Article
11 min read
How To Get A Remote Job With The Ideal Resume [+ Templates]
Global HR
Author
Jemima Owen-Jones
Published
April 05, 2023
Last Update
August 12, 2024
Table of Contents
Previous remote work experience
No remote work experience?
Looking for more career tips?
Key takeaways
- You don’t need remote work experience to secure a remote role. With the right guidance and support, anyone can learn and adapt to a remote position.
- Your success in landing a remote job will depend on whether you’re a good match for the role. However, including a few remote working skills and indicators in your resume, also called a CV, will signal to the hiring team that you’re ready for a remote environment.
- How you prepare your remote work resume depends on whether you have prior remote experience or not. This article will give you remote resume tips for both scenarios.
Looking for your next remote job? You’re not alone. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, almost half of US workers are looking to work remotely in their next job. On top of that:
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56% of employees have a job where they could work remotely
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The number of remote jobs has tripled since 2020
It’s a great time to consider going remote, and the good news is that preparing your resume for a remote position is pretty straightforward. After all, remote work is just...work. If you have good communication, time management, and self-motivation in a non-remote work environment, you can apply those same set of skills in a remote environment.
When revamping your remote job resume for your job search, sprinkle in a few remote working indicators to signal to the hiring team that you’re qualified for the role. Companies that are adjusting to a remote business model may benefit from the extra reassurance.
I appreciate candidates expressing their desire to work remotely since many underlying motivations can add value to the role. The fact that we can positively impact a person’s life with this type of work motivates us to help them realize their dream.
—Camila Sanchez,
Talent Acquisition Specialist, Deel
How you prepare your resume for a remote position depends on whether you have prior remote experience, so we’ve broken down the article into two sections—those with previous remote experience and those without.
Note: Throughout the article, we refer to different sections of a resume:
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Title
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Introductory summary
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Key skills
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Experience
Please see the resume template diagrams below to understand which sections we’re referencing.
Previous remote work experience
Most of us have worked remotely in some capacity. Regardless of when you worked remotely or how many years of experience you have working remotely, you can integrate this experience into your resume.
Incorporate ‘Remote Worker’ next to your job title above your contact information
Include your current or most recent title at the top of your resume, under your name. Next to your job title, add ‘Remote Worker.’ Since it’s at the top of your resume, it will immediately indicate to the hiring manager or recruiter that remote working is a priority.
I like to have clear information about the desire to work remotely. In my area (engineering), this represents the vast majority of candidates.
—Julien Ciftci,
Talent Acquisition EMEA, Deel
Including a link to your up-to-date LinkedIn profile underneath your email address is an excellent way for hiring teams to gain a more comprehensive look at your background.
Incorporate remote skills into your skills section
The next opportunity to include your remote experience is in the key skills section underneath your introductory resume summary. Highlighting the specific skills required for remote working, such as effective communication skills, good documentation, and proficiency with asynchronous collaboration and communication tools, will instill further confidence in your remote working abilities.
Essential skills are the ability to self-manage, not only in terms of learning but also in terms of time and management of projects or responsibilities. Additionally, we want a candidate that can relate to any culture and context assertively. A self-owner is someone who fits perfectly into the remote culture.
—Camila Sanchez,
Talent Acquisition Specialist, Deel
Add ‘Remote Role’ in the location section
Another place to show your remote working exposure is in the experience section, where you typically add the location of your previous employers before explaining your work history. Adding ‘remote role,’ ‘hybrid role,’ or 'partially remote role,’ where applicable, will signal to the hirer that you’ve been entrusted to work remotely.
Highlight your remote skills in the experience section
The final place to indicate your remote experience is in the experience section. While these sections are best kept brief, including accomplishments that demonstrate self-motivation, strong communication, and proficiency with async technologies can be beneficial.
For example: Efficiency with video and communication tools, web-based applications, and project management platforms.
What we usually tell candidates at Deel is that this type of remote culture is the one they are going to find the best since they own their processes, have autonomy, a very high level of responsibility, and have an excellent opportunity to gain exposure since there is a lot of freedom to interact with any person or member of the organization.
