More people are working from home than ever before. 43% of U.S. workers now work remotely at least occasionally, up from only, at the most, 9% of workers in 2007. And remote work has grown far faster than any other commute mode over the last 10 year.
"Well, of course!" you're probably saying. Working remotely even some of the time has been shown to boost productively, reduce stress, and even improve people's love lives. But if you're in the market for a remote job, how can you actually go about landing one?
FlexJobs has just released its annual list of the 100 Top Companies with Remote Jobs, a list of companies that have offered the most remote job listings over the last year. These companies represent the best of the best in terms of their support for remote work, and they also offer an interesting look at some of the best remote jobs available.
Here's how you can land your own remote job in 2018:
1. Get to know the most common career fields for remote work.
According to FlexJobs' data, certain career fields have higher levels of remote jobs than others. The top career fields for remote work are:
And five of the fastest-growing remote career categories are therapy, virtual administration, client services, tutoring, and state and local government. If your career field isn't on this list, don't fret-it's based on data from over 50 career fields, all of which contain some remote work opportunities. Do some research to see what's available in your line of work.
2. Showcase your best remote-friendly skills and experience.
Employers with remote jobs want to know that you've got what it takes to both do the job itself and do it well while working remotely. To the latter point, use your resume, LinkedIn profile, and interview answers to show them you've got excellent remote-compatible skills and experiences.
The top skills remote employers seek include digital communication skills, self-motivation, time management and focus, and ease with technology. You don't have to be a tech wizard, but you should show you're open to learning knew tech and troubleshooting basic problems on your own.
3. Research the companies offering the most remote jobs.
At the top of this year's list of remote-friendly companies are VIPKID, Appen, and Conduent, and the list also contains many well-known companies like Dell, Intuit, Williams-Sonoma, Hilton, Toyota, American Express, CVS Health, and others.
Taking a peak at each company's career page will give you insights into their hiring process, what they look for in employees, and of course, which types of remote jobs they have available now.
As part of the lead-up to the release of the 100 Top Companies with Remote Jobs, FlexJobs also researched which remote job titles most commonly listed for hire.
The top 20 remote job titles show just how much variety exists with remote jobs:
Accountant, Program Manager, Teacher / Faculty, Writer, Consultant, Engineer, Project Manager, Business Development Manager, Account Manager / Account Executive, Tutor, Developer, Customer Service Representative, Sales Representative, Analyst, Editor, Nurse, Medical Coder, Territory Sales Manager, Case Manager, and Internet / Social Media Evaluator.
5. Use the best keywords in your online searches.
Unfortunately, searching the phrase "work-from-home job" is going to bring back mostly scams as a result. Work-from-home scams are a big problem in the remote job market, and scam companies use that phrase because they know it's so commonly used by job seekers.
Instead, stick with phrases that are more-often used by legitimate employers, such as remote jobs, telecommuting jobs, and virtual jobs. Using keywords like "work flexibility" and "flexible work options" may also help you pinpoint "hidden" remote job opportunities because some companies don't make it obvious whether they offer remote jobs.
Finding a remote job is more possible than ever before, and with a bit of research and some strategic searching, you'll be on your way to having more control and balance over your work days.
This guest post was authored by Brie Reynolds, Senior Career Specialist at FlexJobs.
Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.