How do I find Online Work?

Do you have a desire to find a remote job? Are you interested in location independent work? Do you want to try the nomad life of traveling the world and working remotely but don't have a clue where to start finding an income source?

Recently, I have engaged in many conversations in person and online about how to find jobs in general. Or more specifically, how to find remote or online jobs. When I described my best practices for doing so, everyone said they had never thought of that before. So, here are my tips for finding lists of companies that may hire you.

Type of Work & Industry

What do you want to do and in what industry or field? You have to start here. No one can answer this question for you.

If you have absolutely no idea, stop and brainstorm a list of the skills you're accomplished in and enjoy. Reflect on the type of jobs you've held thus far, the types of duties performed, and skill sets needed to be successful at those duties, and why you liked them or certain aspects. Then make a list of types of industries you might want to work in, even if you're unsure your background will be suffice. You'll be surprised on how many transferrable skills you already have to industries you have not worked in as of yet.

Now you're ready to start your search. This is where the fun begins!

Where to find Remote Jobs

You can always start by looking at freelancer platforms push at UpWork, Fivver, or Freelancer, and sites for professional networking such as LinkedIn are nice places to look. Yet, they by far are not the only type of resources. If you want to find a long list of possible companies in your desired industry, start searching for Conferences in that industry. You'd be surprised on how many industries in the world, large or small, that have conferences or meetings, locally, nationally, and internationally.

Below is my real life example of how I use conference information to find leads on potential remote/online jobs and contract work.

A Real Example

I'm a former high school mathematics teacher and university mathematics professor. I enjoy aspects of math education but wanted to learn about career options that are outside of the classroom, and this is how I began.

Step 1: I went to Google and started searching key words such as: math conferences, mathematics education conferences, math teacher conferences. I could add other key words to focus on a certain country or region, like: US math conferences, or math education conferences in Texas. One organization that kept coming up in my searches was, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). That should make sense because it's the longest functioning teacher organization in the United States of America.

Step 2: I found NCTM's website listing past and upcoming conferences. Search through the site to find a Program Guide. This is the golden resource! For example, click here to see the information for the 2019 in person conference in San Diego. Then click on "2019 NCTM Annual Meeting Program Book."

Step 3: Read the Table of Contents, looking for keywords such as: Vendors, Sponsors, and Exhibitors. Then navigate to the pages that list these companies names. BAM!!! You have found a long list of companies, large and small, that have some sort of relevance in math education (the target industry in this example).

Step 4: Thumb through the company names. In this example, the company websites are already given. If they are not, use Google to find their websites. Once on the website for a company, search for a link to Jobs or Careers. Review their listings of available roles and positions, and read the job descriptions. Often they will list if positions are remote or online.

Step 5: Then, go to LinkedIn and see if the company is listed. Review employee profiles, looking at job titles and any job functions or duties. You may find a company has a wide range of type of roles within, but they may be looking to fill just a couple at any given time.

Step 6: Reach out to someone at the company, either on the website or through LinkedIn, and let them know you're interested and available for work. Maybe this means you're going to apply for an open position. But what if no position is open or you were thinking of a different role? Write a short introductory email that could look something like this:

Good Day,

My name is Christina Gawlik and I am writing to inquire about possible project based contract work with (company name). I have experience in editing mathematics content and I enjoy developing resources, as well as accuracy checking materials. Do you have any upcoming projects I could assist with?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Christina Gawlik

Mathematics Education Consultant

(put your contact info here)

This email is short and to the point. By asking a question, the person is likely to respond, which is what you want. They could reply stating they are not the best person to ask, and will likely direct you to someone else within the company. Or maybe they reply saying they don't have any upcoming projects, or are not in need of hiring new contractors. Regardless, you made a personal connection that could develop into someone who can answer questions for you, or they may refer you to another company to consider.

If you found a job position listed on their website that you're interested in applying too, I still highly recommend sending an introductory email. It might look something like this:

Good Day,

My name is Christina Gawlik and I am writing to inquire about the position of (job title) with (company name). I am a former math educator and have experience in editing mathematics content, developing resources, and accuracy checking mathematics. I noticed the job description stated, (...identify something specific about the role), and I was curious if you could tell me more about (something specific to the role). (Then ask a question right here or maybe two questions)?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Christina Gawlik

Mathematics Education Specialist

(put your contact info here)

The example email above has several blanks you'll have to fill in based on the job title and job description. The main point of this letter is to show the person you're contacting that you took the time to read the job description and you have a legitimate question. Asking questions shows your interest in the role and more importantly, and can open a conversation.

Step 7: Rinse and Repeat. One conference program is not the Holy Grail. Review several program guides and see which companies show up in several, and which ones do not. Remember, it's a numbers game. Just because you put in the leg work to find companies in your field, and you contacted one or two, doesn't guarantee a job offer. And if you're seeking project based contract work, you may want several clients at one time. Also, be intentional; don't seek work, just because. Go back to the lists you brainstormed originally and revisit what you want to do and why.

Results of this Process

Following these steps led me to a Curriculum Developer position for a STEM education company in 2014, and a role as Manager of Professional Development for a math and science educational technology company from 2015-2017. Summer of 2017, I decided to become self employed in the general industry of mathematics education, I began by freelancing and seeking out project based work. To this day, I continue to use Exhibitor, Sponsor, and Vendor lists from several conference programs to identify potential clients. It's a surefire way to get a long list of concentrated companies in my field. Then I put in the leg work to research what they have to offer, and blatantly ask if they are in need of editorial services and content development in mathematics at the university and K-12 levels.

Remember, these tips and processes can work for any field; not just education. If you are having a difficult time translating the information to your industry of interest, feel free to reach out and I will offer more specific tips.

Happy remote/online job hunting!

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