Remote Jobs You Can Land With No Remote Experience

For various reasons, notably the Covid-19 pandemic, remote job offerings have grown exponentially in recent years and show no sign of letting up soon. Remote work opportunities have allowed many companies to continue operating during uncertain times, allowing them to realize how many positions could actually be completed remotely.

Photo by Olesya Kuznetsova / Shutterstock

Despite the influx of remote possibilities, many job seekers are still hesitant to apply for remote positions. Certain individuals feel under-qualified or don’t have any remote experience to base themselves on. That being said, there’s no stress about it! Many remote job positions are available and hiring without the need for prior remote work experience.

Top 3 Tips for Getting Hired Remotely

1. Focus on Your Strengths

Lastly, when applying for any job position, be it remote or in person, you’ll want to focus on your strengths rather than your lack thereof.

“If you don’t specifically have remote work experience, focus on your skills that can equally apply to working remotely,” said Derek Nelson, senior recruiter at VIP Staffing.

The mere fact of having worked a previous remote position doesn’t really score you any points. Although it might be a bonus to an already proficient set of skills, employers are looking for well-rounded employees with various experiences who are willing to learn.

Simply put, highlight your successes in the workplace as a whole. If you were a project manager in the past, word it correctly to bring your skills to the forefront. For example, you could say: “Managed a team of sales professionals that led to an 18% sales hike.” ^[1]

2. Learn About Remote Working Tools

If you want to increase your chances of obtaining a remote position, you’ll want to increase your knowledge concerning remote working tools. Most remote positions rely heavily on communication applications and project management tools in order to function as a team.

“The most common applications and those that are often required in such jobs are Slack, Zoom and Trello,” said Nelson.

3. Identifying Acquired and Needed Skills.

Before moving forward with anything remote job application, you’ll want to start by identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Most jobs have a long list of required skills for future hires, whether remote or not. That being said, not everyone possesses all the skills on the list – the important thing is checking off the most important.

Top 5 Remote Positions Currently Available

1. Remote Developer Position

To work as a Developer, remotely or not, you’ll probably need a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as computer science and a little experience in programming. Once that’s checked off the list, you should be able to nail yourself a remote position without too many difficulties.

If you don’t have any experience programming whatsoever – it’s not a lost cause. You can join certain platforms like Fiverr or Upwork and gain expertise through freelance gigs. Not only can you make yourself a little pocket change, but you’ll build yourself a worthwhile experience.

“Once you have a little work history under your belt, you can move on to other platforms like ZipRecruiter and start looking for more long terms positions,” said Ard-Jan Nijland, HR Growth Partner at ZipRecruiter. “There are plenty of job sites available for you to search through.”

On a very positive note, remote developers are in high demand and in consequence, are paid extremely well: an average of $121,262 per year. Furthermore, there is possibility of climbing the ladder and making even more cash! In fact, most senior remote developers have a yearly salary of $176,000.^[2]

2. Remote Customer Support Specialist Position

If you like customer service or have always considered yourself a “people-person”, this position might be the right one for you. Free of the tiny cubicle, this position is ideal because tons of companies are in need of a customer support specialist ^[3] at the moment, including Amazon, Allstate, Staples, and Humana.

On average, a customer support specialist makes an approximate $45,000, but this can climb to $62,000 in certain organizations. Many customer support specialists work part-time, which is a great way to compromise work and family life. Both entry-level and part-time customer support specialists can see an average yearly salary of $23,000.^[4]

3. Remote Content Writer Position

Remote content writing has enormously increased in popularity recently, both in offer and demand. In fact, with modern platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, more and more people can simply create an account and offer their services, fix their own prices, advertise to a large pool of potential clients, and more importantly, gain experience.

Alongside avid writing skills, a bachelor’s degree in humanities, or marketing experience, an individual can easily obtain remote work. Content writers who are just starting out can expect an approximate $50,000 to $70,000 a year. The more experience you gain in the field, the more money you can expect to make, with top content writers easily surpassing the $100,000.^[5]

4. Remote Virtual Assistant Position

Do you have experience as an in-person assistant manager or office manager? Good news! You probably have the required skills to obtain a remote position as well. Responsibilities such as arranging travel, scheduling appointments, and managing correspondence remain the same – except you get to do them from the comfort of your own home.

Start yourself off on the right foot by creating a website and a social media page that will allow you to advertise your services. Your online presence should be well-polished and professional, demonstrating your excellent communication skills. Once you’re all set up, you can contact businesses and individuals across virtually any field. Don’t have a significant amount of experience in tow? Grab yourself a few contracts on Flexjobs or Upwork and work your name a little first.

Remote virtual assistants and office managers equally have an interesting salary, although they may vary greatly depending on a number of factors. The yearly average for this profession is listed at $63,501^[6], but entry-level positions will see a yearly salary ranging between $26,000 and $39,000.

5. Remote Project Manager Position

As work has shifted from in-person to virtual for a large portion of employees, the need for remote project managers has increased exorbitantly for employers. Project managers excel in planning, organizing and executing important projects and events. With that in mind, it makes sense that the demand is so high! A recent Hubstaff report states that approximately 39% of companies require remote project management in order to function effectively.^[7]

If you haven’t worked as a project manager in the past but feel like the job description fits your personality, you might want to give yourself the time to acquire a few skills before applying. Trello, Slack, Asana, and Basecamp applications are great places to start learning. Managers are required to understand the virtual world as best they can.

“Boosting your CV and application by demonstrating efficient use in various modern digital managing styles will definitely push you to the front of the line,” Nijland said.

Much like other remote positions, remote project manager wages today range between $59,500 and $125,000. The position requires skill and thus, as skill and experience are gained, financial growth is also achieved. According to ZipRecruiter, a pay range for a remote project manager averages out to approximately $26,500.^[8]

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