Eight Emerging Remote Jobs to Watch Out For in 2020

There is evidence to reveal that the "future of work" is happening right now. Years ago, the thought that you can make a stable income at home while working a job you were passionate about was thought to be impossible. Today, you can work from anywhere in the world while collaborating on a document, holding a video conference, and even running a company. There are a variety of elements that have brought this on:

• The continual evolution of high-speed internet and the expansion of Wi-Fi hotspots.

• We have entered a time of globalization where technology has made it easier to communicate with individuals all over the world.

• Workplaces around the world are becoming more comfortable with "work at home" and work flexibility arrangements.

• Remote work has been shown to facilitate better work-life balance, and workers all over the world are demanding more flexibility in how and where they work.

• Today, more and more job boards and job listing sites dedicated to showcasing remote work positions are showing up and offering opportunities for employees to their ideal remote work position.

• Freelancing has been an avenue for many professionals to enter into the world of location-independent work, and the growing gig economy has made it easier for these people to find success.

The "future of work" is now, but it is still evolving, and as a result, it has created the need for new jobs. These new trends will continue to move into 2020 to facilitate the entrance of new remote jobs:

Artificial Intelligence – Artificial intelligence has led to the advent of marketing automation and robotic devices that make it easier to conduct various business processes that were more challenging to do. Mass emails can be sent from one person's computer, while there are physical robots that allow individuals to be present within an office if necessary.

Virtual reality offices – Many innovative companies are using virtual reality to develop digital offices that mimic real-world office spaces. This scenario makes it much easier to allow certain professions to be conducted remotely (ex. Medical professions and management.)

One of our RemoteHabits interviewees is already utilizing VR with her distributed team:

We put our heads together and developed rumii, a multi-platform meeting, and education app. It's an immersive environment which brings together the best of working in an office while being remote. We, ourselves, are a distributed remote team. We meet up in person every few months, but the rest of the time, we meet in rumii and VR. – Lily, entrepreneur

Career-long remote work – The days of temporary remote work are waning down. Today, many professionals are staying in remote work for the entirety of their careers.

Scott, a UX designer, and front-end developer, has worked remotely for 20 years:

I got started working remotely in 1998. I had been working in New York City for the first few years of my career. I was eager to make some decisions about my professional life before getting married […] Making the switch was seamless, though. The company put an ISDN line into my new apartment in Massachusetts. Several years later when we wanted to move farther away, they were totally cool with it, as long as I could get to New York City when they needed me. Fast forward 20 years, and I've been working remotely the whole time.

More data about the success of remote work – Because remote work has become more commonplace, it has become a lot easier for companies to begin to track the elements within the workplace that makes remote work productive and successful. Now, employers can set up KPIs that help them understand what leads to the success of remote work policies.

Swiftly move between part-time and full-time jobs – Because of the work flexibility that remote work brings, switching between part-time and full-time positions becomes much smoother, and easier to manage using digital time tracking tools and productivity apps.

These trends are leading to the emergence of new remote jobs with partially and fully remote companies. There are positions besides social media marketers, web developers, customer support specialists, software engineers, content writers, digital marketers, and virtual assistants that will continue to grow in 2020.

What emerging remote positions can you look forward to seeing more of in 2020? We put together a list of jobs that can likely be done remotely that takes into account BLS job growth statistics and average salaries, as well as the capability to do the job remotely. Please take a look at our list below.

Emerging Remote jobs to Watch Out for in 2020

Virtual Nurse

Today's technology has turned almost every in-person interaction into a potential digital experience. You can now visit the doctor online, and can even interact with a nurse as well. According to BLS data, registered nurse positions are slated to jump 12.1 percent within the next ten years. Also known as telehealth nursing, a virtual nurse can use web cameras, computer-based microphones, and other video conferencing tools to provide healthcare and guidance to patients. Many times, these roles are ideal for rural areas that are not able to support large hospital staff.

The average salary of a registered nurse is over $71,000, and this may fluctuate slightly depending on the area.

Job board to begin the search:

• ZipRecruiter

Applications Software Developers

As computers continue to become more advanced in their capabilities, and users require higher levels of personalization, the need for applications software developers will continue to grow. BLS has found that this profession will grow 25.6 percent within the next ten years, and will have an average salary of $103,620.

The purpose of these individuals is to develop and create applications that accomplish a specific action within a program. With the advent of more programs utilizing advanced data algorithms, virtual reality, and machine learning, remote work opportunities for these professionals will be plentiful.

Gregory Benner, a senior software developer, discusses what his day-to-day tasks look like:

I'm part of a small team of 3 or so. Right now, we're working on a new React Native mobile application. I mostly deal with the "non-UI" aspects - tooling, build systems, testing, client-side data storage. I'm also the one that interfaces with the APIs for the most part.

Job boards to begin the search:

• RemoteHabits and WeWorkRemotely

Virtual Operations Manager

When it comes to operations, it's all about organization and logistics. As in-office teams move more toward decentralized and even virtual workplaces, the need for operations managers has increased.

These individuals typically handle office scheduling, billing oversight, managing the overall office workflow, and any shipping coordination. They could also take on a variety of other office logistics duties. BLS forecasts that the occupations within this category will grow by 6.3 percent, with an average salary of $70,530.

