Ask Me Anything: 10 Answers to Your Questions About Working Remotely
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world make some adjustments that will likely become permanent even post COVID, one of those changes is the rising trend of remote working.
According to a study by Buffer, 44% of employees say that part of their team is full-time remote.
Even as the stay at home policy begins to lift, the possibility of the majority of workers choosing to work from home permanently is very high, as 99% of people would choose to work remotely, at least part-time, for the rest of their careers.
There’s also the case of the rise in freelancing, half of the working US population will turn to freelance work over the next five years, which means more remote workers.
Most employees are looking forward to opting for the choice of ditching their cubicles to get work done from their choice of location.
The ability to work wherever, whenever, and however with just the major requirement of a working internet connection is a concept that sounds very pleasing and has over time proven more effective.
This wish no longer seems far fetched for many due to the pandemic, in fact, it will become the norm,
There are many people who are still skeptical and downright confused with the whole idea of remote work, this article will answer some common questions that aspiring remote workers or curious individuals have about working from home.
1. There are a lot of remote job scams out there, how can I avoid them?
One of the downsides of remote job searching is the online scams that are available, however, this can be avoided by only looking at personally curated verified and trusted sites that have the least history or reputation of false job offers.
You should also be very critical while reading the job descriptions and take notes of red flags, if a job sounds a bit too good to be true with no serious requirements from job seekers then that may be a no-no.
Also, take note of your communication and conversations, if they sound shady, or unclear on what they want from you, then you should tread with caution.
If potential employers or clients are making unnecessary demands, asking for outright personal information that has nothing to do with working for them, please run and block all medium of communication.
Legit job sites include Flexjobs, Glassdoor, Weworkremotely, Jobspresso, and Monster.
2. Can I be hired by a company from a different country?
A resounding yes! That’s one of the beauties of working remotely, location and physical presence is not an obstacle. So yes, there are lots of companies that have teams working from different parts of the world.
As long as you have a working internet connection, have your timezones understood and a preferred channel of communication, then why not?
If your job is independent of your physical presence and everything can be done virtually, it’s not impossible to have co-workers all the way from Australia while you are perhaps based in Morocco.
3. How is my work going to be tracked by my employer?
The simple answer is the power of technology. There are different software that effectively keeps you and your employer in touch and posted with your activities.
You can update them with your work progress through your preferred medium of information exchange. Although, there will have to be a level of trust from the employer that you are actually getting work done and not messing around.
Also, you can be required to give daily reports of your accomplishments and assignments, this will be proof of your productivity.
4. What’s it like working with people that you won’t meet physically?
Interesting!
It all depends on the type of person you are, if you are an extrovert and love meeting people in person, then it might be difficult to just communicate virtually, however, video calls and zoom meetings do help in bridging the physical gap.
Whereas Introverts find this to be music to their ears, as they love minimal human to human interactions, but overall it is a terrific experience that won’t be a challenge as time goes on and it becomes a new normal.
There are upsides like learning about other people’s cultures, as you work with different people.
5. How do I get paid if I work for a remote company abroad?
PayPal is a common option, there are other alternatives such as Payoneer, Bank wires, being paid from a partner or subsidiary company within your own country.
This will be dependent on your mutual agreement with your employer, whatever works for both of you.
However, you will have to educate yourself on the issue of taxes and expenses that comes along with getting paid through your chosen platform.
6. Is working remotely only favorable for Introverts?
No! Although Introverts will find it more rewarding and easy to cope with in comparison to extroverts.
A lot of extroverts choose to work remotely as the decision isn’t primarily based on personality types but preferences and what they are more comfortable with, the perks that come with remote working like flexibility, distaste for commuting, etc.
Extroverts totally enjoy working remotely as they can work in cafes and travel the world while doing so.
7. What equipment do I need to work remotely?
You basically need a laptop, working internet connection, some software to manage your whole working schedule, like Asana for team collaboration, email software, Skype, etc.
A high-quality webcam, microphone, headset, desk, and chair are all part of the remote work setup.
You might also need a printer.
8. Do I have to work on a certain work schedule — Will I have to work set hours?
This again is dependent on your employer, and your mutual agreement. There’s flexibility in working remotely especially with companies adopting the Results Only Work Environment (R.O.W.E.) style, which means they are only concerned with your output and not the duration of your working hours.
You might need to have meetings, briefings, or calls at specific timings, but be rest assured that your schedule in the office will certainly differ from your remote schedule.
Try knowing your amount of flexibility from the get-go in your interview. You can also give them an overview of how your schedule is going to like and how you plan to carry out your work assignments, this is even a question asked in interviews.
Therefore, having a plan in place will really be helpful.
Regardless of the level of flexibility you have, you will still need a schedule personally for enhanced productivity.
9. Can I use my usual CV to apply for remote jobs?
Yes! But it’s better and more effective to tweak your CV to fit the criteria of remote working requirements.
You should acquire soft skills and be tech-savvy so that you can highlight them on your CV, it will broaden your chances of landing a job.
This will make your employer confident in your abilities to work outside the office.
You can also take certified courses related to remote work.
10. What are some common issues associated with working remotely?
Working from anywhere around the world is definitely the dream for many, but it’s not all nice and dandy or fancy-schmancy. Just with all things it has its downsides to it, especially depending on your type of person.
There’s the issue of setting boundaries with the people you are living with, the difference in time zones, not getting benefits of a 9–5 job, loneliness, getting too comfortable and lack of discipline are the major issues of remote work.
However, these are issues that can be smartly navigated with effective measures and as remote work becomes the trend there will be more improvement and support for remote workers, eliminating all forms of disparity between regular and remote workers.
Conclusion
Remote work is here to stay and will likely become the norm in years to come, companies are already making the necessary adjustments and changes required to accommodate and effectively practice the art of working remotely.
Doing your research and speaking to people who are experienced in this style of work will help you determine if working remotely fulltime is for you, also trying it out part-time at first will aid in giving you experience.
