Virtual Vocations has compiled key telecommuting statistical findings and telecommuter data into their Virtual Vocations 2016 Year-End Report to better understand telecommuting trends and insights that will shape the remote work landscape during 2017.
As the largest and most comprehensive online database of telecommute-only jobs and telecommute-friendly employers, Virtual Vocations spent 2016 furthering our mission to provide remote job seekers with vetted, fast, and effective telecommute job search resources.
Throughout 2016, Virtual Vocations’ highly trained and experienced staff of Job Researchers, Job Quality Specialists, and Quality Assurance Specialists reviewed hundreds of thousands of potential telecommuting jobs. Those that met our standards, which you can learn more about on our FAQ page, were added to our Telecommute Jobs Database.
Approved telecommute jobs are classified in our database using criteria like the following:
- Job Category – Our list of more than 40 telecommute job categories includes popular telecommute-friendly industries, such as Graphic Design, Internet and eCommerce, and Medical Coding, as well as more surprising fields like Engineering and Nursing
- Job Type – This classification tells job seekers if an open position is a full-time or part-time job, a paid internship, a temporary gig, or a permanent or contract role
- Employer – Here we specify the source of the telecommute job posting, either directly from employer resources or from a staffing agency
- Telecommute Status – The Telecommute Status selection defines whether a telecommute job can be worked from anywhere or if the job is location specific
- Travel Requirements – From 100% virtual jobs to those that require some on-site requirements or time on the road or in the air, this is where we designate a remote job opening’s travel demands
Within our Virtual Vocations 2016 Year-End Report we will examine telecommuting statistics and trends in relation to the best telecommuting locations as well as the top telecommuting jobs, career industries, and companies. We’ll also outline our latest telecommuter demographics survey revealing details on telecommuter traits and job needs.
The infographic image (left) highlights some of the key statistics featured in the Virtual Vocations 2016 Year-End Report. Select it to view the full size image, or view the Virtual Vocations 2016 Year-End Report Infographic as a PDF with clickable links to this report, our main website, and our profiles on Facebook and Twitter.
Top 10 States for Telecommuting Job Availability
The virtual job market naturally facilitates geographically diverse work environments. At Virtual Vocations, we’re always curious to learn more about U.S. locations where telecommute jobs are the most readily available and share that information with telecommute job seekers.
For 2016, we set out to not only discover the best states for telecommuting, but also target states were job seekers will have the best chance at finding a greater variety of available telecommute jobs. Therefore, we developed a location ranking system to determine which U.S. states are truly the most telecommute-friendly.
Our scoring guide formula was created using data aggregated from the Virtual Vocations Telecommute Jobs Database as well as the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the number of people encompassing the civilian labor force in each location as of November 2016.
We divided the civilian labor force total for each location by the number of telecommute job postings Virtual Vocations screened and approved from each location and published to our Telecommute Jobs Database during 2016. The result reveals the number of telecommute jobs per member of the civilian labor force from each location available throughout 2016; therefore, the lower the quotient, the more telecommute-friendly the location and the higher the ranking.
1. Vermont
- Vermont members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 344,758
- Number of Vermont telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 1,154
- State score: 298.75 (Vermont labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
2. Rhode Island
- Rhode Island members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 555,500
- Number of Rhode Island telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 1,257
- State score: 441.93 (Rhode Island labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
3. Wyoming
- Wyoming members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 302,395
- Number of Wyoming telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 649
- State score: 465.94 (Wyoming labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
4. Delaware
- Delaware members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 473,165
- Number of Delaware telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 977
- State score: 484.3 (Delaware labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
5. Maine
- Maine members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 693,706
- Number of Maine telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 1,244
- State score: 557.64 (Maine labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
6. New Hampshire
- New Hampshire members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 754,469
- Number of New Hampshire telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 1,303
- State score: 579.02 (New Hampshire labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
7. North Dakota
- North Dakota members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 429,752
- Number of North Dakota telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 708
- State score: 606.99 (North Dakota labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
8. South Dakota
- South Dakota members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 456,220
- Number of South Dakota telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 703
- State score: 648.96 (South Dakota labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
9. Montana
- Montana members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 524,826
- Number of Montana telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 687
- State score: 763.94 (Montana labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
10. Connecticut
- Connecticut members of the U.S. civilian labor force, as of November 2016 (BLS): 1,898,942
- Number of Connecticut telecommuting jobs posted to the Virtual Vocations database during 2016: 2,285
- State score: 831.05 (Connecticut labor force members per every one telecommuting job in the state)
Top 10 Telecommute Job Categories
The top telecommute job categories for 2016 are based on the career fields to which the greatest number of registered Virtual Vocations members applied to telecommute jobs throughout the year. We also researched BLS data on the projected 10-year growth for each telecommute job category.