Job boards to begin the search:

• Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Indeed

Market Research Analyst

So much customer data is exchanged online, that the emergence of the marketing research analyst is not a surprise. These individuals track trends and patterns of consumer data; from there, they can make predictions about their buying habits in the short and long-term. While they are familiar with marketing trends, their primary focus is on numerical data. Jobs within this field are slated to grow by 20.4 percent, with an average salary of $63,120.

Job boards to begin the search:

• Jobspresso and Remote.co

Financial Managers/Analyst

As the intersection between finance and tech become more intertwined and sophisticated, the profession of the financial manager and analysts must grow. The number of occupations in this category is projected to grow 16 percent within the next ten years, with an average annual salary of over $127,000. These professionals are pivotal in helping individuals and companies alike develop strategies for long-term financial sustainability.

Job boards to begin the search:

• Flexjobs, LinkedIn

Management Analysts

Today's workplace is ever-changing, and as a result, there have to be positions of leadership that manage the complexities and intricacies that come along with these changes. Management analysts are individuals that help companies create more efficiency as well as profit through re-examining their work processes.

Management consulting is already having it's hey-day in the remote work sphere, so the fact that these positions are slated to rise 13.5 percent with an annual salary of over $83,000 is not a surprise.

Job boards to begin the search:

• Angel List, ZipRecruiter

Medical and Health Management Professions

With the evolving nature of healthcare and the propensity for medical facilities to "go digital" regarding patient information, it makes sense that remote work in the medical and healthcare industries would rise.

Someone is needed to manage this digital information, improve data collection practices, manage hospital staff, and find more efficient ways to run health-based facilities. Within the next ten years, these professions will see a 17.6 percent rise in jobs with an average salary of $99,730.

Job boards to begin the search:

• ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor

Accountants (Personal Finance Coaches)

Want to stay above board with the IRS while also ensuring your balance sheet is checking out? Well, accountants are the professionals that can help make those things happen. However, in recent years, financial guidance has turned from being a broad service for companies and high-wealth individuals to being one that is personalized for middle-income professionals who want to maximize their money.

Within the next ten years, the accounting profession will experience a 6.4 percent rise in job opportunities, with an average salary of over $70,000. Many CPAs are already working remotely today, so the number of remote positions specifically will likely continue to rise.

Job boards to begin the search:

• WeWorkRemotely, Flexjobs

Note: While we do our best to research and post legitimate and accurate jobs, postings, resources, and necessary skills, we always advise you to do your own additional research to ensure jobs, websites, and resources are above board as well as to confirm required skills.

Helpful Tips for Those Looking to Capitalize on These Positions

These emerging remote jobs can be lucrative while also providing a means of moving into an innovative and long-term remote work career. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare to pursue these remote positions in 2020.

• Be sure to showcase any previous location independent job experience – Hiring managers at these businesses want to know they can trust you to hit the ground running as a remote work professional, so show them you already know the ropes.

• Look into freelance jobs to get a leg up on getting one of these positions – Many of today's remote positions are freelance-related. While you may not want to do this forever, starting with freelance work can help you connect with a company that may eventually hire you on. It may just also be the best career choice for you overall.

Vernon, a freelance technical writer, discusses his experience as a freelancer:

It's risky, absolutely, but the risk is mitigated by knowledge. And you gain the knowledge you need through research, training, experience, and networking with those who've been doing it longer than you. But you also need tenacity. Your business, as a freelancer or entrepreneur or investor, will not become successful overnight. It'll take time, and it'll take consistent effort, but for those who choose this path, it'll be totally worth it.

• Use the cover letter to highlight the top skills the company is looking for – Don't use the cover letter to rehash what's on your resume. Look at the common keywords used in the job description as well as the skills they are looking for and highlight at least three to five examples of how you have experience with these skills in your cover letter.

• Showcase any experience working with or managing remote teams – Have experience managing a remote team, even if you were still in an office? The hiring manager wants to hear about it. So, be sure to include it in your cover letter and resume, and mention it during the interview.

• Schedule informational interviews - Use informal interviews as a way to connect with companies you are interested in working with. They may be more apt to tell you about job opportunities when they come along.

• Network with family and friends - Most job postings are not listed online, and the only way you could hear about them is through word-of-mouth. So, let everyone in your network know that you are seeking job opportunities.

• Keep your LinkedIn current as many recruiters use the platform to connect with others – if you have a detailed LinkedIn profile that includes recommendations, relevant job experience, and even some work samples (if applicable), the chances are high that recruiters will come your way. So, keep your LinkedIn up-to-date.

• Be aware of standard tools used within the remote work sphere – These can include: Slack, Salesforce, Github, Asana, SEO platforms, Trello, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and various alternatives

Final Thoughts

Telecommuting is becoming more commonplace and accepted. As the years go by, more and more companies are developing a remote work policy that allows employees to work where they feel the most productive.

This situation has also enabled more of the jobs above to become remote. However, competition for all work at home jobs is fierce, so the list above can give you some insight into the positions that you may want to pursue.

So, take a look at the job listing sites mentioned above, visit the RemoteHabits interview page for more insights into how to work remotely effectively, and prepare to find the remote work position that fits your skillset.

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