iMPact Business Group is a staffing agency specializing in Information Technology, Engineering, Finance/Accounting, and Business Administration/Process positions. To connect with one of our professional recruiters, view our job board for all available positions, or submit your resume for consideration here.
In this episode of Job Talk we’re excited to have Sheri Munsell (Owner Legit Work from Home [61k+ followers on Facebook], CEO Hope Gain Network) to talk about how to successfully find a work from home job.
As more and more jobs are becoming either partially or fully remote, there are some skills employers will be looking for in employees who will be working from home. Here are 8 important skills that employers will be looking for that you should make sure are included on your resume if you’re applying for work from home positions.
Digital communication skills
It is essential to keep in touch when working remotely. In an office setting, it is easy to walk around the office when you need to talk to your co-workers. When working from home you will need a completely different set of digital communications skills. Being able to communicate with co-workers using online chat, video meetings, project management systems, chat rooms and other tools becomes even more important. You need to be able to respond quickly, communicate clearly and correctly, especially when it is in writing. Miscommunication will cause confusion and frustration among your co-workers. Take your time to make sure your message is clear and that there are no spelling or grammar errors. Any previous written communication or communication using digital tools would be good to highlight to an employer.
Technology
When working from home, you will be expected to have a reliable internet connection, a computer, a webcam, a phone, and any other equipment that may be required to perform your work. Some may be provided by your company. But it will be expected that you are able to set everything up to make sure it is functional. You should have some basic familiarity with setting up home and office technology. You’ll also want to be able to make sure you have security in place so that all your communications and work-related information is secure. Employers will be looking for employers they can trust not only to do the job but also to be accountable, reliable, and have the skills and technology needed to be able to work from home. In your application, including any previous experience that required technical skills, both hardware and software.
Using digital tools
You’ll be expected to use a variety of online tools to perform your work, and communicate with co-workers such as a CMS, communication tools, online meetings, email, project management tracking and possibly other types of tools as well. It will be key to feel comfortable using the various tools or be able to learn how to use them. If you have taken computer classes or other initiatives to learn how to use various software programs, highlight this on your resume to show employers you are adaptable and able to learn. A few common tools include Slack, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, different screen sharing programs, Zoom, Google Drive to name a few.
Take initiative
You will need to have or develop some leadership skills when working from home. In a regular office environment, you can bounce ideas, ask for feedback, help, and suggestions from your nearby co-workers. At home, you will need to take more initiative on your own. If you’re not sure how to create an Excel macro, and you don’t have a co-worker to quickly show you, you will need to take the initiative to learn on your own, go find information online, or even ask your employer to provide training. Your virtual team members may be in different time zones and on different schedules and may not always be able to provide immediate answers. You will need to be able to get things done without having someone telling you how.
Organization
In a work-from-home role, you may have more flexibility with your workday and your overall schedule. That makes it even more important to stay organized and on task. You won’t have anyone looking over your shoulder or stopping by to check if you need any help. You may want to create your own schedule to keep yourself on task and organize your work-space, including setting up a dedicated home office to work out of if that’s possible.
Time conscious
Depending on the company you work for, you may have team members in different time zones and on different schedules. And when working remotely you may not always know what your team members are doing at any particular time. To avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings related to time, make sure to always include time zones and dates when you’re discussing meeting times and deadlines. Also at the beginning of a call or meeting, if it hasn’t already been made clear in the meeting invite, clarify how much time you have available to cover everything you need to so you can wrap up the call in time.
Cross-cultural literacy
You may find yourself on a team with people from around the country and around the world. If this is the case, you will want to show that you are able to communicate and work with people who have different communication styles and cultures. Working with people from different countries, of different cultures and who speak different languages can present challenges. If you have previous experience, for example working on projects with international students in college, from previous jobs or other similar experiences will be a good way to show an employer that you have this skill and experience.
Work-life balance
One of the main benefits of working from home is improved work-life balance. Reduced commute time to and from work, ability to organize your day around other activities in your life. Being at home it’s also easy to get caught up in “just doing something work-related real quick” even after your normal work hours. It’s important that as much as possible to separate work from your home life and free time. If you have an office, when you’re done with work for the day, turn off your work equipment, close the door to your home office and keep work off until your next workday.
Working with iMPact
Before we start working with a client, we will research them, have in-depth conversations with their hiring team and visit their facilities to get to know them and what makes a candidate successful in their company culture. To connect with a recruiter and find out about our currently available opportunities in Information Technology, Accounting/Finance, Engineering, and Business Administration/Process, please visit our job board to view all available job opportunities. Or, submit your resume here for consideration to connect with one of our experienced recruiters in either our Grand Rapids, Michigan, or Tampa, Florida location.
