The Virtual Vocations August 2020 Remote Jobs Report analyzes current remote hiring trends, telecommuting statistics, telework employment news, and Virtual Vocations company data for U.S. professionals actively applying to flexible, fully virtual, and home-based jobs.
August 2020 Remote Jobs Report
Our August 2020 Remote Jobs Report features our examination of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) “Employment Situation Summary” for July 2020 as well as Virtual Vocations company statistics from the same month.
July 2020 was a record-setting month for Virtual Vocations, which added more remote jobs to its job board than during any other month in the company’s 13-year history.
CEO Statement on Remote Hiring in July
“From June to July, we saw a 38.63% increase in the number of new remote jobs added to the Virtual Vocations job board—a company record equaling more than 41,000 total remote jobs shared to the Virtual Vocations database during July.
Thankfully, the U.S. economy has continued to rebound after historic unemployment numbers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Growth in the number of available remote jobs, as well as the number of companies incorporating telecommuting into their business models, is further proof of the value of remote work not only in times of crisis but also as a permanent work arrangement.”
—Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations CEO and Co-Founder
Senate Testimony on Telework During COVID-19
On July 27, 2020, Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics (GWA), testified before the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works. Lister’s testimony was part of a hearing titled “Lessons Learned from Remote Working during COVID-19: Can the Government Save Money Through Maximizing Efficient Use of Leased Space?”
The scope of Lister’s testimony, which included topics like telecommuting during the coronavirus pandemic, the benefits of telework, how telework has been utilized in government and the private sector, and overcoming the unintended consequences of remote work, reiterates the unmistakable impacts of telework on the economy, technology, employment, infrastructure, and the environment.
Underscoring the positive influence of telework are statistics, like the following, which Lister shared during her Senate testimony:
- 95% of office workers in the U.S. became regular telecommuters at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A June 2020 PWC survey found that “89% of executives expect more than 30% of employees will continue to work remotely at least one day a week post-COVID-19; 55% expect more than 60% to do so.”
- The “Global Work-from-Home Experience Survey” from GWA and Iometrics revealed that “Nearly three-quarters of the 2,800 respondents agreed with the statement ‘I feel very successful working from home.'”
- 2018 and 2019 congressional reports on telework within government showed that the Social Security Administration alone saved $900 million in annual real estate expenses.
- Within the private sector, Cisco experienced a “30% reduction in real estate in spite of a 15% increase in workforce” as well as “produced $288M in income through the sale of owned real estate.”
- Telework arrangements can mitigate or solve national problems including talent pool expansion and diversity, increasing employment opportunities for military spouses and rural residents, driving down the high cost of living in cities, and alleviating pressures on transportation departments.
Kate Lister’s complete telework Senate testimony is available in both written and verbal formats:
Virtual Vocations COVID-19 Tips and Resources
Virtual Vocations has also become a leader in COVID-19 guidance for remote jobseekers, existing telecommuters, and newly remote-enabled businesses. To help remote jobseekers simplify their job searches, we created a new job search filter to accommodate remote jobs allowing workers to telecommute during the pandemic. Additional expert advice has been compiled into an online COVID-19 hub featuring remote work tips and resources like the following:
- Resume help
- Career coaching
- Links to open telecommuting jobs
- Free telecommuting and remote work downloads including an Employee Checklist and a Telecommuting Business Plan Bundle
- State-specific remote work resources
- Advice for remote employees
- Guidance for managing remote workers
- Tips for parents and caregivers working from home with children or loved ones who need special care
Discover all of Virtual Vocations’ COVID-19 tips and resources for remote jobseekers and businesses by clicking the button below.
BLS Jobs Report Analysis for Remote Workers
July was another positive month for U.S. employment with the unemployment rate falling another 0.9%.
“In July, the unemployment rate fell to 10.2 percent,” according to the BLS. However, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of unemployed persons in the U.S. is up by 6.7% since February 2020.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor BLS, “THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION — JULY 2020”
Unemployment rates improved for both men and women. Additionally, the number of professionals who experienced a temporary layoff decreased by more than 9 million during July, which is approximately a 50% decline since April. And although 1.8 million jobs were added in July, it is important to keep in mind that this is a softer increase of new jobs added to the economy in recent months: 4.8 million for June and 2.7 million in May as well as 12.9 million lower than February (prior to COVID-19).
Remote Job Search Trends for July 2020
Virtual Vocations examined company data on the types of remote jobs posted during July as well as the preferences of remote jobseekers actively searching for and applying to remote jobs. The following remote job search trends emerged from July 1 to July 31:
- Permanent remote jobs were more readily available than independent contracting roles.
- Among all remote job openings with education requirements specified, most positions required a bachelor’s degree.
- Telecommute jobseekers preferred 100% virtual jobs with no travel to remote jobs requiring some degree of business travel or on-site work; in fact, 100% Telecommute was the most frequently applied to remote job category during the month.
- 54.55% more remote information technology jobs were available compared to the next most popular remote work category for July 2020: healthcare.
- There were six times as many full-time remote jobs available as part-time remote jobs.
