June 5th, 2019 | Updated on July 31st, 2020
The Internet makes it possible for most people to make a living on their own terms in a variety of jobs. Many workers seek independence from a single employer because they enjoy the flexible work schedule.
According to a study by Intuit, 34% of people work freelance or contract jobs, and this number is expected to rise. Prepare yourself for independence by learning these essential skills.
1. Information Fluency
If you don’t already take on freelance work, there will come a time when you no longer make a living as a traditional employee. You have to understand the impact of technology on your field and arm yourself with the right knowledge to stay competitive in your field.
Today’s information systems demand that you know how to find, review, and evaluate information by evaluating the source and measuring its authority and bias. Being an effective worker requires performing effective Boolean searches and quickly drawing accurate conclusions.
The Internet is full of contradictory and incorrect information, so it’s crucial to learn to organize data and draw your own conclusions. Understanding how to interpret statistics allows you to suggest useful solutions to problems rather than simply diagnose issues.
2. Business Language
Remote work requires expertise in your field, and it requires communication skills. You can’t contribute to a project without understanding the company goals.
Understanding the strategic direction of a product and how it fits with the company’s brand will help you deliver a cohesive product that makes your client look good.
If you don’t already have a business background, make it a priority to learn basic business terms. Familiarize yourself with accounting and economic terms, so you understand the impact of your role and how it affects the bottom line.
Common business terms are a shorthand that allows you to speak fluently and make compelling presentations.
3. Time Management
Possibly the most critical skill for remote working is time management. Although some remote workers are more productive than ever, others struggle with prioritizing commitments without direction.
You should only accept deadlines you can meet, and always ask plenty of questions to limit scope creep on projects. Maintain a strict calendar to ensure you respond to inquiries promptly and deliver projects on time.
If you don’t land your dream job after relocating, you can easily pick up some gig work to tide you over. Look into online gig services like Upwork and Fiverr where you can bid on professional jobs.
It’s free to sign up or examine the available work so you can determine which freelance gigs can help polish your skills and extend your professional network.
4. Transitioning To A Remote Location
Workers in today’s economy are responsible for their own professional development. Make sure your job skills are up to date so you can be financially stable.
Although titles and certification requirements vary depending on where you live, there are core job skills that translate no matter where you live.
Before you quit your job and move across the world, examine this list of job skills that every remote worker needs so you can make a living anywhere.
