Working remotely is a dream come true for a growing number of employees.
In 2016, 43% of US employees worked remotely, according to Gallup .
When looks for jobs remotely you may be surprised to find that many companies that allow remote work still require you to live in a particular place. In fact, according to FlexJobs, about 95% of telework jobs listed on its site are limited to specific areas.
Restrictions can be extended, for example by requiring applicants to live in the United States, or more restricted, such as limiting claimants to a particular city, state or region.
A recent survey conducted by FlexJobs identified the top 15 states with the highest number of home-based jobs. If you live in one of these localities – or if you live in one of these localities – your chances of finding work remotely could improve.
15 States with the most jobs remotely
FlexJobs reviewed tens of thousands of remote job postings published in 2017 to determine which state had the largest number of telework positions. The states that offer the most remote work opportunities are:
1. California
Publishing House Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Ulta a cosmetics and cosmetics company, were among the largest companies offering distance jobs in California.
2. Texas
Home-based jobs were available in Texas in national brands such as Wells Fargo and a home store Williams Sonoma .
3. Virginia
Companies offering telework in Virginia include American Red Cross and CVS Health .
View job offers at distance in Virginia
4. New York
Those who live in New York have seen opportunities from American Express and Teach For America a non-profit organization that trains and teaches teachers in disadvantaged schools .
View job offers at distance in New York
5. Florida
The health insurance companies Humana and UnitedHealth Group were among the companies offering home-based employment in Florida.
6. Illinois
Goodway Group a digital media services company, offers jobs to Illinois residents looking to work from their homes.
7. Pennsylvania
Medical Supplies and the Pharmaceutical Company McKesson and PNC were among the companies offering homework opportunities in the state of Keystone.
See Remote Jobs in Pennsylvania
8. Georgia
Georgia offered many teleworking job opportunities, including jobs with First Data a credit card processing company and Robert Half, a consulting firm in human resources.
See job offers at distance in Georgia
9. North Carolina
Lowe's home improvement giant offered telecommuting opportunities to residents of North Carolina.
See job offers at distance in North Carolina
10. Arizona
For those looking for a home job in Arizona, opportunities included positions with Equifax and University of the Grand Canyon .
View job offers at distance in Arizona
11. Massachusetts
Kaplan an educational services company, and Salesforce a large cloud computing company that expands its operations in Boston, offer home-based jobs in Massachusetts.
View job offers at distance in Massachusetts
12. Minnesota
Among the remote work opportunities in Minnesota include Abbott a health care company, and Carlson Wagonlit Travel a business travel management company.
See job offers at distance in Minnesota
13. New Jersey
Amazon and Citizens Bank both had homework opportunities in New Jersey.
View job offers at distance in New Jersey
14. Washington
The state of Washington had government jobs available to telecommuters. There was also GreatAuPair an organization that helps families find caregivers.
15. Ohio
JLL a commercial real estate company and Xerox both offered homework in Ohio.
How to find a job where you can work at home
Wherever you live, looking for jobs remotely can be a challenge. You want to make sure that you are applying for legitimate businesses that offer real opportunities, and not home work scams . To find your dream position, try the following:
Review job offers carefully. All telework jobs do not offer the same level of flexibility or autonomy. Some jobs allow you to work at any time, while others require a traditional schedule from 9am to 5pm. Some jobs require your presence on a regular basis, for example once a week, and others do not involve any intervention.
Watch for scams. If a job seems too good to be true, it is probably the case. Avoid applying for jobs that promise free money for little work, require you to pay registration fees or purchase equipment, or ask for personal identification information such as your social Security number.
By carefully browsing job offers, you can find interesting jobs at home, especially if you live in one of the geographical areas that FlexJobs has identified as offering many opportunities.
This article was originally published on Student Loan Hero . It is reprinted with permission.