- Remote job openings were more widely available for businesses operating in the Eastern Standard Time Zone.
- The vast majority of remote jobs added to the Virtual Vocations job board required applicants with some degree of professional experience in a given role.
- The contiguous state with the fewest number of available remote job openings was Vermont; meanwhile, California had the most remote job openings for the month.
Employer Partners Who Hired in July
Throughout the month, more than 20 Virtual Vocations Employer Partners, which are companies that work directly with us to post their remote job openings and reach more qualified remote workers, shared their telework vacancies to our job board.
Employer Partners that posted telecommuting jobs to the Virtual Vocations database in July have been ranked according to the number of remote job openings they shared during the month. Click any of the hyperlinked company names below to view a researched Virtual Vocations company profile of that business.
- Achieve Test Prep, a training and education company
- eXp Realty, a real estate brokerage firm
- Uscreen, a video hosting and streaming service
- TTEC, a customer engagement services provider
- Transcom Group, an outsourcing solutions provider
- Brilliant Metrics, a marketing strategy and consulting agency
- World Business and Executive Coach Summit (WBECS), a professional training and coaching company
- Study.com, an online learning platform
- FA Client Machine, a digital media marketing company
- ExpatBuddy, a mobile technology social platform for expats
- Impactian (Impactio), a remote workforce solutions provider
- ttcInnovations, a customized training, development, and leadership services and solutions provider
- Net Transcripts, Inc., a law enforcement transcription company
- We Recruit Well, a recruiting and talent search firm
- Scopic, a custom software development company
- Paragon Planners, a territory management support provider
- Team Delegate, LLC, a business services company
- Honey Bar Media, Inc., a real estate coaching company
- Green Bean CFO, an accounting services company
- Mycelebs, an artificial intelligence (AI) technology company
- InquisitHealth, a mentoring service technology provider
Further Reading from Virtual Vocations: Businesses Still Hiring Amid COVID-19 — Q2 Employer Partners Report
2020 Quarterly Remote Employer Partner Report (Q2) Highlight on YouTube
10 States with the Most Remote Job Openings
Throughout July, these 10 states had the most location-specific remote job openings in the Virtual Vocations job board.
Top 5 Regions for Available Remote Jobs
Job search filters within the Virtual Vocations database allow remote jobseekers to query for job openings by region. At the beginning of June, these five U.S. regions featured the most remote job openings within the Virtual Vocations job board. Click on any of the hyperlinked region names below to view available remote job openings from that area.
Top 10 States with Remote Jobs to Which Virtual Vocations Users Most Often Applied
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New York
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Illinois
- Virginia
- Massachusetts
- Pennsylvania
Remote Work & Telecommuting Jobs State Resources Directory
Job requirements, business needs, and state employment laws are some of the reasons remote jobs may be classified as location-specific. To help jobseekers learn more about remote jobs in their state, or a state to which they may want to move, Virtual Vocations developed the Remote Work & Telecommuting Jobs State Resources Directory. Within it, jobseekers will find researched profiles of the remote work climate in all 50 U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Visit our State Resources Directory for location-specific information about telecommuting incentives, coworking centers, the most popular remote work categories, and remote-enabled companies.
10 Industries with the Most Remote Job Openings
Virtual Vocations sources thousands of remote job openings each month. From July 1 to July 31, the most telecommuting job openings were found among these 10 remote work industries in the Virtual Vocations database:
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Financial
- Education
- Customer Service
- Sales
- Human Services
- Real Estate
- Marketing
- Project Management
For all the remote job industries named above, we have highlighted trending remote jobs that may be found on the Virtual Vocations job board as well as each category’s projected job growth estimates through 2028.
