Essential skills for remote job seekers and how to get them

Remote work and virtual meetings were the norm for some individuals even before the pandemic shuttered offices and forced everyone to work from home. If you’re hoping to participate in remote work full-time, even post-pandemic, skill development could come in handy.

Brie Weiler Reynolds, career development manager and coach at FlexJobs, has reviewed hundreds of resumes and found that a majority of applicants failed to mention some of the key skills and traits employers seek when hiring for a remote job.

Organisational skills, the ability to work independently, written and verbal communication and a growth mindset are among the essentials.

Reynolds also mentions that candidates should highlight past remote experiences if they have any. Fresh graduates are encouraged to highlight their college experiences that suggest they have skills in time management, research, project management, and teamwork.

Ultimately, being able to do a job is one thing, but being able to do it remotely is another challenge. Candidates are encouraged to upskill and build on their existing qualities. If you are looking to take up an online skill development course to strengthen your competencies or gain new ones, here are some worth considering: 

Develop a personal brand

Introduction to Personal Branding is a free course offered by the University of Virginia on Coursera.

It was designed to help learners understand personal branding and its elements, how to establish themselves on various social media platforms, the basics of digital security, reputation management, and brand maintenance.

Develop problem-solving skills

The Converting Challenges into Opportunities course is offered for free by UC San Diego on Coursera.

It was designed for learners who are looking for ways to stand out to hiring managers or to existing employers.

This free course teaches ways to utilise knowledge and skill needed to use both sides of the brain, how to analyse problems, how to spur creativity and implement innovative ideas for your workplace.

Develop time management skills

Offered by the University of California, Irvine, and hosted for free on Coursera, the Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity course was developed to help learners gain and apply understanding of people and professional awareness, organisation, and commitment. 

It also touches on the basics of goal setting, prioritisation, scheduling delegation to overcome challenges, and enhance productivity.

Crucial traits for someone interested in a remote job. Coursera reports that 37% of learners started a new career upon completion, while 31% got a tangible career benefit.

Learn how to communicate effectively

The Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialisation course teaches the arts of writing masterfully, designing elegantly, speaking powerfully, and presenting the best versions of your ideas and yourself to the world.

Offered by The University of Colorado, Boulder, companies, and students worldwide have used this free course to deliver their ideas powerfully in the workplace. 

Courses within this specialisation include Business Writing, Graphic Design, and Successful Presentation on a beginner level.

Coursera reports that 55% of learners have started a new career upon completion.

Develop project management skills

Introduction to Project Management is a free course offered by the University of Adelaide on edX.

It teaches learners the principles of project management and how to apply them in your personal and work life.

It also describes project management as an essential skill that comes in handy for many careers and contexts.

This course was designed to serve as a starting point for managing any project by first identifying it, then exploring and understanding it.