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Technical Interview Questions | Top 30 critical questions to ask before you hire!

Are you hiring someone new into the team and need help with the technical questions to ask? Here’s a lit of the top 30 critical technical interview questions to ask!

Conducting a technical interview might sound easy, but is it the case? Can you just use technical problems to assess a candidate’s skills? How can interviewers get a sense of how a candidate’s capabilities will help them succeed in the role they are recruiting for?

If you’ve got similar questions, then you’ve landed on the correct page. In this article, we will discuss what is a technical interview, why recruiters use tech support interview questions, and how to conduct a technical questions interview with example questions and answers.

Unlike any other job interview, a technical interview is a specialized, rigorous process that tests the coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and personality of the interviewee. The interviewer in this process must assess the way the candidate approaches the problem, breaks it down, solves it, and arrives at the conclusion.

While arriving at a correct answer can be beneficial in this type of interviewing scenario, interviewers should typically look for your methodology and should place more emphasis on that instead of a correct answer.

Also Read: Remote interview guide | Everything you must know

Best technical interview questions

Below are a few tech interview questions to ask in an interview. These technical interview questions and answers shall help you understand what to expect from the candidate and they could be broadly divided as IT technician interview questions or as practice technical interview questions.

Question 1: What do you do to keep your tech skills up to date?

Rationale: This question evaluates how the candidate approaches his self-development as technology can change quickly.

Sample Answer: I regularly read tech blogs written by IT experts. I participate in short-term skills training and work on personal projects, where I frequently refer to some of my go-to sources and forums to check up on the tools I’m currently using.

Question 2: What are your favorite tech products that you use?

Rationale: This question ascertains a candidate’s familiarity with different technologies and how well he’ll adapt to working with the company’s hardware and operating systems.

Sample Answer: I love the sleek design and quality user-end experience of working within frameworks that support JavaScript and Python.

Question 3: What are some benefits of working in an Agile environment?

Rationale: This question probes the candidates’ familiarity and understanding of the environment.

Sample Answer: Agile offers continuous fast-paced product testing at each stage of integration. It helps to fix the small bugs and defects of a project before these issues manifest into bigger problems. Agile is also advantageous for collaborating across departments to give and receive feedback during each phase of the development process of a project.

Question 4: Why are doors rectangular instead of round or square?

Rationale: Technical interviews should include complex questions, brainteasers, or numerical reasoning problems. It gives an idea of how the candidate approaches problems along with the way they think about different aspects of problem-solving.

Sample Answer: I imagine that the shape of a door really has no constraints, but there would be a lot of product waste if manufacturers had to shape and cut circular or rounded doors

Question 5: What type of work do you want to do five years from today?

Rationale: This question can tell the interviewer what direction the candidate wants his or her career to move in and how long will he stay in the company.

Sample Answer: My goal is to become a software architect, is it because I want to make more money and also I am good at managing others.

Question 6: Do you write code outside of the office?

Rationale: It gives you a little bit of an insight into whether this is just a responsibility or job that they come and leave, or they really have a passion for technology.

Sample Answer: Definitely, whenever I get time, I start to upgrade my skills.

Question 7: What’s the best software project that you’ve been part of in your previous organization?

Rationale: This question is meant to gather information about a candidate’s successes.

Sample answer: In order to get project zee completed in my previous job, I found out the key stakeholders and outlined the major milestones involved in completing the project. I worked backward to break down the work and identified obstacles. I then added some extra time to the schedule in case anything unexpected came up. I solved issues quickly and efficiently.

Question 8: How will you explain APIs to a non-technical stakeholder?

Rationale: This question will give you an idea of how the candidate handles the most difficult communication situations.

Sample Answer: An API is a web-based system, software library, computer hardware, and an operating or database system. It is a set of rules and specifications that software programs can follow in order to communicate.

Question 9: Do you consider unit testing essential, or a waste of time?

Rationale: Asking this technical question will give you an understanding of the candidate’s attitude towards their working process.

Sample Answer: It is a best practice in code maintenance and software development. Testing is done for logic errors, coding flaws, and preventing bugs from advancing to the finished product.

Question 10: What are your 3 favorite technical languages?

Rationale: This question will give you an idea of the candidate’s programming knowledge, level of proficiency, and whether they are a good fit for your company.

Sample Answer: Java, Ruby, and PHP

Also Read: Virtual icebreakers for Remote teams | A complete guide

Question 11: which language do you consider as most important?

Rationale: This question will let you know about the proficiency and comfort level of the candidate with the language.

Sample Answer: Python is a powerful and general-purpose language that is used for a range of tasks, including web development, machine learning, and data analysis.

Question 12: What is a SAN?

Rationale: The question will let you know the technical knowledge of the candidate.

Sample Answer: SAN stands for Storage Area Network.

Question 13: How is SAN used?

Rationale: The question will let you know the technical knowledge of the candidate.

Sample Answer: SAN is a high-speed, specialized network that gives access to storage. Mostly are used to improve application availability, enhance performance, increase storage utilization with effectiveness, and improve data security protection.

Question 14: When is it appropriate to denormalize database design?

Rationale: This question tests whether you know how to identify the pros and cons of using denormalization for database optimization.

Sample Answer: Denormalization is needed when improvements are required to be made to a database for it to meet the application requirements.

Question 15: What is the role of continuous integration systems in the automated-build process?

Rationale: The interviewer should ask this question to make sure that the interviewee understands what continuous integration systems are and how they are used in the automated build process.

Sample Answer: Continuous integration is a development process that requires developers to integrate code into a shared repository multiple times throughout the day. Every time a code is integrated, it is verified by the automated build. This allows for the detection of defects and problems within the codebase at an early stage.

Question 16: When you don’t know the solution to some technical glitch, what is the first thing that you do?

Rationale: This question tells the interviewer the capability of a candidate to self-manage, and if they’re a fundamental problem solver.

Sample Answer: I do the research and attempt to find a solution on my own before bringing the problem to their manager.

Question 17: If you are given the freedom to design your dream job, what would it look like?

Rationale: Along with creating a connection with the prospective employee, the question allows a candidate to be creative, this question also reveals bits and pieces about an individual’s long-term goals.

Sample Answer: If I am given the freedom, I will design my profile which is just not limited to office working hours. I like the concept of workcation. Also, my dream job would allow at least 15 hours of research and interaction with the clients who are the ultimate customers of our products.

Question 18: What is your process of getting work done when you get a new job?

Rationale: Every person has a very specific methodology behind the way they work. The question tells their strategy.

Sample Answer: I try to gel up with the culture of the team, and align my strategies with the hiring manager. I try to understand the purpose, plan, and process that are existing in the team and then set up my own goals and processes.

Question 19: Can you describe a coworker’s working style?

Rationale: The question tells what they respect most about the colleagues, and what they learned from them. Does this candidate think about others in the team? Can they distinguish between the strengths different coworkers possess?

Sample Answer: I was really impressed with my working manager in the previous organization. She had the talent to explain complex coding concepts in a way that was easily understood by each one of us on the team.

Question 20: Tell me something about the more interesting problems you’ve been working on the past few years.

Rationale: When the candidate explains what they’ve been working on, the interviewer is able to ask for more details about specific things as they are answering.

Sample Answer: In the past few years, I have been working in the front-end and have been on the client face. It is really difficult to satisfy clients. In the past few years, I have really learned how to explain complex things to clients in a simple manner.

The above section is also a summary of IT technical interview questions, which could also be considered for technical phone interview questions or towards technology interview questions.

Now that you have an idea of how to prepare for technical interview that you would ask a candidate, it’s time you learn about the questions to ask in a technical interview that you would ask freshers. So let’s begin!

Also Read: Remote work policy | Know before you start

Technical interview questions for freshers

Below are the top 10 technical interview questions for freshers. These common technical interview questions will help you understand the candidate who isn’t experienced.

Question 1: At what age did you first learn to program and what was the first thing you had built during that time?

Rationale: The interviewer can get a sense of how excited this candidate gets while talking about something that was presumably a big moment in their life and also showcases their basic communication skills.

Sample Answer: Well, I started programming at the age of 15 during my summer vacations. I started by learning Java. The first program I had built was real fun at that age. It was a program which asks you questions like “Ask me about anyone’.

Question 2: Can you tell me about a side project you’ve worked on (apart from college) in the past year or so?

Rationale: Having a side project is an indicator that the candidate likes to code and is passionate about writing software.

Sample Answer: I have worked on many important projects throughout college. Last year, I built a web scraper. It is a tool that takes a URL as an input and returns the content of the URL as HTML.

Question 3: Can you create an expense tracker? What features will you give it?

Rationale: The answer shall show the technical capabilities of the candidate.

Sample Answer: Yes I can create an interface that clients can use to add and categorize their expenses. I will add features like generating monthly reports based on the inputs and write custom alerts for things, like, “spending too much money on cosmetics… like always.”

Question 4: Have you ever worked on an artificial intelligence-related project?

Rationale: The answer shall show the technical capabilities of the candidate in the upcoming technologies.

Sample Answer: Yes, I had worked on a Chatbot. I created a chatbot that produces real-sounding responses based on cricket sports teams.

Question 5: would you like to work on fun and light-hearted projects? Suggest some?

Rationale: The question shall enquire about the creative side of the candidate.

Sample Answer: Yes, I would love to work on a movie showtime finder or a spoiler blocker.

Also Read: Virtual water cooler for Remote teams | A how-to guide for beginners

Question 6: Can you tell me how the Internet works in a very simple language?

Rationale: The answer will tell the capabilities of a child to simplify complex questions.

Sample Answer: Well, it is like a post office, where you send out a letter and eventually you will get a response back.

Question 7: If I were to ask your last set of teammates (in college projects) to describe to you, what do you think they would say?

Rationale: It forces the candidate to think through the lens of those he has worked with. This can provide interesting insights into the candidate’s working style.

Sample Answer: I think they would call me dependable, sincere, and punctual.

Question 8: What’s the one thing we haven’t asked you about that you want to make sure we should know?

Rationale: This question gives the candidate an opportunity to tell us exactly what they exactly want from the job.

Sample Answer: I am very good at managing people. I really want to be a senior software engineer in this company.

Question 9: Where did you first learn to program?

Rationale: The question helps in getting the background of the candidate.

Sample Answer: As a beginner, I started learning programming from a local institute in my city (Jaipur). But, after that, I started learning from online tutorials. Luckily, some of them were free as I didn’t have a lot of money during my school years.

Question 10: What have you learned from your failures?

Rationale: This question tells the interviewer about how a person overcomes his failures.

Sample Answer: Failures motivates me, as a technical professional. It pushes me beyond my current technical scope to want to learn and achieve more.

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Top 20 Seasonal Jobs of 2021 | How to find the best paid ones and succeed?

Marketing

Are you searching for best-paid, short, temporary openings of 2 to 3 months? Then seasonal jobs are for you. Read on to find everything you must know about seasonal jobs!

Seasonal jobs are temporary assignments provided by companies or firms for performing specific activities. They are a great source of income for professionals who want to fill their pockets with that extra bit of money. Students and part-time employees prefer seasonal jobs to magnify their earnings, eventually serving their additional needs for education or supporting the family.

In this article, we will walk you through the definitions of seasonal employment, the different types of seasonal jobs, and how to get hired for seasonal jobs. We will also discuss the best seasonal jobs for you to decide and apply.

Also Read: Remote Social Media Jobs | How to earn remotely from social media jobs

What is seasonal employment?

Seasonal jobs are on the rise for a particular time of the year as per the demands in the market and of the consumers. Climate, weather, geography, vacations, and festivals are some of the key reasons for the rise in seasonal jobs.

And firms hire temporary workers to fulfil their peak season needs. The reason is they find it tough to manage the surge in demands with their regular full-time employees. This strategy is cost-effective and beneficial.

The temporary workers and professionals benefit from the hire, earning a handsome amount of money to cater to their expenses. On the other hand, the companies need not bear the cost of hiring full-time employees yet satisfy the high demands of customers.

12 Highest paying remote jobs in 2020 | Best Work from home jobs

Market opportunity for seasonal jobs

The holiday season brings a huge influx of summer part-time jobs, Christmas job roles, seasonal winter job opportunities in the market. While most of the seasonal jobs are in the field of retail with the target alone hiring 120,000 workers during the holiday season.

Other high demanding companies are offering seasonal jobs for college students, seasonal online jobs, winter break jobs, etc to people looking for extra income. Some of these companies are in the hospitality business, event planning, e-commerce, travel and tour organization which hire employees for summer part-time jobs, Christmas jobs, winter jobs, and holiday help job.

The market for seasonal jobs soars high during the holiday season in winter or summers. There is a lot of potential for people with the right skill set to earn extra income and add to their resume. Seasonal jobs are a major contributor to the increase in the employment rate in the U.S.

In 2019, around 263,000 jobs were added in different seasons generating summer part-time job roles, jobs for winter break, and full-time seasonal jobs. If you are wondering when do seasonal jobs end then the good news is they keep popping up throughout the year in the winter season, holiday time, summer season, etc.

Also Read: Remote Customer Service Jobs | All You Need To Know

Top industry sectors for seasonal jobs

Various industries hire seasonal workers of different skill sets to meet their demands. The prominent among them being,

1. Retail

The retail industry sector has its peak seasons mainly during Christmas, Black Friday, and other prominent festive seasons. Customers flock in large numbers to buy gifts, decorative items, food, clothes, and many more to celebrate festive occasions. There is a sharp increase in demand, coupled with the need for customer service.

Many retailers face a dire need for salespersons, cashiers, cleaners, maintenance personnel, etc. It is a good opportunity for you to look for Retail temporary jobs in the peak seasons and pile up some funds.

2. Tourism

The tourism industry is one of the best examples of seasonal jobs. Hill Stations normally are frequented by visitors during the summers. The tour operators, hotels, and resorts require temporary employees to serve their customers.

If you have a good knowledge of the historical and natural heritage of a place, then being a temporary travel guide is a good option. You can work in a hotel or a resort in their in-house restaurants or housekeeping too.

Certain places invite tourists due to their fabulous adventure sports facilities. If you have skills, you can try out being a sports guide. The national parks, lakes, camps often need travel guides or camp managers. You can opt for such kind of jobs too.

