The Top Skills That Will Get You Hired On A Remote Team

The demand for remote work is steadily increasing. In fact, people searching for terms like “remote jobs” and “work from home” have increased by over 30 percent solely in the last 2 years. This raise in interest ultimately means one thing: there is more competition for remote job openings than ever before.

So, all thing considered, how can you guarantee that you stand out from the huge pool of candidates? Contrary to popular belief, a flashy resume or personal brand alone will not suffice. You must demonstrate that you possess the appropriate skills for remote work.

The modern remote worker requires a wide range of skills that will enable him to complete his duties effectively, such skills include the technical skill he’s being hired to perform, work ethics, being independent, critical thinking and effective communication.

However that standard set of skills probably won’t set you apart from other candidates, it’s already expected that they exist in your toolbox. Today we bring you a new set of skills that if mastered and consciously practiced, will give you the confidence needed to excel in remote roles, managing time more effectively and creating an ideal work-life balance without being tied down by an office space.

Skill 1: Transparency

Transparency is one of the keys to getting hired on a remote team. It enables effective communication, ensures tasks get completed on time, and keeps everyone involved informed on the goals you’re working towards.

A healthy workspace with an environment of transparency will encourage employees to feel engaged in their work and contribute to the overall success of your company, increasing both productivity and employee retention, so that’s why managers look after this particular skill.

Being totally transparent when interviewing for a remote work position might feel intimidating at first, there are multiple approaches available to bring it about, one way is to talk about your workflow and processes, how you’ve previously solved problems and what you’ve learned from them. Recognizing errors committed is a good sign if you support them with lessons learned and how to avoid them to happen again.

Make sure that all of your employees have access to the necessary tools for effective communication among themselves and you - online collaboration tools such as Slack or Microsoft Team are an ideal way to foster this process.

An open culture will help your team work more efficiently by encouraging collaboration among its members and sharing of information quickly and effortlessly. This can reduce stress among team members while guaranteeing they always perform to their fullest capacity.

Skill 2: Responsiveness

Everyone values a quick response, but effective distributed teams place a premium on responsiveness. Remote job recruiters want to know how quickly you respond to inquiries and complete tasks. They do this because they are conscious of the fact that they won’t always be able to go down the hall and find you if they ever need something.

They must be convinced that you possess the self-control to be there for your coworkers. You may speak all you want about how responsive you are, but when communicating with potential employers for a remote job, you actually need to show it. You should demonstrate your interest in the position by promptly returning calls and emails.

Responsiveness is an indispensable characteristic for remote workers. It allows you to communicate effectively with teammates and meet deadlines without missing any emails or messages, through the years as remote workers, we’ve seen very talented people that are unable to respond to new given necessities.

Team members with responsive personalities typically require less assistance from their managers, making it easier for them to work independently and come up with solutions themselves.

To avoid such issues, employees should quickly respond when someone needs help or assistance - this can be accomplished via emails, instant messages and chat apps such as Slack. But please, don’t confuse being responsive and available with being always available, respect your personal time.

Skill 3: Organization

Even though this specific skill should be a very obvious one, you’d be surprised by the amount of job seekers that just don’t care. Being well organized will allow you to coordinate and delegate tasks efficiently, such as developing project plans and schedules to help your team collaborate efficiently without wasting either time or resources.

Organization is key to effective teamwork. An INSEAD associate professor, Mark Mortensen, emphasizes this point by suggesting creating and documenting processes that everyone on your team understands, as it will make employees feel at ease working remotely since they can refer back to it at any time they need help or need clarity.

So organization is important at the employer level, but it is as well for you to have as an employee. Setting and communicating expectations are vital skills for a remote team success, and one such ability lies in making sure you know when and how you’re expected to work and keep things well organized on your end, fortunately nowadays you can find lots of tools to make it easier.

