Best remote jobs for digital nomads

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Working from wherever.

© Drobot Dean/stock.adobe.com, © MartinZizlavsky/stock.adobe.com; Photo illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc

Yearning to become a digital nomad? Your path starts with evaluating your current profession and potentially pivoting to a new type of job—one that lends itself well to working remotely. If you’re intent on becoming nomadic with just a computer in tow, then you need an action plan to make this significant transition.

Ready to get started? Follow these six steps to build the nomadic professional life of your dreams. And don’t book that flight just yet. Remember: If you can work from anywhere, you’re also able to stay put (and maybe save some money) until your plans are fully developed.

Your first step to becoming a digital nomad is to reflect on your starting point. Does your profession require you to be on-site at a fixed location, or can the work be performed remotely? If practical concerns aren’t keeping you in place, that’s a major advantage—even if your current employer doesn’t accommodate remote work.

Becoming a digital nomad may require a career pivot, which might feel intimidating. Start by exploring how other nomads in the same profession have adapted their work. Teachers, for example, may translate classroom experience into online tutoring or consulting on curriculum design. Health care professionals might explore telemedicine or another medical advisory service.

You can also identify the skills—such as writing, graphic design, or project management—that you’ve developed during your career. How could you reposition one (or more) of these skills into a remote job? Skills like graphic design and copyediting are in demand across industries.

If you need to pivot your career to remote-friendly work, then your next step is to identify the types of remote jobs that interest you. To make the transition easier, aim to align the target jobs with your current profession and associated skills. Reflect on what excites you and would likely enable you to thrive nomadically.

You can also consider your preferred employment type, whether that’s a traditional full-time company role or self-employment with a roster of clients. Self-employment is common among digital nomads, who may not want traditional full-time jobs—or might be challenged to find a suitable role. Pursuing a side hustle can be a way to supplement your income while you build your client-based business.

Digital nomads hold a variety of jobs—way too many to list comprehensively. Spanning industries and skill sets, here are some of the most common nomadic job titles:

You need a remote job before you start to travel. Changing jobs can take time, and it may even feel immensely burdensome—but having location-independent income is nonnegotiable if you want to succeed as a digital nomad.

It’s easier to conduct your job search in a familiar, fixed location (like your current home) than on the road in constantly changing places. If your nomadic plans include international travel, be sure to prioritize “work from anywhere” jobs that are totally location agnostic.

You’re free to start wandering without remote employment—but lacking income, you may end up back at home a lot sooner than you were planning.

You’ve done the work and secured a new remote job. Kudos! That’s a major step toward becoming a digital nomad—but you’re not ready to jump on a plane just yet.

Your next move is to gain crucial experience with working remotely:

While you’re getting comfortable with working remotely, you can develop a plan that both satisfies your wanderlust and aligns with your professional obligations. To truly “work from anywhere,” you’ll need a robust and thoughtful strategy.

Here are some questions to ponder as you build your plan:

Which type of work environment best supports your productivity? A coffee shop, a coworking space, or perhaps just a desk in your rental housing—depending on your preference, all of these can enable you to work efficiently.

How will you manage time zone differences? If you’re planning to travel far afield, you may be several time zones away from your employer or clients. You might need to stay up very late or awake extra early!

What if an employer or client wants to meet in person? Some professional interactions are best conducted face-to-face. Consider how you might handle a planned or last-minute request for a physical appearance.

How will you cope with subpar Internet? You’re likely to experience slow, unreliable Internet as a digital nomad—at least occasionally, and especially if you travel to rural locations. Technology solutions like portable hotspot devices may be necessary to avoid downtime.

You’re now thriving in your remote job, plus you’ve developed thoughtful plans for working from any location. You surely have target destinations in mind, so go for it—book that bus, train, boat, or flight! 

Consider starting small to experiment in relatively easy ways with combining work and travel. Prioritize domestic destinations, stay within nearby time zones, or travel for only a limited period of time. Expand the scope and ambition of your travels as you become experienced as a digital nomad.

Anyone can become a digital nomad with enough planning and location-independent income. Your path to the nomadic lifestyle is unique—as is your travel itinerary as a perpetual explorer. Before going thousands of miles away, relinquishing your current home, or selling the bulk of your worldly possessions, be sure that the life of the digital nomad is truly right for you.

And make sure you plan for unexpected expenses and consider your future self. It’s not enough to just scrape by financially while you wander. Make a budget, fully fund an emergency savings account, and, if possible, contribute to a retirement account.

Need encouragement? Start with this video on the power of compounding and the importance of starting early.