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There are tons of remote jobs openings posted every day. But with so many people unemployed, one posting easily can receive more than 100 applicants. In December 2020, finding full-time employment became my full-time job.

My strategy? Cast a very wide net, never give up … and wait.

Here’s how I got a remote job in three months (and four days) at the height of the COVID pandemic.

Background

I got laid off Dec. 8, 2020, and started looking for work Dec. 14 with becoming a Marketing Manager as my ultimate goal. I applied for 253 roles, interviewed 16 times and finally got a great offer.

Resume and Cover Letter

You need a professional resume and a strong cover letter while applying. You can Google “resume templates” if you need examples or inspiration. Obviously, use proper grammar and spelling while making sure you share accurate and relevant details.

You’ll also need a solid cover letter, here’s a version of the cover letter I used:

Job Leads

You can use a variety of different job sites, but I found the most useful were Indeed and Zip Recruiter. You need to set up accounts with both sites. This includes uploading your resume and jumping through a few hoops. It’s worth the time because you can apply to jobs directly from these sites.

Sign up for emails. Both Indeed and Zip Recruiter will send you daily emails with tons of jobs you customize. For example, you can select “remote jobs, $65k+, marketing manager.” These emails were – by far – my biggest source of available positions.

Go ahead and update your LinkedIn account, too. Make sure to set your profile to allow recruiters to view your profile. I was contacted many times about contract work and several corporate positions.

Job Tracking

I created a spreadsheet to record the date, job title and company name along with a column for notes. This is a great way to track what jobs you have applied for and to document if you get an interview, rejection letter, or other status.

Apply, Apply, Apply!

I applied for everything closely related to what I was ultimately looking for. And, after a while, all the jobs seemed to read the same. It’s mind numbing, but just skim the “job duties” or “responsibilities” areas of the job post and that will tell you pretty quickly if this job is for you.

I applied for 253 jobs before I got an offer, so don’t expect it to happen overnight.

Rejection Letters

Get used to receiving one rejection after another. You need thick skin for this one as you update your jobs spreadsheet with a “nope” in the notes column. This will give your ego a good ass beating, but you must just keep moving forward.

Stay Positive

In the beginning, staying positive was easy. But as time went on and I reached certain milestones – like the 100th job you applied for, or your second month of unemployment – it can easily disappear. You need a good support system whether it’s a significant other, a friend, a family member, etc. Find someone you know will help lift you up when needed.

Go into this knowing you're in it for the long haul and you’ll need to apply for jobs at least four days a week. I applied Monday through Friday and took weekends off.

Interviewing over Video

Interviewing over Zoom, Skype, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, etc. is a lot different than interviewing in person. You don’t get to shake a hand or walk into a conference room. It’s weird the first few times, but you get more comfortable with it after a few interviews.

I felt like an idiot wearing a tie in my own home in front of my computer, so I just wore a button-down shirt. (Note: I wore my pajama pants during every interview.) Be sure the background of your space is clean and neat. If you like you can set up a “prop” to stimulate conversation. For me, I placed my guitar in the background and was often asked about it. It made for some good small talk.

Before your interview, use the restroom, get a glass of water and have your notes and resume in front of you. When on video, try to look at the camera, not the video. This will make it seem as though you are making eye contact. Lean in occasionally when talking, use your hands for appropriate emphasis and smile.

Your Questions

Be sure you have some questions for the end of the interview. Here are some of mine:

• What does a typical day look like?
• What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
• How will I be trained?
• Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?
• How long have you been with the company?
• Favorite thing about working at the company?
• How is the culture?

Your Closing Statement

Be sure to have a well-rehearsed closing statement for the end of your interview. Try something like, “it was a real pleasure talking to you today. This role is something I feel I could do well with my background in (industry) and my years of experiences in (whatever that is). Also, the company seems like it has a great culture, and I love the services that you guys offer. I appreciate your time today, and I hope to hear from you soon.”

This is your opportunity to really sell yourself. Let them know you want this role and why you want it.

Follow-up Email

Be sure to send a follow-up email within 24 hours after your interview. Here is the email I would send as reference:

Jumping through Hoops

Some companies may assign you a small project for your next interview. During my search, I was asked to:

• Do a photo shoot with their product (1 hour)
• Logo redesign (2 – 3 hours)
• Create a mockup of a website (10 – 12 hours)

It may seem like a lot of work, but it shows the employer what you can do and how serious you are about the position. The last two bullet points got me my new remote job – so the time and energy I put into these projects paid off.

Pro Tip

I created a text document in Note that I could easily copy and paste from. The content included my details from my past five jobs – address, phone number and who I reported to. It also included reference letters, software I used and anything I got tired of retyping over and over. This is a huge time saver!

Best of Luck

I really hope this information helps you. And if you feel like this could help someone you know looking for a remote job, please send them the link to this blog.

Now Get to It!

Take a deep breath and know it could be weeks, or possibly several months, before you receive a job offer. The key is to never give up and to stay positive. It may get really hard and feel like you’re stuck in a loop day after day. But, eventually, you will find a job because you refuse to give up.

Now go get that remote job!