Tech jobs, and specifically tech remote jobs, are all the rage right now, and for a good reason. The ability to live anywhere in the world and still find high-paying work is a very attractive quality.
According to Owllabs, the IT sector has the second-highest (10%) number of remote workers, showcasing a lot of promise.
If you're a tech professional, there's no better time to leverage your standing and take advantage of the growing opportunities.
However, being a remote tech employee requires more than the specific skills and experience for the job duties. They also need to have a variety of other skills to be successful.
In this article, we'll discuss the 12 skills a person looking for a remote job in the IT industry should possess.
1. Self-motivation
Working from home can be very isolating and means you won't have anyone looking over your shoulder or keeping track of your progress. To work remotely, you'll need to be self-motivated and able to work independently.
You'll have to be self-motivated to manage your time effectively, meet deadlines, and stay productive. If you keep yourself organized and motivated, staying focused on your work will be easier.
2. Digital communication skills
Your ability to communicate effectively with your team members is the most crucial skill you'll need to succeed in a remote job. It's essential to have clear communication when you're not sitting next to your colleagues. That means using the right medium for each type of message — email for quick questions and status updates, video chat for fast face time with teammates or clients, etc.
The ability to communicate clearly also includes knowing when not to communicate at all — keeping some conversations private until after hours or offsite meetings are over, for example.
3. Technical tools know-how
As a remote worker, you need to be able to handle a wide variety of technical tools. Not only do you need to know how to use them, but you also need to know how they work together.
You may require the know-how of tools such as:
Google Docs/Drive: This is where most people store all their documents, spreadsheets and presentations. You should be familiar with this tool and understand how to use it for collaboration with other team members.
GitHub: Version control is an essential aspect of software development, and this is where it happens. You'll want to familiarize yourself with how version control works so you can manage code changes through the entire lifecycle of a project.
Slack - Many teams use Slack as an internal chat tool. It allows users to communicate across different time zones without worrying about waking someone up in the middle of the night.
4. Collaboration
A strong sense of collaboration and sharing is necessary when working with other people across the globe. This can be tricky if you're not used to collaborating with people who aren't in the same office as you.
There are plenty of ways to collaborate online. You can use tools like Trello, Slack, Google Docs and Asana to keep track of tasks and share information with your team.
5. Time management
Time management is crucial in a remote role, where it's easy to let email inboxes and Slack channels run wild. A good time management strategy will help you stay on top of your work without burning out or getting distracted by other things.
You'll need to know how much time each task takes and how long it should take to complete an assignment before agreeing to take it on. If a project takes longer than expected, you won't be stuck with extra hours on your plate and no way to meet deadlines.
6. Focused and organized work style
It's important that you can still get your work done with minimal distractions working remotely. You'll need to focus on your tasks without being distracted by coworkers walking around or phone calls coming in. This may require some adjustments in your daily routine.
To stay focused and have an organized work style, it's important to have a specific schedule and plan ahead of time what needs to get done and when.
7. Ability to self-manage (without micromanaging)
Managing yourself and your own time is critical when working remotely. Even though there are managers present online, they'll not remind you what needs to get done next every time. You need to be responsible for your work and be disciplined to stay on task until it's completed.
The ability to self-manage is critical in working from home because there are fewer distractions than at an office. The more independent you can be while getting things done, the better off you'll be when it comes time for reviews or promotions within your company.
8. Focus on details and organization
Tech-based jobs require a lot of attention to detail. You need to know how to read instructions and follow them step by step.
Even if you aren't responsible for coding or building software yourself, you will be responsible for ensuring that your company follows best practices and follows industry standards. That requires paying close attention to detail on every project your company takes on.
9. Critical thinking skills
Critical thinking is an important skill for any job — remote or not. If someone asks you a question, they expect an answer right away. Also, if there's a problem with their computer or software, they expect you to diagnose it quickly so they can get back to work without delay.
The ability to think critically will help ensure that everyone gets the help they need quickly. Also, it allows you to make good decisions even when there aren't many resources available.
10. Adaptability
Remote workers need to be able to adapt. Your office might be in a different time zone, which means that your coworkers aren't going to be around at the same time every day.
You might also be working with clients across the globe, which requires you to work independently while still communicating effectively with others.
Technology also evolves every day, so you'll need to be able to adapt quickly if you want to stay relevant as a developer or designer.
11. Ability to set, prioritize and meet goals
In most companies, employees have an annual or quarterly goal to meet. If you can't set goals for yourself and meet them, you won't be able to do so for your employer. Setting goals is an important part of being successful in any field, especially when it comes to working remotely.
The ability to set, prioritize and meet goals means that you not only need the technical skills necessary for your role. Understanding what tasks will help achieve company goals and which ones can be pushed off or delegated later are also necessary.
12. Online project management
Project management is one of the most important skills for any tech job, and it's also one of the most important parts of remote work. To succeed with online project management, you'll need to be able to keep on top of all your projects, whether technical or interpersonal.
If you're working with a team, you'll need to know how to use project management software to keep everyone on track and in sync. If you don't have experience using online project management tools such as Asana or Basecamp, consider taking a course on Udemy or Coursera to boost your chances of landing a remote job in this field.
Work is looking very different in a post-pandemic world. With more tech companies offering remote work options, it's important to remember that opportunities are abundant. Still, everyone will not have the same skill set that makes them an ideal remote candidate.
As a result, tech companies are increasingly looking to hire remote talent who can telecommute successfully to accommodate the changing digital landscape. Therefore, it's essential for you to understand the evolving digital culture and to possess the skills that enable you to work remotely effectively and productively.
Many attributes make you a good remote worker, but here are three: 1. You are self-motivated. 2. You are responsible and reliable. 3. You have excellent communication skills.
If you're a remote worker, you'll probably spend some time troubleshooting problems with your computer and any software you use. Here are some basic skills that will come in handy: Remote Project Management Virtual Collaboration Virtual Communication Video Conferencing
Employers need candidates with technical expertise who can manage and solve equipment issues and who can operate remotely. Managing problems and navigating systems autonomously is crucial for remote workers because they depend on technology to communicate and carry out activities.
Being a self-starter who is accountable, disciplined, and an organized problem-solver are some crucial qualities needed for remote work. Additionally necessary for remote work are punctuality, adaptability, good communication, and great time-management abilities.
