Frequently Asked Questions
This site is a listing of remote jobs across a variety of industries. It is meant to help remote workers find jobs suitable for them in a quick and convenient manner.
This is a personal project of mine that I threw up relatively quickly after seeing a similar site. So yes, I copied someone else's idea!
While building it I learned more about NextJs, which is a framework I hadn't used before. This site is a way for me to experiment with different web development technology and techniques outside of my full time job.
There is a form where companies can enter the job details to create a new post. This function is currently free for anybody to use. I've also posted some jobs from my current full time position at Shipa Freight and it's sister companies at Shipa.
I may add a crawler in the future that automatically populates the site with remote listings, but that hasn't been implemented yet.
Remote work, or 'work from home' has been around for a long time, but now with the changes brought about by COVID, many more companies are opening up to this model. Here are some things to consider when looking at a remote job position:
- Does the company have a history of remote working arrangements?
- Does the company have employees currently working remotely?
- Does the company have standard contracts and procedures for remote work?
In general, you want to know if the company really takes remote work seriously or not, and if they are committed enough that the role will be permanent, rather than eliminated once COVID restrictions are lifted. The worst case scenario is that you join a company that had no idea what to do, you struggle to get paid on time, and eventually they give up and let you go with no recourse.
You should be asking the above questions and getting tangible answers when you interview. As an example, my company has a number of active remote workers and has used them since the company was created. We have daily virtual stand-ups and remote workers are treated exactly the same as on-site workers. The work is software development, which lends itself well to remote work, due to everything being cloud-based. We have a standard contract for working with either individuals or sole proprietorships, and prior to COVID we had quarterly on-site meetups, where we flew in our remote workers to join us for a week-long hackathon.
The answers you get should be very tangible and make you comfortable about what you are getting into.
If you are also interested in a long term relationship with the company and advancing into management, you should also inquire about if eventually working as a remote manager is possible, and if such employees exist today. In many cases you will find that only non-management employees work remote and all managers are on site. Before putting years of your life into a company hoping for something that will never happen, you should at least ask the question!
Remote work is any work that does not require your presence at the office. In this case, you're working from a location that's not your company's office. Instead, you are working from any location that suits you. The most important thing is that you have a PC and a good internet connection, which are the digital tools required to work remotely.
Yes, you can make a decent income from working remotely. According to a ZipRecruiter report, as of Jan 1, 2021, remote workers in the US earn an average of $66,180 yearly.
The best jobs for remote work may include, but not limited to:
- Customer Service
- Programming
- Teaching
- Data Entry
- Social Media Management
- Translation
- Web Development
- Graphic Design
- Writing
- Editing and Proofreading
- Mobile App Development
- Virtual Administration
Time Management
You should be able to make the best use of your time to accomplish set tasks. Since no coworkers or supervisors are looking over your shoulder to ensure you're on track, it is up to you to ensure you deliver your work on time. If you struggle with time management, some apps like Toggl can help you track your time and boost productivity.
Communication
Keeping in touch with your team members, coworkers, or leaders is crucial in remote work. You should be familiar with the most common remote communication tools like email, Slack, Skype, Zoom, etc., especially those used in your organization. Ensure you reply to messages on time. Your messages should be clear, concise, and in the right tone. Endeavor to proofread your messages before sending them.
Collaboration
Working remotely doesn't necessarily mean you're working alone. Most times, you'll be working on projects and tasks with your colleagues. How you work with others will affect the performance of your team. You need to get used to the popular project management apps like Slack, Asana, Trello, etc., so you can work on projects with your colleagues. Communication goes hand in hand with collaboration. Without proper communication, you will find it hard to work with your team members.
Technical Knowledge
Remote work relies on digital technology. So, you need to be tech-savvy. For example, you should know how to use software to accomplish set tasks, be familiar with office tools like Microsoft Word, and not have a problem uploading a document as a PDF.
Focus
Working outside the traditional office setting comes with many distractions, especially if you're working from home. Your ability to be focused on your current tasks despite these distractions will be crucial to your success as a remote worker.
Work when it's most suitable for you to maximize productivity. Otherwise, your working hours will depend on your arrangement with your employer.
- Depending on the size of your home, set up a practical workspace that will minimize distractions and put your mind in tune for work
- Be flexible with your working hours
- Let your family be familiar with your work schedule
- Be clear about communication expectations with your colleagues and leaders.
Respect the cultural norms of your team members. Try to know the time zones of your colleagues to improve your communication. Don't expect your colleagues in different time zones to respond immediately when you message them.
To become a manager, you should be able to set work expectations regularly and on time, provide a means of collaboration for your subordinates, track workers' progress, and maintain maximum productivity from your workers. Depending on your organization, you might need to undergo some training or meet some set goals to get into managerial positions.
- Be familiar with your team's communication or collaboration tools
- Participate in group conversations and be active in video meetings
- Trust your team members
- Be willing to help your colleagues
- Be open about any challenges you face while carrying out your tasks
If you like to be rewarded based on the time you spend working on a particular project, getting paid by the hour is just fine. Monthly payments are best if you prefer to be paid based on the perceived value you offer. Most remote employers have a payment scheme that's either hourly or monthly. For others, it depends on what you negotiate.
You don't need to. Some employers offer paid holidays as an incentive that you'll find in your employment offer. You should find out if your employers offer paid holiday incentives and whether you're entitled to them.
The most remote-friendly industries are IT, sales, marketing, education, accounting, finance, customer support, virtual administration, and project management.
As a remote worker, you have greater work freedom. You can control your work hours and location. You become more productive since you have full control of your work environment and conditions. Working remotely helps you better balance your work and personal life.
To start working remotely, you need a PC, a phone to ensure you're reachable, and a reliable internet connection. For collaboration or to organize your tasks, you'll need project management software like Asana, Trello, or Basecamp. You'll also need communication tools like Slack, Skype, etc., to keep in touch with your colleagues or employees.
You don't need to register your business before you can work remotely. However, registering your business has many perks.
To set up your workspace for remote work:
- Survey your space and separate your working area from your living space
- Use an ergonomic chair and table to enhance your posture
- Ensure you have a reliable internet connection
- Eliminate distractions like the TV, radio, etc.
- Ensure your work area has good lighting
- Get relevant peripherals like headphones, speakers, etc.
We save you the stress of looking for remote work by bringing you the latest remote job listings. Visit our site regularly for job opportunities that might interest you.
We don't charge you any commission for using our website. Ongoing Remote is free of cost.
You do not need to create an account on Ongoing Remote to find remote jobs.
- Effective communication with team members and managers
- Availability and responsiveness during working hours
- Meeting deadlines and productivity goals
- Keeping company data secure and confidential
- Set up your workspace to put you in the right mood when it's time for work.
- Be familiar with your communication and project management tools so you can stay connected with team members and collaborate effectively on projects.
- Set daily targets and keep track of them
- Remove distractions
- Understand that your privacy is important.