LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Right now, more Americans are working from home than ever before because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And while working remotely may not be for everyone, many people may be enjoying it and wishing it would never end.
It's easy to see why working from home is so appealing. In many cases, you can enjoy a flexible schedule and wearing comfortable clothes all day, while not having to worry about commuting or office distractions.
If any of that sounds appealing, 13 Action News spoke with an expert who says, right now, remote jobs are easier than ever to find. As a senior career specialist at FlexJobs.com, Brie Reynolds breaks down monthly job data.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, she's seen a steady rise in work-from-home opportunities.
"It looks like, overall, remote work is holding pretty strong. We saw a 7% increase in April over March for the remote jobs that were listed on our site," said Reynolds.
After analyzing the month of May, Reynolds says, currently, the most popular work from home opportunities are in information technology (I.T.), education, customer service, writing, and project management. And these job listings come with a wide range of required experience.
"Most of the remote work jobs that we do see require a bit of experience, but what I usually tell career-changers that I’m working with is, a good amount of whatever experience they’re bringing to the table can be transferred into their new career and it’s really about how you package yourself," said Reynolds.
So, when you're writing your resume, Reynolds says, first and foremost, you should list any prior remote work experience, including during the pandemic, and any skills that will help you excel while working from home.
"Communication skills, both in writing and verbal communication skills, those are really critical for remote work, time and task management, being able to focus, keep yourself on track when you’re working, mostly from home, and nobody’s looking over your shoulder, and really being proactive with your communication, asking questions, not being afraid to speak up for yourself, those are really critical skills," said Reynolds.
Reynolds says the sooner you start your search and application process, the better. But she wants to remind you not to forget to include a couple key search terms.
"You want to make sure that you use keywords like remote and telecommuting and virtual. Those will bring back some legitimate companies offering real jobs and you can start your search there," said Reynolds.
But before you start applying and make a major life decision, Reynolds wants to warn you, working from home isn't for everyone.
"A big difference that people people find is that it can be a little bit isolating because you’re at home, on your own. There’s no physically present people in your office. So, if you like the hum of the office and having different people walk by your desk and bumping into people in the break room, once you’re home, none of that happens," said Reynolds.
Contrary to popular belief, Reynolds says most of the remote jobs she sees at FlexJobs.com are not part-time or project based, but full-time, employee jobs with benefits.
If you think working from home might be for you, click this link for more tips to help you get a job.
And when you're ready to apply for remote work jobs, click this link to view the current listings in Las Vegas on FlexJobs.com.
