More than half of professionals would rather take a pay cut and sacrifice other job perks than … [+] return to the office
How important is remote work to you?
As more companies enforce return-to-office policies, including, most recently, President Trump’s executive order banning federal workers from working from home, you might feel worried about your job outlook for the year.
Will you be able to continue doing what you love and covering your expenses while being physically present for the needs of your home? Will it still be possible for you to carry on that side hustle you’ve been building in what would have been commute time? Can you continue to make time for your loved ones and be present for those special occasions, or take care of your health and well-being?
It’s OK to feel anxious. Just 2% of workers want to be on-site full-time, according to a MyPerfectResume survey of 4,200 U.S. workers in early 2024. Approximately 36% say their company offers no perk that would justify a full-time return to the office.
Remote work is such a high priority among U.S. professionals in particular that over half (58%) of respondents to a FlexJobs survey said “they would accept a pay cut in exchange for the option to work remotely from anywhere. Of these respondents, 31% said they would accept a 5% salary decrease, 19% said they were willing to accept a salary cut of up to 10%, and 8% would accept a 20% pay cut to work from anywhere,” FlexJobs said in a poll of 3,000 U.S. professionals late last year.
But it goes even further than this. FlexJobs continued to add that workers were happy to sacrifice even more employment-related perks, if necessary, for the chance to work from anywhere (this includes digital nomadism or working from a completely different country altogether). The perks they’re happy to exchange include: (the list below is quoted from FlexJobs):
- Fewer chances for professional development (24%)
- Forgoing company-sponsored health insurance (14%)
- Increases in working hours (14%)
- Retirement-focused company contributions (12%)
- Decreased vacation days (12%)
Since remote work is on every professional’s mind this year, securing a fully remote (or almost remote) role is more challenging since the competition is high. After all, where should you look, and how can you differentiate yourself from other applicants?
Because remote jobs are in extremely high demand, you must work strategically to stand out from … [+] other applicants
29 Companies Hiring Remote Jobs In 2025
Below is a list of employers from FlexJobs’ recent round-up of companies currently hiring remotely (or those who have hired remotely very recently). Many offer perks like unlimited PTO, extensive professional development opportunities, and health insurance, so you don’t need to sacrifice one or the other. You can get the best of all worlds—working remotely in your dream job while experiencing company perks like everyone else. (The last two companies, Plex and Unreasonable, are not from FlexJobs’ original list.)
- Verizon
- Samsarak
- BAE Systems
- Vaco
- ICF
- SAP
- Boston Scientific
- MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Stryker
- Sargent & Lundy
- Randstad
- Cayuse
- General Dynamics
- Stride, Inc.
- Twilio
- Cloudflare
- DoorDash
- Express Scripts
- Sharecare
- NBCUniversal
- Atrium Staffing
- Token Metrics
- SHI International Corp.
- HubSpot
- Cox Enterprises
- GitLab
- Plex
- Unreasonable—(a marketing agency start-up currently hiring for three remote roles: creative strategist, content creator, and paid social manager; one of their investors shared how to apply for these fresh roles on his LinkedIn profile)
How To Stand Out When Applying For Remote Jobs
If you’re wondering how you can stand out in a sea of other professionals eagerly seeking remote work, here are a few tips to remember:
Always try strategic networking first. Go behind the scenes and connect with decision-makers (and those who work closely with them) at these companies. Find them on LinkedIn and build relationships by proactively engaging with their content regularly. You can take this further and apply for freelancing roles at these companies. If you deliver services related to your desired role, providing them in a freelance capacity will help you establish a good working relationship and get to know your future team members, making it easier for you to onboard and join the company fully as an employee. This is also a win-win situation for the employer, who might seek to fill a vacancy temporarily by hiring freelance talent.
Next, build a strong digital footprint that reflects the image you wish to convey as a professional. Fully complete your LinkedIn profile, use keywords so recruiters can easily find you, and develop a portfolio or resume website. If you’re feeling extra confident, try and record a resume video—a short video explaining in less than 90 seconds who you are, your background, a few noteworthy achievements, and what unique value you can bring (in terms of results) to your next employer.
Last but not least, build remote job-appropriate skills. The skills employers most desire in workers, especially when working remotely, include:
- Communication skills
- AI (artificial intelligence) skills
- Relationship-building and collaborative skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Proactiveness and self-motivation
- Creative thinking and analytical skills
Try freelancing so you can get noticed by more remote-friendly employers
Follow these steps and add these employers to your job search strategy for a targeted and highly effective search this year, and you’ll increase your chances of ending the year strong in your dream remote job.