Organization skills are integral in any workplace, but they’re especially crucial on a remote team. Your manager and coworkers may not be able to structure how your schedule and work should look; thus, it is imperative that you find the way that works best for you to keep things organized.

Skill 4: Collaboration

Collaboration is the practice of integrating all the skills and knowledge team members as a group posses in order to achieve a goal in common. Project management is frequently linked to collaboration; nevertheless, these two concepts may also be utilized to address problems or generate ideas that cannot be resolved alone.

Collaboration is integral to any business and helps foster an atmosphere of teamwork and communication between employees. Collaboration also encourages problem-solving, learning and sharing skills and increases employee satisfaction.

Individual accomplishments may appear great on a résumé at first glance, but astute hiring managers are aware of the high cost of recruiting a single superstar. People who solely think about their own careers and leave their coworkers waiting for the information and solutions they require to do their duties have no place in distributed workforces. 

Working remotely requires sharing information and experience while pursuing a common objective. Could it be you? By emphasizing how you contributed to a wider effort and goal, you may demonstrate this on your CV and during interviews.

Collaborative teamwork is a skill that can be taught and refined over time. You can pick it up through other teammates, training programs or online courses, or by enrolling in courses to hone your own abilities.

Skill 5: Curiosity

Curiosity is one of the key skills necessary for working remotely. Curiosity ignites your brain to learn new things and curious people tend to ask lots of questions and seek more knowledge on everything, be it someone or something. Doing this can lead to some great discoveries and allows you to be more independent.

Having this skill can show recruiters that you’re able to work independently, find and propose solutions, and even go ahead and show interest on other areas aside from the position you’re aiming for.

An eagerness for knowledge has a direct effect on your learning and memory, which explains why when we’re curious we crave new facts. Not only is our memory improved; in an excited state areas of the brain sensitive to unpleasant conditions become active as well.

Reading & writing can be used as an excellent way of expanding one’s world view and opening it up to different opinions, lifestyles and topics. Being open-minded helps us all grow as individuals and nurtures our creativity.

Skill 6: Kindness

Kindness is one of the key skills you should cultivate if you hope to secure employment on a remote team, as kindness makes people happier while increasing performance and benefiting both mental and physical wellbeing.

Research has proven that people with positive attitudes or who feel kind perform better across most metrics - including productivity, creativity and engagement. They’re more likely to work hard, meet goals effectively and collaborate well with teammates.

Kindness may not always come easily, especially within a workplace environment.

Cultivating an inclusive environment requires consistent communication and an inclusive culture. Studies have revealed that when companies communicate their values clearly and consistently with employees, employees become happier and more productive.

Leaders can also demonstrate kindness towards their teams by showering compliments and praise upon employees. Zoom meetings offer the perfect venue for this practice by setting aside several minutes specifically dedicated to “kindness rounds.”

Small acts of kindness such as offering to bring coffee into work or providing snacks during meetings can go a long way toward improving morale and building connections among colleagues. Even sending a virtual gift card or sympathy card during times of loss can go far.

Conclusion

There are many paths to securing a remote job, and certain skills can make a big difference in success. However, most recruiters also want to see that you can work productively both independently and collaboratively online. Hiring managers often search for employees with great communication skills.

Working remotely is no small challenge, yet can also be very fulfilling. It allows employees from different backgrounds to find greater balance in their work-life. Additionally, working remotely opens a world of job opportunities for people who might otherwise have had difficulty finding employment, such people with body disabilities, patient carers and parents who stay at home with their children.

Ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances is an invaluable skill for remote employees. For instance, collaboration may suddenly require meeting people in different parts of the world or learning an unfamiliar software tool that requires extensive training sessions. Staying on schedule and meeting deadlines are two key skills necessary for remote work. Communication also plays a significant role, providing teams with updates as to what’s happening.

With all these skills under your belt, you’ll have a much better chance of getting the dream job you’re serching for, and we’re here to help! Register for free and we’ll send you new remote job opportunities.