3. Package Delivery

Online businesses, retail operators, restaurants, and food chains receive high orders during festive seasons and holidays. They require additional help for providing their packages to their customers within their stipulated time and pace.

They do not want to put their reputation on stake due to the high demands. Hence they hire temporary workers, either for delivering door to door or as a driver or at their package centres. These are good opportunities to earn a handsome amount of money.

4. Construction

Certain activities in a construction business occur during summers, especially the foundation work or piling the rooftops. The industry needs project managers and temporary workers to fulfil their demands. If you possess expertise in these areas, you can easily opt for working for them.

Areas that remain chilled for most of the year require temporary hires for drying or heating certain elements in the construction process. At the same time, hot and humid places may need extra cooling facilities and effort. Additional demands are always on the rise in this sector, hence ideal for earning some money.

5. Accounting

If you have a fair knowledge of tax rules and regulations, then applying for a temporary, seasonal job in accounting is a good option. Most tax firms and accountants face high demands from customers as soon as the tax-filing process commences.

They need additional help to perform the tax calculations, filing of tax returns, arranging documents and answering customer calls. The task is a safe and secure way to gain some money.

Also Read: Remote Accounting Jobs | Manage Finances From Home

Which are the best seasonal jobs?

Below is a quick list of top 20 seasonal jobs you will find interesting,

1. Seasonal retail jobs – retail salesperson

Retail stores experience a huge influx of customers during the peak seasons. The supermarkets and stores are flocked by people of different generations with a variety of demands. There is a significant need for salespersons or associates to attend the customers and guide them to their products. You can either be hired as a floor manager or a floor attendant.

Responsibilities involve assisting the customers in selecting or searching for their products. You can earn some extra commissions for influencing a certain percentage of sales. It is one of the high paying seasonal jobs.

2. Seasonal marketing jobs – Social media manager

This is one of the best seasonal remote jobs. Certain online businesses and entrepreneurs campaign about their products or services at specific times of a year. They hire temporary social media managers or assistants to promote in different social media platforms.

The responsibilities usually are to write out emails, announcements, host online campaigns and events with prospective customers. They need to constantly connect with the clients and also respond to various queries.

3. Seasonal customer support jobs – Customer service representative

Mostly retail and tourism industry sectors hire customer service representatives for seasonal jobs. They need to handle a huge number of customer calls and queries to answer during the peak seasons. This is also considered one of the best seasonal remote jobs as you can easily respond via emails, phone calls, or chats.

Some companies hire for their call centres wherein you need to be present physically at the office premises. Other companies require professionals to attend customers face to face.

4. Seasonal travel jobs – Travel Guide

If you love travelling and sharing experiences with travellers, being a travel guide is the best option. During the holidays and vacations, tour operators, travel agents, and companies require guides for handling tourists from various parts of the world.

If you speak multiple languages, then it is an added boon. It is one of the thrilling part-time seasonal jobs where you are acquainted with different kinds of people. You can also move around various places while being additionally earning money for your financial needs.

5. Seasonal festivals jobs – Gift Wrapper

Retail stores mostly need gift wrappers during the festive seasons. People buy gifts to share with their near and dear ones. They prefer them to be wrapped up nicely with colourful papers, ribbons, cards, glitters, and many more. You need to possess an artistic inkling to be a gift wrapper. It is one of the comfortable and best part-time seasonal jobs.

6. Seasonal accounting jobs – Assistant to an accountant

It one of the high paying seasonal jobs where you can earn USD 15 per hour. The responsibilities include preparing the tax for individuals or firms. You need to ensure the tax returns are filed as per the norms and regulations. It is a noble and respectful job. You must be proficient in math, accounting, and the intricacies of tax.

7. Seasonal entertainment jobs – Posing as a cartoon or fiction character

Various resorts, hotels, malls, shops, and stalls entertain their customers by decorating and presenting their favourite cartoon or fiction characters. This phenomenon is normally observed during winter vacations. If you are good at acting, posing, and entertaining, then it is the best option for you. It is one of the most fun-filled winter seasons jobs.

8. Seasonal winter jobs – Winter sports expert

Several resorts and travel companies engage in winter sports like skiing, skateboarding, snow biking, etc. if you possess expertise in conducting these activities, then you can easily join as a temporary worker. The job profile includes guiding and assisting the tourists in sports activities with all necessary precautions. It is one of the best winter seasons jobs.

9. Seasonal summer jobs – Summer camp managers

If you love kids and like their company, then participating in summer camps as managers or instructors is an ideal option. It is one of the noblest seasonal jobs. Summer camps are conducted almost every year by the schools, corporates, and even private business firms.

You can entertain the kids by teaching them yogas, art, crafts, magic, and other extra-curricular activities like conducting games.

10. Seasonal photography jobs – Photographer

The demand for photographers is on a high rise during weddings, vacations, and during some specific professional or social events. You can work as a freelance photographer or associate yourself with an event management company. You just need to possess the skills of photography and photo-editing, and you are in.

11. Seasonal cooking jobs – Chef

Applying the job of a temporary chef is considered one of the best high paying seasonal jobs. The hotels, restaurants, resorts, and food chains hire chefs temporarily to meet their seasonal demands during the holidays. If you are an expert in cooking as a professional, then you can jump in for it. You can showcase your culinary skill and expertise.

12. Seasonal driver jobs – Drivers and delivery person

Get yourself cool summer jobs by applying for the position of driver and helpers during the holiday season. Many delivery companies like UPS, FedEx have seasonal job hiring for part-time employees during the festive season. UPS may even offer a pick and drop facility to its employees. You should be flexible with working hours and pick up shifts as required.

To get hired for holiday help jobs either go directly to the company’s website or search in online job portals for holiday helper or delivery. You can apply online and if there is a demand they will get back to you immediately. If you are good at driving then consider picking up extra shifts for supplementary income.

13. Seasonal hospitality jobs – Resort manager

There are plenty of opportunities in summer and winter resorts which may vary from working at a managerial position, food and beverage, concierge, social media, marketing, front desk, hospitality, retail, resort manager, etc. If you live in a location with a resort community or willing to relocate for some time then this is a perfect job for you.

Ski resorts have multiple openings for winter season jobs during the winter holiday season for which being a ski expert is not mandatory. Many resorts open year-long allowing you to turn your part-time job into a permanent position. Visit Cool works and look for winter jobs near me or winter seasonal jobs to find relevant job listings.

14. Seasonal tax jobs – Tax manager

During tax season, tax preparation companies hire a huge number of employees providing season jobs to people to help prepare and file taxes. Do not worry if you are not good at taxes, you can apply for administrative, data entry, marketing, etc roles. The Internal Revenue Service also hires employees to help them with processing income tax returns.

Tax season starts in the fall and it’s advisable to start applying earlier to land a job. Search for seasonal work near me and look into tax preparing companies such as Taxslayer and apply online for the job. Basic skills and knowledge is required to get hired for specific positions.

15. Seasonal fitness jobs – Fitness trainer

Demand for fitness trainers rises during the summer season and during the new year time when people join gyms or visit beaches. You can take online or offline sessions with the clients. People also hire personal trainers to provide athletic, nutritional advice customized as per clients’ needs.

Some fitness companies hire fitness trainers for full-time and part-time positions. Fitness trainers can earn anywhere between $15-18 per hour. Orangetheory Fitness, Auburn Fitness Solutions, Basecamp Fitness, Planet Fitness Growth Partners, Premier Health, etc are some of the fitness companies hiring fitness trainers for full-time and part-time roles.

Search for seasonal part-time jobs near me, summer seasonal jobs, or summer jobs hiring near me to know about the job openings.

16. Seasonal education jobs – Trainer, teacher & tutor

Work as a private tutor or get hired by a company as a tutor during the pre-exam rush to help prepare students for SATs or GREs. Tutoring is also a great seasonal summer job as the demand soars during summertime. You can earn from 10 to 15 USD for an hour as a tutor.

Among online seasonal jobs, tutoring is one of the options as few employers allow you to work remotely by taking online classes with a headset and a webcam. Look for part-time seasonal jobs near me to find tutoring positions in or around your area. Tutoring can be amongst the highest paying seasonal jobs for subject matter experts.

17. Seasonal catering jobs – Caterer

Make some extra cash by working as a caterer if you have some experience in the foodservice business. Caterers are looking for people with food experience and who thrive in a fast-paced environment. Prepare a resume and a cover letter to highlight your experience and skills to get hired as a caterer.

You can get part-time or seasonal work as a caterer in pubs, fast food chains, or restaurants during holiday or peak season. Jobs in the hospitality sector provide good temporary jobs and seasonal job for college students.

18. Seasonal sales jobs – Sales and marketing coordinator

The marketing coordinator is one of the best paying seasonal jobs in the US according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS). The main role of a marketing coordinator is to develop and execute marketing strategies. They are also responsible for conducting and organizing marketing events to promote company products.

Many companies launch new products and sale events during the holiday season hence the need for an experienced and skilled marketing coordinator arises. The position of a marketing coordinator can have the compensation of as much as $52 per hour based on your competency. Simply look for jobs hiring seasonal employees to grab this opportunity.

19. Seasonal inventory jobs – Storage and distribution manager

As a storage and distribution manager, you will be responsible to supervise and manage employees, take care of logistics, look into shipping and customer orders. The responsibilities range from monitoring budget, training new hires and existing staff, ensuring proper enforcement of health and safety protocols according to the industry guidelines.

A prior job experience is required to apply for some of these jobs by the employer. A storage and distribution manager is amongst high-paying seasonal jobs where according to the BLS, the median wage is at $45 per hour. It is one of the best seasonal jobs in the market.

20. Seasonal golf course jobs – Golf Caddy

A golf caddy is responsible for daily activities at the golf course such as greeting guests, cleaning, driving golf carts, and ensuring the smooth running of the golf course. It is one of the high paying temporary jobs where you may earn between $10-15 per hour. Your primary role is to help the golf course manager and accompany the guests.

A basic understanding of golf is required as your main job would be to spend time with golfers. You should know the various golf equipment that might be needed by the customers. Summer season job, summer temporary job, seasonal jobs hiring now search can list the desired openings in golf courses.

To conclude on the list of best seasonal jobs – all the leading job websites post a list of seasonal jobs every year. You must thoroughly check out the job profiles and read the company reviews. If you are looking for building up a career in a particular sector, then it is recommended to be extra cautious before applying for the jobs.

Ultimately these experiences can be added to your profile, increasing your chances of confirmed employment in the future. You must filter the list of seasonal jobs offered by the websites as per your preferences, skills, and expertise.

Also Read: Remote Illustration Jobs | A guide to landing a remote illustrator job

How to find the best seasonal jobs?

There are quite a lot of opportunities for seasonal jobs, yet it is better to be on the lookout for good roles or positions. Who knows, adding the responsibilities may turn out to be beneficial in the future. You can follow the below-mentioned steps to find out a respectable job matching your skills and criteria,

1. Start searching early

If you want to focus on a particular industry sector, then do homework on their peak season demands. Check the time of the year when the companies start hiring for seasonal jobs. This will provide you with ample time to apply for multiple jobs and select the best among them.

2. Professional and Social Networking

You must start networking with your connections employed in the companies, hiring for temporary workers. It is recommended to hand over your profile to them, in case there is an option for Buddy hiring scheme. Check out professional forums and keep your friends and family informed too. Pursue social media platforms too since some do publish about temporary job vacancies.

3. Opt for different roles

If you are happy and comfortable working in a particular industry sector, it is recommended you continue on it. In the course, if you earn a good name in the company and set up a relationship of trust, then it is an added advantage. You can utilize such an opportunity to apply for different kinds of roles, offered for seasonal jobs. There are chances of earning a full-time job in the same sector in the future, a boon for your professional career.

4. Readiness for the Interview

An interview is a crucial part of the hiring process. The companies offering seasonal jobs will specifically focus on your experience and your eagerness to work. Hence you need to smartly answer their questions. You must speak about your experience and know-how of the industry. Talk about your objective of applying for seasonal jobs like earning additional money, pursuing a career in the industry, etc. Express your eagerness to join the company by inquiring about the tasks and activities that you need to accomplish.

Also Read: Guide to conducting and attending remote interviews

Skills needed for seasonal jobs

The hard skills needed for holiday part-time jobs vary from industry to industry. As maximum job openings are in the retail sector, here are few skills you should consider acquiring before looking for places hiring for the holidays.

Retail store operations
Customer service
Warehousing
Retail Sales
Loss control
Cash Handling
Merchandising

Soft skills required for seasonal jobs,

Flexibility is a must when working a seasonal job to adapt to your employer’s needs. A temporary job allows you to have flexible work timings but you should be flexible to pick shifts and extra hours when your employer requires them.
Adaptability is needed for doing any kind of job thrown your way. You might not be experienced in the offered job but adapt to new work conditions and environment would help you get noticed.
Amiability is a bonus especially for those in the customer-facing roles. A friendly, affable, and courteous person will always be appreciated when dealing with customers.
Fast Learning to quickly adapt to the company’s culture and grasp the temporary staff training given by the employer. Holidays are a busy time and you won’t get much time to settle down in the job.

A positive attitude helps in dealing with customer complaints and issues without getting stressed due to the huge workload. Work effectively without letting the stress affect you and your work.

Also Read: Remote Tax Preparer Jobs | Guide To Work From Home Tax Preparer jobs

Top 25 dream companies for seasonal jobs

Here are the top 25 dream companies for seasonal jobs, best temporary jobs, seasonal part-time job positions, etc.

