Know Your Skills and Abilities
Being a digital nomad is all about leveraging your skills and abilities. If you know what you’re good at, then half the battle is won. And, although they can be helpful, you don’t have to have a specific set of credentials before you decide to make a go of it. It’s really just about honing in on your skill set and exploring options to make this field work for you.
Polish up on and Develop New Skills
Before you set off jet setting around the globe, do some self-reflection regarding whether you have all the skills and experience necessary to make a real success of your journey. Studying online is a good way to explore your options if you are looking into gaining extra credits or a degree in a field you are passionate about.
With online learning, you can also learn flexibly while working simultaneously and get a degree or relevant certificate relatively quickly if you decide to put your all into it. Choosing the right course will also stand you in good stead when it comes to opening the right doors for you.
Create a Safety Net
Whether you are working from home, clocking in, or living a nomadic life, it is always a great idea to create a financial safety net. This little nest egg can be a backup to help you through those first few uncertain months, which will make a world of difference in the beginning.
That, and making sure you have at least the basics to work with to get your digital nomad business moving, such as a reliable laptop and helpful software.
It’s also important that you have a health safety net, too. Freelancers and the self-employed must carry their own insurance. It’s easy to put off the financial investment, but you don’t want to be on the road and unable to get important medical care.
If you can’t join a parent’s or spouse’s policy, look into the Affordable Care Act program provided by your state’s government. These programs often make good policies affordable and worth the investment.
How to Find Long-Term Jobs
You can probably live off short-term freelance work but finding the right long-term job can make a huge difference in your stress levels and financial stability. While there are some perks to short-term contracts, a longer commitment can allow you to work on your weaknesses and sell yourself more well-rounded for other positions.
So how do you find these jobs? Social media is an excellent tool. If you know the kind of job you want to get, you can be more audience-specific with your search through, say, LinkedIn. However, sharing your talents and availability more broadly through social media could also pique other peoples’ interests and broaden your marketability.
But then there are other ways to generate some interest in what you are offering, such as using good old-fashioned word of mouth to help spread the word, cold calling or emailing to help reach prospective clients as well as searching popular job boards such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Upwork and Fiverr to get work.
Finding Your Work Groove
When you’re a digital nomad, you can work from anywhere – if it fits into your budget. Be sure to look for locations that have the services you need to do your work, like wifi and a comfortable work spot.
While some people love working at a cafe or out of their van, others prefer a coworking space to settle in and network with other nomads and locals. You can easily find out if the place you’re heading to has these as-needed offices. Use Best Coworking to search and settle into your temporary headquarters.
Then, use it again for your next location!
If you become very successful in your work-from-anywhere lifestyle, you could even purchase a vacation home in one of your favorite remote work locations.
The purchase is a little more complicated than buying a primary residence, but you can always recoup some of the financial investment by renting it out when you aren’t using it. Plus, you always have a familiar place to work and play whenever you want.
Don’t Rush the Process
Becoming a digital nomad usually requires an extensive amount of time and research, and dedication to your craft to land a job that is going to be sustainable for the long term. So, don’t place unnecessary pressure on yourself if it doesn’t happen within the timeline, you’d hoped it would.
It’s better to take things a little more slowly and embrace the nomad life with confidence and financial security than to hobble along hoping to make ends meet.
Become the Nomad You Want to Be
Being a digital nomad is wide open to anyone with an internet connection and a dream to turn their passion into a long-term career.
But to be successful, be sure to back up your plan by committing yourself to whatever is necessary, such as education, to improve your chances of success. Once you have some steady remote work and a great healthcare policy, hit the road, and enjoy the journey.
