote job to your prospective employer. Showcasing your expertise as a remote worker and other transferable skills will help you stay ahead of your competition.

However, it might not be the most straightforward feat to achieve. That is why we have put together a set of essential resume writing tips that will help you get closer to the remote job of your dreams. These writing tips will not only help you alter your resume specifically for remote jobs but will also help you use your existing work-from-home experience to your advantage.

1. Emphasize that you are in the market for a remote job

Clarity in communication is one of the fundamental ways to put your point across to your employer. Post the COVID-19 pandemic, many jobs are being listed for remote workers. However, it will still not be the case one hundred percent of the time. Therefore, your resume must clearly state that you are looking for a remote job. This way, your prospective employer will be able to filter your application easily from the rest. Sometimes, companies do not outwardly mention that the job opening is for remote employment, but they may consider it if you are qualified for the job. It is, hence, imperative that your resume communicates your interests appropriately.

2. Tailor your resume to the remote job

This tip continues the concept mentioned above of clarity. Your employer is going to read your resume with the specific requirements of the job opening in mind. So it is only natural that your resume highlights those specific distinctions that define how you are fit for the job opening.

Review the job description properly and showcase only relevant skills, qualifications, and work experience. This will help you create a crisp and convincing resume that promotes you strategically around the job position requirements. A resume with more generic content might come across as vague and irrelevant to the employer. Once your resume is to the point, your employer will not have to sift through unnecessary or irrelevant information to decide whether or not to employ you.

3. Showcase the skills needed to work remotely

This tip is probably the most obvious yet easily forgotten. Working remotely in an efficient manner is a skill in itself beyond your actual job position. Therefore, you must highlight the related skills correctly. For example, you need to emphasize your software and design skills for most of it for a regular graphic design job. However, while working remotely, you will want to showcase that you are good with deciphering design briefs, own a work station with competent specifications, and live in an area with dependable electricity service. These skills add to your eligibility for remote employment for that particular advertised role.

Apart from these, you may also want to mention your soft skills that influence your capacity for remote work. A few soft skills relevant are time management, collaboration, adaptability, tech-savviness, responsible, organization, digital communication, etc.

4. Highlight your transferable skills

In these pandemic-hit times, many people are shifting industries and finding newer opportunities in flourishing or at least promising fields.

If you are also seeking opportunities in a new field, use this writing tip to your advantage. Strengthen your resume by highlighting skills and experience that you can bring to the new position. This will communicate the value you will get to the organization and improve your chances of being hired.

For example, suppose your prior work position gave you relevant experience in management. Your resume should highlight how your management skills are helpful for the advertised position and how it improves your performance as a remote worker.

5. Mention your prior remote job experience effectively.

For any remote job, your prior remote employment experience is an essential point to include in your resume. In the limited time that your employer spends on your application, your work-from-home history should shine through. With the amount of information already on the resume, you need to find the right place not to be overlooked.

Here are a few creative ways you can mention your prior remote working experience in your resume-

• Add it to your resume summary
  This section is generally on top of your resume and gives employers an idea of your overall qualifications. If your resume contains this section, it is a great place to add your remote work experience. It is one of the first things that employers read while reviewing your application. With this added detail, they will know right away that you can work remotely and have relevant experience for the same.

• Add it to the location section of your work experience
  This is the place where you list your work experience by company and location. When you write about the remote job, omit the section where you mention the company’s site. Instead, write "remote work." This will subtly let your employer know that you have worked in a remote position before.

• Create a separate section for the remote work experience
  Forget about subtlety. Create a separate, standalone section for your remote job experience. This way, the reader can easily navigate the relevant work history, and it does the necessary job of highlighting your prior remote employment as an asset to your qualifications. It is also a great way to segregate your traditional jobs from remote ones, which gives the employer a much easier basis for analyzing your application.

Conclusion

Your resume is never a one size fits all document. Just as any resume for a traditional job should highlight your skills and qualifications, the resume for a remote job must exclusively highlight your abilities to work from anywhere.

Remote jobs fundamentally differ from conventional jobs for the sole reason that they lack a tightly knit work environment. The ability to work from anywhere is a unique challenge that requires specialized skills and, in some cases, technical equipment or a workstation as well.

With the help of these tips, you will be able to build a strong resume. Do not forget to proofread it more than once to leave a professionally sound impression. So go ahead with these resume writing tips and be ahead in the race to get the remote job you have been looking for.

Also Read: 52 Terms All Remote Workers Must Know With Definitions