Amazon employs around 92,000 employees for seasonal retail jobs, part-time holiday job positions.
Draftkings is a sports technology and entertainment platform that offers fantasy sports contests.
Harry & David maintains a staff of 8000 seasonal employees along with 2500 regular positions.
Huckberry is a lifestyle and fashion brand for men.
Minted is a global community of artists and designers and sell their content.
Modsy specializes in preparing 3D designs of homes to aid in purchasing decisions.
Perkins & Co is an independent accounting firm based in Portland.
Popcorn Factory offers premium popcorn products, flowers, gift baskets, etc.
Sundance Institute is a non-profit institute that works with independent artists, and audiences.
Taxslayer offers several seasonal jobs during the tax paying season.
Uncommon Goods serves customers looking for unique custom made products.
VF Corporation is one of the world’s largest apparel company.
Williams Sonoma is a quality home retailer which frequently offer holiday seasonal job.
Best Buy is an American multinational company for electronics.
FedEx delivery system offers part-time holiday jobs during peak season.
The Home Depot hires employees for a seasonal retail job.
UPS is a delivery and supply chain management company.
Target is an American retail corporation offering summer retail jobs, etc. It tops the list of best seasonal jobs in 2018 by hiring 1,20,000 employees.
Walmart is a chain of hypermarkets that hire seasonal help for holiday work.
Staples is an American office retail company offering holiday careers to people.
Walgreens is the second-largest pharmacy store chain in America.
Macy’s is a department store chain with plenty of holiday season jobs.
The Gap is an apparel retail industry that hires people for seasonal part-time jobs.
Michaels is an art, crafts, and framing supplies store that provides summer jobs hiring roles.
Hobby Lobby owns a chain of arts and crafts stores across America.

Also Read: Remote travel agent jobs | How to make it as a remote travel agent

Top job boards to find seasonal jobs

Seasonal jobs are a great way for college students or recent graduates to explore different work areas and gain experience before getting a full-time permanent job. It is also a great way to earn money by doing holiday jobs, summer season jobs, winter break jobs for college students.

These summer job experiences can be added to your resume to get a new job or shift careers. Here are the top job boards to find seasonal jobs from home, part-time seasonal jobs, temporary holiday jobs, etc.

CoolWorks
unremot.com
Indeed
Seasonworkers
SummerJobs
BackDoorJobs
Craigslist
SnagaJob
JobMonkey
Kareeve

These job boards provide an option to find seasonal jobs hiring immediately, seasonal part-time jobs near me, seasonal employment near me, and holiday jobs near me to bring relevant jobs to your doorstep.

Also Read: Team Communication 101: What is it and how you can crack it!

How to be successful as a seasonal worker?

If you are successful in creating a relationship of trust and confidence by showcasing your talent and skill as a seasonal worker, then it may act as a life-saver for you. Every year, the companies may call you without applying for a job. You have better chances of earning recommendations if ever you need to pursue your education or work. In the future, if you want to apply for a permanent job, your chances are better than others. Some tips to help you in being successful,

1. Build long term relationships

Imagine yourself as a permanent employee in the company. You must respect your supervisor and peers. Maintain healthy interpersonal relationships with them. Listen to their suggestions and do not ignore them. Follow the instructions and ensure meeting the deadlines.

Abide by all the rules and regulations without any kind of violations. Focus on gaining as much experience as possible by following the experts and seeking guidance from them.

2. Plan your tasks

Maintain a planner of the activities and tasks that you need to complete. Some seasonal jobs are performed remotely. It is essential to note down the details for daily progress reporting. Planners assist in meeting the deadlines.

It also ensures to drill out additional time for any extra work requested by your supervisor. If you offer to deliver more than expected, you gain more brownie points and better chances of being hired again and again.

3. Seek clarity on milestone

Never hesitate to clarify your doubts on the assigned tasks. It is better to ask queries initially than to fail in the middle of the job. During the peak seasons, companies do not want to entertain failures as they may lose customers to their competitors. Therefore you must pay special attention to understanding your work and performing as per the expectations and objectives.

4. Optimise your spend

Calculate and control your savings and expenses. Do not spend relentlessly as it will defeat the purpose of earning extra money to fulfill your needs. The additional income helps in meeting emergency expenditures. Many save the money for their education, vacation, or supporting family members too.

Also Read: Best Pomodoro App 2020 | All about Pomodoro technique and how to use it

Seasonal jobs payscales

Organizations in the retail, marketing, sales, and hospitality sector hire temporary and seasonal employees to manage the workload during the peak festive season. Nearly 2 million employees are hired in different seasonal jobs in the US. The pay structure of seasonal and temporary jobs may vary according to the type of job you’re holding.

As per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) complying with the ILO standards, states that an employee should get a federal minimum wage and be paid one and a half times the regular pay if the work hour exceeds 40 in a workweek. Work hours above 32 per week makes an employee eligible for health benefits.

Entry level seasonal jobs

There are plenty of entry-level seasonal positions in the market for people with zero experience. If you are fresh out of college or shifting careers, then take a look at the list of seasonal jobs that hire people for temporary summer jobs or best holiday jobs without any experience.

Basic skills such as adaptability, flexibility, customer handling, positive mindset, etc are a must while applying for a summer seasonal job. Expected Salary can range between $10-15 USD per hour. Most fresher jobs can be found in the retail section while looking for holiday jobs near me. A basic certification can help you get a summer job that pays well.

Are seasonal jobs good?

Seasonal jobs are good if you are fresh out of college or you don’t have a regular job. Seasonal work can give you experience and fill in your resume. It is good for people who do not want to work full-time. Most of the season works do not pay much though.

Should I put a seasonal job on my resume?

Yes, you should put a seasonal job experience on your resume if you are a college student, recently graduated, or looking to get back into the workforce after a gap. It showcases your adaptability, flexibility, and willingness to make the best use of time.

How many hours is a seasonal job?

Seasonal workers get an average of 24-30 hrs a week. Seasonal summer jobs in the USA need a bare minimum of 18 hrs if you’re working every day of your assigned shift. If the hours exceed 40 then you’re entitled to overtime compensation.

How long do seasonal positions last?

Are you wondering when do seasonal jobs start and end? There are seasonal winter jobs that open around October and lasts till February due to the holiday season. Seasonal summer jobs start in April or May and last till August.

Do seasonal workers pay taxes?

Seasonal hires or part-time workers are not required to pay taxes if the salary earned is less than the standard deduction. There is no need to file a federal or state return. However, if you’re working multiple seasonal part-time jobs you may have to pay taxes.

Do seasonal employees get overtime pay?

If you’re hired by a year-round business to handle the extra workload that comes during holidays then you are entitled to overtime pay. If you are doing more than 40 hours in a workweek, you are entitled to 1.5 hrs of hourly work wage.

Hopefully, now you are aware of how to get hired for seasonal jobs and which are the best options for you. Happy Working!!

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Online Assistant Jobs | Best paid jobs, top 25 dream companies, skills needed, salaries!

Career

Are you searching for online assistant jobs? You are on the right page now – read on to find the top 25 companies hiring, salaries, skills needed, and how to find the best-paid jobs!

Online assistants or virtual assistants are in high demand nowadays by several companies and firms for running their online businesses and even managing their social media networks. This has resulted in a significant increase in online assistant jobs, hiring remote professionals from various parts of the world.

Various types of tasks and activities are assigned to individuals hired for a virtual office assistant role, most of which are quite simple and easy to execute. The article will provide you with the guidance on the skills and qualifications required for online assistant jobs.

It will also help you to find out the right resources for building up a successful career as a virtual assistant. But before we proceed, let us first understand what is exactly is meant by a virtual assistant.

Read: What is remote working?

What are virtual assistant jobs?

A virtual or Online Assistant is a person engaged in multiple functions, aiding administrative or marketing tasks of companies and firms. Digital marketing, social media management, and event management are some of the prominent activities where virtual assistants are actively involved.

They are even hired by individual entrepreneurs for assisting in various kinds of office work such as web designing, marketing, maintaining daily planner and appointments and even sending emails. The tasks and activities are performed by the online assistants from a remote location. Though they are not present physically in the office premises, the importance of their work is of significant value.

For example, the success of many websites and online businesses depends majorly on their exposure to social media platforms as well in the digital marketing world. Virtual assistants are responsible for creating a significant impact by creating promotions and advertisements. Hence the requirement for virtual assistant jobs is on the rise.

Also Read: Remote Social Media Jobs | How to earn remotely from social media jobs

Market opportunity for online assistant jobs

The idea of working remotely is not just a passing fad. All types of businesses are looking for virtual personal assistants. These days, job boards are filled with categories like needing an online personal assistant.

As per a study, it was found that companies that hire part time assistants benefit from lower cost because they don’t have to pay much for paid training, bonuses, and commutation. As per a report by McKinsey, 97% of employers felt that they were much happier by the job of online virtual assistant, as compared to full-time employees.

The statistics about virtual office assistant jobs reveal that this is a present trend and not a fad. This growing trend of remote personal assistant jobs is participating in the overarching global commitment of work from home and hiring of freelance assistants. As per a study by Intuit, more than 50% of the entire workforce will be working from home as an online assistant.

Different types of data reveal that people working on remote assistant positions are as much product as the employees working in the company. Thus, employers don’t shy away from offering personal assistant jobs from home.

Good read: 8 Best Free Video Conferencing Software – Connect, Communicate, Collaborate!

Job titles and career paths under online assistant jobs

Most candidates don’t have enough knowledge about a part time assistant job. As a home assistant jobs come up with different roles and titles. You can get to work in big corporations as well as in small firms. Your duty can vary depending upon the type of sector you are employed. One of the highest positions in this assistant job is of executive personal assistant. Under this virtual assistant work, you will work for the CEO or the director of the company.

Other positions under the online assistance jobs include private personal assistant, celebrity personal assistant, fashion personal assistant, junior personal assistant, and PR assistant. Your role under all these positions can vary depending upon the type of industry you are working in.

You can start your employment as a junior assistant and you can walk up the ladder by working as an assistant to the director and the CEO of the company. If you are working in a PR industry and advertising industry, your task will be different as compared to the virtual positions in a corporate sector. Thus, your qualification, skills, and your education will also determine the type of job you will get.

Read: Remote Meeting 101: How to have better remote meeting?

Qualification needed for online assistant jobs

Getting virtual assistant jobs from home does not mean that you don’t have to be qualified enough. To get an entry level freelance virtual assistant job, you will need at least a high school degree. Completing the basic educational requirement will open up the job opportunities for you.

If you are working as an assistant for a digital marketing firm or a PR firm, you may have to get a degree and certification in that particular field. If you want to work as a personal assistant to the CEO or director of a company, you need to master certain skills by joining certain courses. You can check degrees and certifications offered by these colleges to be a virtual assistant.

Name of college	Degree
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College	Administrative professional associate degree
Copiah-Lincoln technical college	Degree in administrative office technology
Trinity valley community college	Associate degree in applied science
East Mississippi community college	Online office assistance
Northeast community college	Administrative professional program
Palo Alto College	Administrative assistant degree

Thus, get a professional degree from any of these colleges to get lots of opportunities to work as a virtual assistant online. All these degrees will enable you to learn different soft skills and technical skills needed for the job.

Read: Time Blocking: All you need to know about this powerful technique

Skills required for online assistant jobs

The job of a virtual assistant is not tough, you just need to concentrate and focus on acquiring the right skills and qualities. Let us discuss the key traits required for virtual assistant jobs for beginners as well as experienced personnel.

1. Excellent Communications Skills

A virtual assistant has to spend the maximum amount of time in communication and socializing. Without a strong verbal and written communication skills, it is tough to survive in virtual assistant jobs. Social media management, event management, and digital marketing majorly depend upon the way the message is imparted to the audience. Selling products or services to prospective customers needs articulation skills and language proficiency. You need to be extra cautious and vigilant while communicating with the external world on the company’s abilities.

Important Tips: Online learning courses and videos on expert talks are available on the internet. It is advised to assess the online resources for enhancing your communication skills, for better presentation and promotions.

2. Build Trust and Confidence

Working remotely in a virtual office assistant role demands extra focus on building trust and confidence with the company leadership and the team. The sole reason is the absence of face to face contact and awareness of a person’s capability to work as a virtual assistant. First and foremost you need to proactively explain your way of working to your supervisor to be in sync with the company’s expectations.

Once the expectations are set, it is vital to fulfill them without any deviations. In case of any unexpected issues, you must be prompt in communicating the risks in advance. Never miss deadlines it is better to finish your assignments before the stipulated time.

Important Tips: Never over-commit on deadlines. Analyze your bandwidth and work capacity, before agreeing on the dates. Maintain a planner to ensure all tasks are completed within the specified timelines. It is a very important criterion for success in online virtual assistant jobs.

3. Resourceful and Knowledgeable

Online assistants are often asked multiple questions by their clients related to the industrial domain you are focused on or the online business you are engaged in. It is very important to keep yourself equipped for the same. Gaining adequate knowledge on each subject of concern is a must to provide appropriate answers to a customer’s query.

You must be prompt and swift in answering the queries. This will provide customers the required trust and confidence in you for future endeavors. Success in online virtual assistant jobs largely depends on the intellect and knowledge level of the professionals hired for the work.

Important Tips: Various YouTube videos, online courses, and materials are available on the internet on numerous topics. You need to search for them and scan through them in detail for acquiring adequate information.

4. Reliable and Dependent

Companies and firms hiring for online assistant jobs, often are under an apprehension of work avoidance by remote professionals. The very basic reason that the professionals are not present physically in the office premises, is the cause of the fear.

For virtual assistants, it is very important to present a reliable and dependent image of yours to the company leadership and management. You need to acknowledge communication from your supervisors and team as and when needed or mandated.

You must report your daily or weekly progress as per the schedule specified by your manager. The same applies to your customers or clients as well. Negligence of customer’s needs is not acceptable in any form of remote virtual assistant jobs.

Fact: Never avoid your manager or supervisor, be it in emails, audio calls, or video conference calls. Ensure that you are never chased for finishing up your work or assignment. If you ever happened to miss any telephone calls or emails, apologize and get back as soon as you can.

5. Efficient Time Management

As virtual assistants, you may need to handle multiple clients and may be assigned different types of activities. Unless you manage your time appropriately for each of the task or activity, you may fail in meeting the stipulated deadlines. Numerous reliable and secure time management applications and tools are available online to track your time and schedule for daily activities.

You can even maintain the progress of each task and ensure completion within the time set for them. The habit will ensure that your customer’s demands are met, gaining trust and confidence. Your future is secured and growth is inevitable.

Tips: It is recommended to maintain both your professional tasks as well as personal activities in a digital or online calendar. You can thus maintain an appropriate balance between both your professional and personal lives.

