Great Pajama Jobs

CHAPTER 5The Nuts and Bolts of Your Remote Job Search

Landing a remote job requires a bit of the old soft-shoe to assure the hiring manager, and ultimately your boss, that you've been down this road before (or at least have the character for it) and are prepared for the arrangement.

• You've done this before. Front and center, showcase your previous telecommuting experience in your cover letter, résumé, and during interviews. If you have not held a position beforehand that let you telecommute, stress skills you hold, such as your ability to communicate effectively over the phone, via email, and on video conferences. Tout your self-motivation, your ease with technology, and your solid time-management skills.
• Do the digital dance. Promoting your technical skills, of course, is vital at each touch point with a potential employer. If you don't have these in your wheelhouse, I advise adding them tout de suite. You must have a good handle on all aspects of communicating to managers, clients, and your team of co-workers via video chats and file sharing. It helps if you're also comfortable troubleshooting if a computer glitch appears.

  Things change quickly in the tech world, but staying current will demonstrate that you're a feasible candidate. That goes a long way in easing an employer's concerns that you might get tripped up communicating from a remote location.

  In fact, I know of instances when a candidate who was less qualified than another for a position, but was nimble with the ...