Two or more years ago, working-from-home (WFH) or remote jobs were few and far between. Many of those jobs were selling a product or service for a commission. Not a very lucrative or interesting vocation. That has all changed with the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past 18 months, employers have been frantic to find talented employees who have remote work experience and can add high performance to their working groups. Now, the trend is reversing itself. Employers want employees back in the office or work a hybrid cycle of working both from home and the office.
There are some events that have made the transition more difficult. Here are a few:
- Training slowed way down when offices closed and training staffs were reduced
- Now, re-training and catch-up training are paramount since the technology has advanced. Needed skill sets are lagging
- Remote jobs are reducing since office jobs are increasing. On the other hand, employees are resisting the shift from remote WFH to commuting to offices
- Open jobs are accelerating due to the expansion of business. Also many workers don’t want to shift from their remote work to office work and are quitting
- In the United States, this past April saw 4 million employees quit their jobs. A record for the past 20 years.
- Workers working remotely have much greater job opportunities as part of a national or international marketplace than office workers who commute locally
- Over 40% of workers around the world would consider leaving their jobs for new opportunities with a more flexible work environment to include WFH.
So, what are your options if you want to continue working remotely? Here are some considerations:
- If you’re searching on-line ads, LinkedIn or corporate websites, make sure you match the position description to your resume, focusing on remote work experience. The greater the match the higher the likelihood the hiring manager will be interested in you.
- If you’re using a major job search website, after inputting your job function, title, or key word in the “what” segment, add the word “remote”. This will scroll up only those jobs that are either full-time or flexible remote jobs. In the “where” segment, write in the state in which you’re interested. Or write “United States” to get all of the open remote jobs in your function across the country. If you work remotely, you can live anywhere.
- Some websites will match your resume with remote job opportunities, then email you the applications that have been submitted. One such website is: Apply4Me.
- The best website for different types of candidates are: Experienced Managers: The Ladders. Startup jobs: AngelList. Direct contact with recruiters: LinkedIn. Up-to-date Listings: Getwork. Recent College Graduates: Scouted. Hourly Workers: Snagajob. Remote jobs: FlexJobs.
Consider three factors when deciding on a search method: What is the cost versus the benefit of the search, the time saved and the targeted point of focus. You can save a great deal of time and effort while optimizing your search with the right decision.
For a FREE critique of your resume, send to: wkaufmann44@gmail.com