What Challenges Will I Face Finding a Remote Job?

Finding a remote job isn’t harder because there are fewer roles. It’s harder because the search itself is noisier, and that costs you real time before you even notice what’s happening.

Scams Are More Common in Remote Job Searches

A fake company is an easier sell when nobody expects to walk into an office and check. Recently, I came across a remote job listing where the company had no online presence, and the address was ‘Times Square, New York’. This was an instant red flag. It’s frustrating, but you end up sorting real openings from junk before you can even start evaluating the opportunities. 

Not Every “Remote” Listing Is Open to You

Plenty of listings say remote but actually mean remote within one country or within certain states for tax reasons.  Companies rarely put that at the top. Read the entire job listing, or you’ll waste time applying for a remote job you were never eligible for.

The Same Listing Appear Everywhere

Agencies and companies post across many remote job sites to reach a bigger pool than any single board can offer, so the same role shows up a dozen times. General job sites mix in roles that aren’t remote at all.  Scroll through the listings without being focused and you can waste an hour and end up applying for no remote jobs. 

Good Listings Disappear Within a Day

Your competition isn’t local anymore; it’s global, so a remote role can pull in hundreds of applications fast. Fast responses often mean companies can close listings quickly, and then you miss out. 

Sign up for email alerts for when new jobs are listed, and you can get your application in earlier and increase your chances of being shortlisted.

Job Titles Don’t Tell You Much

Two listings can share the same job title and describe completely different jobs with different seniority levels. You can’t tell without reading the whole job listing. Companies also name the same role differently: one lists “Customer Success Associate,” another calls it “Support Specialist.” If you search only your old title, you’ll miss roles that would have fit.

Salary Is Often Left Out

Many remote postings leave salary out entirely. You can research a role and prepare to apply, then find out later it doesn’t pay enough. This is probably one of the more frustrating aspects of applying for remote jobs.

Use a site like PayScale, which shares estimated salaries and rates for roles. Keep in mind that if you’re living outside the US, rates may be lower. It’s still a good place to evaluate whether the role is worth applying for. 

Time Zone Requirements Are Easy to Miss

Some remote jobs need you to work hours that overlap with a specific time zone, and that detail is sometimes placed towards the end of the listing instead of at the top. It’s easy to spend time applying only to learn the schedule doesn’t work for your lifestyle.  Check the time zone requirement before you apply.

It’s Harder to Judge a Company From a Listing Alone

You can’t walk into their office or ask around locally to find out if a remote company is a good place to work. A posting that looks great on paper can carry more risk than one at a company you can actually check on.

Sites like Glassdoor are good places to read company reviews from ex-employees, but as with all reviews, it’s important to do your own research on sites like Google, company registration websites, ChatGPT, etc. 

Most of this comes down to knowing which remote job boards to trust before you start scrolling. If you don’t have a shortlist yet, our guide to the best remote job boards rounds up the ones worth your time, so you’re not sorting through scams and duplicates on your own.