1. Information Technology
View All Current Information Technology Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Information Technology Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Remote Cloud Architect
- Telecommute Lead Software Engineer
- Work at Home Programmer Analyst
BLS Information Technology Jobs Growth Projection:
From 2014 to 2024, information technology jobs are projected to gain nearly half a million new openings, growing at a rate of 12 percent over 10 years. Strengthening the demand for new IT job openings is the industry’s prioritization of good-paying jobs. Overall, information technology careers pay an average of nearly $50,000 more annually than careers offering the median annual wage of $36,200.
Remote Employers Hiring in Information Technology:
2. Project Management
View All Current Project Management Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Project Management Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Partial Telecommuting Clinical Project Manager
- Virtual IT Project Manager
- Work at Home Strategic/Implementation Project Manager
BLS Project Management Jobs Growth Projection:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not compile overarching data on the project management industry, according to the BLS economist Tom DiVincenzo. Instead, the BLS breaks out project management based roles into specific jobs within the field such as information systems manager or construction project manager, which average an occupational growth rate of 10% (faster than average).
Remote Employers Hiring in Project Management:
3. Sales
View All Current Sales Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Sales Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Remote Account Executive
- Telecommuting Inside/Outside Sales Representative
- Telework Regional Sales Manager
BLS Sales Jobs Growth Projection:
Even larger than the management industry, sales careers are expected to grow by nearly 800,000 new opportunities through 2024.
Remote Employers Hiring in Sales:
4. Management
View All Current Management Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Management Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Home-Based Program Director
- Partial Telecommute District Manager
- Telecommute Business Manager
BLS Management Jobs Growth Projection:
The need for management occupations is driven by the desire for businesses to expand their operations. According to the latest BLS data, more than half a million new management jobs will be added between 2014 and 2024, equating to six percent job growth within one of the largest telecommuting industries.
Remote Employers Hiring in Management:
5. Healthcare
View All Current Healthcare Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Healthcare Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Partial Telecommuting Field Medical Case Manager
- Virtual Telephonic Nurse
- Work at Home Physician Reviewer
BLS Healthcare Jobs Growth Projection:
Based on the most recent BLS stats, healthcare is the fastest growing job field among the top telecommuting job categories. By the end of 2024, healthcare related careers will have added approximately 2.3 million jobs, achieving an industry growth rate of 19 percent. In addition, that healthcare industry boasts average wages nearly double the national median salary.
Remote Employers Hiring in Healthcare:
6. Customer Service
View All Current Customer Service Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Customer Service Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Telecommuting Customer Care Representative
- Virtual Customer Care/Technical Support Specialist
- Work at Home Customer Service Agent
BLS Customer Service Jobs Growth Projection:
Customer service represents another fast-growing remote job category. Occupations in this popular home-based field are forecast to grow at a rate of 10 percent over a 10-year period, which is faster than average.
Remote Employers Hiring in Customer Service:
7. Marketing
View All Current Marketing Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Marketing Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Remote Marketing and Events Coordinator
- Partial Telecommuting Communications and Public Relations Consultant
- Virtual Marketing Manager
BLS Marketing Jobs Growth Projection:
Marketing jobs are slated to grow faster than average when compared to jobs in all other industries. From 2014 to 2014, look for 19,700 marketing related openings to be added to the job market.
As businesses continue to expand their reach and appeal to broader audiences, especially those receiving information via digital mediums, more marketing jobs will grow to incorporate social media elements.
