How to Tailor Your Resume for a Remote Position

In recent years, the number of remote jobs has continually increased. Employees are enthusiastic about work-from-home positions since they come with more flexibility, no commute, and (most of the time) greater productivity. 

However, you have to be the right type of person to succeed at remote work. When hiring for work-from-home positions, recruiters look for certain qualities, notably self-discipline, focus, excellent communication skills, and responsibility. If you want a remote job, these are qualities you must demonstrate on your resume—that’s the only way a hiring manager can tell you’re the right candidate. To make sure you have these qualities highlighted, consult our resume experts. 

Now, let’s look at how you can incorporate your skills and qualifications into your resume to land a remote position.

Make your intentions known from the start

If you’re applying for a remote job, state that explicitly from the get-go. In your cover letter, make it clear that you’re seeking a remote position. Most of the time, the vacancy ad will specify whether the job is remote or on-premise. If it’s strictly the latter, don’t try to convince the employer that it should be remote. There are plenty of work-from-home opportunities out there—just keep looking. 

You may find a job that employs the hybrid model, meaning that it’s partly remote and partly in-office. If that’s the case, let the hiring manager know you’re okay with such an arrangement (if you’re not, don’t apply). Some jobs may require you to train at the company’s headquarters, but after that, you’ll work remotely. If you’re willing to complete this on-site training, make that clear as well. Recruiters really want to see that you can accept the conditions they’ve set. You might think that your willingness to agree to the employer’s conditions is obvious because you’re applying for the job, but some candidates aren’t upfront about their intentions, so you’ll put yourself in a better position by being open. 

To make it abundantly clear that you want a work-from-home position, use the word “remote” throughout your cover letter and resume. Don’t just assume that because the posting says it’s a remote job, hiring managers will automatically think you’re looking for such a job. Don’t leave anything open to interpretation. 

Include the appropriate introductory information 

You may think the introductory information on your resume is pretty straightforward, but it may need to change based on the requirements of the job—yes, this includes your contact information as well. Even though it’s a remote position, your physical address could be important to the recruiter. If employees are required to train at headquarters before starting their remote work, the company may need to fly you to its location. You don’t have to list your full address, but you do need to at least include your city and state. 

If you’re applying for a remote job that doesn’t require any on-site training, you don’t need to provide your address at all. You can leave it blank or simply write “remote” in its place. Also, your email address and phone number are crucial pieces of your contact information. Communication is more important than ever due to the nature of remote jobs, so double-check that your phone number and email address are listed correctly. 

You’ll also need to make sure your professional summary entices the hiring manager to read your entire resume. Recruiters at larger companies are typically so overwhelmed with job applications that they only spend a few seconds glancing at each resume before determining whether to read on or toss it. So, mention your desire to work remotely and demonstrate qualities pertinent to a remote position. You may have never worked a remote job before, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have what it takes to do it. Be sure to highlight as many relevant qualities as possible in the professional summary—you want the hiring manager to know they can trust you to get the job done.

List skills relevant to remote work

You’ve made it obvious that you want a remote job by specifying it in your cover letter and updating your contact information and professional summary to reflect your intentions. Now that the hiring manager knows this, it’s time to prove you have the skills that make you deserving of the job. 

As you’d do with any other vacancy posting, read the job description, look for the required skills, and include the ones you have in your skills section. While that would be enough for a traditional job, you can’t stop here when pursuing a remote position—you should also demonstrate that you have the right skills to work remotely. It takes additional skills to get the job done from home, so showcase your ability to do that. Here are some soft skills that hiring managers look for in applicants for a remote job:

• Flexibility
• Organization
• Reliability
• Self-motivation
• Tech-savviness
• Collaboration
• Independence
• Self-discipline

Skills like these show the hiring manager you have what it takes to do the job at home. If you can demonstrate such skills, you’re well on your way to proving your ability to work remotely.

Prove your skills

It takes more than listing skills pertinent to remote work to land a remote job. Anyone can add these skills to their resume, but that doesn’t mean they have them. You need to prove you actually possess these skills. Just as in any other resume, you can do so in your work experience section. Even if you’ve never worked remotely before, these qualities absolutely apply to other jobs as well. Think about how your previous jobs have prepared you to work from home. 

If you’ve held a remote job before, include that in the job description. This tells the hiring manager you have the experience and capabilities to work remotely. The key is to use wording that shows your accomplishments, whether you were working from your home or your employer’s office. 

Regardless of whether you’ve worked remotely before, be mindful of the job you’re applying for and tailor your job descriptions and achievements accordingly. The achievements you list on your application for a remote job may differ from those you use when applying for traditional jobs. That’s perfectly fine—your goal here is to prove you can work remotely.  

Your resume for a remote job may look a little different from your regular resume, but that’s expected. In any way you can, show the hiring manager you have what it takes to work remotely. Not sure if your resume reflects your desire and capability to work from home? Hire a professional resume writer to help you tailor your resume!