The top 3 skills you need to land a work-from-anywhere job in 2022
Even as pandemic restrictions ease and more companies require their employees return to the office full-time, flexible and remote jobs are still hot commodities amongst the workforce.
Google searches for "remote jobs" have reached an all-time high since the Covid-19 pandemic first hit in early 2020, with 32% of people affirming that they prefer an exclusively remote work arrangement, according to a June 2022 Gallup survey of 8,090 U.S. employees.
Although demand for remote opportunities remains high, the number of remote job openings is starting to drop: In July, about 17% of paid job postings in the U.S. on LinkedIn were remote, the Wall Street Journal reports, down from a high of about 20% in March 2022.
True remote jobs are hard to come by, too: About 95% of remote jobs have geographic requirements, whether it's a specific region, country, state or city, according to FlexJobs.
In a work-from-anywhere job, however, employees work "100% remotely, are independent of location and, in many cases, are also independent of a specific time zone," FlexJobs career coach Toni Frana tells CNBC Make It.
She expects such jobs to become more popular — and the competition for them to grow — in the coming months as more companies require employees to return to in-person work.
If you're hoping to land a remote job that will let you work from anywhere in the world, adding these skills to your resume can help you stand out from the crowd in your search, according to two remote job experts:
1. Communication
Communication is a universally in-demand job skill no matter what kind of role you're applying for, but it's especially important to have for a work-from-anywhere job, Frana says. That's because you'll likely be working with people in different time zones and you'll rarely (or never) be in the same room as your colleagues, so you'll need to be proactive about telling your team what you're working on and when you're available to help. Effective, proactive communication can also build trust and enhance collaboration between remote teammates.
2. Tech platform experience
Being familiar with popular online tools that companies use to communicate and coordinate work will give you a "huge leg up" in your work-from-anywhere job search, remote career coach Kate Smith says. Slack, Trello, Zoom, Notion and Google Workspace are some of the more popular tools for remote workers, she adds.
3. Time management
With a work-from-anywhere job comes a "new level of freedom," Smith says — but you still need to be able to meet expectations and deadlines without a manager peeking over your shoulder. Remote companies prioritize candidates who can effectively manage their work hours, responsibilities and keep their team members informed of any shifts in their schedules.
Frana also recommends adding a "remote job experience" section to your resume, if applicable, to highlight that you've successfully worked in a similar environment before.
Check out:
The 10 most in-demand work-from-anywhere jobs companies are hiring for in 2022
10 companies that will let you work from anywhere and are hiring now
From Bali to Bermuda: 6 tropical destinations that make it easy to live and work remotely
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