The Ultimate Guide to Building a Remote Job-Winning Resume

During the pandemic, the workforce pivoted to having employees work remotely, a practice that continued even after the lockdowns lifted. Now, more people are seeking to work at home for a variety of reasons.

Today, there are a ton of different remote jobs from writing to bookkeeping to IT work, and just about everything in between. It’s much easier to find companies willing to hire either fully remote or hybrid, where you work in the office a specified number of days per week. However, like a regular position, in order to showcase your skills and experience, you’ll want to update your resume.

So, what should you include on your resume for remote jobs? Based on my experience, with over a decade of working from home, this is what prospective employers like to see.

1. Include Remote Work Experience

One thing employers like to see in a prospective worker is that they already have experience working remotely. It’s an entirely different breed than working in the office, and not everybody is cut out for it.

However, if you have previous successful experience working from home, that can escalate you to the top of the list if your skills align with the position. Make sure you list jobs where you worked remotely, because your prospective employer may want to confirm.

2. List Skills That Help You Succeed Remotely

Working from home requires many of the same skills you use in the workforce, but on a larger scale. Since you don’t have a supervisor present, you need to be more disciplined and capable of working alone.

You will still have superiors to answer to, but you’re largely on your own and that requires special skills.

Communication

It’s not like you can walk into the office and speak to your boss like you could in the workplace, so you have to become really good at communication. That means learning new messaging platforms.

Employers also want to know you’ll be available during work hours. Most of the time, they won’t check in on you to make sure you’re actually working, especially if your workload is moving forward, but if you’re still responsible for keeping your superiors and co-workers, if applicable, up to date on your progress.

Flexibility

One of the perks of working from home is flexibility, to an extent. Some employers will want you to work standard hours. Others will give you the freedom to get your work done at your pace, as long as you meet quotas and deadlines.

You should also make sure you’re flexible enough to accommodate a new project or change in schedule, if need be. But remember, you do not need to be available all hours of the day.

Organization

If you have any chance of succeeding at working remotely, you have to stay organized. Fortunately, there are many tools that can help you schedule your day and list your tasks.

It helps if you have a journal or a notebook to list the things you must accomplish and specific deadlines to keep you on track.

Time Management

Time management skills are essential for remote work, because it’s very easy to get distracted when you’re home. You might think about throwing in laundry, then the dishes need doing, and so on.

Time management skills show you can be trusted to not only complete a job, but to complete it on time, and manage tasks efficiently along the way.

Adaptability

This is one skill you need even in the workplace. You have to be willing to adapt as things change—which they can often do—especially if it pertains to work processes.

Sometimes employers find easier ways to handle submissions and employ new methods. Being adaptable is a strength many companies look for in workers.

Motivation

This goes for any job, but especially when you work at home. Motivation is such a key factor in succeeding, because it shows you have the drive to get things done. If you can’t motivate yourself to get out of bed, for example, productivity will decrease.

One thing employers really look for is the ability to get things done and motivation plays a huge factor in that.

3. List Experience With Software Programs

Make sure you list any and all software you have experience with, whether it’s a content management system, spreadsheets, or word processors.

It’s much easier to integrate someone into a role if they have hands-on experience, but many are willing to train. Knowing your skill level, however, will show them where you stand.

4. List Your Successes

It’s one thing to talk about the skills and knowledge you have, but employers also want to see where you were successful. Definitely include your accomplishments, even if they’re minor, because they all add up in the end.

Be prepared to answer questions about these successes and how you achieved them.