The Exclusive Career Coach 285: Want to Work from Home? Resources and Strategies
Since Covid, the number of people working from home – or wanting to work from home – has multiplied exponentially.
Today, I want to offer resources and strategies to help you land a WFH job.
I’m not going to go into how to determine which types of WFH jobs you should apply for – I’ve covered that in other episodes. For today’s episode, I’m going to assume you know your Motivated Skills and how you want to apply those skills in a WFH job.
A note here: your desire to WFH shouldn’t be the primary consideration as to which jobs you pursue. You still have to enjoy the work and exercise your Zones of Genius.
I’m also not going to go into the steps everyone should be taking to look for any kind of job, such as customizing your resume and networking. Again – covered in other episodes.
Also – buyer beware. There are WFH scams out there, so check with the Better Business Bureau and other sites to ensure the validity of the job.
Filters
There are a number of legitimate remote job sites, which I will be sharing in this episode.
Another consideration is using filters on “mainstream” sites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Try “remote,” “work from home,” “telecommute,” and “virtual” to narrow down the jobs you see.
Also consider that some companies may offer WFH jobs on their website but not on sites like LinkedIn, so be sure to check.
Read the job description – and interpret it
Some jobs will clearly state the in-person, virtual, or hybrid nature of the job, with specifics such as WFH Fridays or “must be in office 2-3 days per week.”
When the parameters are specifically laid out in the job description, I would take that as fact. That is not to say that the “must be in office 2-3 days per week” couldn’t be negotiated down to just 2 days, or that which days you are in office can’t be negotiated – I mean that a job that clearly states “must be in office M-F” isn’t likely to be flexible about a hybrid or WFH setup.
What about those jobs that aren’t clear in their description? Post-Covid, I would take that as POSSIBLY a sign that there is some flexibility. My thought is this: I don’t want to remove myself from consideration for a job I am really interested in and very qualified for just because I want WFH capabilities, so I’m going to go through the process and see what happens.
An employer who does have some flexibility is more likely to exercise that flexibility once they’ve gotten to know you, your qualifications, and the value you will bring to their organization.
When do you bring this up? I might try to suss this out sooner rather than later. Perhaps they directly ask you what type of work setting you are looking for – in this situation, I would be honest but vague. I might try responding with a question like “What do you see as viable options for this role?”
This likely won’t be solidified, however, until after a bona fide job offer has been made, so before you sign on the dotted line make sure you understand what’s in the offer and ask for any concessions you want so the offer can be amended.
Understand that the only time you can negotiate is between the time a bona fide job offer has been made and you have accepted that offer. Before this, it is hypothetical, and afterward, they aren’t likely to improve on what you have already accepted.
Be wary of language that speaks to the temporary nature of the hybrid or WFH condition. I recently had a client who had to quit her job because the WFH situation became in-office and she lived some two hours away and couldn’t relocate.
Websites for WFH
FlexJobs is one of the top boards to find remote, part-time or flex jobs. They have opportunities across 50+ categories.
Growmotely features long-term remote jobs with conscious companies. You can create a candidate profile and start searching for remote roles right away.
We Work Remotely highlights remote jobs across all types of fields, including tech to customer service, sales, and marketing.
Remote.co – in addition to the job listings, this site has resources for how to work from home, such as managing your home office or managing a remote team.
https://ratracerebellion.com/ - this site seems to be more geared towards people who want to pick up hourly or temporary/seasonal work, but check it out anyway.
https://www.wahjobqueen.com/ - this one is a grassroots site that was recommended to me by a client.
Another one I’ve heard several clients talk about is The Mom Project, but there is a lot online about this being a scam. They supposedly feature roles with vetted, family-friendly companies and include remote positions – but beware.
In addition, there are sites where you can filter your job search using the terms I previously mentioned, such as “remote,” “virtual,” “work from home,” or “telecommute.”
Indeed.com
Glassdoor.com
Ziprecruiter.com
Usajobs.gov
Monster.com
Simplyhired.com
Careerbuilder.com
Snagajob.com
Roberthalf.com
DIY vs. DFY
DIY:
If you are doing a remote job search solo, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is one I already mentioned in this episode – the fact that a job is remote should NOT be your primary consideration.
You still need job satisfaction, the opportunity to use your Zones of Genius and expand your skills, a sense of connection with other team members, and working for a company whose product or service you believe in and can support.
DON’T mistakenly think that working from home will solve all your problems – you still need to carefully vet the company and the job opportunity.
DFY:
As I have said approximately 1,000 times on this podcast, your job search shouldn’t rely solely on job boards. I’ve gone so far as to say that job boards don’t don’t constitute a job search – you need a targeted, proactive strategy that, depending on your level of seniority, is somewhere between 25% and 100% networking-based.
If you want help planning and executing a targeted, proactive job search with multiple prongs, specific daily action steps, and a plan to evaluate and make mid-course corrections, then let’s schedule a consult so I can learn more about what you’re currently doing in your job search and how I can support you. Here’s the link to my calendar for a consult: