Remote work is getting bigger and bigger, especially when the coronavirus spread all over the world. Businesses, companies, and establishments all went the digital route and had a lot of their employees under a work-from-home arrangement to stay in business.
The concept of doing work online is not new. It has been around for years now and has provided very well for a lot of families. If you’re thinking of making the transition to remote work, you need to have the following:
Right Skills
Taking on an online job is pretty similar to holding down a regular office-based job in a lot of ways. The main difference is that you just work remotely and don’t need to go on your regular commute to and from the workplace. And just like a regular job, the chances of getting hired will mainly depend on your skillset.
There are two categories as far as skills are concerned: hard skills and soft skills.
Hard skills have to do with the actual abilities that were acquired through learning, training, and practice. For instance, if you are one of the experts in your company where engineered timber flooring is concerned, the skills that got you to that level of expertise are hard skills.
Soft skills, on the other hand, have a lot to do with non-technical yet essential workplace skills. These include how you manage your time, how you deal with clients, how you interact with your colleagues, and other similar skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
Employers and recruiters for online work consider what you can contribute to the company as far as output is concerned.
Right Knowledge
All businesses and companies from all industries have access to a certain pool of knowledge. It may have to do with product knowledge, customer service, understanding customers’ needs, industry and market trends, data analysis, and a lot more.
For this reason, your knowledge about the job you’re applying for and the industry that you plan to get into will matter. Before applying for a job, make sure that you do your research first about the company and its line of business. The more knowledgeable you are about the industry, the better your chances of getting the remote work you want.
There are, however, numerous companies that offer online work to inexperienced folks. Of course, in most cases, you will be offered entry-level positions. You can’t expect to apply for a managerial position for an SEO company with no knowledge and experience with SEO, digital marketing, and running a team. There are certain jobs that you need to have the necessary credentials to be considered for the job.
Manage your expectations. If you want to get better chances of being hired, you need to either look for the job that’s right up your alley or put in the hard work and do your research.
Right Character
Right skills: Check. Right knowledge: Check.
Now that you have ticked off both items, the question now boils down to this: do you have the right character?
Skills and knowledge may help open doors for you, but having a good character is what will make you stay in the game.
Good character is a must in all levels — from grunt to big boss — for a company to succeed. It is crucial for an effective business organisation, whether you work in the office or at home.
The goals of all businesses are to gain profit, be a market leader, and provide for customers’ needs. A company can only accomplish these things if all personnel have good character. It is essential for both the internal and external functions of the business. A poor character can lead to business losses, increased costs and expenses, loss of projects and contracts, and the downfall of the business.
You need to realise that every opportunity that you get should be handled responsibly and with great care. Especially in remote work where you have no supervisors to keep an eye on you. It takes great character and self-governance to be able to get the job done without succumbing to the distractions and the comforts of working remotely. And believe us, there are a lot of things at home that will take away your attention and focus.
So if you’re the type of person who easily gives in to distractions, you may want to reconsider. Unless you’re willing to hold yourself accountable to people, you will have a hard time. But that’s not to say that it’s impossible. It just takes a little more effort and a lot of safeguards to ensure that you can function fully and deliver the goods.
Working from home may seem like a convenient and easy thing to do, but it is still work that needs to be taken seriously. If you don’t have the proper mindset in approaching a work-from-home opportunity, success will be harder to come by.