6. Organization Capabilities

Just like time management, obtaining effective organizational capabilities is one of the important virtual assistant job skills. Noting down all assignments and prioritizing them as per their criticality and deadlines are essential aspects of success in remote virtual assistant jobs.

It will help in the seamless execution of the activities and smooth completion of your assignments within the mentioned deadlines. You can consult experts and go through online videos and articles to enhance organizational skills and expertise.

7. Technical Knowhow

Virtual assistants need to continuously leverage online applications and tools to interact with their customers, managers, and team. Maintaining updated software and hardware for laptops or desktops are important to ensure appropriate quality and consistency in communications and conversations.

Continuous internet connectivity is essential for smooth and seamless networking without any disruptions. Unless you possess adequate knowledge of the latest updates in software, hardware, audio, and video conferencing tools, you will not be able to ensure proper collaborations.

Remember: Always test and check your installed applications and network connectivity before initiating any meetings or conversations with your customers or managers. Remember, no one entertains disturbances in online conversations. People tend to lose concentration and interest in your work, which may severely hamper your job.

8. Social Media Management

Awareness of social media platforms and promotion techniques is one of the essential virtual assistant job skills. You need to understand which platforms to target for the promotion and online selling of products and services.

Each social media platform has a different algorithm for success. You need to understand the logic and apply them to upsell or cross-sell your company’s products and services. Companies and firms prefer knowledge of social media management while recruiting for online assistant jobs.

Tip: It is recommended to scan through different prominent social media platforms and read articles on how to achieve success in promotion.

9. Awareness of Revenue generating tasks

One of the critical business skills of a virtual assistant is to recognize the tasks that would help in generating revenue for you. It may be freelance work or maybe a jo title in a company or a firm. Do not engage in tasks or activities that will not assist you in the long term or help in increasing your income and future growth.

Read through articles and expert talks to understand and analyze the activities you can perform as a virtual assistant. Critically review each of them before applying for them and selecting as your future career.

Read: Best resume software | Give the finest first impression

Certifications to get online assistant jobs

You can’t expect to get the best remote assistance jobs, if you don’t have the needed certifications and qualifications. Following are the major certifications that will help you in getting lots of opportunities in entry level virtual assistant jobs.

Certificate in office administration: This certificate will help candidates to improve their office administrative skills so that they can get remote virtual jobs. After undertaking this certification, you will be able to provide office administration, management, and secretary duties to the organization.
Virtual Office Temps Certified Virtual Assistant: This is the basic certification needed to find virtual assistant jobs. This certification will cover basic office administration, document preparation, ethical standards, technology, and virtual office management.
Canva certification: This online canva course and certification will help you to create graphics for different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Certificate in social media management: This certificate will help you in getting action-based training in social media management.
Google Ads certification: Having complete knowledge and understanding of Google Ads will help you in getting digital assistant jobs. This course covers complete knowledge and understanding about all Google platforms like Adwords, YoutubeAds, Display network, as well as Google Analytics.

Good read: Inbox Zero: How to boost your email management! – Productivity hack

Top 10 tools needed for online assistant jobs

If you are looking for work from home assistant jobs, you need to be equipped with the best tools so that you can work with complete consistency. Following are the major tools that you need to work diligently as virtual personal assistant jobs.

Digital phone: From answering calls of the client to communicating with your boss, every personal virtual assistant will need a digital phone. One of the best digital phones that you can use is Skype.
Email: If you have become a virtual assistant, there is no way possible that you will be able to work without an email. Thus, it is important to install good email software so that you can work well.
Calendar: No matter if you have got remote virtual assistant jobs, as a social media manager or a personal assistant to the CEO of a firm, you need to work on a particular deadline.Thus, you will need a calendar to complete your task as per the deadline.
Zone management: for all virtual assistant services jobs, you need a zone management tool so that you can work across multiple zones. Zone management is one of the best online scheduling tools that can help you.
Cloud storage: Even if you get virtual secretary jobs, you will receive lots of media files and folders every day. Thus, a good cloud storage tool will help you in keeping all files and folders safely.
Keyword research tool: If you are working as an SEO executive, you need a tool that can help you in keyword research.
Post planner: If you get online virtual assistant jobs as a social media manager, you will need a good post planner tool so that you can do the posting as per the schedule.
Canva: Canva is a graphic designing tool that can help you to design the best creatives for the social media platform.
Zoom: Zoom is another app that will help you in taking up client meetings and team meetings.
Dropbox: This is one of the best tools that can be helpful in providing organization and storage options to a virtual assistant.

Read: How To Build And Sustain Trust In Remote Teams

Roles and responsibilities in online assistant jobs

Those who are on virtual assistant remote jobs can perform innumerable tasks and activities, some key ones are enlisted below,

Administrative tasks involving data entry, maintaining planners, scheduling meetings and appointments, arranging transportation and organizing company events
Creating contents for websites for their online business, products or services with the intelligence to drive traffic and attract the prospective customers
Social Media management by creating and sharing content on prospective platforms, drawing followers, inviting customers and analyzing the statistical data and reports
Managing emails for marketing products and services to prospective customers through campaigns and even answering customer queries
Research and analysis on various topics related to company industrial domain or niche subjects to provide consultancy and content generation for customers and clients
Web design and development for better user usage and ease of access
Customer services by providing before and after sales support as well as answering different customer queries and clarifications
Monitoring and processing online orders from customers and arranging for refunds
Maintaining finances for companies and firms involving bookkeeping, calculating expenses and earnings and generating financial reports for circulating internal and external stakeholders

Suggested read: How to work from home successfully?

4 steps process of how to be a virtual assistant

Let us discuss now the key steps to adopt for suitability in online assistant jobs and how to pursue virtual assistant jobs work from home. There are various organizations on the look out for candidates who could be working as a personal assistant online for various officials they have in their teams.

1. Decide your Domain of Excellence

You can not excel in all areas as a virtual assistant. Analyzing your capability and judging your capacity is important for deciding your domain of excellence. Based on your expertise, you can venture out into the virtual assistant world.

This will eventually help to shortlist the online assistant jobs and your prospective clients and customers. You also need to decide your preferred type of employment while applying for the jobs – full-time, part-time, freelance, contract-based, etc.

2. Gain Initial Experience

For freshers, it may be somewhat tough to establish their expertise and experience. A good attempt is to create a website of your own and establish your online presence. You can share articles and blogs on different social media platforms to promote your expertise.

You can even work as a freelancer on certain websites or even work as a trainee in any company or firm. Leverage this experience while applying for online assistant jobs.

3. Socializing and Networking

Gaining customers and building trust and confidence are two very important criteria of success for virtual assistants. You need to attend forums, engage in social media, attend seminars and conferences to interact with prospective customers. Socialize with them, establish a network, and interact with them constantly for enhancing interpersonal relations and bonding.

4. Scan through Various Job sites

Various websites offer numerous opportunities for online assistant jobs. Register and create your profile in them. Create an attractive resume and upload it on the websites for acceptability by prominent companies and firms. Browse and search through jobs and apply as per your preference and skill set.

Read: 18 Best remote companies to work for in 2020

Top 25 dream companies for online assistant jobs

Following is the list of 25 dream companies where you can get online assistant jobs from home. They also have separate requirements into virtual administrative assistant job openings, part time virtual assistant jobs, virtual personal assistant, and also virtual assistant jobs from home no experience candidates.

Name of the company	About the company
10Up	Company offers web designing and development services.
Arkency	Arkency is a consulting agency
Articulate	This is a software development company
Automattic	This team is the genius behind the discovery of WordPress and Simplenote.
Buffer	Buffer is a social media management company.
Edgar	Edgar is also a social media management agency.
Fire Engine Red	The company offers marketing, technology, and data solutions.
Flexjobs	The company offers flexibility in finding jobs to job seekers.
Genuitec	Genuitec is a software development company.
GitLab	GitLab is a perfect workplace for modern developers.
Ghost	Ghost is an elegant blogging platform
Groove	Groove provides simple help desk software to companies and businesses.
HubStaff	HubStaff offer time-tracking tools
How-to Geek	This is an online tech magazine producing company.
InVision	Invision provides a design collaboration to companies.
Kanck	Knack offers cloud-based data tool
Rocana	Rocana offers advanced analytics tool for IT departments.
ScrapingHub	ScrapingHub is a company composed of web-crawling experts.
Doist	Doist has a team of best designers, engineers, and communicators.

Toggl	Toggl offers time tracking tool
Toptal	The company is a hiring platform for all types of freelancers.
YNAB	The company offers a budgeting app
Zapier	Offers an automation tool
Basecamp	The company offers project management tool
The wirecutter	Research and testing platform

Top job boards for online assistant jobs

Companies, firms, and online businesses are offering ample opportunities for virtual assistants. They post numerous virtual assistant jobs for beginners as well as for experienced professionals. There are virtual administrative assistant jobs, jobs for assisting social media presence and promotion, jobs for creating marketing and promotional content, and many more.

They hire people from various regions of the world depending on the specialized domain or skill set. You can register and create a profile on the websites and upload your resume for recruiters to scan through your profile and consider recruitment.

The jobs can be searched based on location, type of employment, salary, or companies. Some of the key websites offering a listing of online assistant jobs are enlisted below for your quick reference,

Upwork
unremot.com
Freelancer
Remote.co
Linkedin
People Per Hour
Angel List
The Work At Home Woman
FlexJobs

Companies and firms recruit for various virtual administrative assistant jobs and other online assistant jobs for a few effective reasons. Recruiting virtual or remote professionals saves office space, communication expenses, infrastructure expenditures, time, and energy. They can utilize different types of employment, not mandatorily a full time hire.

So if you are eager to pursue your career as a virtual assistant, then the article will provide you the appropriate guidance and knowledge in selecting the right type of online assistant jobs for you. You can build up your skills, knowledge, and experience and strive for a bright future career as an online assistant.

Top resume elements of online assistant jobs

If you are looking for a remote assistant job, you need to include some basic elements in your resume. Following are the major elements that you can’t miss to include,

Summary of your job profile
Information about your work history
Your past experience and major achievements at your past job
Your qualification and experience
Your skills related to virtual assistant job
Awards and honours received at previous work
Your personal information, including your hobbies, interests, and extracurricular activities.
Your objective towards getting the virtual assistant jobs. This should include your goals and vision for the future.

Online assistant jobs pay structures

The pay structure for part time virtual assistant jobs can depend on different factors. Virtual assistants all over the world can make anywhere between $3 every hour to $60 per hour. Thus, it depends upon your skills, expertise and knowledge.

Virtual assistants with specialized skills like graphic designing, copywriting, and web development can also earn upto $800-$1500. Salary for work from home virtual assistant can vary from one place to another as per the job requirement.

Entry level online assistant jobs

Even if you have little to no knowledge about assistant jobs, you can look for different virtual assistant job openings, especially so, into virtual assistant jobs for beginners. Some of the entry level jobs in virtual assistant include sales executive, junior content writer, junior graphic designer, and office assistant.

You can also choose to work as a secretary to different positions like HR head and VP of a company. You can also get different data entry jobs if you are not skilled enough. So, choose the job type as per your skills and requirements before picking the most suitable remote assistant jobs.

What do online assistants do?

A person engaged in virtual administrative assistant jobs or online personal assistant jobs works like a self-employed worker. They specialize in offering different administrative services to the client. Different sectors and industries are looking for a virtual assistant who can perform a varied degree of tasks like an online appointment, scheduling, social media handling, content creation, and graphic designing.

Do virtual assistants make good money?

Yes, people employed as freelance virtual assistants earn well. The beginner in the field can earn anywhere around $5 per hour. If you have enough experience, you can earn upto $500 per hour. Thus, your scope for making money is dependent on your skills and qualification.

Is being a virtual assistant hard?

No, getting part time assistant jobs is not too challenging, as per a study almost 50% of the business by the year 2022 will look for people who want to work as an online assistant.Thus, there is no dearth of opportunity when it comes to online work from home virtual assistant jobs.

How many hours a week do virtual assistants work?

Virtual assistant jobs part time are quite flexible. Thus, you can choose your time of work as per your suitability. But, in most of the companies, a virtual assistant has to work for at least 6-hours every day.

Do you need a business license to be a virtual assistant?

No, you don’t need a business license to get a virtual executive assistant job. You need skills, experience, and educational qualifications needed to perform the job. If you have certain certifications and degrees associated with the field, it can be an add-on.

Are virtual assistants in demand?

Yes, online assistant jobs are in high demand. Virtual assistants are in demand by businesses as well as entrepreneurs. Businesses that do not want office space are looking out for virtual assistants in different fields. As per a report by McKinsey, 97% of employers felt that they were much happier by the job of online virtual assistant, as compared to full-time employees, so there is a huge demand for IT assistant jobs.

How to find the best virtual assistant jobs near me?

To find the best virtual assistant jobs near you, please visit one of the famous job boards – like unremot.com

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Remote Research Jobs | How to find a dream research job, top 25 best companies hiring (salaries, skills, qualification needed)

Career

Are you a researcher? Passionate about remote research jobs? Here are the next steps for you to build an awesome career in research – read on!

A big boost from the latest global coronavirus pandemic reached the work from home job community. But, even before COVID-19 became a factor, more and more people had said goodbye to their arduous work commute.

Thanks to the ever-evolving technology such as Skype, UnRemot, Slack, Zoom, Google Hangouts, authenticator applications, and cloud storage, text, and email, it is no longer a necessity to be a successful team member by sitting in an office full-time.

In fact, from a home office, several kinds of work can be done just as effectively, if not more so. Research is a very popular field in remote work. If you are looking to find the best remote research jobs, you have come to the right place!

How to work from home successfully?

What are remote research jobs?

Roles of remote research jobs can be found in academia, activism, and policy development, in foreign or environmental organizations, as well as in financial services, business, social science, and the list goes on. An ability to use research methods, plan research activities, perform research, interpret results, write and present reports is what underpins the work.

Your outputs could shape policy decisions or assess existing policies. The prospects for remote online research jobs,

Full-time – If you want full-time remote online research jobs, you will be required to work for only one research firm every working day.
Part-time – if you want online research jobs on a part-time basis, you will be required to work for only a few hours. With this choice, you can carry out freelance research.
Contracts – You will be required to serve a research study in contract online research jobs for a limited period as specified in the contract.

