20 Top Work from Home Companies and 5 Tips on How to Land a Remote Job in 2024
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My wife and I are huge advocates for working from home. We both started working remotely in 2020 and for the first time in our careers, we actually were able to spend time together during the day. It wasn't until about a year into working from home that we finally decided to buy a second desk (I'm a bit energetic on calls). I can't imagine going back into an office on a regular basis.
Instead of all of the prep work for office life (commuting, packing lunches, and ironing a bunch of dress clothes), I spend that time serving my wife and daughter daily. I also have more time to write articles such as this one.
The naysayers to remote work will argue that there's less work getting done at home or that remote workers are slacking off. While you can always find examples, the vast majority are grinding just as hard at home. My responsibility has expanded exponentially since becoming a remote worker and I've been promoted several times along the way.
I'm happy to report that remote work is still on the rise as many employers and employees embrace the freedom and flexibility of remote work. Employers which support remote work have been able to save on expenses such as office space and utilities by having employees at home.
A recent article by Forbes confirmed three very encouraging statistics about remote work:
12.7% of all full-time employees are working remotely in 2023
By 2025, 32.6 million American will be working remotely
16% of companies are currently operating on a remote-only model
There are millions of opportunities to work from home and there is still so much room for growth. The opportunities will continue to rise for the next several years, especially as companies embrace technology advancements such as AI. While I believe that the majority of the population will work more traditional in-person jobs for the foreseeable future, the shift will continue to move towards remote work.
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Who is remote work for?
The challenge
Remote work is for anyone who is willing and able to put in the work. You need to have self-discipline to stay productive - there's no one sitting over your shoulder reminding you of deadlines. There are a ton of non-work related distractions at home, everything from chores, your kids, and your couch.
Having a dedicated work space is extremely helpful as it separates you from your after-work life. My wife and I share an office in our home. We keep it clean of distractions (aka our daughter's toys) and close the door at the end of each work day.
One other thing to keep in mind is the lack of in-person interaction. Granted, you'll likely be on zoom half the day, but it's not the same. I'm an extrovert by nature, so this is where I struggled at first. I loved being able to have random side chats all day! I quickly adapted and still have the side chats, just not in person.
Building and maintaining relationships take a bit more work but it's well worth it.
The opportunity
Outside of the above, working remotely is absolutely amazing. You're free to live anywhere you want, your day has more flexibility to get your work done on your terms, and you save a ton of time not having to prepare for and commute to and from an office.
Whether you're looking for full time, part time, or freelance opportunities, there's something for everyone. You can also start a business or purchase an existing one and serve as an absentee owner.
Depending on your personal situation, there are also opportunities to work remotely for companies based in other countries. This option gets a bit more complicated but it's possible.
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20 top work from home companies
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Keeping in mind that you can find work from home jobs in just about any industry, there are a seven categories to keep a close watch. According to FlexJobs, the top seven are:
Computer & IT
Marketing
Accounting & Finance
Project Management
Medical & Health
HR & Recruiting
Customer Service
If you're currently working in any of the above areas, a quick online search will confirm page after page of remote opportunities. I believe FlexJobs nailed their selection. I can personally attest to a few of these as I work remotely as a marketer, my best friend and in-laws work remotely in accounting, and I've met several recruiters over the past few years who all work from home.
Below is my list of the top companies to work from home this year. I've focused my research on large enterprise companies which offer competitive salaries, benefits, and a range of remote positions. The last thing you want to do is to join a toxic work culture, even if it is a remote position. My final filter was employee happiness.
Each of the below companies have a 3.5 star rating or higher on Glassdoor (as of the date of this writing), which pull in anonymous reviews from current and past employees.
Adobe: from Acrobat to Photoshop, Adobe is known for their suite of software products. They're also known as a top employer globally and offer a plethora of remote work opportunities. Glassdoor rating: 4.4.
Airbnb: Airbnb is a global online marketplace which connects travelers and hosts, enabling travelers to book both unique accommodations and experiences. Glassdoor rating: 4.3.
Amazon: Amazon doesn't need much of an introduction, but it is the largest e-commerce and cloud computing company in the world. With it's countless business ventures, there are several opportunities to work remotely, both on a full-time or part-time basis. Glassdoor rating: 3.7.
