I'm sure we've all heard these terms floating around for some time now: "WFH", "work abroad", "digital nomad", "fully remote" and the list goes on... Thanks to technological innovations and accelerated by COVID19, the world has opened up a realm of flexible and hybrid structures on working arrangement which has seen a surge in demand from everyday people, like you and myself.
Having a choice in terms of working environment and location, once seemed so strange and non-existent, has now been one of the most important factors when it comes to searching for a role, namely for the better balance of work and life. In a 2023 survey with FlexJobs, findings revealed that out of 8,400 individuals, a whopping 63% choose remote work as the most important aspect of their job, beating out salary at 61%, flexible schedules (55%), work-life boundaries (54%), and having a good boss (48%).
For me, it was something that was on my bucket list and I thought to myself: It's just a dream, not sure if I will be able to work and travel - maybe one day?
Fast forward to 2024, last year alone I had travelled to seven countries and now, living abroad temporarily in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At times, I would pinch myself: I am living my dream... this is my reality.
So let's cut to the chase: how did I actually manage to find a fully remote job?
A kind reminder: just a bit of context I'm Australian-born Vietnamese and this is my unique journey to which I hope to inspire others out there. Quite a few people in my network have reached out to me so I thought I'd share some points that have worked for me (and hopefully add some value to you, reader).
Here are 5 key points I considered when it came to landing my remote job:
Assessing my current situation
This is always at the forefront of my mind when it comes to general decision making. Luckily for me, I've been in the Marketing realm for nearly a decade now which came with favourable points, one of those being able to work for any industry and there is always a demand in this field. Working in tech has been one of the best decisions I've made for myself in my junior Intern years. Now, nearly a decade later and working in a couple of different industries, I've ended up working in tech again.
In my experience of working in tech companies, at my previous role where I joined just before COVID19, I was incredibly lucky (and somewhat accidental) to find out we were able to travel and work anywhere at anytime (when it was safe to do so). We had an office branch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where I would take quite a number of trips back and forth, and also visiting other countries for a couple of weeks at a time.
Being there just shy of 3 years earlier this year in 2024, it was quite of a shocker where the dreaded news came: I was made redundant. And worse yet, I was getting married in a month's time. When it rains... it definitely pours.
Nothing prepared me for this, but I knew that I had to find a way to land another remote role as my husband and I had been planning to work remotely abroad after the wedding.
I then created my game plan...
Nudging my network
With the wedding date looming, even though my drive was diminishing, I forced myself to review my outdated resume, LinkedIn profile and brushed up on skills. After sending out a handful of resumes and applying for countless roles, I wasn't seeing any light at the end of the tunnel.
After little to no response, I decided to reach out to my ex-colleagues for reviews and recommendations. And upon scrolling through LinkedIn, I decided to make the move and reach out to my previous colleagues who are working for remote companies.
With insane pure luck, I was able to score a full-time remote Marketing role within a week of reaching out - leveraging my relationship with past colleagues which I am incredibly grateful for. It's also no surprise as research has shown that referrals are favoured by 82% of employers for yielding the best return on investment (ROI). Go figure!
Understanding the "why"
Something that I stand strongly for is knowing the "why". Why do I want to travel and work? Why am I striving to achieve this? What is my purpose in my life right now?
From my experience, shedding light on the "why" keeps myself grounded and focussed to achieve the goal. This mindset is unbreakable: whether it be scoring that new job to purchasing a property or whatever it may be. When I find myself going astray, I reiterate back to the why and understanding I want to create this reality for myself and my loved ones.
Staying grounded with my budget
Once I had my remote role down pat, I moved on to assessing my financial position. The reality of working overseas is definitely exciting, however it is equally important to review and sustain spending because we all know it, the more affordable things are overseas, the higher tendency to spend more (I am guilty of this!)
Regular sit downs with my husband to work out our spending and budget spreadsheets to setting benchmarks is crucial to sustain our "upgraded" lifestyle overseas (and yes, we are still committing to this whilst in Vietnam). It's a fantastic habit to build and a great bonding session together.
The not-so-fun admin stuff
Let's not forget about the non-sparkly yet necessary points to consider when moving and working abroad:
- Visas: This is dependent on each individual's scenario. It is utterly vital to ensure when travelling to any country, to request for the correct visa based on your country of origin.
- Taxes: Depending on one's country and remote work policy, this is something to be mindful of. For my current company, we have a Work Abroad Policy which stipulates the ins and outs when it comes to taxation.
- Travel insurance: A definite no-brainer is to get comprehensive travel insurance when travelling and working abroad, especially when bringing valuable belongings such as laptops and mobile devices around.
The FINE PRINT: This blog is not financial or taxation advice, I highly advise to consult a taxation professional in regards to your unique situation.
In summary, how I landed my remote role was a combination of hard work over the past decade, grit and a sprinkle of luck.
I'd like to close this with a question to the reader: how far are you willing to go when it comes to making that dream remote role a reality?
Onwards and upwards!
Thank you for reading and make sure to subscribe. We're constantly exploring new destinations and share our stories, tips, and the beauty we discover along the way.