Remote Clinical Research Jobs | How To Find Clinical Research Jobs

Market opportunity for remote research jobs

The market opportunity for remote research jobs is quite high. In a rapidly progressing industry, remote research jobs are potentially on the high rise. Professionals are bound to experience rapid growth in their career in sync with market demands and potential.

As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, remote researcher jobs are expected to rise at a remarkable rate of 18% between the years 2019 and 2029. With more and more industries relying on the data and their extensive research for the betterment and strong market presence, the demand for remote market research jobs is bound to exponentiate.

The number of employees working as a remote researcher will jump over to 130,300 by 2029, as predicted by BLS. The researchers are expected to obtain an average salary of approximately USD 64K in a year. Compared to the other occupations, the rate of growth is substantially high.

However, individuals holding a Master’s degree in marketing, market research, statistics, or business administration, are likely to earn more than the rest. Besides, remote professionals with a strong knowledge of statistical analysis involving Big Data, Machine learning, AI, will have multiple job openings in the future.

The sole reason being companies are relying heavily on market research, analysis, and strategies developed to understand the market demand and customer behavior.

Also Read: Meeting Minutes: What is it & how to write it effectively (step by step)

Job titles and career paths under remote research jobs

1. Remote clinical research jobs

You will need to conduct clinical trials to test drugs for their performance, risks, and benefits to make sure that they are safe to be allowed market entry. This job will need you to work on new and existing medicines with remote clinical research jobs, and will typically be hired either by a pharmaceutical company or a Contract Research Organisation (CRO), which operates on behalf of pharmaceutical companies.

You will usually be involved in all stages of the clinical trial, including identifying and setting up an investigational site, initiating, monitoring, and closing the trial. Clinical trials may be performed in different stages or phases, including trials on healthy individuals, trials on diseased patients, and research undertaken after a new medication has been released to track safety and side effects.

2. Remote market research jobs

You will need to devise, evaluate data collection methods, and implement research methods like surveys, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and opinion polls. Further, you will also need to gather and turn complex data and observations into actionable items, reports, and presentations that can be rendered understandable.

You will be responsible for analyzing data with remote market research jobs, formulating reports, and making suggestions based on research results to identify developments and forecast patterns in marketing and communications.

3. Remote social research jobs

When you are a social researcher, you will use a number of approaches such as interviews, survey questionnaires, and focus groups to examine population sample perceptions, habits, and perspectives on particular issues. Your research could focus on topics mentioned below,

Advantages system
Delinquency
Education
Environment
Gender
Healthcare
Population and migration
Poverty
Social services
Transportation
Unemployment

To influence policy decisions, you will collect, analyze, and evaluate data and information, and present your findings to clients and key stakeholders.

4. Remote operations research jobs

Remote operations research jobs involve recognition of the flaws of market models and transactions. Operation researchers perform analysis, analyze workflows, and propose improvements to business procedures. These analysts work to make sure that companies comply with standards and regulations.

They seek to increase the efficiency and revenue-making processes of a company. Remote operations researchers carry out internal audits. They coordinate with each department, meet with executives, and evaluate their work processes.

Next, they suggest changes where there are deficiencies and prepare reports for managers of executives and operations. These researchers are inclined mathematically as, graphs, statistics, and numerical data must be developed, generated, and reviewed.

5. Remote UX research jobs

If you have good analytical skills and are interested in psychology, research, and coding, remote UX research jobs might fit you well. Your role as a UX researcher will be to provide a website’s users with the best possible experience by making the website as easy to use as possible.

You should also look at the content of websites and consider design elements such as colors and pictures, as well as study user behavior and preference. You will be given a more technical IT role with some businesses. UX researcher roles cross over with UX analyst roles, UX designer roles, and UX architect roles and you may be known by any of these job titles.

Tip: To excel in your remote research jobs, you must learn to take some initiative because if you do only what you are told to do, your study will never get too far.

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Requirements for remote research jobs

1. Education

Remote researchers are typically expected to have at least a bachelor’s degree in the study area in which the research is based. Coursework varies greatly according to the field.

2. Work experience

Prior work experience is not always necessary to be a remote researcher, but prior experience working in a laboratory, even during school, is often essential for scientific research

3. Home office space

When it comes to being a successful remote researcher, a good workspace is required. If you set up a customized remote home office as a foundation for your new remote job, everything else will fall into place. In addition to having all the right technological tools in place, consider what kind of space will provide an environment for you to do your best work.

4. Schedule

Set up a specific schedule for each day. Wake up and get dressed. It sounds basic, but when you first find yourself working from home, these foundational steps may seem easy to miss. Build and stick to a schedule for your workday as best you can, barring any unexpected crises or valid reasons that may pop up and make you break away from your expected schedule.

5. Distraction-minimization

When you are working from home, getting distracted by whatever shiny bauble catches your attention and keeps you away from doing your remote research jobs can be all too easy. Whether it is the playground on social media or just sneaking in one episode of your latest binge-watching indulgence, dealing with distractions should be a top priority. You can set guidelines and commit to a self-disciplined strategy that removes the need for being micromanaged by your new remote supervisors.

6. Work-life balance

Do your family members have a firm grasp of what your remote research jobs mean to you? If they see you sitting at the computer, they may think you are just kicking back and browsing the web. From the beginning, you will need to set strict limits and work from home guidelines to let your loved ones know that you are really immersed in work for a specified set of hours and not just relaxing on the computer.

Tip: Share your research knowledge and findings in developing countries to make immense personal and professional progress that will result from engaging with different perspectives.

Also Read: How to achieve & maintain Work-life balance

Qualification needed for remote research jobs

A Bachelor’s degree in statistics, marketing, maths, social science, communications, market research, or business administration is the minimum qualification needed for remote research jobs. If you are looking for a leadership position in a remote research job, then it is best to obtain a Master’s Degree in market research or similar related subjects.

To build up competency in the respective fields of job research, it is also recommended to attend additional learning courses. These courses benefits in upskilling on research methods, statistical techniques for research and analysis, and marketing.

The top colleges and universities in the US that provides courses to qualify for jobs in market research companies are elaborated below,

The University of Wisconsin, offering courses for research methods, consumer behavior, experimental design, and so forth.
The University of Georgia, one of the best colleges in the US, providing an 11 months Master of Research program
Carthage College in Kenosha, WI where the undergraduates can select research as their major subject
DePaul University in Chicago, IL, provides a Master of Science degree in research Analysis
Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, provides a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master of Science degree in Marketing research and analysis
Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, conducts a Master of Science in Research program
Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, offers the students the program on Master of Science degree in Research
The University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE, provides a Master of Science degree in the Research program
The University of Texas in Arlington, TX, has a research center for conducting research and analysis
The University of New Haven in CT provides market research learning programs and courses

Skills needed for remote research jobs

Research skills are the ability to find an answer to a question or a solution to it. Research skills include collecting information about your subject, evaluating the information, and analyzing and interpreting the information in a way the takes you to a solution.

For employees in remote research jobs, research skills are critical. Some of the most required remote research skills are mentioned below.

1. Analytical skills

Remote research assistant jobs often involve compilation and analysis of data, maintenance, and updating of existing databases. You may also have to perform reviews of the literature or field studies. These further include the below.

2. Communication skills

Often, in a meeting or presentation, you will have to explain the details of your research orally. You will even have to write a letter, email or article. Therefore, you cannot restrict your communication skills to either oral or written communication; both are essential. The kinds of communication skills are,

Improving the productivity of the group
Sensitivity to problems
Active listening
Filing
Surveying
Teambuilding
Oral communication
Written communication
Presentation

3. Creativity

Analysis of information often requires a creative eye to spot trends in the data that may not be found by others. As for problem-solving, imagination is also necessary. The easy path forward is not always the best one. Remote researchers with strong analytical skills are going to think outside of the box to find effective solutions to big problems. The sets of creative skills include,

Accounting
Brainstorming
Collaboration
Upgrading
Predictive modeling
Problem-solving
Restructuring
Strategic innovation
Integration

4. Critical thinking

Having strong analytical skills requires critical thinking. Critical thinking refers to analyzing facts and then determining decisions based on the conclusions. Critical thinking is what helps employees of remote research assistant jobs make decisions that help the study solve problems. It can encompass,

System administration
Continued progress
Checks
Benchmarking
Big data analytics
Research intelligence.
Calculating
Analyzing a scenario
Causal relationships
Classification
Comparative Evaluation
Computing
Correlation
Decision-making
Deductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning
Diagnoses
Dissecting
Testing
Keeping records
Interpretation of data
Judgment
Setting priorities
Troubleshooting
Watching out for details

5. Technical skills – Big Data Analysis

Remote researchers will need technical skills for the establishment and operation of lab instruments and equipment. This further includes the below. Every study depends on the data. Although data gathering is easy for researchers, they need workers who can collect, coordinate, and then analyze the data. The skills most respected by researchers in data processing include,

Algorithms
Analytical expertise
Big data
Calculating
Statistics collection
Analyzing data
Mining data
Server growth
Management of databases
Documenting
Modeling
Modification
Analyzing needs
Quantitative research
Quantitative reports
Statistical evaluation

6. Project management skills

This may seem more of a soft skill than a hard skill, but project management is essential for all research projects. Being a good project manager means being an effective leader, delegating assignments, and measuring each project’s success. Some of the project management skills include,

Benchmarking
Fiscal preparation
Engineering
Manufacturing
Following specifications
Operations
Quality analysis
Project planning
Quality control
Quality assurance
Scheduling
Delegation of operations
Task management

7. Observation skills

You must be able to work extremely reliably, pay careful attention to detail, and maintain records of your work.

8. Time management skills – Prioritization

It is crucial to be able to meet project deadlines when dealing with data and statistics and to manage your time to achieve your goals. You might not be able to do every minute task associated with research.

But, you have to give priority to complete the most important tasks in a meaningful order. When assigning priority, consider factors such as when each task needs to be completed, how long it might take, how important it could be to others in the study, what could happen if a task is not completed, and whether bottlenecks in the process might disrupt any task. Prioritizing includes,

Allotment
Expectations management
Prevention of waste
Prioritizing requests and demands
HVAs (High-Value Activities)
Performance feedback
Target-setting

9. Time management skills – Delegation

Knowing what and when to delegate is an important skill. Many people oppose delegating, either because they want to retain power or because they do not want to employ assistants to save money. In the end, all strategies harm productivity and increase costs. Delegation includes,

Seeking support from experts
Moderating meetings
Presentation
Teambuilding
Leadership
Collaboration
Motivation

Tip: Once you know exactly what you want to do, build good networks with people who will help you achieve your research targets. This will launch your research with greater speed.

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Certifications to get remote research jobs

Do you want to scale high in the competition for remote jobs research? The key to its success is to obtain professional certifications provided by reputed universities and institutions. The top certifications to get remote research jobs are,

Professional Researcher Certification or PRC – Offered by the Marketing Research Association of USA, focusing on research methods and improving business insights
Certified Clinical Research Associate or CCRA – Conducted by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, focusing on scientific concepts, data management, and research methods and techniques
Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) – Offers 3 certificate programs. You require either a Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of experience, an Associate’s degree with 5 years of experience or 6 years of experience to be eligible for the certifications
- Certified Research Administrator
- Certified Pre-award Research Administrator
- Certified Financial Research Administrator
Certified Research Analyst (CRA) – offered by the International Institute for Procurement and Market Research (IIPMR) of the USA for college students, graduates, and postgraduates
Certified Research Expert (CRE) – offered by the International Institute for Procurement and Market Research (IIPMR) of the USA for people with 1 year of experience
Certified Research Professional (CRP) – offered by the International Institute for Procurement and Market Research (IIPMR) of the USA for people with 3 years of experience
Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice – offered by MRS of the UK focusing on providing learning courses on research methods and designs

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Roles and responsibilities of remote research jobs

Before applying for research-based jobs, it is critical to understand the roles and responsibilities typically followed in all companies. Researchers play a vital role in analyzing the data, assisting companies in understanding the market trends and consumer behavior in various fields like social, marketing, clinical, and even in UX jobs. Let us now understand the roles and responsibilities of remote research jobs for your easy reference and guide,

Gather requisite data through interviews, surveys, a questionnaire from potential customers related to the field you are working on
Use various statistical tools and software to analyze and interpret the data
Convert the data collected into charts, graphs, and quantitative dashboards to understand the patterns
Present the reports to the company leadership and management
Analyze the competitors of the company, related to their products or services and their pros and cons
Assist in devising the best solution through efficient data analysis and effective data monitoring
Understand the latest trends of your domain or field of work and use them to improvise your research and analysis
Measure the performance of the research methods and techniques with the expected outcomes and objectives of the company
Help in creating documents, brochures, and user manuals for the end-users to promote the company’s products and services Monitor and forecast marketing and sales trends
Suggest recommended prices of the solutions developed after the completion of the end to end research and analysis.

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Top 10 tools needed for remote research jobs

No matter in which research companies jobs you are involved in, usage of tools eases the tasks on hand to a considerable degree. You need to remember, research is not similar to any ordinary occupation. A significant amount of time and intellect drive excellence in remote research jobs. Hereby we are highlighting the top 10 tools needed for remote research jobs,

Google Scholar – A free online research tool, aiding fast track search of scholarly articles, publications, books, abstracts, and many more. You can create a public author page and start exploring the information from the Google database.
Scrivener – Provides templates to write long articles, extensively used by journalists, lawyers, students, novelists, researchers for their projects. It has both free and paid versions.
Trello – Essentially a project management tool, aiding researchers to keep track of their daily activities and tasks along with the progress of each.
Mendeley – An excellent software, connecting you with millions of researchers globally. It allows you to refer articles from over 5000 organizations thus assisting in completing your research articles.
Scanmarker – A scanning tool, allowing researchers to read paper-based or pdf documents and convert them into online texts. It even provides facilities to translate languages. Hence if you have recorded notes in paper or referring to some pages for your research, you can easily convert them online to refer to your article.
Grammarly – An online spelling, proofreading, and grammar check software, helping considerably in creating accurate research content
Endnote – A smart tool for researchers to search for references, creating bibliographies, and framing sentences. The content can be shared with fellow researchers for collaboration and discussion.
ContentMine – A text-mining tool provides facilities to search, download articles, and refer them in your research work.
ResearchGate – An efficient tool for referring similar articles and connecting fellow researchers through its brilliant network comprising of over 17 million users
Evernote – A single place to store your notes, to do work, reference links, brainstorming ideas, well organized for usage in your research notes and articles.