—Camila Sanchez,
Talent Acquisition Specialist, Deel
Including a profile picture on your CV is optional. Some hiring managers prefer them as they can help put a face to the name, while others don’t have a preference. Determine what’s common practice in your particular industry or occupation and proceed accordingly. When in doubt, leave it out.
No remote work experience?
If you have no remote work experience, that’s okay—we all have to start somewhere. In this scenario, focus on highlighting the key transferable skills required for remote working, which, as we mentioned at the start, are typically required for any job.
Candidates shouldn’t worry about not having any prior remote working experience. In the end, work is work, and you do not need remote experience to crush it while working remotely. It does involve some changes that can initially be confusing, but it comes with so many more benefits, and there are always ways to tackle those changes.
—Laura Cortes,
Talent Acquisition Specialist, Deel
Incorporate communication, self-motivation, and time management into your skills section
If you’re lucky, the job description will mention specific desirable skills related to remote work that you can reference (take a look at our Job Descriptions Templates to get an idea of the most sought-after skills) Find the role that best suits your needs and use the template as is, or edit it to fit your needs.
If not, you should note the following soft skills in the key skills section of your resume alongside your role-specific skills:
- Self-motivated
- Effective time management
- Communicative
- Highly autonomous
Communication is a key skill. You must be proactive in communicating in a remote environment. You won’t always have the opportunity to share ideas casually over coffee like in an office.
—Julien Ciftci,
Talent Acquisition EMEA, Deel
Incorporate your proficiency with asynchronous technologies in the work experience section
Many office-based companies have adopted video and communication tools like Slack, Zoom, and Google Meet to communicate internally and with clients. In addition, these companies use web-based applications to collaborate, such as Google Workspace and Notion, and project management platforms, such as Jira, Asana, and Basecamp, to stay organized.
In the remote world, these tools are called asynchronous technologies, and they’re often essential to enabling dispersed and remote team members to connect and work effectively. If you have experience with these tools in some capacity, include a quick mention in the bullet points of the experience section to demonstrate you’re tech savvy.
For example: Efficiency with video and communication tools, web-based applications, and project management platforms.
Focus your attention on creating a strong resume and cover letter
Ultimately, your success in landing a remote job will depend on your experience and whether you’re a good match for the role. Your ability to work remotely is a bonus and is often a skill many can learn.
Developing your skills and experience and creating a strong resume and cover letter is your best chance at securing your dream remote position.
To get more support with the cover letter and resume writing process, take time to review resume examples for specific positions and check out these articles:
- 5 Easy Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out
- How to Write a Stellar Cover Letter: Simple 5-step Formula
If you secure an interview, don’t be afraid to express your passion for remote working.
I like it when candidates express a strong desire to work remotely. During the interview, some of them will even tell you it’s a deal breaker, and to me, this just goes to show that this person will be a better fit for our company and culture, which is all about enabling remote work.
—Laura Cortes,
Talent Acquisition Specialist, Deel
Finally, make sure remote working suits you. If you secure a remote position, be intentional in how you get your daily dose of social interaction to reap the many benefits of remote working and avoid loneliness.
Remote work can be challenging from a social perspective for some people. Go outside, visit a coffee shop, or work from a friend’s home.
—Julien Ciftci,
Talent Acquisition EMEA, Deel
Looking for more career tips?
Deel helps connect the best workers with the best talent worldwide. Whether you’re a direct employee, EOR employee, or independent contractor, we make working from wherever easy.
In this content series, we share articles, templates, and guides to help job seekers and new hires navigate the world of work. These resources guide you through the entire hiring process, from preparing your resume to interviewing to identifying career growth opportunities.
About the author
Jemima is a nomadic writer, journalist, and digital marketer with a decade of experience crafting compelling B2B content for a global audience. She is a strong advocate for equal opportunities and is dedicated to shaping the future of work. At Deel, she specializes in thought-leadership content covering global mobility, cross-border compliance, and workplace culture topics.
