How do you write a killer application to land your first remote job?

To land yourself that dream remote job, you have to jump through a few hoops. It’s a slightly different process than working in a normal office job, with different skills required and a new approach. The first step for most people is crafting a great application for a job. However, when you’re coming from a normal office job, it can be a bit difficult to begin thinking remotely. You may think that the application is probably the same as with any other job. The difference is though that you need to emphasize a lot of new things to make sure you have some success. Have no fear though, we’ve teamed up with Remote-how to share with you some great tips to make sure that your application is top of the pile!

Emphasize your soft skills

One of the best things you can do when writing your killer application is to emphasize the qualities that make you great for a remote job. As you’re not in an office, there’s a lot of different things that you need to have in order to work successfully. This includes skills like problem solving, self-determination and good communication. These kinds of qualities are known as soft skills. You’ll probably have a list of all your technical skills on your CV or application, but make sure to include these soft skills as well to show that you have thought a bit about how the remote work process goes. When you have to work with people who aren’t located in the same office as you, sometimes your soft skills will have to be what you rely on! It’s also great to demonstrate these skills during your interview process. Being prompt in your communications and proactive in any tasks set will really help you in the application process.

Set yourself up for success in the interview

Most interviews for a remote job will be done… remotely! You more than likely won’t have to go to a physical location to go through the application process. This can of course work to your advantage, as there are some benefits here. You won’t need to commute, so there is probably less of a chance of being late (however be mindful of possible timezone difference!). You also can choose your location as to where you conduct the interview, so pick a nice quiet place that you feel relaxed in. Pick a place with a plain background and a natural source of light. Set up your monitors on eye level and make sure that you have tested your webcam and audio to avoid any technical difficulties. This is probably the most important tip, as your video call cutting out can really interrupt the flow of your interview. Also important is making sure that you have a good internet connection. Test everything first and you’ll feel a lot more confident going into the interview.

If you’ve got some remote work experience, make sure to mention it!

While you may not have had a fully remote job before, a lot of people have by now done some home office days or experienced some work flexibility. Have you had clients in different cities? Have you worked with contractors who were located in different offices? Have you worked in a regional, distributed team? Have you occasionally worked remotely before, like from your home? Make sure to put these in your application and emphasize what you learned from the experience.

If you haven’t had the chance to work from a different location, then read up on best practices for working outside the office. You can include any training or relevant education on remote work also in your application. Going for a job without mentioning anything about your previous remote experience, or how you have trained for the remote environment, probably won’t give you much success.

Talk about your remote work environment

To make your application really stand out, boast about your remote work setup! Employers like to hear that you are bucking the stereotype of working remotely whilst in bed. Having a professional home office or dedicated space is a great tool to show that you are making the most of being remote and you are taking it seriously. Some people are of course living more of a digital nomad lifestyle. This is also important to put in your application, as this can affect the decision-making process for an employer. Some companies really value this kind of culture, whereas others will be more interested in an applicant who will consistently be in the same time zone.

Don’t make it all about remote, you need to be a great company fit

We get it, you want the flexibility but that is not what you should be betting on. In fact, you should explain your potential future employer why you want to work for them and what benefits you can bring to their business. Also, make sure to present yourself as a great fit to the company culture. Without an office space, you really need to feel part of the team by having a common goal and ideas. To make your application easier for a potential employer to evaluate, talk about your ideal company culture. This helps in two ways. First of all, it stops you from getting a job where you find out that you don’t actually like or fit into the culture. Second of all, your application will be much more personable and stand out in comparison to another application that just lists qualifications and skills.

Want some more tips on how to land the remote job of your dreams?

These are just some of the things the team of Remote-how recommends for people wanting to create that killer application and dive headfirst into the remote work world! If you want more tips, tricks, and lessons on how to prepare your killer application check Remote-how Advisory.