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Top 20 dream companies for remote research jobs

More and more companies are offering research jobs remote and in a flexible mode of operations. There is no dearth of opportunities if you are opting to build up a career as a researcher. The top 20 dream companies for remote research jobs are mentioned for your easy reference,

RetailData, based out of Glen Allen in Virginia, is a business services company
Kelly Services provides workforce solutions to various companies and is located at Troy in Michigan
Robert Half International, established in 1948, is a staffing and consulting firm
PRA Health Services, situated at Raleigh in North Carolina, is a worldwide renowned global research firm
CACI International, founded in 1962, is an information technology services company at Virginia
Gartner, located at Stamford in Connecticut, is a world-famous advisory and technology research company
CoventBridge Group, located in Florida, provides investigation services to its customers
UnitedHealth Group, a pioneering health care services firm, located in Minnesota
Kforce, operating for more than 45 years as a staffing and recruiting firm at Florida
Dahl Consulting, another staffing and recruiting firm, located in Minnesota
Amgen – Clinical research
Pfizer – Clinical research
Haynes & Company – Market research
Mintel – Market research
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Social research
Protocol Labs – Social research
Air Force Reserve – Operations research
NBA – Operations research
Discovery Communications – UX researcher
Curology – UX researcher

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Relevant resume elements for remote research jobs

It is very essential to have a good resume when applying to remote research jobs. The elements that need to go into your resume are,

Personal details, including name, age, gender, nationality, and contact details.
A professional summary highlighting your experience, skills, and candidacy. In two to four lines, list the most definitive features that are important to the online research job role you are applying for.
List objectives so the recruiter knows what you expect from his or her research, and what your contribution will be.
Highlight the skills that you have that are important for remote research jobs.
It is important to type out your educational qualifications.
You must include any additional certifications or training.
Mention all of your experiences with research along with their assigned responsibilities.
Write down your research-pertinent achievements.
Please state your interests.
Give valid references.

Did you know? Remote research is one of the remote working areas with the highest scope for growth and profits.

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Remote research jobs pay structures

The remote research jobs’ pay structures are quite lucrative, demanding niche expertise and experience. As per the data analyzed by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of remote jobs research is approximately USD 64K in a year. It can rise as high as USD 123K for experienced and leadership roles in research.

For the entry level research jobs, the pay structure starts for more than USD 34K. The median pay is a bit higher for medical researcher jobs remote, being almost USD 88K which is near to USD 42 in an hour. Survey researchers are paid comparatively low, the median being almost USD 60K.

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Online job boards for remote research jobs

You can find top remote research jobs through these online job boards –

Flex Jobs
unremot.com
Indeed
Jooble.org
Glass Door
Simply Hired
Working Nomads
Virtual Vocations
Remote OK
Remote
Remotive

You are all set to find the most well suited remote research jobs for yourself.

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Entry level remote research jobs

At an entry level, you can join as a research assistant or research coordinator. It will help to gain insight into the research activities, allowing you to gain considerable experience on the ground. You must possess an Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in research, marketing, or communications to gain access to remote research jobs.

Attending additional learning courses will stand as an advantage during the recruitment process. Certified Research Analyst or CRA certification is good for freshers to learn the research techniques and methods. The salaries for entry level remote research jobs usually vary in the range of USD 60K to USD 85K in a year.

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Can a researcher work remotely?

Yes, a researcher can work remotely. Also, there are some of the research jobs out there, which work best when one is remote. In the past 2 years, many global organizations have started identifying and hiring resources for research profiles, mostly remotely.

Is remote operations research a good career?

Yes, remote operations research is a good career for those who hold a Master’s or Ph.D. in operations research.

How do I become a remote UX researcher?

To become a remote UX researcher, you will need a BA/BS degree, experience as a UX research specialist, and a good understanding of UI design.

What does a remote market researcher do?

A remote market researcher collects and analyses data on competitors and consumers. He/she studies market situations and evaluates the potential sales of a service or product.

What are remote clinical research jobs?

A: Remote clinical research jobs include writing methodologies for drug trials, designing trial materials, and setting up trial study centers to evaluate the effectiveness of drugs.

How do I get a job research books at home?

If you are looking for job research books then the best place to buy is from Amazon. The books can be delivered online with ease and free of delivery charges if you have an Amazon Prime membership. Amazon also provides a Kindle version and audio version of the job books, easy to read, and use.

Can you become a researcher without a degree?

If you are willing to work as a research assistant, then you may not require a degree for the job. You will be entrusted to work under the guidance of the team lead or your supervisor. But you must have sufficient insight into the methods and strategies adopted for data collection and subsequent analysis using the various software and tools.

Can you publish research without a Ph.D.?

Yes, you can publish a research article without a Ph.D. However, Ph.D. helps to legitimate the article and the hurdles faced are considerably less. A graduate or a person with a Master’s degree will need to undergo certain challenges in receiving the necessary approvals for the publication. Also funding is comparatively easier if you own a Ph.D. degree.

Do you get paid to publish in academic journals?

Normally you are not paid to publish in academic journals. The chances of recruitment in a company enhance once you publish in journals. However, there are exceptions to it. Some academic or industrial institutes pay researchers for conducting research and publishing papers in certain journals, to increase their world ranking.

Do researchers make a lot of money?

Researchers earn more than the pay structure of an average occupation. The job opportunities for remote research jobs are varied. For example, medical and operational researchers earn comparatively high compared to a survey researcher or others. The pay structure of a researcher can rise to as high as USD 124K in a year.

Is research a good career?

Research improves your analytical and problem-solving skills. It enhances your innovative ideas and thoughts, gaining insights into several theories and algorithms which a normal job may not provide you with the opportunity to do so. You can bring in changes in human lives, to the world and also in the field of technology. It helps to pursue your area of interest and cultivate more on it, hence a good reason for a prospective career.

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Accounting Interview Questions | Top 50 critical questions to ask an accountant before hiring!

Remote work

If you are hiring an accountant and struggling with the critical accounting interview questions to ask the candidate – read on!

Are you looking for building up a strong team comprising of talented accounting professionals for your firm? Are you wondering what are the crucial and top accounting interview questions you must ask during recruitment?

In this article, we will provide you a complete guide on the accounting interview questions and answers. These questions will assist you in judging the accounting domain and knowledge of the candidates. They will help you to assess their familiarity with the financial statements, reports, and statutory rules and regulations.

First and foremost, the hiring manager of your company or firm must focus on the basic accounting interview questions. Then he or she must further move on to more advanced accounts questions to deduce the mastery and proficiency of the candidate on the subject matter.

Understanding the roles and responsibilities of the candidates in their prior engagements is also a vital factor in the list of interview questions for accountant.

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Best accounting interview questions

Let us now concentrate and focus our attention on the top 10 best accounting interview questions and the answers you must expect from the candidates.

1. Which are the three important financial statements of a company?

Rationale: It is one of the vital accounting interview questions that a hiring manager must ask. All companies have to generate financial statements mandatorily for sharing the yearly and quarterly results to the internal and external stakeholders.

If a company is listed on the country’s stock exchange, then it’s vital to disclose the financial statements at the stipulated time. An accountant plays a vital role in ensuring the assets, liabilities, income, expense, stakeholder’s equity, etc are properly depicted in the statements without any ambiguities and errors.

The Expected Answer: The candidate must provide you the names of the three financial statements as balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. You must also seek to understand in brief the definition and content of each of these statements. For example, the balance sheet depicts the assets, liabilities, and the shareholder’s equity.

2. Define the term “working capital”?

Rationale: Working capital is a vital concept in the accounting and finance world. Hence ensure to include it in your list of interview questions on accounting. The management of a company must be aware of the money available on hand to meet the short term and current obligations.

Working capital is the one that provides the amount to pay up your current liabilities. The accountant must be aware of the formula and definition as they will be responsible for the calculations and presenting the report to the company’s management.

The Expected Answer: The candidate must provide you the definition in clear simple terms as the difference between current assets and current liabilities. You may further drill down to understand the types of current assets or current liabilities. It will help you to understand if the candidate is aware of the elements that need to be considered in the calculation.

3. What is the difference between deferred revenue and accounts receivable?

Rationale: It is one of the basic accounting questions for interview. This question basically helps a hiring manager to understand whether the candidate can distinguish between the revenue recognition principles and their implications.

Besides accountants must be aware of the accounting entry for deferred revenue and the accounts receivable/ revenue earned by a company. Both deferred revenue and accounts receivable are vital entries into the balance sheet, hence understanding the concept and their treatment is important.

The Expected Answer: Check to see whether the candidate mentions the deferred revenue as the unearned revenue. It is recorded as a liability in the company’s books till it is converted into revenue. Accounts receivable is the amount due to be earned by the company from a customer.

4. What are the different types of budgeting methods and the key differences among them?

Rationale: Budgets and forecasts assist companies in planning their expenses and revenue for the next financial year. The operational transactions can be controlled within the budget defined to prevent deficit and bankruptcy. It helps in preventing losses and over the limit expenditures.

One of the critical duties of accountants is to calculate the company’s budgets utilizing the key budgeting methods. So if you are hiring a candidate to whom you want to entrust the responsibility of foreseeing planning, forecasting and budgeting ensure it is included in your accounting job interview questions.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate mentions the four key budgeting methods – incremental, activity-based, value proposition, and zero-based, then you can consider it as a tick mark. Furthermore, ensure that the person is able to clearly articulate the difference between the methods. You can ask for some examples from the prior engagements.

5. Mention the names of some accounting software and whether you have used any of them?

Rationale: Leveraging accounting software or tools to fast track the financial calculations, reconciliations, and analysis is one of the responsibilities of an accountant. Nowadays companies are purchasing modern technologies with embedded features for drill-down, real-time reports, and dashboards. Therefore you must ensure that the candidate has adequate know-how of the accounting software, to minimize the training efforts.

The Expected Answer: The candidate must be proficient in using any of the key accounting software for example NetSuite ERP, Oracle ERP, SAP ERP, Sage Cloud, Zoho Books, MS Dynamics, Fresh Books, Tally, and Free Agent. You can ask for a small end to end transactional flow that the candidate has executed in any of the software.

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6. Specify the difference between the Trial Balance and the Balance Sheet?

Rationale: It is one of the vital finance and accounts interview questions. If the candidate is unable to answer the question, you must not consider recruiting the person. Trial Balance and Balance sheet are the two most vital reports to ensure accuracy in the financial data and the proper yearly closure of the books. Reconciliation exercise and reporting of assets and liabilities must be at the fingertips of an accountant.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate demonstrates clearly that the trial balance shows the debit and credit amounts at each balancing segment level, pointing out reconciliation errors if any, then you can consider it as correct. Regarding the balance sheet, check the candidate specifically mentions the assets, liabilities, and shareholder’s equity that are reported to determine the company’s financial position.

7. Mention the ten accounting principles of US GAAP?

Rationale: If you are hiring an experienced accountant, then consider this in your list of financial accounting interview questions. Senior accountants or financial analysts of a US-based company need to be proficient in the accounting standards and principles. They must ensure that the financial data and reports are in conjunction with the principles and policies as defined in the accounting standards like the US GAAP, IFRS, etc.

The Expected Answer: The ten accounting principles of US GAAP are Principle of Regularity, Principle of Consistency, Principle of Sincerity, Principle of Permanence of Methods, Principle of Non-Compensation, Principle of Prudence, Principle of Continuity, Principle of Periodicity, Principle of Materiality or Full Disclosure and Principle of Utmost good faith. If you receive this answer from the candidate, you are good.

8. Are you aware of the Bank Reconciliation Statements?

Rationale: It is one of the most common accounting questions for interview. Statements from the bank need to be reconciled with the accountable transactions recorded in the financial system of records. Unreconciled balances must be immediately analyzed and rectified.

This is a job of an accountant and hence you must surely check the candidate understands the concept, its implication and the method to rectify any errors.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate mentions the answer as the reconciliation between the bank records and the actual transaction balance, then you can consider it as correct. You may ask to provide an example of how the person was able to resolve unreconciled errors accurately.

9. Mention the names of the branches of accounting

Rationale: One of the important accountancy questions, hiring managers can consider evaluating a candidate. Accountants must be aware of the different branches of accounting, their significance and usage and their elements.

They are responsible to generate the reports and statements based on the types of accounting and present them to the stakeholders. Hence the question is a compulsory inclusion in the list of accounting interview questions.

The Expected Answer: You must look for the three key branches or types of accounting in the answer – Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting and Managerial Accounting. The first one focuses on the financial statements, the second one focuses on fixed and variable costs and the third one focuses on budgeting, forecasting, and analysis of data.

10. What are the basic principles of debit and credit for the different account types?

Rationale: In your list of key finance interview questions, you must consider this as it judges the fluency of the accounting concepts and terms. Accountants must be aware of the different types of accounts, their purpose and usage and their debit and credit treatments. Else they will fail to reconcile the books, rectify errors and adjust balances.

The Expected Answer: The basic principles of debit and credit for the different account types

An asset account is debited to increase and credited to decrease
Liability account is credited to increase and debited to decrease
Revenue account is credited to increase and debited to decrease
The expense account is debited to increase and credited to decrease

If the candidate is able to explain the above concept clearly, then you can consider the answer as correct.

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Situational accounting interview questions

Situational accounting interview questions will help you to judge the analytical skills of the candidate. The questions will also assist in understanding the candidate’s innovative mindset and knowledge level in handling critical situations in finance and accounting.

The top 5 situational account related questions for interview are highlighted below, along with the expected answers from the job applicants,

1. Describe an accounting process that you have developed or improved

Rationale: It is one of the critical situational accounting questions in interview, enabling a hiring manager to assess the capabilities of the candidate. A company defines an accounting process but that needs constant audit and improvement through automation and adherence to the latest accounting standards and regulations.

