More and more people yearn for more freedom: they want to travel more often as well as be able to take their work with them flexibly. The reality? A completely remote job is not there for the taking. You have to search carefully, take steps and sometimes make concessions. But it is absolutely feasible if you are serious about this process. Below is a practical approach that answers frequently asked questions about working remotely from abroad and how you can score your dream job.
1. The different forms of remote working
Not every remote job means complete location independence. It matters what you are looking for and what type of work format fits your future life. The degree of freedom varies by type of work form.
| Working Form | Description | Location Freedom |
| Remote-first / fully remote | You can work from anywhere in the world. | High |
| Partially remote (hybrid) | Mix of home, office and sometimes abroad. | Average |
| Office + remote options. | Not fully remote, but flexible. | Limited |
2. Choose the form of work that suits your situation
There are several routes to building a remote livelihood. Choose what best suits your desired job and risk appetite.
| Working Form | Suitable for whom |
| Wage employment | Stability and steady income |
| Freelance / self-employed | A lot of flexibility, less security |
| Entrepreneur | Maximum freedom, own responsibility |
| Combination | Spread risk, build income |
| Side hustle | Building additional online income alongside a job |
3. Explore the labor market
Remote working is not a “job on demand,” these are not there for the taking. Explore well where the opportunities are and dive in.
Popular remote features: customer support, marketing, design, development, sales, project management, data analysis. Learn more about popular remote professions.
Online revenue models: online courses, affiliate marketing, content creation, Virtual Assistant, e-commerce.
Resources: Flexjobs, WeWorkRemotely, LinkedIn Jobs, RemoteOK
4. Remote-proof your profile
Make sure your resume, online visibility and communications show that you are suited to work independently.
- CV: emphasize autonomy, digital skills and experience with online tools.
- LinkedIn: clear headline, niche features, active network.
- Website/portfolio: up-to-date, professional, relevant.
- Online visibility: share expertise, show experience, publish cases.
5. Determine your job profile
Make sure you are clear to yourself what your profile is and what kind of positions fit it. This will give direction to your search. The road to your ideal remote job requires focus. Map out your hard and soft skills so you can search in a focused way.
- What positions suit you? What matches your knowledge and experience?
- Which companies fit your values?
- What skills make you attractive to remote employers?
6. Orient yourself to the offerings
There are plenty of job boards for finding your remote job. Internationally, your chances are even slightly better, since remote work is already more common there than in the Netherlands and it’s easier at a company that already works internationally anyway. Also, see which companies have remote-first teams. That chance is higher than with traditional employers. Find jobs through:
- International job boards (RemoteOK, Flexjobs, Working Nomads)
- European platforms (EuropeRemotely, LinkedIn)
- Dutch job boards with filters for hybrid and remote (Indeed, Youngcapital)
- Working Remotely, Dutch companies embracing (partial) remote working
7. Test your market value
Don’t be too careful when applying for jobs. By sending letters and conducting job interviews, you can gauge your market value. In this way, you will quickly discover where your opportunities lie and where there is still work to be done. Use the feedback you get and learn from it. It will also give you a better sense of what you want. What gets you excited, and where might you feel resistance?
- Send cover letters and strong motivations
- Do job interviews
- Ask for feedback on your application
- Improve your profile in your resume and LinkedIn
8. Leverage your network
In addition to searching job boards, your own network is also incredibly important. Both privately and professionally. Make sure people know what you are looking for and actively engage your network yourself. Many remote jobs are filled via via. So build your network structurally.
- Online: LinkedIn, Instagram/TikTok, slack communities, industry groups
- Offline: meetups, conferences, networking events, entrepreneurial drinks, coworkings
- Via-via: Let your surroundings know you are looking for a remote job
9. Be realistic in your expectations
Ideally, you want a job with complete freedom, a good salary and security of income. But often ‘you can’t have it all’. A remote job offers freedom, but also requires flexibility. You will sometimes have to make concessions and perhaps give up a little on salary or perhaps not have complete freedom. The security of a salaried job or a permanent client as a freelancer would be nice, but not everyone is open to this and so there is a real chance that you will have to compromise.
10. The perseverer wins
For most people, getting a remote job is a process, not a quick win. It’s a quest that takes time and energy. But with perseverance you will get there; after all, I managed it, both in employment and now as an entrepreneur with an online business. If you build structurally on skills, visibility and networking, your chances increase enormously.
Online geld verdienen: de 25 beste manieren om vanuit het buitenland te werken
