The Best Types of Jobs for Working Remotely

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our world, to put it mildly. Nowhere can we see this more clearly than in the workforce, where the entire employment landscape changed practically overnight. A lot has been said about the spike in unemployment starting with the shutdowns—but the fact is, a LOT of people who didn’t lose their jobs just began working remotely.

More than half of us, in fact.

That’s right. Before the pandemic, the number of people in the workforce working regularly from home was just over five percent. Shortly after the quarantines started, that number jumped to 62 percent, according to Gallup. What’s more, even as the economy has gradually started back up, many of these workers have never gone back to the office. More recent surveys now put the percentage of remote workers at about 40 percent. Some companies have even made remote working a permanent part of their structure!

What this means for you is that if you’re currently seeking employment but prefer to work from home, not only are you now in the majority of the population, but there are now many more industries and companies that offer telework as an option than even a few months ago. There are likely to be at least a few remote job openings that fall within your area of expertise, or at least close to it. If you’re looking for a work-from-home position, here are a few of the fields and industries (in no particular order) where you’re most likely to find job openings at this time.

Education

Remote instructors of all kinds are in high demand right now due to the sheer number of students learning virtually. From grade schools to colleges, from tutoring to a plethora of online education platforms, people who can teach, write curriculum and perform other training functions have an abundance of options. Even if you’re not credentialed, if you’re an expert in your field and have the ability to train others, you should be able to find some opportunities to put that expertise to work.

Accounting

Even before the pandemic, accountants were a growing commodity among small and large companies alike, and that trend is only likely to continue. Since accounting can easily be done from home, many companies with open accountant positions now allow for telework—not to mention the growing number of outsourced bookkeeping companies that need personnel for their client base of startups.

Developer/Technology

If you’re tech-savvy, you’ve got a lot of work-from-home options right now. Not only are major tech companies like Google and Twitter moving to mostly or completely remote work, but there’s a high demand for all forms of development, whether it’s software/game development, website development, systems administration, etc. Even a lot of IT work can be done remotely nowadays.

Digital Marketing

Online marketing was already a huge and growing sector before the pandemic hit—and now that companies need the Internet more than ever for their marketing and sales efforts, the demand for these skills is through the roof. Since digital marketing lives completely online, the transition to remote work is seamless. (Bonus points if you’re skilled in social media marketing.)

Creative Fields (e.g., Design, Writing)

In the 21st-century marketplace, content is king. If you’re skilled in creative areas like graphic design, UX/UI design, copywriting, etc., you can find a wealth of opportunities at or for companies that rely heavily on content creation, especially for branding/marketing purposes.

This is by no means an exhaustive list; there are many other sectors and companies currently hiring for remote work. And if none of these falls within your field of expertise…do a search for remote jobs available within your own industry. You might be surprised to find out what’s available, even in fields that haven’t accommodated working from home in the past.

If you’d like some help getting yourself in a more competitive position for getting hired (for remote work or otherwise), I’m always here to assist. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.