Ancestry.com: as a genealogy company, Ancestry.com helps customers discover and learn more about their ancestral heritage. Glassdoor rating: 3.5.
Cigna: Cigna provides domestic and international insurance products to their customers, including health and dental insurance. Glassdoor rating: 3.5.
Fidelity Investments: Fidelity offers a vast array of financial products, from checking accounts to retirement plans. Glassdoor rating: 4.3.
Guardian Life: Guardian provides a range of insurance and investment products - everything from health insurance, disability insurance, and IRAs. Glassdoor rating: 3.7.
HubSpot: HubSpot is an industry leader in helping other businesses grow. HubSpot specializes in inbound sales and marketing, providing education and software to other businesses. Their products assist in attracting, engaging, and retaining customers. A company built around their employees, you'll often see them at the top of "best employers" or "happiest employee" lists year after year. Glassdoor rating: 4.1.
Humana: One of three health insurance company to make my list, Humana offers customers various insurance products, including Medicare. Glassdoor rating: 3.9.
Indeed: Indeed is considered one of the most popular online job search platforms on the market. Their business is all about connecting job seekers with employers through the millions of available listings on their platform. Glassdoor rating: 4.2.
Keller Williams: Keller Williams is one of the largest real estate franchise companies in the world, connecting real estate agents and customers around the world. Glassdoor rating: 4.3.
Johnson & Johnson: Also known as J&J, Johnson & Johnson is an international medical and pharmaceutical product company. They also have a large portfolio of consumer goods brands, including everything from Listerine and Band-Aid to Neutrogena. Glassdoor rating: 4.2.
NBCUniversal: One of the largest media conglomerates in the world, NBCUniversal owns several entertainment businesses, including television networks and film studios. A few of their most popular entities include NBC, Universal Studios, MSNBC, Peacock, and Telemundo. Glassdoor rating: 4.0.
Reddit: Reddit is a social media platform where individuals around the world can connect on topics spanning everything from investing, gardening, and parenting. It's considered a social news aggregation platform and discussion forum. Glassdoor rating: 3.8.
Red Hat: Red Hat focuses on creating open source software for large enterprise clients. They are a subsidiary of IBM. Glassdoor rating: 4.1.
Robert Half: Robert Half is a human resource consulting and recruiting firm, providing customers HR strategies while also connecting job seekers with open positions. Glassdoor rating: 3.8.
SAP: SAP is an international software company that offers a range of software products which serve other large enterprise customers. Glassdoor rating: 4.3.
Salesforce: Primarily serving large enterprise customers, Salesforce is a cloud-based software company. Salesforce's software primarily focuses on customer relationship management (CRM). Glassdoor rating: 4.1.
SoFi: SoFi is an online personal finance company, offering a range of financial products and services. A few offerings include personal loans, investment accounts, and student loan refinancing. Glassdoor rating: 3.6.
Vista: Vista (formerly Vistaprint) is a global e-commerce company which provides both physical and digital marketing products, primarily to small businesses. Most commonly associated with where you would buy your business cards, Vistaprint offers a vast array of products, from signs and clothing to website creation (through their partnership with Wix). Glassdoor rating: 3.7.
Five tips on how to land a remote job
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Keeping in mind that every remote job is different, there are a few things that you can do to give yourself a leg up over your competition (aka every other person applying for the same roles). Here's my top five tips on how to land a remote job this year.
1. Self Reflect before starting your search
Before I start any job search, I take a minute to self-reflect on why I want to start looking. Do I truly want a new challenge or opportunity, or am I simply trying to avoid something with my current employer?
Life is full of opportunity costs, especially with time. For every minute I spend job searching, I take away from other areas such as spending time with family, writing, learning something new, or sleeping. I recommend taking stock of your situation and noting the pros and cons before starting your job search.
If you love your job but are required to report into an office, talk to your employer before looking for something new. You'd be surprised, many companies make exceptions all the time and may allow you to work remotely, especially if you're a top performer that is adding value to your team and business.
