Tips for Advancing Your Career While Working Remotely

Working remotely has become increasingly popular in recent years, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Perhaps the biggest challenge is advancing your career while working remotely. Without face-to-face interaction with your superiors, demonstrating your value and earning recognition can be difficult. 

Working remotely at a company where your accomplishments are celebrated and compensated can make all the difference in ensuring your long-term career advancement. Following certain guidelines can set you up for success in navigating your remote career. 

Increase Face Time With Your Managers

One of the challenges of working remotely is that there isn't direct face time with your managers. This lack of touchpoint can limit your career advancement because you're not as present in their day-to-day. To overcome this, create opportunities to interact with your colleagues and managers. For example, you can participate in online forums or webinars or offer to give presentations. Alternatively, you can schedule virtual coffee chats with your managers to discuss your progression in the company. As part of these discussions, it's important to ask for feedback, so you can proactively address areas for improvement. 

Meeting with your teammates and managers will help you to be more visible and show your managers what you're capable of. The practice will also help you stay top of mind when your managers make promotion decisions. If you're proactive about creating these opportunities, you'll be more likely to advance in your career while working remotely.

Become a Great Writer

When working in a remote-first company, it's important to be clear in your writing so that others can understand. This practice facilitates collaboration and improves your performance. Asynchronous communication is one way to achieve this clarity. In asynchronous communication, you take the time to clearly state your thoughts and ideas in writing rather than relying on real-time verbal communication. This ensures that everyone has a chance to understand the message and reduces the risk of miscommunication. Asynchronous communication can take some getting used to, but it's an important tool for remote-first companies. By taking the time to be clear in your writing, you can improve your performance and facilitate better collaboration with your team.

Enhance Your Network Beyond Your Company

Your network can be one of your most valuable career assets in today's increasingly connected world. Whether you're looking for a new job or wanting to advance in your current career, building and maintaining a strong network can make all the difference. Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to expand your network, even if you're working remotely. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Slack offer great opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals worldwide. Joining interest groups and participating in discussions is a great way to start. And who knows? One of these connections could be the key to unlocking your next big career opportunity. So don't be afraid to reach out and start building your professional network while working in your current role. It could prove to be fruitful in advancing your career remotely. 

Keep Track of Your Achievements

It's essential to keep track of your achievements as you advance in your remote career. This approach can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and benchmark your progress. Regularly reflecting on your achievements will help you stay motivated and focused as you work towards your career goals. There are many ways to keep track of your accomplishments, including: 

• Create a spreadsheet or document where you track your achievements. Include the date, task, result, and any lessons learned.
• Save emails or performance reviews that document your accomplishments.
• Ask your supervisor or mentor to provide feedback on your recent achievements.
• Capture key takeaways from training, webinars, or conferences you've attended.

Never Stop Investing In Your Learning

While it can be difficult to advance your career without a traditional office setting, learning is an effective way to stay on top of your next move. By keeping up with the latest trends and developments in your industry, you can position yourself as an expert in your field. Additionally, consider taking online courses or attending virtual conferences to broaden your knowledge base and make yourself more marketable. If you're looking to make a pivot in your career, do your research to develop a roadmap for learning the necessary skills. With a little effort, you can ensure your remote career is as successful as possible.

Craft a Long-Term Career Vision

Setting goals and planning for the future is important for any career, but working remotely can be especially challenging. It can be difficult to stay focused on your long-term goals when you're bogged down with the day-to-day details of your job, but it's important to set aside time to review your strategy and make sure you're still on track. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting stuck in a rut and falling behind in your career while working remotely. By taking the time to assess your progress and revise your plans as needed, you can ensure that you're always moving forward and making progress towards your ultimate career goals.