An accountant must possess sound knowledge of the prevailing and upcoming innovations in digital finance.

The Expected Answer: As a hiring manager, ensure the candidate provides a clear example on how he or she has analyzed the accounting process of the company and introduced modifications to bring in quantifiable benefits in the financial functions.

2. As an accountant, give an example how you have assisted your company in cost reduction

Rationale: Companies seek cost reduction wherever there are opportunities in their business functions. An accountant must be proficient in analysing the end to end finance business functions, segregate the sub functions that are the greatest contributors to high expenses.

Hiring managers must ask this question to understand the experience of the candidate in dealing with activities that aids a company to reduce expenses and hence attain greater profitability.

The Expected Answer: Check if the candidate can demonstrate in ideating elimination of manual activities with automation, identify non value added activities replacing with functions that add value. You must also check if they are capable of calculating the ROI and the financial elements that contribute to ROI.

3. Elaborate a situation where you have identified a reconciliation error and resolved it within the period close timeline

Rationale: Any period close in a company, be in month end, quarter end or year end, is an important accounting activity. Accountants play a crucial role during this time, especially checking the reconciliation errors and rectifying them within the period closure timeline.

Missing the deadline and erroneous data will result in wrong representation of the company’s financial reports. Hence it is one of the crucial accountant interview questions.

The Expected Answer: Hiring managers must assess whether the candidate can explain a reconciliation error encountered and how the person drilled down to the error transaction using appropriate accounting software and reports.

4. Have you designed the accounting structure of a company

Rationale: The accounting structure defines the financial foundation of a company. The books or ledger balance, reconciliation, debit and credit match depend on the accounting structure. The balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement are also created on its basis.

You must check whether the applicant has the experience of creating or modifying a company’s accounting structure, considering the reporting requirements.

The Expected Answer: Check if the candidate can elaborately explain the accounting structure and its segments. He or she must be able to justify the reason behind arriving at the structure.

5. How would you reach if a client requests you to create an expense record without providing the necessary documents?

Rationale: It is one of the accounts interview questions that helps to judge how the candidate can handle a potentially tough situation. You can judge the quick thinking ability of the applicant as well as his or her awareness of the legal formalities that need to be remembered in accountancy.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate says no to the creation of an expense record without the legal documents that directly link to adherence of taxation policies and statutory norms, then you know the person is experienced.

Also Read: Remote scrum master jobs | A how-to guide for beginners

Role specific accounting interview questions

Let us now discuss the interview questions and answers for accountant that are specific to the roles and responsibilities. They will assist you in gauging the duties undertaken by the candidates in their prior engagements.

You can easily relate to the experience and expertise of the applicants and finalize your decision for recruitment. The top 5 role specific accounting interview questions are:

1. What was your role in your prior engagements as an accountant?

Rationale: It is one of the basic accounts executive interview questions that hiring managers must ask to understand the prior experience of the candidate. If the experience matches with the roles and duties of company expectations, then the person can be easily onboarded.

The Expected Answer: The candidate must be able to clearly articulate the activities and tasks performed in the past engagements as well as the roles played. If the details majorly matches with your needs then you can consider for hiring.

2. What is your role expectation from our company?

Rationale: This is one of the mandatory accounting interview questions. You can understand the ambitions and expectations of the candidate. It also helps you to visualize whether the candidate is eager to join the company and build up a strong career. A person with a clear future vision strives for growth and works hard.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate speaks on the expectations with zeal, mentioning the roles expected either a budget analyst or a financial advisor or an auditor, then you can be sure that the person can be recruited for your company.

3. Do you know what are the top skills an accountant must mandatorily possess?

Rationale: When you are hiring an accountant, you must verify whether the person is aware of the skills required to be a financial person. The skills can be accounting proficiency, interpersonal skills or analytical skills.

It is one of the general accounting questions and answers for interview that you can add on to your list during the hiring process.

The Expected Answer: You must check whether the candidate is confident on the skills required and whether he or she can relate them to prior professional experience.

4. What do you think is the biggest challenge for an accounting professional?

Rationale: If you are listing down the key accounts interview questions and answers for experienced personnel, then this is a must ask. You can understand whether the candidate is aware of the industrial challenges related to finance and accounting. Besides, it demonstrates the commitment of the person towards the profession.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate is smart to point out the trending challenges in the field of accountancy and is able to share viewpoints or thoughts on mitigating those challenges, then you can act positively in hiring the candidate.

5. Where do you find yourself 5 years down the line?

Rationale: Hiring managers must ascertain the candidate’s hunger for career growth and aspirations. A person with a clear vision of the future and crave to attain the heights, is bound to be hardworking.

Hence is must be considered in your list of your accounts and finance interview questions and answers.

The Expected Answer: You can consider the candidate as promising if he or she specifies the aspiring role and the steps to be adopted to achieve the same.

Also Read: Highest paying Remote jobs | An ultimate read for best results

Behavioral accounting interview questions

Along with the basic accounting questions and the advanced finance queries, hiring managers must also ask behavioural related questions. It is important to understand why a person is shifting the job? Is it because of salary dissatisfaction, any conflicts with the previous employers or eagerness to work in your company? The top 5 behavioural accounting interview questions are,

1. Why do you want to work in our company?

Rationale: A candidate may submit resume and appear for an interview to check market value and may not be serious in switching over. You must judge the intention of the candidate and the seriousness in shifting the job.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate mentions about the company reputation and its values and expresses keenness in joining if recruited, then you can consider hiring the person.

2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Rationale: The ability to judge own strength and weakness and improving on them, is an example of honesty, truthfulness, and intellect. You can judge how smart the candidate is in analysing self-character traits.

The Expected Answer: You must check that the candidate is focusing on professional strengths and weaknesses not personal characteristics. Also the candidate must be able to illustrate on how the person is endeavouring in overcoming the weaknesses.

3. Why do you think we must hire you?

Rationale: You must potentially seek to understand the qualities and skills of the applicant that is relevant for the accountant role in your company. Any specific differentiator in the experience and expertise of the person will be an additional boon for your to hire the candidate. Therefore ensure it is included in your list of accountant interview questions and answers.

The Expected Answer: Check the candidate is focusing on accounting and finance experience, appreciations received on prior engagements, certifications and learning courses attended to enhance the competency level.

4. Why do you want to leave your current job?

Rationale: Understanding the exact reason of leaving the current job, is essential. You can judge whether the candidate had any bad reputation in the past, being forced to resign from the company or there are professional growth expectations. A company never wants to recruit a person who may in future cause unnecessary disruptions.

The Expected Answer: If a candidate hesitates to answer, then you must definitely perform a background check before deciding to recruit. But if the candidate confidently speaks about future growth, salary enhancement or eagerness to work in your company due to reputational brand, then you can consider for hiring.

5. What are your salary expectation?

Rationale: This question falls under the purview of HR department. It is important to understand the salary expectations to check the compatibility of the company pay structure. Else even if a person is technically sound, you will fail to provide the requisite role and salary leading to dissatisfaction.

The Expected Answer: You must check the per annum CTC of the candidate along with medical benefits and other employee benefit programs. Try to find similarity with the company’s compensation chart.

Also Read: Work from home government jobs | A priceless list of tips to succeed

Accounting interview questions for freshers

The basic accounting questions asked in interview for freshers must be comprised of queries related to accounting concepts, regulations and policies. The freshers must be judged on their proficiency on accounting terms for interview.

The questions must also comprise of concepts related to recording or posting of journal entries for interview. The top 5 accounting interview questions for freshers are,

What is the difference between debit and credit in an accounting transaction?

Rationale: Debit and credit are the basic concepts that need to be at the fingertips of any accountant. Hence you must include it in your list of basic accounting questions and answers to judge that the foundation knowledge is clear for a fresher applicant.

The Expected Answer: If the applicant clearly articulates the answer as debit being an accounting entry to increase assets and decrease liabilities and credit being the opposite, then you can be rest assured that the candidate is aware of the basic accounting concepts.

2. Define real and nominal accounts with examples

Rationale: Real and nominal accounts are common accounting terms which each fresher must be aware of. Hence you must include it in your list of accounting interview questions for freshers.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate is able to relate real accounts with assets and liabilities and nominal account with income and expenses, you can put a tick mark in your evaluation sheet.

3. What do you understand by double-entry bookkeeping?

Rationale: Double-entry bookkeeping is followed by the majority of companies while recording the accounting entries of financial transactions. Unless an accountant is aware of this basic concept, he or she is not fit for the job. Hiring managers must mandatorily ask this question.

The Expected Answer: If the candidate’s answer focuses on matching debit entries to credit entries and mentions about reconciliation, then you can consider the answer as correct.

4. What is the difference between Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable?

Rationale: Liabilities and assets are the two most important financial parameters when it comes to matching debit and credit accounting entries. Accounts Payable records liabilities and Accounts receivable records assets. Freshers must be proficient with these basic concepts.

Therefore as hiring managers, you must check whether the candidate is aware of the terms and their significance.

The Expected Answer: Check that the candidate provides the answer for Accounts Payable as liable to pay money for purchasing goods and services from vendors and Accounts Receivables as owing to customers for selling goods and services.

Tips: Be courteous and professional while asking questions. Building up a strong relationship from the beginning leads to greater employee satisfaction.

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Remote Insurance Jobs | Best insurance openings, top 25 companies & skills needed

Career

Passionate about remote insurance jobs? Read on to find everything you need to know before moving to a career in insurance!

Insurance is a broad term that includes many forms of coverage including life, health, car, land, and casualty. The industry offers many job openings for those with the right skills and qualifications. If you are interested in an insurance career from home, research various field positions to assess a job that best matches your preferences and abilities.

Job search sites and websites of insurance firms post comprehensive job descriptions that will help you learn about the roles and qualifications for various remote insurance jobs. An actuary, claims adjuster, and the underwriter is among the most commonly held positions by remote insurance workers.

Read: What is remote working?

Market opportunity for remote insurance jobs

A tough time demands something never happened or make people helpless to do the same. The pandemic has created a disaster for every industry which ultimately result in a recession. Employees have been working remotely, after all, who does not want to earn bread and butter.

Remote Insurance Jobs are no less, the insurance companies are facing an awful period specifically the health insurance company. As Covid-19 hit the globe, millions of people are after health insurance companies. They are facing a huge loss in order to satisfy customer’s requirements.

Therefore, to calm down the disastrous problem here is a solution of remote working were in the companies are looking for some skilled employees to work from home keeping the safety measures in mind. Managing plenty of work, companies are finding a way to distribute enough work to the employees who can manage well.

According to the market statistics, the year 2020 is in complete vitality of Remote Jobs. Be it a full-time job or part time, people are considering jobs to conceal the financial losses they had.

44% growth has been seen in remote working for 5 years, where the present scenario has got 4.7 million Americans started working from home remarkably better than that of 3.9 million in 2015. Presently, remote insurance jobs are seeing upward opportunities, particularly after the lockdown.

Must read: Time Blocking: All you need to know about this powerful technique

Job types and career paths in remote insurance jobs

Work from home insurance jobs offers many positions for you to explore. The common remote insurance job roles are,

1. Actuary – Actuaries use analysis to estimate the probability of a risky event. They help insurance companies determine how much they will charge for various forms of coverage. Of the work from home insurance jobs that are listed here, actuaries make one of the highest incomes.

Actuaries usually work for insurance agencies and brokerages which sell multi-company policies. They can even work for a specific insurance firm or government. They also specialize in one form of policy, for example, health insurance or property insurance. Actuaries need to be able to manage statistics and arithmetic and pass a set of examinations. Job titles include,

Actuary
Actuarial Analyst
Actuarial Specialist
Actuarial Associate
Actuarial Manager

2. Claims Adjuster – Online insurance jobs include the job title of the claims adjuster. Claims adjusters work for clients who have experienced damages and are filing claims. Often known as insurance examiners, analysts, experts, appraisers, or investigators, claims adjusters have to determine how much an insurance provider will reimburse for a loss or injury. Usually, they fly to clients and inspect a property that has been affected according to a policyholder’s allegations.

Their work can require analysis to decide how much a claim may be worth. They have to seek expert opinions. Some claim adjusters act as adjusters to the public. Claimants can employ a public adjuster as they prefer not to rely on an adjuster from the insurance company. Being a claims adjuster is one of the highest paying online insurance jobs. Job titles include,

Adjuster
Claims Adjuster
Claims Analyst
Claims Examiner
Claims Manager
Claims Representative
Claims Specialist
Claims Clerk
Estimator
Examiner
Field Adjuster

3. Claims Clerk – Insurance claims clerks manage all of the insurance policy related paperwork. They could be implementing new rules, changing existing regulations, and managing paperwork relevant to arbitration claims. They are sometimes known as policy processing clerks. Job titles include,

Clerk
Administrative Assistant
Bookkeeper
Policy Processing Clerk

Suggested read: How To Build And Sustain Trust In Remote Teams

4. Customer Service Representative – This is one of the lighter telecommute insurance jobs. Representatives of customer service help consumers with different questions and complaints about insurance policies. They can also take customer details after the damage has occurred to their insured properties, and communicate with them on the phone, online, or in person. Job titles include,

Customer Service Associate
Customer Service Representative
Customer Service Manager

5. Loss Control Specialist – Prevention is the responsibility of a loss control specialist. They inspect companies to offer strategies to reduce the risk of loss or injury. Often known as risk consultants, loss control specialists travel to various workplaces to notice any possible hazards which are then reported to the insurance provider.

Read: 34 Best Remote work communities on Reddit, Slack, Facebook

6. Sales Agent – The sales agent role is another one of the lighter telecommute insurance jobs. An insurance sales agent calls customers to sell them different forms of insurance. They clarify plans, direct consumers in the selection process, and maintain insurance records of each client.

Most insurance sales agents work with insurance agencies and brokerages, while some work for insurance firms in particular. Increasing numbers of insurance sales agents provide extensive financial planning services to their clients including retirement and estate planning. Such brokers may also be allowed to sell mutual funds, variable annuities, and other securities. Job titles include,

Sales Agency Manager
Sales Agent
State Sales Manager
Loss Control Consultant/Specialist
Risk Consultant
Consultant

7. Insurance Underwriter – This is one of the most common remote insurance jobs. An insurance underwriter decides whether the insurance will be given to those requesting coverage. The underwriter tests applicants for risk and decides whether the applicant meets the minimum requirements.

