Career Development

Find Remote Work, Now.

Demystifying the Remote Job Market: Clickable Resources to find remote work in two (2) easy steps.

Why is it so hard to find remote jobs?

Hop on to LinkedIn and punch in “remote jobs” and you’ll find over 400,000 results in the US alone. Better still, you can Google it and see 1.3 million results (at the time of writing).

Ok so that sounds easy, but you probably already know that it’s not. And as you can only do one full-time job at a time, you’re going to want to narrow that field down a little.

Whether you’re looking for your first remote gig or considering moving on from your current remote role, there are several resources out there to help you. From remote-specific job boards to social media heroes — we’ve got you covered.

Before you start job-hunting

You’ve already decided you love the freedom, flexibility, and balance that remote work can offer. Now you need to find the one 💖

This search is going to be different from a typical job hunt. There are some things you can do to make sure you’re best prepared for hitting the job boards and searching for opportunities.

Take a look at this advice from Half Half Travel on everything from preparing your resume, to specific advice on applying to remote jobs.

So where can I actually find remote jobs? (in 2 steps)

  1. Not all heroes wear capes, some hang out on LinkedIn

The internet has you covered. Some very helpful people have done the hard work already and compiled extensive lists of remote job boards:

And they’re not alone. There are people working across all socials to empower others through opportunity, by regularly posting updates on remote working opportunities. For best results, try the following hashtag searches:

Tip: LinkedIn also lets you follow these hashtags and set up alerts for new posts, so you can stay up to date with what’s out there.

You can also try #RemoteWorking — but it’s mostly people talking about joining Zoom calls from a beach in The Bahamas. Or how they built a home office at the bottom of their garden. Not much help in finding you an actual job, but it does highlight the benefits of going remote.

THE BEST JOB BOARDS FOR REMOTE WORKERS:

Every board will naturally range in quality and relevance, so it’s always worth doing your own research. You’ll notice that some show up in multiple lists, which is a good sign that they’re widely used and ultimately a good tool. Most of them are free to use for job-seekers, which is the industry norm.

  • Skillcrush has put together a list of 30 of the best remote job boards. They even have a section dedicated solely to freelance and contract opportunities.

  • Wordstream has done something similar, and they’ve included a handy list of companies that hire remote workers, giving you the opportunity to stand out by making direct approaches.

  • Novoresume offers a good mix of job boards and direct employers, and includes helpful tips on how to conduct your search.

  • FlexJobs feature on pretty much every list going, but they offer something a little different. They’re a paid subscription offering a more personal, tailored service to support anyone — but especially those venturing into the unknown to try and find remote work for the first time.

2. Call on your community

As useful as they are, it takes more than scrolling through job boards and feeling seen by an algorithm to keep your spirits high during a lengthy job search.

There’s not much interaction or conversation until you actually apply for a job, upload your resume, then wait for a call/email from a recruiter or hiring manager which isn’t ever guaranteed.

This is where online networks, groups, and community spaces come in handy. You can browse, interact with posts, set alerts, get notifications, and most importantly, you stand a chance of speaking to the person posting the job.

Here are some groups to check out:

And there are so many more — find the ones that work for you and stay vigilant because in and amongst the real jobs, there are always MLM schemes.

If you don’t have a fixed location and like the idea of traveling and working at the same time — the team at Citizen Remote are building something great. They’re a one-stop-shop for all things remote and freelancing — from digital visas, to co-working/living spaces, and more. You can also check out opportunities via their own job board.

Now you’re all set to find the right remote role for you.

Time to level up your search because you know all the best places to look!

Looking for even more options? Or want to hire remote workers?

You can also reach out, we often have remote and hybrid opportunities for Executive Assistants, Admin Support, People Operations, Recruiters, and much, more.

How to speak up for yourself as an Administration professional

Administrative professionals – including Executive Assistants, Administrative Business Partners, Chiefs of Staff and People Operations Managers – are used to working behind the scenes. They are often the team members responsible for a myriad of tasks, from managing team’s correspondence to planning meetings, as well as ordering office supplies and checking in visitors. During the pandemic, many have taken on additional responsibilities, including enforcing safety protocols and maintaining compliance records. While the demands on their time grows, these vital team members face additional pressure. They are regularly expected to be the ‘point person’ for multiple departments, given their extensive knowledge of and contacts across their company.

These challenges demonstrate why it’s more important than ever for Administrative team members to speak up for themselves, set boundaries as well as practice self-care. We know that sticking up for yourself in this field is not easy. While support team members are expected to know company processes and procedures, they are also expected to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and help out, even if it is outside of their scope of work. Day-to-day, you will work with everyone from C-Suite Executives, to Human Resource professionals and everyone in between. Given that you are expected to influence leaders across the company – without always necessarily having a title to match theirs – speaking up for your needs is paramount:

You can be assertive without appearing critical by setting time aside with your hiring manager and clearly outlining your objectives for your role. Make sure you come to the meeting prepared with a list of these goals – and just as importantly – how your hiring manager can help you meet them. Maybe you are at capacity and need additional resources to support you with certain tasks. Perhaps you need to be able to leave the office at a certain time of the day, and have ideas on how you can still keep on top of your work. You may even feel that your experience and success at the company mean that it is time to ask for a raise. Make your case by outlining specific areas of success during your tenure on the team, and how this has contributed to the broader organization. Come prepared to the meeting with a specific salary range in mind for their consideration. Hiring managers are often grateful when their team members share their needs, while giving them ideas for providing the support you need! 

Perhaps it is your manager or someone on the team that does not respect your boundaries, or uses language you do not feel comfortable with. The first thing to recognize is that they may not be doing so intentionally; many of our colleagues may be dealing with personal challenges we may not be aware of, and the stress of these may be manifesting themselves in their behavior to you and other co-workers. Where possible, take the time to speak to them 1:1 and talk about how a specific behavior has made you feel. That will show your colleague that your feedback is not personal, and that they have the opportunity to change their ways. If the behavior continues however, you should contact your Human Resource team for further guidance.  

Most importantly, it’s important to recognize the incredible value you bring to your company. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day at work, but every now and then, take a look at what you have achieved. It may seem small to you; resolving a calendar conflict for an Executive, organizing a team event, or cleaning up the database, yet these save your team valuable time – and money – every day.

National Administrative Professionals Day offers an opportunity for those who work with you to not only show appreciation for your hard work, but for fellow Administrative professionals to empower each other and share best practices. Take advantage of networking opportunities with like-minded professionals through online communities like MeetUp and LinkedIn. Connecting with others will not only give you valuable insight into how others in your field may be addressing challenges you have come up against as well, but it will also build your support network; one that you can tap into when you feel only another Administrative professional could understand what you may be going through at work.

By advocating for yourself, you can expect your colleagues to respect your boundaries and take more ownership of your time. If your employer does not support you or you’d like to explore new roles, we have a wealth of opportunities for experienced Administrative professionals across the Bay Area and beyond. 


Six Tips to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out

Six Tips to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out

Being able to network and connect with others in your career industry online isn't just encouraged, it's expected. It's therefore no surprise that when companies are interested in adding new talent to their teams, they start at the same place: LinkedIn.