How do you find the best remote company for your work style, values, and career growth? Use this checklist during your job search to uncover your perfect match:

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How do you find the best remote company to work for?

Do all remote companies work the same way?

If you’re ready to find remote work, it’s easy to compare job ads based on salary, job titles, necessary experience/education, and more.

But how can you tell the difference between one remote company and the best remote company for you?

Since they’re not all created equally, we’ll give you a checklist to help you find your perfect match in this guide.

And it starts with learning:

How to Tell If a Remote Company is Legit

These days, anyone can throw together a professional-looking website and create job ads for remote workers.

With remote work growing in popularity, many people unknowingly fall victim to various work-from-home schemes.

Fortunately, there are three ways to decipher whether the remote company you’re considering is legitimate and trustworthy:

Scrutinize the Website

When you see a job ad you’re interested in, it’s always smart to give the company’s website a deep dive.

Go through each page on their website to read and check out their content.

Does it seem specific and focused on a single topic or industry niche? Or is everything more-or-less vague fluff that leaves you questioning what they really do?

Check out the About Us page next.

What’s the company’s history? Can you see who else is on their team? If you can, are there short bios or links to help you verify their credentials further?

A new startup may not have all these built out yet. But every company should provide enough substance here to give you a better idea of their mission.

If these areas are lacking, it may be a sign of a very new company or one trying to mask their illegitimacy.

Check Out Their Social Platforms Next

After your website sleuthing, migrate over to the company’s social media pages.

Do they have an established presence on the most popular platforms in their industry? Have they tried to engage with their followers recently?

Once again, a newly-launched company may not be able to post much or brag about their number of followers. But they’ll at least make an attempt to have an active, well-represented presence.

If a company’s missing this, or it seems like they have a bunch of fake followers, you may have a red flag to consider.

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Social media pages are ideal for checking out a company’s online legitimacy and seeing how employees interact with their customers and other businesses.

See If Other Companies Mention Them

Do you notice other companies or professionals talking about the remote company you’re eyeing?

When people feel compelled to write about a company or remote brand, it’s a good sign they’re legitimate.

We routinely update a list of the best remote companies, for example, to highlight employers worth getting to know.

Run a quick search on the brand you’re interested in to see all their mentions on social media, other websites, etc. that make them stand out.

If you find this, and the results are positive, you have another checkmark in the legit column.

If you don’t come across this, try not to be discouraged. This “rule” shouldn’t be a deal-breaker as some remote companies may still be trying to pave their way in a crowded space.

When you find a remote company that’s the real deal, use the telltale signs up next to determine whether you should spruce up your resume.

6 Ways to Tell If a Remote Company Would Be Awesome to Work For

You like their mission and their product/service, but will you like working there?

Stellar remote companies are not shy about taking care of their employees (and letting this show!). So see whether your potential employer offers:

#1. A People-First Environment

"People-first" is a bit of a buzz word in the business world, but it still holds meaning. The best remote companies look at their employees as people, not resources. The leadership team instills trust and transparency as their main principals in how they communicate and interact with their team, and action on things that show they care, which lead us to:

#2. A Competitive Salary

The best remote companies value their team members and pay them market value or better for their skills/expertise.

However, if you’re used to commuting to an office, don’t ignore remote salaries that may be slightly below your current income. Telecommuting from home will save you money on gas, lunch, office attire, and much more, so you may still come out ahead.

#3. Perks that Go Above and Beyond Typical Workplace Benefits

Most remote companies will add their company perks right to their job ad to entice the best candidates. You can also find them listed on their website or HR portal during the application process.

These benefits also show a company that cares for its team:

• Health and wellness stipends

• Help paying for equipment like computers or internet access

• Enrollment in online continuing education courses

• Career coaching and mentoring

• Daycare/elder care services/stipends

#4. Employee Work Trips or Corporate Retreats

Many remote companies reward their teams with quarterly or annual trips in beautiful, exotic locales. Here, everyone can meet up to bond and get to know each other.

#5. Profit-Sharing, Bonuses, or Stock Options

Some remote companies like to share a piece of the pie by giving back to their employees. If employees earn a form of profit sharing or bonuses, it encourages everyone to work together for the greater good.

And all that should lead to…

#6. Happy Employees/Former Employees

Check your network to see if you know anyone who may have worked for the remote company you’re researching. If you can’t, run a search or check sites like Glassdoor to see what previous and current employees think of the experience.

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Positive testimonials are ideal but don’t automatically discount negative reviews. One employee’s dream could be your nightmare and vice versa.

That’s why before you can decide whether a remote company would be awesome to work for, it’s best to be totally clear about what you want.

How to Tell If a Remote Company is Right for You