An underwriter can also assist in setting premiums for various insurance plans, depending on the risk calculated. Most underwriters are employed by insurance firms, and others can work for different insurance companies. Underwriters tend to be specialized in one field of coverage, for example, auto insurance or life insurance. Job titles include,

Underwriter
Underwriting Manager

Tip: Create a brand for yourself online (through social media profiles) to increase the possibility of landing good remote insurance jobs.

Roles and responsibilities for remote insurance jobs

A person who deals in protecting financial loss or reimbursing a loss by signing a policy is known as an insurance agent. Their responsibilities are packed up with the clients as their job is to keep a check on the policy renewal, identifying risks, checking on claims, etc.

The following are the responsibilities of an Insurer

Promoting the upcoming insurance policies or renewing the existing ones to their clients.
Raising awareness to build a healthy relationship with clients and calling out to multiply customers to create a pool of contracts.
Proposing plans to safeguard their business and health by maintaining a policy keeping their budget in mind.
Maintaining a proper record book, data, statistics, and accounts for a beneficial future.
Risk Management Strategies need to be a handle to guard the risk factors.
Customer Recovery and insurance claims have to be managed in order to avoid any haphazard.
Upgrading the knowledge for the job and keep learning the description of upcoming products and services.
The completion of policy requirements should be look up every time it is notified.
Working with clients to maintain a mutual understanding is a must for the company.
Ensuring customers about the policies and signing the contract.

Must read: Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy

Qualifications needed for remote insurance jobs

The eligibility for falling in the category of insurance work from home positions, a candidate must clear the entrance examination conducted by the Actuarial Society of India, Mumbai. A student who is 10+12 is perfectly eligible to register for an entrance exam. A license is hence required to work in the field of online Insurance jobs which will be issued after attending a training programme.

To opt for Insurance work from home careers, a candidate should enroll himself in the Insurance Institute of India which conducts Licentiate, Associateship, and Fellowship including another training program.

For learning the various forms of Insurance, there are subjects which conclude Principles of Insurance (Principles of Life Insurance), Practice of Life Assurance, Insurance Business Environment.

There are some of the vocational courses introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with GIC and LIC for classes 10+2. Similarly, some of the universities at graduation level has introduced the same course so that once a candidate has completed his graduation or even post-graduation, he can directly apply for the jobs in the insurance marketing and sales of private insurance companies.

Several Posts in the Insurance Industry require the following eligibility criteria,

Administrative Officer (AO) and Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO): A candidate who is holding a Graduation/Post Graduation degree in any subject with a minimum of 50% marks with the reputed organization and is in the age of between 21 Years and 28 years can apply for this position. Recruitment will be from a written examination and an interview.
Development Officer: Any graduate between 21 and 26 years of age can apply for this position where the selection is based on the written test of English and Mathematics. If a candidate is selected, he has to serve as an apprentice for 1 year.
Insurance Agents: To apply for the post of Insurance Agent, one must have a minimum qualification of 10+2. To join as Insurance Agent, one must undergo 100 hours of classroom training conducted by the respective Insurance Company where the syllabus is formed by IRDA.
Composite Agent: The ones who sell both life and general insurance policies and the eligibility test for them is the same as for the Insurance Agents. To opt for this position a candidate must appear for an additional test which is also conducted by the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA).
Insurance Surveyor: They must be licensed by the Controller of Insurance, the surveyor can be engineers, accountants, medical graduates, etc.

There are various courses one can pursue to achieve a valuable position in Insurance. A license from the state is required before opting for a job in Insurance.

The best colleges in the US to specialize in Insurance,

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
New York University
Florida State University
Temple University
University of Wisconsin

The courses for becoming Insurance Agent are listed below,

Introduction to Risk Management
Risk Management – Managing property and Liability Risk
Risk Management – Insuring against Risk
Risk Management – Managing Life Cycle Risks

Skills needed in remote insurance jobs

The required remote insurance jobs skills are,

1. Customer service skills

Whether as a broker, claims manager, loss adjuster, or underwriter, you will be negotiating with or on behalf of clients – and offering outstanding customer support is the key to your success. Although actuaries have less direct interaction with customers, the same skills can help you communicate with your colleagues.

Tips to grow customer service skills – ask your employer for input if you have a part-time job in a customer service sector, such as retailing or working on a customer helpline. Make a note of whenever you believe you have given excellent service. Volunteer to help out potential students on campus tours. Put extra effort into researching the knowledge that they would need.

Tips to handle your online interview – use open, welcoming body language, and smile at your interviewer. Come informed about the insurance industry. Show your ability to interact with people. Find common ground with your interviewers, or ask them what they like about working in the company.

2. Numeracy skills

Some insurance roles are more demanding about mathematics than others. Actuaries deal with statistics and computer modeling, while claims handlers simply need numbers to feel confident.

Tips to grow numeracy skills – fortunately, you use numeracy in your everyday lives all the time. The big one for students is budgeting food, rent, and bills, particularly if they split them with other friends. You may also volunteer as a club or group treasurer.

Tips to handle your online interview – do not think about using prosaic details on your curriculum vitae or during your interview. If you can clarify your effective budgeting strategies before you dive in, you will do good.

3. Organizational skills

Since you are likely to deal with a large number of clients or clients, keeping structured, accurate records are crucial.

Tips to groom organizational skills – technology often includes regular examples of organization. Think of the software that you are using to keep yourself coordinated. How did you pick them and what are they making you do? While working, carry on administrative duties such as setting up shift rotas or assigning tasks. Contribute to planning an event for a student society.

Tips to handle your online interview – do not fear thinking aloud. Explain your thinking processes when you are asked to solve a question during an interview. Even if your response is not flawless, the interviewer would be able to see your methodical approach.

4. Problem-solving skills

You may come across problems in any insurance position that needs a creative solution. As a broker, a client with special insurance needs may need to find cover. As an actuary, the measurement of a new and uncertain risk may confront you.

Tips to grow problem-solving skills – You solve issues in your daily life all the time. Think of occasions when you hit an obstacle – may be a budget deficit for a holiday, a member of a project group who at the last minute called in sick, or two staff members at your work that would not quit fighting. How did you patch it? The more that you try to do, the more problems that you will run across! Engage in something that will need you to take responsibility. Problem-solving experiences are sure to come about.

Tips to handle your interview – you will be given tasks and problems to solve and be watched during certain online interviews. Do not let that fluster you. Take your time and be imaginative. Think carefully.

5. Detail-oriented skills – as common in any work that includes payments and estimates, attention to detail is essential. The ability to pick up on minor mistakes will save you from a catastrophe caused by an incorrect decimal point.

Tips to gather detail-oriented skills – students in science will have it easier – experimental methods and computer programming require attention to detail and justify your success. Carry on activities such as college newspaper proofreading, or record-keeping for a student society.

Tips to handle your online interview – when you are asked a question by your interviewer, make sure you are clear about what you need to do. If not, ask for more information.

6. Analytical skills

Analysis of information is an integral aspect of insurance, whether you are looking at a company’s risks or evaluating different insurance choices to find the right policy for your company.

Tips to grow analytical skills – you would have experience analyzing statistical data if you are a business student, social scientist, or statistician. Look back over challenging assignments and describe how you have been successful. It does not have to include numbers in the study.

Any essay that analyses the reasons for drawing a conclusion and endorsing it is a good example for your CV. Volunteer for tasks that require evidence-based decision-making – for example, choosing a venue for an event based on factors such as location, suitability, and price.

Tips to handle your online interview – to show the analytical skills you might need to do online assessments. Reference assessments can be found online and in career, advice books to help you understand the types of questions you might be facing.

7. Communication skills

You are the expert when you work in insurance – your clients and customers know much less about the issue. To get key details across in a quick, jargon-free manner, you need to be a good communicator.

Tips to grow communication skills – telephone work, such as asking for donations from friends or volunteering for a peer support line help in building up your verbal communication skills and establishing trust. Join a debating society, board of students, or even an improv party.

Enter a student magazine or take on the responsibility for the website of a group. Successfully advertising and event online is a perfect example of your skills in writing.

Tips to handle your interview – speak clearly and confidently in your interview, and communicate through open, comfortable body language. Maintain eye contact with your interviewer.

Tip: Practice answering sample remote insurance job interview questions for better performance in your online interviews.

Must read: Synchronous & Asynchronous Communication For Remote Work

Certifications to get remote insurance jobs

There are different Insurance Agents, some are tied up with the companies and others are independent and sell the policies to various insurers.

A famously known program is the Certificate in General Insurance, offered by The American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (AICPCU) maximum covers fundamental insurance principles and types of coverage.
Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
Associate in Claims (AIC)
Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
Associate in Personal Insurance (API)
Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI)

Read: Best Home Office Set Up For Remote Work – Shoot Up Your Productivity

Top 10 tools needed for remote insurance jobs

Working from the office becomes a tedious routine to follow as it takes a lot of time in commuting and preparation. How about working from home? Work from home insurance jobs requires some of the fundamental tools which will be really helpful as there are various types of remote insurance jobs that are relevant to various insurance domains,

General Insurance
Property Insurance
Casualty Insurance
Life Insurance
Health Insurance

Let us spread some light on the tools which are needed for remote insurance jobs,

Chain Ladder – R package providing methods and models which are specifically used in insurance claims reserving.
Interface for Chain Ladder using Shiny R
Stochastic Loss Reserving Models using MCMC
For Life insurance, Pyliferisk (Python) is a tool in which the python library compiles life actuarial calculations, which is simply powerful and convenient in use.
Life Contingencies in the actuarial domain
Demography – The R package demography contributes functions for demographic analysis including life table calculations; Lee-carter modeling; functional data analysis for mortality rates, fertility rates, net migration numbers; and stochastic population forecasting
Slack- Collaborating with various parties, a smart and efficient app needs to be there in your work case. Slack provides immaculate connectivity between the user and the listener. Whether android or iOs, slack supports well.
JET Insure- is a SaaS-powered insurance automation platform that simplifies the tasks for Insurance Agents. The workload of billing, proposals, quotations, renewal of policies is now under control by JET Insure. As it is the SaaS platform, reporting is under one admin only, employees need not report different agents but one team head.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – Growing the agency is now a trouble-free task having CRM as a tool. A lot more upgraded features are of great use for both the customer and insurer. Salesforce, Hubspot, InfusionSoft, SugarCRM, and Zoho are some of the solutions for Customer Relationship Management.

Read: Remote Meeting 101: How to have a better remote meeting?

Top 25 dream companies for remote insurance jobs

After studying a well-reputed course, how can you miss the opportunity to work with the best companies. Here is the list of top 25 insurance companies that let you work from home,

State Farm
Berkshire Hathaway
Progressive Group
Liberty Mutual
All States
Travelers Group
USAA
Chubb
Farmers Insurance
Nation Wide
AIG
Zurich
The Hartford
American Family Insurance
CNA
AUTO-Owners Group
Assurant
Erie Insurance
Tokyo Marine
Fair fax financial
Great American Insurance Group
WR Berkley
AXA
Markel Corporation
Allianz

Top 10 job boards to find remote insurance jobs

There are abundant opportunities for remote insurance jobs. Working remotely for a reliable company requires a good search. Let us have a look at the list of top job boards for home based insurance jobs,

United Health Group
unremot.com
Aetna
The Hartford
AFIRM
Parallon
Humana
EXL
Anthem
Erie Insurance Group

Read: 8 Simple ways to organize your life

Important resume elements for remote insurance jobs

To find the best companies to work for, having a good resume is very essential. The elements that must be present on your resume are,

Personal details including name, age, sex, nationality, and contact information.
A professional summary that highlights your experience, skills, and candidacy. Type your most definitive characteristics relevant to remote insurance jobs in two to four lines.
List out your objectives so that your potential recruiter will understand what you expect to gain from his or her firm and what your contribution will be.
Highlight the skills you possess which are relevant to remote insurance jobs.
Educational qualifications must be mentioned.
Any additional certifications or training must be added.
Mention all of your insurance experiences along with their assigned responsibilities.
Write about your accomplishments relevant to insurance.
Mention your interests.
Give valid references.

Tip: Mention all your achievements in numerical figures so that your potential employers will know the expanse of your abilities.

Once you gather all the skills required for remote insurance jobs and build a good resume, you can begin your search for the best insurance companies to work for.

Must Read: 8 Remote Work Habits Of Every Productive Employee

Remote insurance jobs pay structures

We all are facing a new normal getting introduced with Remote Jobs. A hike in the opportunities of working remotely is trending across the globe wherein the pay structures are slightly a topic going viral. Are the companies paying wisely in remote insurance jobs?

Starting with the junior level of Remote Insurance Jobs, the paying structure lies $18.75 whereas the position increases, salary reaches up to $34.86 all over the USA. Nevertheless, a lot of people are now employed because of remote working plans.

Must read: 14 Best Remote Job Sites: Start your job hunt at the right place!

Remote entry level marketing jobs

As soon as the Bachelor’s degree is completed, students lookout for the option to earn. The marketing jobs are doing great in the industry, where people holding a degree in marketing management are more enrolling for jobs. Remote entry level marketing jobs are listed below,

Marketing Assistant
Marketing Analyst
Business Development Representative
Sales Representative

Bachelor’s in Marketing Management is a must-have qualification to grab this brilliant opportunity. Depending upon the skills, various packages have been mentioned for the position of Remote entry level marketing jobs. $57,200 per annum or $29.33 per hour are the best salaries for Freshers enrolling for the jobs.

Can you work from home as an insurance agent?

Yes, you can work from home as an insurance agent.

2. Which remote insurance jobs pay the most?

Remote actuaries and claims adjusters get paid the most under remote insurance job roles.

3. What are the skills need to be a remote insurance agent?

The skills needed to be a remote insurance agent are – numeracy skills, organizational skills, problem-solving skills, customer service skills, detail-oriented skills, analytical skills, and communication skills.

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