Top 3 Skills Needed to Land an Online Job

Last Updated on August 21, 2023

Not only has there been an increase in the availability of online jobs, but job boards, such as JobSearcher, have seen an escalation in the amount of searches on its remote work and online jobs filter. As the pandemic accelerated remote work for people already in the workforce, it had a surprising effect on people looking to enter the workforce for the first time and people recovering from unemployment. 

Because many businesses were unable to hire because of the financial burden Covid put on businesses, college graduates and job searchers had to improvise by turning to online work. Now it is estimated that over 40% of Americans work online as a freelancer or for a company. Online work has proven to not only be supportive, but it could also be incredibly lucrative if you play your cards right and present the right skills to the right people. 

If you are looking to begin working online, then it is important to realize that finding online work is a never-ending cycle of finding someone to hire you for a job. Because there are other people out there who have the same technical skills as you do, you will have to present yourself as the perfect candidate by showing that you have soft skills that are highly compatible for working online. 

Here are three skills that employers look for when hiring people for online jobs. 

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

Analytical and problem-solving skills means that you can pinpoint key elements in a situation, identify and analyze the problem, and provide feedback or solutions.  Analytical and problem-solving skills are very important skills to have even if you are working a traditional 9-5 job. However, these skills prove to be vital for people working online. 

If you work in an office setting and you have a problem, then maybe the person next to you has experience in solving that problem. On the other hand, if you are working alone from home, then the next best thing is Google. 

Therefore, showing employers that you have analytical and problem-solving skills shows your ability to work independently and still be productive. It also gives employers the confidence to know that they won’t have to use too many resources to help you troubleshoot problems that may arise. 

Management Skills

The success of online and remote work is based largely on an individual’s management skills. Management skills for online work would fall under time-management and project management skills. 

Though working online seems to provide a flexible schedule that provides ample time to complete projects, it also leaves a lot of room for distractions. A procrastinator’s favorite phrase is “Oh. I have plenty of time”. 

While working in your home, you are surrounded by your family, sources of entertainment, and other responsibilities you may be juggling. If you are not able to prioritize and manage your time, you will find yourself doing everything other than job. 

Project-management skills are also important because many people working an online job are either:

1. Working for a company, where they would have to manage multiple projects or
2. Freelancing and managing multiple projects for different clients

Because people who work online jobs are rarely working on one thing at a time, it becomes highly important to develop project management skills. You never want to get to the point where you are forgetting about and not completing projects. Your boss/clients will not be happy, and it will make it very hard for you to earn money. 

Strong Communication Skills

Because you won’t be working in an office where you can see your boss or clients every day, communication skills become very important. People want progress updates often so they know you are on the right track with the tasks they give you. If you are a poor communicator, it will put a strain on your work relationships with your bosses or clients. Often if someone does not have good communication skills, it is very difficult to be considered for an online job. 

Conclusion

If you are looking to move into online work or remote work, these skills are incredibly important to present on your aptitude to be successful at online work.