How remote work has changed job hunting
The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything for remote work. By April 2020, the Office for National Statistics recorded that 44% of workers in Scotland were doing at least part of their job from home.
But the pandemic only accelerated a change that was already happening. As technology has become smarter and faster, remote working is that bit easier for employees and employers. It offers more flexibility and lower costs across the board. In fact, the % of businesses across each country reporting a flexible workspace policy is impressive:
With greater freedom and an improved work-life balance, it’s no surprise that almost 97.6% of people currently working remotely say they want to stay remote for at least part of their working hours, according to Vervoe. And 80% of company leaders plan to offer remote work as an option even after the pandemic.
But what happens if you don’t have a remote job yet? What is remote job hunting like? How do virtual interviews and onboarding work? And can you really be more productive working from home?
Before we dive into finding your next remote role, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of working – and job hunting – from home.
Remote work and recruitment: The positives
During the pandemic, it’s estimated that almost 24 million people in the UK were working from home. According to Finder, they saved over £1 billion a week between them in commuting costs and buying office lunches. There’s even tax relief available for people who work remotely.
Remote work can save time and money for employers as well. Instead of spending money on expensive office space, they can invest in resources, training, and company growth. There’s also some evidence that remote-friendly companies are more productive and have more loyal staff, according to Review42.
Some of the money saved by employers has been funnelled into software for remote conferencing, collaboration, recruitment, and onboarding. This creates a positive feedback loop where the tech for remote work just keeps getting better.
There are benefits for job seekers, too. You can fit the recruitment process around your own schedule and needs, which makes finding work easier for people with children or caring responsibilities. No wonder that 86% of parents say they want to work flexibly, and “more time with family” is one of the top benefits of remote work according to Visual Capitalist.
Remote interviews can be more accessible for people with disabilities – for example, by using subtitles on a video call if you have a hearing impairment, or enabling someone with mobility problems to join in from home. According to the Office for National Statistics, people with disabilities are 28% less likely to be employed – partly due to a lack of flexible recruitment options and accommodations at work. Virtual interviews and remote work open up new opportunities for people to find jobs that work for them.
What’s more, you don’t have to spend time and money to travel to a remote interview. Remote recruitment even means that you can stay in a rural area, avoiding the high house prices in cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh. That means less expense and upheaval while you switch jobs, and more disposable income once you get started.
But perhaps most importantly, remote interviews are less demanding for everyone involved. You’re at home, on your own turf, where you can feel comfortable and confident.
“I really liked being in my own space,” said one young graduate we spoke to, who found her first job in 2020 after a remote interview. “I found it far less stressful and it meant I could just focus on the interview.”
“I actually found the remote interview process a massive plus,” agreed another successful jobseeker. “It made me feel more relaxed and gave me a few extra seconds to think about my answers.”
Remote work and recruitment: The negatives
However, remote work isn’t always plain sailing.
Some employers worry about productivity when people are working from home. Remote work also raises some security issues: is the company sharing information securely? If someone uses their computer at home, is it protected from hacking and ransomware attacks?
From the job hunter’s point of view, the problems are more personal. It’s harder to get a sense of the atmosphere at a company if you’ve never visited the office or chatted to people in person. There’s no opportunity for the small talk that you have at an in-person interview when you’re waiting in the lobby or getting a coffee. Everything rests on the virtual interview.
Once you start a new job, there’s the challenge of virtual onboarding. You’ll have to make more of an effort to connect with your colleagues and build relationships. Networking in the company can also be more difficult, which is why HR Review reported that some people think remote work could slow down your chances of a promotion or a raise.
For many people, remote work is still worth these potential risks. Everyone has their own priorities for work-life balance, earnings, career progression, and quality of life. But you’ll need to make up the balance. If you go through a virtual interview and onboarding process, you’ll have to work hard to connect with people and make the opportunity work for you.
In the next section, we’ll talk about how to ace a virtual interview, from preparation to following up with companies to get feedback and build connections. Then we’ll take a look at onboarding for remote work.
Is remote work right for you?
Before you commit to working from home, it’s important to think about whether it’s really the right fit for you. Remote work isn’t for everybody, and that’s fine. Ask yourself:
Do you feel confident working alone?
Especially if you’re early on in your career or starting an unfamiliar role, think carefully about whether you have all the skills you need. Remote support will be enough for some people, while others might prefer to learn in the office where there’s plenty of help to hand.
Do you have the right workspace?
That means enough space for your desk, a peaceful place to concentrate, and a good internet connection, as a minimum. The ideal workspace will look different for everyone.
Do you have the right temperament?
Some people love the quiet and concentration of working at home; others miss the buzz and banter of the office. Think about how you like to spend your time. Would you be happy working alone all the time, want the occasional day in the office or a coworking space, or prefer to be in the office full time?
Even if you’re excited to work alone, you’ll still need to build up a support network. Loneliness can hit remote workers hard. In a survey by Small Biz Trends, 20% said that loneliness was the biggest downside to working from home. So you’ll need to be proactive about staying in touch with friends, colleagues, and other remote workers.
This post was supplied to HRTech247.com and written by s1jobs.com. Keep an eye out for Part 2 and 3 to come.
