Remote work is very attractive for those seeking to transition from other careers. For example, veterans, ex-manufacturing, hospitality, food-service and ex-retail workers are perfect candidates to learn a new skill and launch a career in high-demand areas where they can work from home.

For example, veterans who are leaving the military and seeking a new career are perfect for remote work. In the military, members need to manage time well, prioritize important tasks, manage and lead others, and serve with empathy and respect to fellow servicemen and servicewomen. Military life teaches you to learn what you can control and not worry so much about what you cannot. With remote work, there will always be things that are out of your hands. However, you can prioritize and organize your work so that you remain on top of what you and your colleagues need to get done while staying productive. 

Ex-manufacturing employees are another group who make for good remote workers. With so many factories continuing to move offshore, many manufacturing workers are looking to take their next step career-wise. Ex-manufacturing workers are equipped with a host of skills including critical thinking, attention to detail, and organization. 

You may come from retail. In retail you learned how to read customers, resolve issues, the importance of customer service and how to listen to the client to uncover what their true needs are. 

No matter your life experiences and skills, remote work is fully attainable for you. People of all backgrounds are finding jobs in a variety of industries, working from the comfort of their own home. 

Transferable Skills

You may be wondering how all of this applies to you. Maybe you think that you couldn't transition to a remote position. However, that's not true, and research supports it.

Department of Labor research tells us that people will have 12 different jobs between the ages of 18 and 50, including changing careers 3-7 times., and further more people will change their career 3 to 7 times in their lifetime.  

Whatever industry you are currently in, or even if you are still in college, you have developed skills that equip you well to enter a remote position and excel in it. These are called transferable skills, which you will carry and build on throughout your career.

According to Indeed.com, the top 10 transferable jobs skills you need for any industry include:

1. Decision-making
2. Multitasking
3. Creative problem-solving
4. Collaboration
5. Communication
6. Professionalism
7. Integrity
8. Management
9. Initiative
10. Empathy

You will notice that these are all soft skills—they do not require any technical expertise, so they are applicable no matter what industry you are in.

On the other hand, hard skills are the technical skills required for many positions. Hard skills include aptitude in computer coding, graphic design, creative writing, and more. Hard skills are not always as transferable between jobs and careers.

Just keep in mind that soft skills are the skills that will get you hired, gain you promotions, and keep you employed.