Finding Remote Work In 2022

The workplace climate of the last two years doesn’t appear poised to change in 2022. As new variants of COVID-19 gain prominence, we’re still learning how to cope with the pandemic in our day-to-day lives. Thanks to adapting technology, remote work, in particular, has not only become a valuable tool to keep workplaces running, but it has become a new norm.

While discussing workplace trends for 2022, IDG Connect theorized that remote work will become the standard for most workers. They speculate the Great Resignation will slow down in 2022, and companies that haven’t adapted to remote work will struggle.

“For those that invested early in supporting remote work, they will see the problems settle down earlier compared to those that either have not invested or did so half-heartedly.” -IDG Connect

If you’re starting a new job search this year, chances are you’ll either consider or fully seek out a remote job. To help you land that new position, we’ll discuss the different styles of remote work and the subtle challenges you need to be aware of when applying for remote positions.

What are the types of remote work?

The concept of working remotely is intuitive; you complete your work off-site. But remote work is actually an umbrella of different forms of working away from the office. There is fully work from home (WFH), hybrid, and flexible work. As a job seeker, you’ll need to be aware of the subtle differences of each type and figure out what form is best for your needs.

The blanket term ‘remote work’ generally refers to WFH. Simply, the employee will be able to do their entire job from their home (or other remote location). Meanwhile, ZDNet’s Owen Hughes excellently defines the difference between hybrid and flexible approaches.

“Hybrid working refers to the idea of splitting time between working in an office and working from home or another remote location, whereas flexible working tends to incorporate models of work that offer more freedom around how and when employees work. This can include flexible start and finish times, split shifts and non-traditional working weeks.” -Hughes

Some positions may require you to be available at certain times to work with team members or customers. In addition, some organizations will still need team members to come into the office for meetings or group tasks. It all depends on the company, the industry, and your potential position. As such, you need to be aware of what the organization is offering and what will work well with your needs.

The additional challenge is when companies themselves aren’t clear on or aware of these differences. With remote opportunities and culture a bigger focal point than salary, companies that understand these differences will attract more talent. After all, advertising a ‘flexible’ job that requires a strict 9-to-5 schedule would be a major faux pas.  Job Hunt suggests doing additional research, including reaching out to employees and reviewing sites like Glassdoor to confirm what a company means when they say ‘remote’ or ‘flexible’.

How to apply for remote work

Once you’ve identified the type of remote work you yearn for, be aware the application process can be slightly different as well. While you’ll still want to practice classic job search etiquette (keeping your resume action-oriented, using keywords to get your resume into the hands of a real person), remote work requires additional soft skills, and you’ll have more competition due to the wider search area.

Kevin Kirkpatrick, CEO of We Work Remotely! told Buzzfeed that communication skills (especially writing ability), resourcefulness, and the ability to work independently are some of the most crucial soft skills employers will seek in remote workers. When you’ll be mostly communicating digitally, knowing how to clearly express yourself is key while being remote requires independent solution making. Finding ways to showcase these types of skills on your resume and in interviews is necessary.

“Resourcefulness is another attribute remote companies look for. Teams need people that are able to come up with creative solutions no matter the context. People that are able to solve problems on their own and take ownership of what they do are always attractive for remote companies.” -Kirkpatrick

Meanwhile, Yoh’s blog offers excellent tips to achieve the best remote positions, and it should be no surprise that many of these tips involved technological literacy. If you’re applying for a remote position, it stands to reason your interview may be remote as well. Having a working camera, a stable internet connection, and strong video interview etiquette will show employers you’re ready to use technology on a day-to-day basis.

Wrap up

No matter which form it takes, remote work is the new norm, but both employers and employees are still adjusting to what this means. Understanding the options available to you is vital to finding the right position, as is being able to show off the right types of skills. This knowledge should not only assist you in landing a great remote position but also to recognize which organizations truly ‘get’ remote work.

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Relocation Trends Workers Need To Be Aware Of

How largely does location factor into your job search? Whether you’re looking to stay near home, move to that city you’ve always dreamed of, or you’re willing to go wherever the jobs are, the destination matters as much as the journey.

In the COVID-19 landscape, more people are relocating for work than ever before. For many, it’s due to necessity, with massive layoffs and economic changes forcing departure. For others, it’s their decision, as the pandemic caused many to take a hard look at their careers and desired a change. Remote work options provided new living arrangement possibilities, too. Your job’s location no longer had to be directly tied to where you lie your head.

A mid-2020 Pew Research Center survey found that just over one-in-five Americans either moved due to the pandemic or knew someone that did. Young adults (ages 18-29) were particularly affected, with one-in-ten reporting moving due to the pandemic. This age group was particularly affected due to having the least seniority when layoffs came and university housing being shut down.

