In 2020, the pandemic walked into our lives and changed how Americans view daily life forever. We were forced out of our usual work settings, reverting to endless Zoom calls and makeshift home office setups. While we seem out of the thick of things pandemic-wise, remote work may be here to stay. Want to join the masses working from the comfort of their homes? The best remote jobs offer the ease of staying in and the versatility of traveling on the clock, many with little experience required.
It’s no secret that working at home has found many of us doing business from unusual places. A recent study reveals some people are working right from their beds! More than a third of employees spend an average of an hour a day working from bed (35%). Nearly a third of those surveyed even worked from their car (28%), and others worked while wave-watching at the beach (8%). That mobile office mentality has given way to the home office. Now, most respondents work primarily from a dedicated home office (63%).
If people are working outside of a traditional office, it would seem likely that a disconnect with coworkers could be an issue. That’s actually not the case. A study shows that people working from home were actually “more engaged” with their colleagues than before the pandemic. In a challenge to widespread concern that employees were becoming disengaged by working remotely, scientists found that meetings happened 59 percent more frequently in 2022 compared with 2020 — going from five to eight weekly meetings per employee.
So, with the reassurance that you can have your cake and eat it, too, making the switch may be more comfortable and keep you more connected. We turned to our sources to compile a list of the best remote jobs to apply for, according to experts on the topic. If you think we missed one, let us know in the comments below!
The List: Best Remote Jobs, Most Recommended by Experts
1. Software Developer
While this career isn’t something just anyone can jump into, it showed up across more than half of our sources as a recommended remote career. According to U.S. News, “Some software developers are able to work from home since they work with programmers to write code on the computer, or they write code themselves. They may also use tools like GitHub to build and test. They work with clients to produce software applications and upgrades.”
Indeed says anyone interested in the field will typically need a bachelor’s degree. “A software developer designs software or applications that allow users to perform specific tasks on computers and mobile devices. While some software developers focus on creating specific software or applications, others focus on creating large networks or systems that manage the devices or control networks.”
“Technology is an industry with some of the more high-paying remote jobs,” writes Monster. Software developers craft the interfaces—from software to apps—between computers and human beings. This career choice offers a high pay rate, low unemployment numbers, and remote-work friendliness. Software developer jobs are expected to be strong for the foreseeable future. For those without job experience, there are many free or low-cost training options out there.
2. Customer service/support
Many people have probably had their fair share of run-ins with customer service representatives. Traveling Lifestyle describes the role: “A customer service specialist is a professional who is tasked with responding to inquiries, comments, and complaints about a particular company. Their primary goal is to improve relationships with each other in order to provide customers with an excellent experience.”
“If you are comfortable using computers and good at communication, consider working remotely as a customer service rep,” advises Oberlo. “One tip for standing out is creating an example demonstrating your ability to serve customers effectively. You can take screenshots of your chats with customers where you turned a complaint into an opportunity—or create other demos.”
So, how do you break into this field? Think Remote recommends enrolling in online training courses from sites like Udemy, Alison and Class Central. Once you have the necessary training, it’s time to apply to a position!
3. Data Scientist
There is potential for some serious money working as a data scientist. “A data scientist is a new breed of analytical data professionals and a relatively new major player in organizations. They are a mix of mathematicians and computer scientists,” explains Traveling Lifestyle. “Data Scientist is the highest paying remote job at the moment with an average base salary of $96,589.”
According to coursera, “Skilled data scientists are in demand in just about every industry to transform large quantities of data into valuable business insights. If you enjoy working with numbers and using data to solve problems, consider a career in data science, artificial intelligence, or machine learning.”
U.S. News points out that this is one of the best jobs in technology you can have. What do you have to do to enter the field? “Data scientists can enter the role with a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as statistics or mathematics, but some employers require a master’s or a doctorate. Data scientists may work in a number of different industries, including health care, entertainment and tech companies.”
4. Content writing and digital marketing
Traveling Lifestyle recommends remote content writing and SEO marketing. What does that entail? “The Content Marketing Manager is someone who can come up with new and innovative content ideas to achieve specific marketing goals. SEO managers, for their part, are responsible for developing and implementing successful search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. Content, design, social media, pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, and other activities must be coordinated.”
Forbes says that digital marketing is one of the top growing fields in remote work. “This should come as no surprise, as we’re all spending a lot more time online these days. Our screen time may be up because of remote meetings and working from home, but data shows we’re also looking at our phones more.”
Another option that goes hand-in-hand with SEO experience is journalism. “Working as a journalist in the internet age isn’t as easy as it once was. With that said, it is still a popular work-from-home job,” writes Oberlo. “Most remote jobs pertaining to journalism require you to have exceptional research skills and be a well-developed writer. But if you’re not quite at that stage, you could also start writing content for different types of online websites.”
5. Virtual assistant
You need relatively no experience when pursuing a virtual assistant position. “A virtual assistant does exactly what in-house administrative assistants do. They offer support to a professional—or team of them—scheduling appointments, making travel plans, and updating databases, from an off-site location,” explains Monster.
According to Think Remote, “Virtual assistants (VAs) are increasingly in demand as entrepreneurs and organizations seek efficient and cost-effective alternatives to hiring full-time employees.”
While it may not require a degree, “the job of a VA requires strong organizational and time management skills, as well as excellent communication and interpersonal abilities. VAs must be able to work independently and effectively manage their workload, while also collaborating effectively with their clients. Additionally, a VA must have a strong work ethic and be able to maintain a high level of professionalism at all times,” adds Traveling Lifestyle.
So we are ignoring now the other studies that attest that remote work causes generally no loss of productivity?
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