How to write the perfect remote job description

While remote work is slowly but steadily becoming a normal part of business operations for many companies around the world, the hiring process still looks a bit different for international employees than for in-office personnel. One of the things that HR managers need to consider is how to write a remote job description to attract the best talent around the globe.

The COVID pandemic has had an immense impact on the way we work. Forcing companies to send their employees into home office has led to a broader acceptance of more non-traditional work approaches, including remote work. 

Offering remote positions makes it easier for businesses to scale their operations, especially when entering a new market, while also attracting the best talent around the world. 

These advantages can help you create an undefeatable workforce that is not only highly motivated but also proven to be more efficient and productive. Additionally, creating an environment that fosters actual work life balance has shown to decrease stress, and increase the overall happiness of employees.

It might be obvious, but you can’t just copy and paste an in-office job position for a remote work opening. There are a few things that are unique to remote jobs and that you should openly address in your job posting to appeal to the right audience.

Here’s what to look out for when writing a remote job description.

1. The job title

The first thing a potential applicant notices is of course the title of the job. But since you are trying to attract people who are interested in working remotely, you should most definitely mention this little detail in your job title. 

The great thing about remote work is that it appeals to a variety of people. Whether they are currently working as a freelancer, a contractor, or maybe even in a management position, remote positions attract all types of talent, and you shouldn’t limit yourself by only mentioning the remote aspect later on in your job description.

2. The job details

If you have grabbed the attention of a potential candidate due to your job title, it is now time to dive a bit deeper and explain all the responsibilities of the job. Try to be as descriptive and honest about this as possible. After all, you don’t want to end up with the wrong candidate just because you forgot to mention some of the details of the positions.

In addition to that, make sure you explain exactly what kind of a remote set up you are looking for. Will the candidate have to travel to the office at all? Do you expect them to be online at certain times to communicate with the rest of the team? And are they supposed to work from home only, or are they able to travel around and freely determine their place of work, as long as they meet their deadlines?

Be as detailed as possible to ensure only the right people will apply to your job posting.

3. The qualifications

Every job posting should include a list of required skills and qualifications, so be sure to mention these in your remote job description as well. This is commonly done by listing the required criteria in bullet points.

One thing to keep in mind when defining the criteria though is to only include what is really necessary for the job. Other aspects that are nice to have but not 100% required might be better placed in the detailed job description, as not meeting all your criteria could lead to less people actually applying for the job.

4. The benefits

This is where you get to shine! Make sure to include all the benefits of your company, including pension schemes, health insurance, holidays, and bonus payments. 

And don’t forget to mention the remote specifics! Is there a special allowance covered by the company for travelling to the office for meetings? And what about equipment? Do you provide your remote employees with an initial set up or do you have a reimbursement program to cover all of these additional expenses? Make sure to name any and all of the benefits you offer to really seal the deal. 

The benefit section is also a good opportunity to convey your company culture, so go ahead and mention regular team events and shared values to shine a light on the team spirit.

5. The application process

Finally, outline the application process from start to finish to let applicants know what they are in for if they decide to apply for your position. Since remote employees are usually not based in the same city or country as the company they want to work for, you should definitely explain if you hold interviews over the phone or virtually via video calls. 

This is also where you will want to mention if you require any additional documents such as a cover letter or work samples, and it’s also a nice touch to outline expected waiting times to avoid getting a lot of questions about the status of an application.