Looking for Remote Work? Look for these 3 Qualities.
Most of us have adopted a work-from-home lifestyle since the COVID-19 pandemic started spreading rapidly across the world. Whether we wanted to or not—we all adopted a remote work environment.
After four months of remote work, most companies are continuing work-from-home policies and most likely will for the foreseeable future. Even though COVID-19 has negatively affected the economy and unemployment is currently over 11%, companies are beginning to look for new talent. And if you’re in the market for a job, below are three qualities managers are looking for in a remote hire.
Communicator
Communication is and always will be one of the most important parts of any business. For remote workers, communicating in a timely and efficient manner is crucial. If someone struggles with answering emails, responding to instant messages, or screens phone calls—a remote work environment will be less than ideal.
Being skilled at communicating is fairly easy to notice and most managers will be able to pick up on a job candidate’s communication style during the interview process. Good communicators will answer directly with a clear, professional demeanor. To help aid in remote work culture, many managers are establishing ground rules for their remote workers. For example, employees must attend weekly check-in meetings, respond to emails within 24 hours, and answer direct messages within an hour.
Tech-Savvy
When working-from-home, employees must be able to confidently access various digital systems. Nowadays, many hirable job seekers are fairly tech-savvy. However, if managing computer programs, like Microsoft Office or project managing apps is a difficult task, some may need to explore other options when considering if remote work is right for them. In fact, hiring managers are beginning to add in a technical task to the interview process to assess candidates’ ability to navigate online portals and systems.
Motivated
We can all relate to some of the distractions that come along with remote work. If you have kids, you may be pulled in 20 different directions throughout the day. Perhaps you get distracted with household cleaning and delay completing a work project. Whatever the case may be—all remote workers must be motivated to complete their work responsibilities in a timely manner.
Effective remote workers must be independent and not rely on persistent check-ins from their boss. In many ways, the majority of a remote workday, you must be your own boss. You need to set deadlines, set aside time to complete projects and remain motivated to keep pushing forward.
As companies begin to hire temporary or permanent remote workers, try to hone-in on your work-from-home skills. Are you an effective communicator? Are you tech-savvy? Can you stay self-motivated throughout the day? These are important questions to consider and you must try to perfect these qualities in order to have a successful remote work experience.
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Derek Rundell, is a successful business leader, operator, and serial entrepreneur. Derek has founded, managed and sold businesses in the technology, media and finance industries. He sits on several boards and serves as an advisor/investor to numerous established businesses and startups. Startups are Derek’s real passion, and in addition to building his own portfolio of technology, media and financial ventures, he invests in and mentors startups and entrepreneurs. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping other businesses succeed.