1. Information Technology
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 12% growth
Trending Information Technology Remote Jobs:
- Remote Data Warehouse Developer
- Telecommute Security Compliance Manager
- Remote Software Design Advocate
- Virtual Back End Software Engineer
- Telecommute Clinical Database Developer II
View All Information Technology Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
Further Reading from Virtual Vocations: Guide to Remote IT Jobs — Jobseeker Resource and Download
2. Healthcare
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 14% growth
Trending Healthcare Remote Jobs:
- Remote Outpatient Coder
- Telecommute Psychiatrist
- Remote Contract Tracing Program Assistant
- Virtual Overnight General Radiologist
- Remote Registered Nurse
View All Healthcare Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
Further Reading from Virtual Vocations: Guide to Remote Healthcare Jobs — Jobseeker Resource and Download
3. Financial
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 16% growth for Financial Managers; 7% growth for Personal Financial Advisors; 6% growth for Financial Analysts
Trending Financial Remote Jobs:
- Remote Mortage Loan Officer
- Telecommute Revenue Accountant
- Virtual Bookkeeper
- Remote Senior Financial Analyst
- Virtual Public Tax Manager
View All Financial Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
4. Education
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 5% growth
Trending Education Remote Jobs:
- Telecommute Higher Education Admissions Counselor
- Remote Middle School Science Teacher
- Remote Educational Test Item Writer
- Online Teacher of the Visually Impaired
- Telecommute Academic Operations Director
View All Education Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
Further Reading from Virtual Vocations: Guide to Remote Education Jobs — Jobseeker Resource and Download
5. Customer Service
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 2% decline
Trending Customer Service Remote Jobs:
- Remote Athletes Call Center Agent
- Telecommute Bilingual Spanish Medical Transport
- Remote Customer Support Manager
- Remote Helpdesk Technical Support Agent
- Telecommute Retail Customer Order Specialist
View All Customer Service Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
6. Sales
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): Little to no growth
Trending Sales Remote Jobs:
- Remote Proposal Sales Support Specialist
- Remote Cyber Risk Business Development Vice President
- Telecommute Marketing Solutions Inbound Call Center Agent
- Remote Sales Development Representative
- Remote Business Software Ambassador
View All Sales Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
Further Reading from Virtual Vocations: Guide to Remote Sales Jobs — Jobseeker Resource and Download
7. Human Services
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 13% growth
Trending Human Services Remote Jobs:
- Remote Behavioral Health Outreach Care Specialist
- Telecommute Crisis Group Session Counselor
- Remote CCP Community Liaison
- Virtual School Speech-Language Pathologist
- Remote Licensed Mental Health Provider Clinical Specialist II
View All Human Services Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
8. Real Estate
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): BLS Industry Outlook: 7% growth
Trending Project Management Remote Jobs:
- Virtual Real Estate Escrow Officer
- Remote Property Researcher
- Remote Title Settlement Processor
- Telecommute Real Estate Digital Content Manager
- Remote Mortgage Condo Project Reviewer
View All Real Estate Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
9. Marketing
BLS Industry Outlook (2018–2028): 8% growth
Trending Marketing Remote Jobs:
- Telecommute Google Ads Freelancer
- Remote Social Media Managing Director
- Virtual Growth Hacker
- Remote Marketing Operations Manager
- Telecommute Digital Marketing Associate
View All Marketing Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
10. Project Management
Project Management Institute (PMI) Industry Outlook (2017–2027): 31% growth
Trending Project Management Remote Jobs:
- Remote Clinical Software Project Manager
- Remote Information Technology Project Manager 2
- Telecommute Consulting Project Manager
- Remote Marketing Project Manager
- Telecommute Project Manager
View All Project Management Remote Job Openings on the Virtual Vocations Job Board
Further Reading from Virtual Vocations: Guide to Remote Project Management Jobs — Jobseeker Resource and Download
10 Most Applied to Remote Work Industries
Virtual Vocations researches, screens, and posts remote job openings from more than 40 career categories. During July, the following remote work industries were the most applied to by Virtual Vocations members:
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Human Resources
- Project Management
- Marketing
- Customer Service
- Management
- Financial
- Accounting
- Graphic Design
Virtual Vocations in the News
In recent weeks, Virtual Vocations CEO Laura Spawn, as well as the company and its services, have been featured in a number of top publications related to business, careers, and leadership. Below is a sampling of some of our most recent and newsworthy digital media appearances related to topics like supporting and appreciating remote workers, mistakes that can prevent jobseekers from landing a remote job, and improving the candidate experience. We have also included links to testimonials from remote jobseekers who found telecommuting jobs using the Virtual Vocations job board.
Press Releases
- A Holistic Approach to Remote Work: Virtual Vocations Releases 4-Phase Strategy for Telecommuters
- Virtual Vocations Features Top Employer Partners in Q2 Report on Businesses Still Hiring Amid COVID-19
Published Content from CEO Laura Spawn
Business.com:
Business2Community:
CMSWire:
Forbes:
Thrive Global:
UpJourney:
Forbes Human Resources Council Mentions
- 14 Noteworthy Aspects Of Digital Transformation In HR
- 11 Effective Strategies For Building A Positive Candidate Experience
- 14 Low-Cost Training Initiatives For Businesses On A Budget
- 11 Key Considerations When Recruiting From A Larger Talent Pool
Digital Publication Mentions
Empire Resume:
HR Daily Advisor:
Tech Geeked:
Virtual Vocations Member Testimonials
Jobseekers who have found remote jobs via Virtual Vocations:
- Perseverance Pays Off as Legal Administrative Assistant Finds Work
- Textbook Designer Finds Remote Job During COVID-19
Do you have questions about the August 2020 Remote Jobs Report? Did any of the findings surprise you? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts on this report and find more remote work content and conversations.
Image credits: Virtual Vocations images, Kimberly Back; iStock photos, 1. scyther5; 2. primeimages
Joining Virtual Vocations grants you access to our hand-picked telecommuting jobs database. Learn how our service works, browse job leads by location and career category, or search hundreds of hand-screened telecommuting jobs to find legitimate work-at-home job leads that match your skills and background. Register for free or contact us for more information on our service guarantee.
Check out our menu of Career Services provided by our team of certified professionals, including resume and career coaching services for remote jobseekers. Resume assessments and writing, LinkedIn profile enhancement and cover letter writing are available to maximize the success of your remote job applications. Discounts on all services available to subscription members, become one now.
