(WSPA) – Work from home job offers were once riddled with scams. However, post-pandemic, there are more legitimate remote job opportunities than ever before. 

Still, the competition is fierce.  

In this 7NEWS Consumer Exclusive, “Ready To Go Remote,” we offer expert advice on how you can set yourself apart from the rest.

14 steps are all Hannah Vinson in Jonesville, S.C. has to walk when she starts work each day in her second-floor home office.  

However, like many Americans, this mother of two used to commute one hour each way until the pandemic gave her a taste of a different life.

“When I hit a year or so I was like, I don’t want to go back into the office. So, I started looking for things that I knew would be 100% remote,” Vinson said.

Her special training in technical HR systems helped Vinson land a remote job quickly with Americold Logistics.  

Seek online training

Training and certifications in remote work skills is one of the best ways to get hired. 

Nevertheless, before you pay for a course, check in with industry experts in your field to see what expertise is truly needed.  

Then, see if low cost or no-cost courses are offered by community colleges in your area, or even if training is offered by future employers themselves. 

Revamp the resume

Carlie Boese, with Robert Half International, said don’t pay someone to revise your resume.

Seek out employment firms in your field that will do it for free and help connect you with employers. 

A strong resume will reflect skills remote workers need like trustworthiness, self-motivation and problem-solving skills.

She adds, brush up on your interview skills to make sure you understand remote communication etiquette. 

“You have to really sell yourself.  You’re going to have to stand out from all those applicants not only because of all your credentials but because of how you are and what you bring to the table,” Boese said.  

Don’t just use Indeed

It is important to focus on the job sites that specialize in remote work like Flexjobs, Just Remote and Solidgigs.

If you follow them on social media, you will learn about immediate openings faster.

Know communications platforms

Also, familiarize yourself with platforms often used in remote work like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Salesforce, Trello, Skype, Zoom and the list goes on.

Finally, make sure you have a strong internet connection, since many remote jobs require DSL or Broadband.

Be realistic, bur don’t give up

Keep in mind, landing an in-office job may still be considerably easier because of one harsh reality; work from home job openings have seven times the number of applicants.

On the bright side, in stark contrast to before the pandemic, more than a quarter of all job postings now are for remote or hybrid work.

“It’s completely changed,” Boese said.

That gives hope to people like Larry Bitting, who had to quit his job in hospice to care for his wife who is battling cancer.  

“I had no choice but to leave my hospice job.  Besides, she was more important,” he said.

The veteran with a 30-year history in nursing is hoping to find remote work and is exploring online courses from Spartanburg Community College that may help give him the certifications needed to work from home.  

“I know once I’m trained, you don’t have to worry about anything,” Bitting said.  

As for Vinson, she is still getting job offers.   

“If hybrid or on-site is in the job qualifications, I’m like, take me out of the bucket, I can’t, I can’t do it anymore,” she said with a laugh.