Remote recruitment has witnessed a significant rise in its adoption across the world. Consequently, we have published a series of articles titled ‘Who Hires Remotely, Anyway?’ where we analyse the actual impact of remote recruitment. If you are considering remote work and require more insights on the matter, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately.
Our previous analysis segregated businesses using remote employees by their industry and business type. We are now delving into the scope of remote hiring based on various job functions. It is crucial to acknowledge that job roles do not impede remote recruitment in the same way as company size or industry does.
Over the past few years, we have observed a significant surge in the number of individuals from diverse age groups and backgrounds working remotely. The following article analyses the recent shifts in remote work adoption across several industries, professions, and job functions.
Before we proceed with the main article, we believe it’s important to supplement our mentioned data with a brief explanation. The Robert Half’s Annual Salary Guide states that the most coveted employee benefit is the option to work remotely. Additionally, individuals who enjoy flexible work hours and remote work options are more likely to remain committed to their current employer.
Although working from home may have its advantages, it is not the central theme of this discussion. Instead, our focus will be on jobs that are primarily advertised as remote work opportunities and are filled by experienced individuals in this domain.
Great, let’s begin!
Job Functions that Can Be Performed Remotely
The increasing adoption of remote work in contemporary work culture is a testament to the thriving industries and organisations operating worldwide. Studies reveal that nearly half of all job functions can be executed remotely, such as accounting, creative arts, consultancy, mathematics, retail, sports, and writing, to name a few.
Within each job category, an extensive spectrum of roles exists, ranging from entry-level to executive positions, part-time to full-time employment, and fully remote or part-remote roles that involve work travel. Currently, businesses use remote hiring strategies for all these job types.
Taking the retail industry, for instance:
In the retail industry, customer-facing roles like salespersons, cashiers, and greeters are not generally suited for remote work (although self-checkouts are gaining prominence). However, several other roles exist in retail, like product development, packaging, manufacturing, and distribution, which can be partially performed remotely.
Here are three examples of jobs in the retail sector:
Regional Business Operations Manager
serving as an administrative position, this job offers opportunities for remote work, including telecommuting. The key responsibilities for this job involve boosting regional sales, managing customer accounts, and overseeing customer satisfaction levels.Guest Services Representative
an entry-level position and can be performed entirely remotely. It is crucial for the incumbent to deliver customer support through email and phone, addressing customer feedback and complaints by responding or escalating as appropriate.Field Manager
this position acts as a supervisory role and requires frequent travel, with minimum office time. Building and maintaining strong relationships with retail merchants is a crucial aspect of this job.
It’s important to note that among these three jobs, one can be conducted entirely remotely, the second requires considerable travelling, and the third offers employees the flexibility to work from anywhere globally. It’s evident that these staff functions are not fundamental to the workplace, and their non-traditional nature is well-understood by employers.
Qualification Criteria for Remote Roles
Amidst the present scenario, it seems that having remote work skills is the key determining factor in the selection process for prospective hires. As technology continues to offer cost-effective and revenue-generating prospects, its application is anticipated to remain prevalent.
In the current scenario, when hiring for remote positions, a candidate’s experience in a specific job is no longer a primary concern. Several job roles, including “Program Manager,” “Project Manager,” “Business Development Manager,” and “Sales Manager” are now available on remote job boards.
It’s fair to say that there’s no restriction to the positions that can be performed remotely. Jobs requiring considerable expertise, responsibility, and reliability can be executed seamlessly from a remote workspace.
Below are a few remote job positions that require specific experience levels.
- Entry-level remote work positions comprise coaching, editing, administrative support, medical transcription, ESL teaching, and content writing.
- Managerial positions that can be performed remotely include Business Intelligence Practice Manager, Mobilization Lead, At-Home Team Manager, Process Improvement Analyst, Project Manager, National Sales Manager, Senior Technical Assistant Specialist, Implementation Consultant, and Program Director. Each of these jobs offers the convenience of working from home, making them an excellent choice for individuals who want to avoid a daily commute.
- A variety of executive level positions can be accomplished remotely, such as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Development Officer, Chief Information Officer, Vice President, Director of Communications and Operations, Executive Director, and Executive Sales Representative.
Designations for Remote Job Positions
It’s no surprise that the most sought-after remote job positions are also prominently listed on various job boards.
Below is a list of the top 20 remote job positions, along with their respective industries and number of available opportunities:
- Budgeting: 1
- Specialist in Engineering/Information Technology: 5
- Content Creation Score: 2
- Administration: 5
- Qualifications: 2
- Medical Professionals: 2
- Sales: 3
It’s hardly surprising that 25% of the top 20 remote job positions are in the information technology industry. What may come as a surprise to some, however, is that 25% of the most desirable remote positions are managerial positions.
As per FlexJobs, the 20 most sought-after job positions are:
- Accountant
- Program Manager
- Educator/Faculty Member
- Writer
- Consultant
- Engineer
- Project Manager
- Business Development Manager
- Sales Representative/Client Relations Manager
- Tutor
- Developer
- Technical Support Specialist
- Retail Sales Representative
- Analyst
- Editor
- Nurse
- Medical Coder
- Territory Sales Manager
- Case Manager
- Online Community Moderator
The figures provided in the “Who Hires Remotely, Anyway?” series are not mere estimates or conjectural research studies. Rather, the data was acquired directly from reliable online job portals where employers post job vacancies and job seekers can apply for the same.
The collected evidence indicates a clear trend; remote work is gaining considerable momentum across sectors, industries, and job roles. The trend has become so dominant that it has surpassed traditional hiring methods for all positions and departments within companies.
To those who claim that remote work is just a temporary trend, the evidence suggests otherwise. Remote work has become a standard practice in the business world. We anticipate that, in the future, remote work will be available to everyone, including your team. So, why delay the transition when you know it is inevitable? Contact us, and we will assist you in making the switch.
