Last Updated on August 3, 2026 by Justin Bryant
One of the biggest problems with remote work today is that too many people are applying for the same jobs.
With layoffs continuing across many industries in 2026, competition for remote positions has become even more intense. It's common to see hundreds or even thousands of applicants competing for a single opening.
However, not every remote job has that problem.
There are still some fields where employers appear to be struggling to find enough qualified applicants. In many cases, the challenge isn't a lack of available jobs. It's that the work requires a specific skill, certification, or type of experience that reduces the number of people who qualify.
If you're looking for a remote career with less competition than the average customer service or data entry position, here are five jobs that are worth considering.
1. Bilingual Customer Service Representative or Interpreter
One field you may want to look into is bilingual customer service or interpretation.
Many companies need employees who can provide customer support in more than one language. While customer service positions are often competitive, employers frequently have a much smaller pool of applicants when professional bilingual fluency is required.
In this type of role, you'll typically handle inbound customer support requests in the customer's preferred language. The work is fairly straightforward. You'll answer questions over the phone, assist customers with problems, and provide support in both languages.
One advantage of these positions is that they don't always require a bachelor's degree or extensive work experience. What matters most is being professionally fluent in both languages. Some employers may also ask for previous customer service or customer-facing experience.
According to Glassdoor averages mentioned in the transcript, bilingual customer service representatives typically earn between $42,000 and $64,000 per year.
Where to Look
One company worth checking is Concentrix.
The reason it's recommended is that it frequently has openings for bilingual customer service positions and has a solid reputation among employees. At the time of the transcript, the company held approximately 3.9 out of 5 stars on Glassdoor, and roughly three-quarters of employees recommended working there to a friend.
2. Insurance Sales Representative
Another remote job that appears to need more applicants is insurance sales.
Depending on the employer, the title may be insurance sales representative, licensed insurance agent, or agency sales development representative. The responsibilities are usually similar.
You may handle a high volume of outreach to prospective and existing customers. That can include selling insurance policies, explaining coverage options, upselling additional products, and maintaining customer relationships through phone calls and email.
The requirements vary by company.
Some employers expect previous sales or insurance experience. Others are more open to beginners, but they may require you to obtain an insurance license before starting. In some cases, the company may help you prepare for the licensing process.
One thing to be careful about is the advertised pay range.
Insurance sales jobs can show impressive earning potential, but the highest figures are often based on commissions or performance bonuses. The guaranteed base pay may be much lower.
Before applying, I recommend checking:
• Whether the job includes a guaranteed base salary.
• How much compensation depends on commission.
• Whether leads are provided.
• Whether you must pay for licensing or training.
• Whether the position includes employee benefits.
The transcript included an opening from First Connect Insurance Services, but it appeared to be a smaller company without a large number of employee reviews. For a broader selection of remote insurance jobs, I would start with Progressive.
Progressive has remote work filters on its careers page and regularly lists openings across several areas of insurance. That makes it easier to compare sales positions with other roles and confirm whether an opening is fully remote before applying.
Insurance sales may be a good option if you are comfortable talking to customers, handling rejection, and working toward performance goals. Just make sure you understand the difference between guaranteed pay and potential earnings before accepting an offer.
3. Medical Coder
Another field you may want to consider is medical coding.
As the population continues to age, there is a growing need for healthcare documentation, billing, and coding professionals. While medical coding isn't as easy to break into as customer service, it also tends to have less competition because it requires specialized certifications.
A typical medical coder is responsible for reviewing medical records and assigning the appropriate billing and diagnosis codes. According to the example in the transcript, responsibilities may include:
- Identifying the appropriate codes for outpatient ancillary services.
- Reviewing medical charts.
- Maintaining records of coded, held, or missing charts.
The qualifications generally aren't too difficult, but you will usually need a medical coding certification. The good news is that earning one typically takes much less time than completing a traditional college degree.
Some employers also prefer applicants with one or two years of relevant experience, although this varies by company.
According to the Glassdoor salary averages referenced in the transcript, medical coders typically earn between $48,000 and $73,000 per year.
Where to Look
One company I'd recommend checking is Optum.
The reason is simply volume.
