Most people I talk with are obsessed with the idea of getting a remote job.
They talk to me about how it will help them with xy or z life problems.
Or how it will lead to them being able to reach a certain life goal (often working and traveling, or leaving their country).
These are all great things that remote work can make possible.
But until you get a remote job, they are just fantasies, and the truth is, sometimes they can feel very far from reality. And that feeling of being far away becomes discouraging.
But you know what’s never far away? The process of getting a remote job.
That’s always there. And getting obsessed with doing that process can transform your life.
Here’s what that looks like.
Treat Your Resume, and Job Applications, Like Works of Art
Artists are famously perfectionists. What’s behind that perfection is an obsession with high standards. They also spend considerable time thinking about what they want the art to communicate.
Treat every resume and application the same way. Insist on creating a resume with the highest standards, and tailor it with the intent to communicate exactly what you need to for the particular job you are applying to. Insist on going above and beyond to write the best answers to job application questions.
Build Your Brand To Get Back At The Haters
Everyone has had haters in their lives. For many of us, they came early, in the form of school bullies or adults who doubted us and our abilities.
Use the anger, the doubt, and fear they’ve made you feel as fuel to build an incredible presence online, through LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and perhaps even Substack. Become obsessed with proving to yourself that those emotions are not valid because you can express yourself as an expert online.
There are other great sources of inspiration, but often nothing feels better than being able to show people who doubted you how well you can represent yourself online. And once you start getting positive attention, it will become a self-reinforcing and you’ll no longer need that motivation.
And over time, that branding will lead to the exact kind of attention you need to land a remote job. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen.
Embrace Networking Like Your Life Depends On It
Because it does, or at least your career does. Start thinking about every professional relationship you build as link in a chain that is your career. You need to continuously grow that chain, but also maintain the individual links, nurturing the relationships and adding value.
These 3 parts, your job application/resume, your online personal brand, and your network, are the keys to getting a great remote job.
And they’re also the keys to having a great remote career.
So get obsessed with having them go well, and don’t focus so much on the end result of getting the job.
It will come if you put the work into the process.