How to promote remote working skills on your resume

Remote working has been on a steady incline for the past few years. It’s likely to remain hugely popular in 2023, with many looking to make the switch to working from home and ditch their daily commutes. Businesses are gradually becoming more accepting of remote or hybrid working, but they may still have concerns about productivity. It can be really helpful to use your CV to demonstrate the skills that make remote working a great fit for you, reassuring them that you’ll be just as productive as an office worker. We’ve detailed some of the top skills employers will be looking for and how best to incorporate them into your CV.

Communication

Open and clear communication is extremely important when it comes to working remotely. In an office setting people may be more willing to ask a quick question if they’re unsure, and you can easily see what your colleagues are up to. Sometimes communication can suffer when teams work remotely which is a concern for many businesses, so make sure to promote your communication skills on your CV. You could also further reinforce it by touching on communication in your cover letter – maybe even include an example of how it has helped you in the past.

Self-motivation

Now that you won’t be surrounded by colleagues or managers, it’s important that you’re self-motivated. Office workers typically have more direct supervision which prompts them to remain focused, but at home there can be more distractions and less external pressure. This is not a problem if you’re someone who can keep yourself on track – the main thing is that you are completing your tasks in the same time frame as an office worker would. We would recommend noting on your CV that you are self-motivated and can be productive independently, enforcing that you will be a valuable remote worker for the business.

Time management

Similarly to being self-motivated, employers will be looking to see that you can manage your time well. You’ll need to know what to prioritise based on your current workload and deadlines for each task. There are plenty of available tools that can help you to manage your time properly if you’re struggling, even something as simple as setting specific times to work on each task can make a big difference. You could mention on your CV what you’ve found helps you to manage your time, as showing motivation to learn and develop is another thing that may set you apart from other candidates.

Technical skills

Working remotely requires a certain amount of technical knowledge in order to work efficiently. Employers may be less willing to take you on as a remote employee if you can’t demonstrate technical skills, as troubleshooting problems can use up valuable working hours and they’re typically much more difficult to solve remotely. Be sure to mention any IT-related qualifications, courses or relevant experience to promote that you’re computer literate.

When detailing your skills, the most important thing is that you try to match any skills listed in the job advertisement. You don’t need to mention all of them, but matching a few keywords can help to get you through the initial checks. Intersperse these with your own professional skills and a couple of the remote working ones mentioned above, and you’ll have an ideal CV that can help to give you the best chance at securing your new opportunity.

James Ritter is a freelance writer with a particular interest in employee welfare, and has created content for established companies based all around the world