Important Factors You Should Consider In A Remote Job

When you want to find a remote job, it’s easy to forget the other things you should consider. There are a lot of things that go into making a job the right match. The ability to work at home should not be the only thing you think about. Here are some other factors you should consider in a remote job.

Salary

How much do you need to earn from your job? You won’t want to stick with a job if it doesn’t pay enough for you to live on. There are times when you will need to accept a job at a lower salary than you would like, but for the long run, salary is important.

Employee or Contractor?

Many companies prefer to hire remote workers as independent contractors rather than employees. This has tax implications for you. Your employer does not withhold taxes if you are an independent contractor.

Benefits

What kind of benefits does the company offer? If the job is part time, there may be few to none. A full time remote job, on the other hand, may offer benefits. You may be able to get health insurance, paid vacation, 401k and more. Some even offer gym memberships.

I have also seen companies offer remote workers a budget for renting a coworking space. This gives them a more professional space where they can interact with other people.

Do You Ever Go To The Office?

Not all remote jobs are done entirely away from the office. Some require you to go to the office in person. How often you go in varies quite a bit from employer to employer. Some will want to see you every week, while others may only need your presence once a year or so.

How Strict Are Work Hours?

Just because you have a remote job doesn’t mean you can choose your work hours. Many employers want their remote workers to work some standard hours. This makes collaboration easier. It’s very hard to plan meetings or discuss a project with coworkers if you all work your own hours.

How Do You Keep In Contact?

There are a lot of ways to keep in contact with remote workers. Slack is a popular option for keeping in contact. It allows teams to chat, share files, and more. Apps such as Dropbox and Trello are also popular choices. It helps if you are familiar with these.

Company Culture

You aren’t in the office, but company culture may still have an impact on you. Consider the number of hours you’re expected to work. What time of day are you required to work? Is this flexible or not? How much interaction will you have on a regular basis with coworkers? Will you work more as an individual or as part of a team?

Even when you’re remote, you will find that a small company is very different to work for than a huge one. Small companies may be more flexible, not just in the times they expect you to be available, but in considering new ideas. A bigger company, on the other hand, may offer more security.

Growth Opportunities

Just because you aren’t in an office doesn’t mean you aren’t interested in career growth. Find out what opportunities may be available to you. This includes job training, help with college tuition fees and professional certifications. Even if you don’t want to go into management someday, any help your employer gives to keep your skills up to date will be important.

Home Office Requirements

Depending on the kind of remote job you get, you may have to provide your own equipment. You will need a reasonably recent computer for most jobs. Your internet connection may need to be wired rather than wireless. If you are going to be on the phone a lot, they may require that you have an office with a door. You may need a noise cancelling telephone headset.

Some employers will give you a budget to buy equipment to suit their needs, while others may ship equipment to you, rather than depending on you to provide your own.

Work-Life Balance

One of the challenges many remote employees face is keeping a good work-life balance. It’s easy to spend too much time at work when your work is at home with you.

If a company expects a lot of on call time or overtime, it may be very difficult to maintain that work-life balance. Look for jobs that understand that when you close your home office door, your work day is over – unless you don’t mind the lack of balance.