We’re leaving our jobs for a one-year backpacking trip to Asia, but before making this life-changing decision we thought of becoming digital nomads and traveling the world while working online.
Nick already works remotely for a company that lets her travel so this would be the safest way to pursue the full-time travel lifestyle we dream about. After a lot of consideration, we decided to leave everything behind (I guess we only live once?!) but to help you out, we compiled our best hacks to find a remote job that lets you travel the world!
Update 2024: we’re back from Asia and now both of us work in a fully remote setting and we’re back on the road, this time as official digital nomads!
Remote vs. Fully Remote Positions
For starters, let’s break down the difference between Remote Positions and Fully Remote Positions.
Remote positions are the ones that allow you to work from home. You usually have to be based in the same country as the company because of legal reasons or time zones. This does give you a lot more freedom but it doesn’t allow you to work and travel full-time.
Fully Remote positions are the ones that have a work-from-anywhere policy. If you want to become a full-time traveling digital nomad, this is what you should be looking for!
However since the pandemic hit, companies have been tagging their job postings as remote opportunities without specifying their actual remote policy. This makes the search for a fully remote position a bit trickier.
So how do you find a 100% remote job so you can travel the world and live more freely?!
Also read: Digital Nomad Visas in Europe: Countries & How to Apply in 2024
Look for Remote-First companies
Yes, they exist! You just need to know how to look for them. Since most of these companies usually have their own Careers Page or use different hiring platforms, LinkedIn is not the place to go – Google will be your best bud on this journey.
Hot tip: A few keywords that can help your search are: remote-first, non-time-zone-specific, WFA (Work from Anywhere) jobs, and fully remote startups/companies.
To get you a step ahead of everyone else looking for a fully remote opportunity, we shortlisted a few startups and companies that offer great remote-first work environments and hire globally, so you can apply from wherever you’re based in the world AND travel. Get your CVs ready!
Companies that are currently remote-first:
Last updated on 04.Feb.24
- SafetyWing (Travel Insurance)
- Boldly (Subscription Staffing)
- GitLab (Open-source DevOps platform)
- Automattic (Technology, Information and Internet)
- Toggl (Productivity Tools)
- Zapier (Automation of Workflows)
- Sketch (Design Tool)
- HelpScout (Live Chat Software)
- Close (CRM)
- Prezly (Storytelling Platform)
- Xapo (Private Bank)
- Deel (Payroll and Compliance provider for International Teams)
- Hotjar (Product Experience Tool)
- CleverTech (Software Development)
- UScreen (Video Editing Platform)
- Superside (Subscription Design Service)
- Bejamas (Jamstack Developers for Hire)
- 10up (Website Creation)
- notus (Marketing Agency)
Check Remote Job Boards
Yep! Another of those things that do exist but most people are unaware of. Remote Job Boards are platforms that list ONLY remote opportunities, so definitely a good place to look for your dream job!
10 Remote Job Boards we recommend:
Last updated on 12.Nov.24
- Working Nomads
- Let’s Work Remotely
- Remote Woman
- Creativepool
- Power To Fly
- AngelList
- We Work Remotely
- Remote Ok (Tech focused)
- Jobspresso
- Citizen Remote
Try Freelancing Platforms
Tired of working for someone else? We got you! You can become a digital nomad and work remotely from anywhere in the world by becoming a freelancer. Freelancers offer their services on a contract or project basis, with services ranging anywhere from a quick design to app development, and anything else in between.
You’d be surprised by the number of different services you find on a freelancing platform! The good news is that there’s a market for all of them. People offer services because other people ask for them, so whatever you do for a living, there’s a great chance you can offer it on a freelancing basis.
Top 6 Best Freelancing Platforms:
- Solid Gigs
- UpWork
- Fiverr
- FlexJobs
- PeoplePerHour
- Dribble (for designers only)
Negotiate your current job
If your work is done on a computer, it won’t hurt asking! Negotiating a fully remote position in your current job is a great way to transition into this new world – you won’t have to learn anything from scratch and will have more time to enjoy your travels.
It’s a win-win situation!
Also read: How to pack for ONE YEAR of travel: Our Packing List
Bonus Tips:
Contact the right person
Nick found her job on a platform called Glints, but it was by cold emailing the CEO of the company on LinkedIn that she got her job. The point here is, if you really want a specific opportunity, apply and take a moment to check if there’s any other way you can contact the company and pitch yourself.
Going that extra mile can land you great opportunities!
Update and Optimize your Resume
Oh, the power of a good CV… Resumes that are not easy to read are instantly discarded, so take your time to optimize them. Here are a few tips:
⏰ Use reverse-chronological order: that means starting from your most recent job and working your way back.
🔑 Use keywords on your job description: the first thing a hiring manager does is look for relevant keywords from the job description to see if you fit the position requirements, so make sure to include them.
✍️ Write your job description in bullet points: it makes it more objective and easier for the hiring manager to skim for keywords.
👁️ Make strategic use of bold text: be consistent with this and make sure that it is used to highlight important information.
📄 Consider using a designed template: pick a simple, modern, and clean design and it will make all the difference for the one reading it.
🔍 Tailor your resume to the job offer: hiring managers can always tell when you send them a generic resume! You can tailor your resume by using the job ad itself as a cheat sheet to get the keywords the hiring manager is going to be looking for.
Hot tip: Another great tip is to write a Cover Letter and personalize it to each position you’re applying for. Include what makes you stand out and why you think you’d add great value to the company.
Avoid making the interview about why you love the WFA policy
We get it, the only reason why you’re applying for the job is the Work from Anywhere policy, but… we recommend trying not to make your whole interview gravitate around this.
Nick used to hire globally for her team and it was frustrating when a candidate replied to the usual “Why do you want to work for us” question only with “I love your WFA policy”. It says nothing about how you can help the company as a professional and it gives the impression you’re only interested in the benefits the company offers.
It may sound like super obvious advice, but this is a golden one.
Note: You might need to use this card if you’re overqualified for the position you’re applying for. It’ll help the recruiters understand your reasoning behind it.
Choose Wisely
Being able to travel is the goal, but you’ll spend quite a good amount of hours working so choose something that gives you at least a bit of joy. Your mental health can be highly affected by your job and there’s no use traveling if your mind is sick because of work. Choose wisely!
