Remote jobs are on the rise and while that’s great news, it also indicates the increasing amount of competition in the remote working space.
Many candidates take remote job applications for granted without realizing that one needs to take extra effort to put together an application that truly stands out. After all, as a remote job seeker, you’re competing with thousands of people from across the globe.
So, don’t make the mistake of sending a ‘vanilla’ resume because that certainly won’t cut it.
To land a remote job, not only should your resume accurately demonstrate your technical expertise, but it should also highlight your remote working capabilities.
Here are six practical tips to keep in mind while crafting a resume for a remote job.
1. Tailor to the Job Description and Include Contextual Keywords
Doesn’t this apply to every resume?
Yes, it does but how many of us follow this extremely crucial tip?
Every job description and company is unique. In order to be considered by the recruiter, you need to convince them you’re aligned with what they’re seeking.
Tailoring your resume starts with a thorough reading of the job description. Identify the specific skills, responsibilities and qualifications they are looking for – and highlight them for reference.
Now, find a way to include them in your resume and include contextual keywords that would pass the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Like it or not, 75% of companies use an ATS to shortlist resumes before they reach the recruiters. So, your first step needs to be about strategically including keywords that would get through the first screening stage.
2. Clearly Demonstrate Remote Work Experience
Contrary to what most people think, working remotely is not all rainbows and butterflies. Not everyone is wired to work remotely – it requires a huge amount of self-discipline and motivation.
Due to this, one of the first few things remote job recruiters want to know is whether a candidate has prior remote working experience.
Whether it’s in the resume title, summary or work description, make it a point to demonstrate your experience of working remotely by mentioning the years of experience you have or how you’ve worked with people/companies across time zones.
The recruiter needs to know that you’re not new to this space and know what it takes to work remotely.
3. Highlight Remote Skills
As stated earlier, apart from mentioning your technical skills, it’s equally important to lay stress on essential skills that would make you the perfect candidate for a remote role.
Here is a list of skills you must highlight in your resume (and also be ready to justify them during the interview) –
- Written communication
- Time management
- Self-motivation
- Organization
- Self-starter
- Team player
4. Familiarity with Communication and Collaboration Tools
As remote working involves working with people spread across the globe, you are expected to be familiar with certain communication, project management and collaboration tools.
Here are a few remote working tools you can mention in your resume.
- Communication – Slack, Chanty
- Project management – Trello, Asana, Monday, Basecamp
- File sharing – Google Drive, Dropbox
- Video conferencing – Skype, Zoom, WebEx
The idea behind this section is to show that you’re familiar with remote working tools and are tech-savvy to adapt to any other tools if need be.
5. Link to Online Portfolio or LinkedIn Profile
Let’s say you’re a designer or content writer – showing your work is always more effective and powerful than simply stating it in a resume.
So, if your work involves any sort of ‘creative creation’, take the effort to work on an impressive online portfolio that showcases the breadth and depth of your work.
It needs to highlight your best work such that it increases your chances of getting hired.
Irrespective of whether the company asks for a link to your portfolio, be sure to include a link in your resume and LinkedIn profile.
6. Make it Easy to Read
Now that we’ve covered the content of your resume, let’s shift focus to the formatting aspect.
Considering that recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds reviewing a resume and remote working being fiercely competitive, you need to ensure your resume manages to make an impression.
From choosing the right font size and style to using bullet points and having clearly defined sections – all of this contributes to a resume that’s easy to read and scan.
Apart from that, ensure you leave enough white space and avoid over-crowding the resume for better readability.
Remember – your resume and cover letter need to adequately position you as an ideal remote worker.
In a sea of applications, the perfect candidate is one that strikes a balance between having technical knowledge and the right attitude to thrive in a remote working environment.
So, the next time you’re applying for a remote position, ensure you go the extra mile and keep these six essential tips in mind.
About the Author:
Adela Belin is a content marketer and blogger at Writers Per Hour. She is passionate about sharing stories with a hope to make a difference in people's lives and contribute to their personal and professional growth. Find her on
Twitter and LinkedIn.