At the time of the transcript, searching for medical coding positions at Optum produced more than 1,000 job listings, many of which were remote. Some positions may require you to live near a specific office or city, but there are still numerous work-from-home opportunities available.
Another advantage is the company's benefits package.
The example job listing highlighted benefits such as:
- 401(k)
- Health insurance
- Other employee benefits
Optum also has employee ratings that are generally around average, making it a reasonable place to start your search if you're interested in medical coding.
While this career requires more preparation than some of the other jobs on this list, the certification requirement also creates a higher barrier to entry. That means you'll typically be competing with fewer applicants than you would for many general remote customer service positions.
4. Collections Representative
Another remote job that may need more applicants is a collections representative.
This field tends to experience higher turnover than many other remote jobs, and with the current economic environment, there continues to be demand for people who can help companies manage outstanding payments and account balances.
It's also a job that isn't for everyone.
Collections representatives often work with performance quotas, handle frequent rejection, and occasionally deal with difficult or confrontational phone calls. If you're uncomfortable having those types of conversations, this may not be the best fit.
The day-to-day responsibilities are generally straightforward.
According to the example in the transcript, you may be responsible for:
- Collecting outstanding payments.
- Identifying overpayments or duplicate payments.
- Managing the payment side of healthcare or another business.
- Communicating with customers regarding account balances.
The educational requirements are usually fairly reasonable.
Many employers only require a high school diploma, and around one to two years of relevant experience is often enough to qualify for an interview. While some companies may ask for additional experience, the barrier to entry is generally lower than many other remote careers.
According to the Glassdoor salary range referenced in the transcript, collections representatives typically earn between $42,000 and $62,000 per year.
Where to Look
The company recommended in the transcript is Optum.
Just like medical coding, collections is another area where Optum appears to hire regularly. Historically, the company has consistently posted openings for these types of positions, making it a good place to monitor if you're interested in this career path.
The transcript also notes that Optum has employee reviews that are generally around average, making it one of the better companies to check for remote collections opportunities.
5. Crisis Counselor
The final remote job on this list is one that's unfortunately becoming more important.
Crisis counselors, sometimes called 988 Crisis Counselors, provide support to people experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts. The need for these positions has grown alongside increasing demand for mental health services, making it another field where employers often need more qualified applicants.
This is also one of the most emotionally demanding jobs on this list.
Unlike customer service or collections, you'll be speaking with people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Because of that, strong communication skills, active listening, empathy, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are essential.
According to the example in the transcript, responsibilities typically include:
- Providing supportive counseling.
- Performing crisis intervention.
- Assisting with suicide prevention.
- Using strong communication and listening skills.
- Helping callers work through difficult situations.
The qualifications vary by employer.
Some organizations ask for a bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or a related field. Others are willing to consider applicants with relevant experience instead of a degree. That experience may come from areas such as:
- Call center work.
- Behavioral health.
- Customer support.
- Other roles involving direct interaction with people.
According to the Glassdoor salary range referenced in the transcript, crisis counselors typically earn between $60,000 and $92,000 per year.
Where to Look
The transcript first highlights an opening at Vibrant Emotional Health, but also points out that the company had relatively weak employee ratings at the time, with 2.8 out of 5 stars and only 31% of employees recommending the company to a friend.
Because of that, the transcript suggests looking at Didi Hirsch first.
According to the transcript, Didi Hirsch had stronger employee ratings, with 3.2 out of 5 stars, and a little over half of employees recommending the company to a friend. While the work itself can still be stressful, it may be the better place to begin your search if you're interested in becoming a remote crisis counselor.
Final Thoughts
Most people searching for remote jobs end up applying to the same handful of positions, which only increases the competition.
One way to improve your chances is to focus on careers where employers are having a harder time finding qualified applicants. In many cases, that means developing a specific skill, earning a certification, or being willing to work in a field that isn't as popular as general customer service or data entry.
To recap, the five remote careers covered in this guide are:
- Bilingual Customer Service Representative or Interpreter
- Insurance Sales Representative
- Medical Coder
- Collections Representative
- Crisis Counselor
If you're looking for even more remote opportunities, the transcript also recommends using my remote job board, where you can filter openings from companies I've researched over the years and browse active remote positions based on the type of work you're interested in.