Remote Employers Hiring in Marketing:
8. Writing
View All Current Writing Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Writing Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Online Course/Curriculum Writer
- Virtual Content Writer
- Work from Home Freelance Writer/Blogger
BLS Writing Jobs Growth Projection:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, writing is slated to be a highly competitive field through 2024. The BLS projects that just over 3,000 new writing jobs will be added to the market during this time. If you wanted to be in top contention, review our guides on writing your best resume and cover letter: Telecommuting Resume Writing: A Complete Guide and Telecommuting Cover Letters: Formats for Success.
Remote Employers Hiring in Writing:
9. Business Operations
View All Current Business Operations Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Business Operations Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Partial Telecommuting Business Operations Managers
- Remote Business Process Analyst
- Virtual Business Operations Specialist
BLS Business Operations Jobs Growth Projection:
Jobs as business operations specialists and managers, who also may be known as administrative services specialists and managers, will experience growth that is as fast as average for all other occupations. During the 2014-2024 decade, this industry will experience approximately eight percent job growth, equating to more than 23,000 new employment opportunities within the industry.
Remote Employers Hiring in Business Operations:
10. Consulting
View All Current Consulting Telecommute Jobs at Virtual Vocations
Examples of Consulting Telecommuting Job Titles:
- Remote Risk Management Consultant
- Telecommute Compliance Analyst
- Virtual Business Consultant
BLS Consulting Jobs Growth Projection:
Consulting careers, or management analyst careers, are projected to experience one of the highest rates of growth among 2016 top telecommute industries. Adding more than 103,000 jobs from 2014 through 2024, the consulting field is predicted to grow as much as 14 percent.
The BLS assigns this level of growth based on the increasing number of businesses seeking the expertise of consultants who can help employers keep costs down and improve efficiency in their business operations.
Remote Employers Hiring in Consulting:
Top 10 Telecommute Jobs
Once we curated our list of the best remote work categories, we looked within those career fields to determine the most prevalent telecommute job in each area represented within our Telecommute Jobs Database.
1. Software Developer
Average Wages: $68,082 per year, via PayScale
A telework Software Developer is the creative backbone behind programming that allows users to complete specific tasks on a mobile device or computer. Software Developers are also responsible for developing systems that dictate the behavior of networks and run our favorite devices.
Top Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a similar field
- Strong programming skills in languages like Java and C++
2. Technical Project Manager
Average Wages: $84,797 per year
From orchestrating technical project planning to assigning tasks to project members, remote Technical Project Managers are the IT masterminds companies seek to advance their technology goals.
Top Qualifications:
- Relevant bachelor’s degree associated with your area of expertise
- 5-7 years of experience within the industry
3. Sales Representative
Average Wages: $40,522 per year
Home-based Sales Representatives sell services and goods to customers by determining customer needs, answering questions about products, and pursuing leads through resources like business directories and client referrals.
Requirements:
- High school diploma or GED for most entry level, non-technical sales roles; some employers may prefer a bachelor’s degree
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills
- Professional and enthusiastic phone manner
4. Executive Director
Average Wages: $70,470 per year
Telecommuting Executive Directors serve as an organization’s upper management and senior operating officers. These roles are particularly prevalent among non-profit organizations within the United States.
Requirements:
- Four-year degree
- A minimum of five years of industry experience
- Proven ability to delegate tasks
5. Field Case Manager
Average Wages: $66,532 per year
Field Case Managers, who work from home on a partial telecommuting basis, are charged with on- and off-site patient care. A Field Case Manager acts as a liaison between physicians, patients, and insurance companies to coordinate care, much of the time for patients seeking to return to work after an accident or injury.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a field like nursing, behavioral health, psychology, or human services
- Certification or licensure as dictated by the candidate’s state of residence and work
- The ability to travel, often on a frequent basis, to attend to patients in their homes and visit with healthcare and community services providers
6. Customer Service Representative
Average Wages: $13.00 per hour
When a business needs workers to field customer complaints, process product returns, offer information about services, upsell products and take orders they look to Virtual Customer Service Representatives.
