What is a remote job

A remote job is a work arrangement that allows employees to work outside of a traditional office setting by telecommuting.

A remote job can be full-time or part-time and does not limit the worker to solely working from home. Remote workers can complete their work anywhere, be it a coworking space, coffee shop, or other location, so long as they have their laptop and a good internet connection.

Remote positions are popular with digital nomads as well as globally dispersed companies with team members in different time zones.

Types of remote jobs

While there are many different types of remote jobs, 51% of remote workers prefer a fully remote work structure over remote-first, office-occasional, or office-first. Here’s a closer look at what those structures entail:

Fully remote: At a fully-remote company, all employees have remote jobs. All work is completed virtually, and employees aren’t required to enter a company’s office. Some remote companies don’t have a physical headquarters at all.

Remote-first: The company prioritizes remote work but still has an office space where meetings are held, though it isn’t meant to house their entire team.

Hybrid: Hybrid (office-occasional) companies have a mix of remote employees, in-office employees, and employees that do both.

Temporarily remote: If a job is temporarily remote, the company expects the team to eventually transition back to an in-office environment. This working style was common during the pandemic when many people first started working from home.

Remote work optional: In this scenario, remote work isn't the norm but can be done if it makes sense for the position. Some companies offer a remote work option under special circumstances that require HR approval.

Most common remote positions

Remote jobs range from creative roles, like graphic designers, to newly-formed positions like virtual assistants, and more. In 2021, the remote roles most commonly hired through Deel globally were:

• Software engineer

• Account executive

• Quality assurance engineer

• Product designer

• Consultant

• Customer service representative

To learn more about the most-hired remote roles, where people are being hired, and how much they're earning, read Deel’s State of Global Hiring Report.

Where to find remote jobs online

Job seekers can easily find work-from-home jobs and remote job listings through online job boards and social media. Here are some of the most popular remote job boards, as well as some job boards that target specific industries:

• Flexjobs: Here, you’ll find a combination of remote, hybrid, and flexible jobs in over 50 career fields in the US and worldwide. You can search by keywords, category, location, and job title

• LinkedIn: The LinkedIn Job search tool is a natural choice for those already on the platform. In the Jobs section, type “Remote” into the location field to see remote job listings

• We Work Remotely: This remote job database features open positions for programmers, designers, marketers, and other in-demand roles

• Remote OK: Remote OK features remote jobs—mostly in tech and marketing—and promotes salary transparency by sharing salary data for roles (when available)

New to working on a remote team?

Being a part of a remote team requires a different skill set compared to working in an office environment. There are new messaging and project management tools, work schedules, and company cultures to get accustomed to.

Our remote work articles will teach you what it’s like to be a part of a remote team, whether you’re starting a new job in an entry-level position or joining as a manager.

See more content about remote workforce management.