As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, lots of work places are instituting RTO (return to office) policies, and, of course, lots of workers very much don’t want to RTO!
If you’re considering leaving a job or are between jobs, focus on what you want from the next opportunity. If remote is one of your main goals or needs, FlexJobs has this handy list of work-from anywhere employers. (They also put out an annual list of remote-friendly employers, most of which are US-based, and many of which require you to live in certain areas, even if the work itself is remote, largely because of tax laws.)
But unfortunately, you still need to approach a remote job search the same way you would any other. That means that you need to update your resume so it fits what you’re applying for, and it means that you do really need to network. I know you don’t want to, but relationships are still the magic ingredient in the job-seeking game.
Remember, though, to avoid the networking pitfall of only reaching out to hiring managers. Honestly, those folks probably don’t have time for you and aren’t all that interested to hear that you’ve just applied for something. A more powerful approach is a more authentic approach: find people you want to build relationships with and reach out to them. Ask them what they like about where they’re working and what they’re doing. Learn about their career paths. Your goal is to be genuinely interested, professional, and friendly. If your network is well-established, you can ask people for help, but if you’re just building connections, it’s better to approach the conversations as ways to learn about the person or organization. You can absolutely let people know you’re looking for something, but avoid asking people to help you if you don’t know them yet. You can, however, ask for additional contacts and general advice about applying at a particular company.
As is true with most jobs these days, the remote search may take you a while, but don’t give up! If the ability to work from home is really important to you, keep at your search. Most job boards have a way to filter for remote positions, and you can also use specific sites like Remote.co or We Work Remotely for your search. And, of course, there’s always FlexJobs, but I don’t want to sound like I’m getting a kickback from them or anything. It’s a fee-based site, but the fee is about $6 per month, and they use that money to, among other things, check the jobs to make sure they aren’t scams. They also have useful information and advice, so even if you don’t want to pay the fee, check out their blogs and tips, and maybe watch a free webinar.
And keep up your search!