Requirements:
- High school diploma or GED
- Calming and professional, yet personable phone manner with the ability to de-escalate tense calls concerning services complaints
- Proficient in the use of computers and standard work processing and database software
7. Marketing Associate
Average Wages: $41,901 per year
As a telecommuting Marketing Associate, a remote worker would primarily create marketing campaigns, market products to clients, coordinate with product developers, and launch and promote services and goods.
Requirements:
- Four-year degree in marketing, communications, public relations, advertising, or a similar field
- Experience in customer service, sales, or telemarketing is preferred
8. Content Writer
Average Wages: $40,951 per year
Online Content Writers are wordsmiths who create digital content, especially blog posts, articles, and webpage content, for websites. They most often work on a freelance basis, tailoring their work to best suit the needs of their clients and their unique readership.
Requirements:
- High school diploma or GED is standard; post-secondary study may be required if expertise is needed when writing for a specific industry like education, technology, or psychology
- Excellent command of the English language
- Strong proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite as well as with email and CMS applications like WordPress
9. Business Analyst
Average Wages: $58,923 per year
Telecommuting Business Analysts assess companies and organizations to document and improve the functionality and efficiency of their systems and processes, as well as analyze their business model and its level of technology integration.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a field related to business administration or information technology
- Professional certification, such as a CBAP or IIBA designation, is often preferred
10. Consultant
Average Wages: $68,982 per year
Telecommuting Consultants are skilled, experienced professionals who provide advice within a specific industry such as technology, education, security, or healthcare.
Requirements:
- Post-secondary degree and professional certification and/or licensure related to the consultant’s area of expertise
- 10+ years of demonstrated professional experience within the specialty area
Top 10 Telecommute-Friendly Companies
Thousands of telecommute-friendly companies are profiled within our Telecommute Companies Database, but 10 employers topped our list of the best telecommute-friendly companies for 2016 because of their high frequency and variety of telecommuting jobs available throughout the year.
1. UnitedHealth Group
Founded: 1977
Website: UnitedHealthGroup.com
UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune 500 company, is one of the most diversified healthcare companies serving U.S. and global customers. Specializing in IT support infrastructures for healthcare, as well as clinical care, UHG is present in almost every branch of healthcare related services.
View UnitedHealth Group’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
2. IBM
Founded: 1911
Website: IBM.com
IBM is the largest technology and consulting employer in the world, with more than 400,000 employees serving clients in 170 countries.
View IBM’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
3. Dell Inc.
Founded: 1984
Website: Dell.com
Dell Inc. is a private, American multi-national provider of computer technology services and one of the top three worldwide providers of personal computers.
View Dell Inc.’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
4. Xerox Corporation
Founded: 1906
Website: Xerox.com
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational corporation providing global business services, document management services, and technology to more than 180 countries.
View Xerox’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
5. Salesforce.com
Founded:1999
Website: Salesforce.com
Salesforce.com is the world’s leading company specializing in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.
View Salesforce.com’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
6. Humana Inc.
Founded: 1961
Website: Humana.com
Humana is a Fortune 100, for-profit health insurance company and the highest earning business based in Kentucky. The company provides a broad portfolio of health insurance and wellness products to a diverse group of customers, including members of the military, the elderly, and the self-employed.
View Humana Inc.’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
7. Oracle Corporation
Founded: 1977
Website: Oracle.com
Oracle Corporation is a multinational information technology and computer services company specializing in database management systems and other enterprise software products, computer hardware systems, business intelligence, and communications industry solutions.
View Oracle Corporation’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
8. Connections Academy
Founded: 2001
Website: ConnectionsAcademy.com
Connections Academy is a division of the education company Connection Education LLC and an offshoot of Sylvan Ventures. The company provides a public school option with high parental involvement that students can complete from home.
View Connections Academy’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
9. K12 Inc.
Founded: 2000
Website: K12.com
K12, a pioneer of online public and private schooling, hosts online schools in many states throughout the U.S., as well as provides education products to parents who teach their children at home.
View K12 Inc.’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
10. Kaplan, Inc.
Founded: 1938
Website: Kaplan.com
Kaplan, Inc. is a for-profit education subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company and a leading provider of business, school, and individual educational services for those seeking K-12 study, higher education, or professional development.
View Kaplan Inc.’s Complete Company Profile at Virtual Vocations
2016 Telecommuter Demographics
In our largest survey ever—the “Telecommute Job Seeker Survey”—Virtual Vocations’ 1,845 voluntary survey respondents gave us a peek into their lives as professionals who value remote work.
Among all survey respondents,
- 48% are at least 50 years old
- 82.3% have received a post-secondary diploma or degree, with 35.1% having earned at least a bachelor’s degree
- 42.3% care for children or a family member in their homes on a regular basis
- 77.6% are not currently working in a telecommuting job
Based on their survey responses, respondents were divided into the following categories: 1) respondents who are actively working in a telecommuting job; 2) respondents who are seeking telecommuting jobs. Interestingly, our survey revealed that the top locations for professionals currently working in telecommuting jobs and those who hope to telecommute are the same:
- California
- Florida
- Texas
- New York
Among respondents who are active telecommuters,
- 56.4% have at least five years of telecommuting experience
- 39.5% earn a minimum of $71,000 per year in their remote job
- 62.2% telecommute 100% of the time
- 50.4% work as independent contractors
- 74.3% have experienced an increased quality of life since they started telecommuting
- 83.5% have experienced decreased costs (e.g. lunches, clothing, gas, etc.) associated with work since telecommuting
Among respondents who hope to telecommute,
- 53.7% have prior telecommuting experience
- 62.8% have been searching for a telecommute job for less than six months
- 74.7% are motivated to telecommute because they want flexibility and control over their work schedules
- 47.6% want a 100% virtual job
- 74% have applied to no more than three telecommute jobs within the last month
- 33.2% would accept up to a 5% decrease in pay in order to telecommute
- 44.7% want to telecommute only as an employee, with 42.8% willing to work in any type of telecommuting arrangement
- 36.6% say the most frustrating element to looking for telecommuting jobs is the lack of employer response to applications
Want to Telecommute? Here’s How Virtual Vocations Can Help You
Has our Virtual Vocations 2016 Year-End Report inspired to you explore telecommuting opportunities?
You could be a seasoned telecommuter looking for new avenues to work from home or a first-time remote job seeker interested in the flexibility of telecommuting to improve your quality of life; either way, Virtual Vocations can help you achieve your career goals!
Unlike other job boards, Virtual Vocations publishes hundreds of new telecommute job vacancies every day, verifying that each job posting will allow you to work from home a minimum of 20% of the time.
It’s our mission to ensure Virtual Vocations members receive fast access to the most current and best virtual job listings anywhere.
We even provide Virtual Vocations members with options for customizable email alerts, giving job seekers instant access to newly published telecommute job openings curated based on their job search preferences.
In addition to complete access to our Telecommute Jobs Database, Virtual Vocations subscribers receive a variety of exclusive telecommute job resources designed to give job seekers the highest opportunity for success in their telecommute job searches.
Here’s a sampling of some of the exclusive telecommute job search benefits we offer for boosting your hireability and connecting you to the right telecommute jobs and employers:
- Telecommuting Handbook and Interview guide downloads
- A Telecommute Toolkit featuring e-courses like “Create a Winning Telecommute Resume” and “Telecommute Job Searching for Mid-Level and Professional Job Seekers”
- Action plans and downloadable resume templates
- Access to Industry Guides to help you navigate your search for a telecommute job in popular categories like Education and Nursing
- Free access to our Telecommute Companies Database filled with thousands of profiles of telecommute-friendly employers known for hiring qualified professionals to work remotely
- Search Filters that allow you to search for human-screened telecommute jobs by job category, type, telecommute status, travel requirements, and more—all to ensure you are applying to be most appropriate telecommute jobs for your experience level, skill set, and job flexibility needs
- A team of experienced customer service professionals ready to answer your questions about utilizing Virtual Vocations during your telecommute job search via phone at 1-800-379-5092, email at customerservice@virtualvocations.com, and Live Chat Support on our Homepage
Visit our Services Page for more information on how Virtual Vocations can be of benefit to you during your telecommute job search.
Did any of the telecommuting stats from the Virtual Vocations 2016 Year-End Report surprise you? Share your comment when you connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook and Twitter. We’d love to hear from you!
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