2. Finding the right job
Once I'm sure I want to find something new, the next step I take is to start researching open positions and making a list of my top companies and roles. I'd recommend starting your search before you feel burned out in your current role.
Entering the job search with a clear head allows you more time to wait for the best role for you. I always start with the employer - focusing on companies which are open to remote work and focus on cultivating a positive culture for their employees. Hence the list above.
I highly recommend hitting up the job boards as well. My favorite to find remote jobs is FlexJobs. They offer a robust job board and a ton of helpful articles around remote work. I also keep an eye on platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. If you're looking for part-time or full-time freelance opportunities, look no further than Upwork and Fiverr. Both platforms are top tier and excel at connecting freelancers with job opportunities globally.
3. Optimize your resume
It should go without saying, but keep your resume up to date and free of grammatical errors before submitting applications. Recruiters only spend a few seconds on average per resume.
Start with your most important details first for each position. Keep it action oriented and measurable - especially if you can tie in a monetary impact. I would also showcase the impact to customer experience, as all great companies focus on adding value for their customers.
For example, instead of saying "exceeded sales goals consistently by providing great customer service," consider "generated $X per month in sales (+x% above goal) by exceeding customer expectations." Using dollars and percentages will help the recruiter and hiring manager see your impact. This is especially important for remote roles as employers are searching for teammates who can add value regardless of where they are working.
I realize updating your resume can be a chore, and a time consuming one! It’s honestly one of the largest barriers to finding a new job. If you’d like some assistance in this area, I’d recommend either Resume.io or TopResume. Both are really great options to help you find your next remote work gig. Plus, if you use the promo code KMONEY at checkout, you’ll receive 10% off your purchase.
Resume.io is an AI solution which helps get you make it past the first round of interviews (they claim only the top 2% of resumes hit make it to this point). It’s a very easy-to-use DIY solution if you aren’t ready to fully outsource the resume process.
If you’d rather partner with an expert on crafting your perfect resume, I’d recommend TopResume. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a more hands-off approach. Plus, their Premium and Ultimate packages have a 60-day guarantee, which is pretty fantastic.
4. Network until it hurts
Networking is critical in the job search and it's no longer strictly in-person. I'd argue that networking is happening much more virtually, especially through platforms such as LinkedIn. LinkedIn makes it easy to find new connections. I'd recommend reaching out to new connections who are connected to people you know and can make an introduction, your alma mater, and individuals in similar roles at your target companies.
It takes a bit of time and effort, but can make a huge difference in your job search, especially if you can land a referral. Referrals are still one of the best ways to land a new job. As you network, try to give back to those around you. Everyone's time is precious, so if you're asking for an hour of time from someone else along with a potential referral, it doesn't hurt to buy them a coffee or offer to assist them with something in return.
For example, if you're good at proofreading, offer to proofread a blog article or resume in exchange for their time. It goes a long way and will help your outreach - especially if you're contacting someone you haven't met before.
5. Interview like a human
It's no easy feat to land an interview - each one should be celebrated even if you don't end with an offer. I keep two things in mind every time I login to an interview and would advise you to do the same.
First, use the STAR method for all responses. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. When responding to a question, set up what happened (situation), explain what your role was (task), what were the actions that you took (action), and most importantly, what happened in result of your actions (results).
Keep it action-oriented and positive. Be honest and show how you added value and learned something new. Second, you're meeting with other humans. They're also dealing with crazy schedules, competing priorities, and some nerves. They are excited to meet you because they're looking for someone to help reduce the workload and add value to their team.
Be yourself and showcase what you're passionate about - both at and outside of work. It's okay to share about your family, side hustles, or how you make bird houses on the weekend. It rounds you out as a candidate. It's especially important in virtual interviews, as it can be a bit harder to get to know you.
Get started today
I realize working from home isn't for everyone, but if I'm going to be stuck on zoom calls all day, I may as well have easy access to snacks and get to wear shorts. If you are interested, there's no better time like the present. Remote work opportunities are opening up globally every day across all sizes of companies. If you're unsure, I'd recommend just trying it. Worst case, it's not for you and you return to an in-office or hybrid role. Either way, I wish you good luck on your journey.
