How to work remotely: A beginner’s guide

Yay! You’ve decided to work remotely and you found this blog post while ransacking the internet for valuable information.

Allow me to announce to you that you’re in the right place because as a remote worker myself, working online full-time for over 3 years, I’m here to make your transition not only easier but smarter.

For a little backstory

I didn’t start working remotely by choice. I got fired from my 9-5 job as a front desk officer (boring) and couldn’t find work for over a year. Being unemployed sucked a lot and after a while I decided to take control of my life situation; by learning skills that could help me become more valuable in the job market (no thanks to my microbiology degree I’ve never used).

This led me to make some intensive research and I discovered that I could actually work online. Mind blown, I spent over a year improving my writing (former poetry writer here), graphic design, WordPress website design, digital marketing and 15 skills later I felt I was ready to put my skills to good use.

Long story short; I discovered Fiverr, started offering my services and boom everything changed. I didn’t only practice my new found skills, but I also gained work experience that has helped me work with clients from around the world earning all my income online. (Proud of myself)

Me looking proud of myself

But enough about me, this blog post is about you and how you’re are going to change your life by working remotely.

Before I dive into the step-by-step process of how you can start your remote work career, let’s breeze through the basics shall we?

What does it mean to work remotely?

To work remotely means to work online for one company from anywhere you choose. You can live in Montenegro (like me) and work remotely for a company in the United States. Or you can work for an organisation in the US but from your home, a coffee shop, co-working space, under a tree or whatever floats your boat. Truly awesome stuff!

What do you need to work remotely?

To start working remotely you’ll need:

A computer
Great WiFi connection (check your internet speed here)
A dedicated work space to foster productivity
A service to offer based on your skillset, work experience, expertise and current job role.

Remote work meme

Why do people choose to work remotely?

1. For freedom and flexibility

2. To maximise their earning potential

3. To optimise their lifestyle. When you earn a good income online you can move to a cheaper country with a higher quality of life, where your money goes a longggg way.

4. To spend more time with friends and family

5. To save on commute times and costs

6. To ditch the mess that is office politics and become more independent

7. To be more in control of your work hours

But what I’d really love to know is why do you want to work remotely? Feel free to drop a comment below!

Basically, more people are realising that they no longer have to slave for a company, while neglecting their personal life just to earn a living. So therefore they’re opting for remote work which offers endless opportunities.

Now that the basics of working remotely is out of the way, brace yourself as we take a roller coaster ride into all you need to get started working remotely (dun! dun! dun!)

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How to Start Working Remotely

Inform yourself

Luckily, if you’re reading this, you’re starting your remote work journey on the right foundation by informing yourself.

This involves making intensive research to find out what you need, the pro’s and con’s (later in this blog post), earning potential based on your level of experience, the right platforms for you, the best places to find remote work regardless of your level of expertise.

Knowledge is power and becoming aware of what’s in store for you in this incredible remote work journey will determine your success in the long run.

Shift your mindset

This is non-negotiable, why? Because mindset is everything. From the beginning of your remote work career you have to shift your mindset and believe that you deserve the flexibility, freedom, lifestyle change and all the awesomeness that comes with working online/remotely.

Having a positive mindset gives you the mental capacity and motivation to put in the maximum effort, to ensure you succeed and smash your career & lifestyle goals.

Assess your skillset and level of experience

You need digital skills to work remotely. Are you a coffee barista at Starbucks? Maybe you’ve worked in the customer service industry for over 10 years? Basically, your skillset and level of experience will determine how you start your remote work journey, the platforms you use and the types of jobs you’ll apply for.

If you have no digital skills that you can use to offer services online, it might be smart to spend some time taking a course on Udemy and then practice and gain experience with freelance platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.

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Choose how you want to start working remotely

Do you want to start by dipping your toe in remote work by working remotely part-time with your current company, or you want to dive head first into some full-time remote work?

Basically, you have the power to choose how you want to start working remotely. (Feels liberating already, doesn’t it?

Get ready

Okay, you’ve informed yourself, switched your mindset, assessed your skillset and decided on how to start. Now it’s time to get ready to start:

Get yourself a working home computer,
Ensure your WiFi speed is on point
Update your CV to match the job description (no lies allowed)
Create a portfolio
Prepare a killer cover letter based on the job description
If you intend to keep working for the same company, prepare to have a serious discussion with company management about remote work options whether partial or full-time.

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Start applying for remote jobs

Don’t be afraid to start! Start slow, start easy whatever you do just start because all the other steps are useless if you don’t put it into action.

Start small and scale up and by this I mean, depending on your situation, start with lower paying jobs or relatively ‘easier’ platforms and then take it from there as you build confidence.

Platforms to work with and apply for remote jobs

For beginners: (0-5 years experience):

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For pros (5+ years experience):

For more in-depth information about job boards and platforms where you can apply for remote jobs, Click Here.

Be pro-active

I hate to say this but expecting your first job application to land you a remote job is unrealistic. Yes you could hit jackpot on your first roll of the dice but this is not often the case.

Be ready to apply for the required number of remote jobs across a variety of platforms and job boards until you get a job.

Search remote job boards every day, apply for jobs, edit your CV and cover letter to fit the job description, prepare for interviews. Basically, put in your best effort and don’t give up until you succeed. (You got this!)

Don’t quit your 9-5 just yet

I know the excitement to start working remotely can be intense, but don’t let this cause you to throw the towel on common sense.

Except you have a significant amount of savings to last you a year or 2, or you’ll be working remotely for the same company, the smartest play is to keep working your 9-5 job and don’t quit until you have secured a remote job that can sustain your current lifestyle.

Conclusion

…And there we have it folks, how to work remotely; a beginners guide. Was this helpful to you? I think so. with remote work comes a lot of rewards yet there are challenges to the trade.

The key is to manage your expectations, prepare yourself, take action and optimise as you go along. I wish you all the best on your remote work journey and if you have any questions or doubt, hit me up will ya.

Before you go, checkout the pros and cons of working remotely below:

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