Neighbor.com believes this trend continued in 2021, but not due to safety concerns or layoffs.

“While 18% of respondents who plan to move in 2021 are able to do so as a result of job flexibility brought on by the 2019 coronavirus, most are ultimately doing so to lower their cost of living.” –Neighbor.com

In an attempt to analyze the post-pandemic migration landscape, we’ve looked at what Americans are looking for in their new homes and where the experts believe those qualities can be found.

What are people looking for?

For those seeking a change of scenery along with a new career, the first thought is often to ‘follow the jobs’ and move to a big city. Places like Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Washington D.C. surely have the most options available, right? However, that doesn’t appear to be the case in the post-pandemic economy. Job seekers looking for a new location have different priorities than before.

Extra Space Storage, which operates self-storage properties in over 40 states, found common trends in their 2021 clients, painting a clear picture of what today’s movers are looking for in a new home.

Unsurprisingly, the preeminent factor in a new location is affordable living. High unemployment caused a need to find more affordable housing, but even for those who kept their jobs, remote work allows workers to move to more affordable locations while keeping their same job.

Extra Space also cited an Upwork survey that found between 14 and 23 million Americans plan to relocate thanks to remote opportunities.

“Those with remote-working jobs no longer have to adhere to the high housing costs of massive labor markets, and a large portion of those individuals are taking advantage of the opportunity of less expensive homes.” -Extra Space

They also found many people wanting to move to less crowded areas to not only be spread out from COVID but also to have more space for their own benefit. Outdoor spaces such as large yards and porches and balconies are particularly appealing. This has led to many moving outside of the big cities and into the suburbs. Bankrate even found that 90% of movers relocated to the same county they previously lived in.

Where are people moving?

More affordable living costs, the rise of remote work being normalized, and the desire for more space seem to be the most noteworthy qualities people are seeking in their new homes. If people are leaving or avoiding the big cities previously mentioned, then where are people moving?

Forbes used data from United Van Lines, a large moving company that relocated 110,000 families, to find where people were moving and why. We’ll look to the top-five states people are moving to for work.

Forbes found that Nebraska was the number one state people are flocking to, and the Cornhusker State made their ‘Best States for Business’ the last four years. They cite Nebraska’s low business costs and business-friendly climate along with a low unemployment make the state attractive for both employers and employees.

Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Iowa made up the rest of the top five. While these states all had their issues, including lower energy prices, slow growth, and low retention rates, each one offered low business costs for employers and lower average living costs and more remote opportunities for employees.

In their own research, Extra Space found Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, North Carolina, and Texas are their own top-five states seeing massive pandemic-related growth. Again, lower-than-average living costs and more affordable business costs reigned, and these states are particularly open and spacious.

Wrap up

As the Great Resignation occurs across the country, there is a Great Relocation to match. We all know COVID-19 had a massive effect on the country, and we can see this in the number of people relocating as well as their new priorities in seeking a new home. Remote work makes it easier to choose a place to live based on its own merits over being close to the office. In an uncertain economy, people are looking for more affordable living costs and more space to live their lives. If you’re looking for a new job or a new home, this data should provide insight to help you make an informed decision.

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Making A Career Change During The Holiday Season

For many, the winter holiday season is a time of reflection and contemplation. Regardless of which individual holidays you celebrate, there is a common theme of togetherness and gratitude that make it easy to get into this contemplative mindset.

As a result, many put together New Year’s resolutions of goals to accomplish or things to change about themselves, and these resolutions are often work-related. Maybe taking an extended time away from the day-to-day of your job provides a different viewpoint when the holidays end. Maybe talking to family and friends during gatherings gives you new ideas or allows you to refocus on what’s important in your life.

Whatever the reason, holidays are a perfect time to take stock of your life. Because of this, many find themselves looking for a career change. Searching for a new career during the holidays can already be a difficult but rewarding challenge, as we discussed recently. Yet in this post-pandemic world, more individuals are reassessing their careers than ever before, and the holidays can actually be a smart time to start working on a career change.

A desire to change careers is normal

Planning a career change can be scary no matter what time of year it takes place, but know what you’re not the only one considering it. According to Washington Post’s Heather Long and Scott Clement, almost one-third of workers under 40 considered a career change during the pandemic.

“Many people told The Post that the pandemic altered how they think about what is important in life and their careers. It has given them a heightened understanding that life is short and that now is the time to make the changes they have long dreamed of. The result is a great reassessment of work, as Americans fundamentally reimagine their relationships to their jobs.” -Heather Long and Scott Clement.

The pandemic forced many layoffs and career changes, and time away from the office made people reflect on the work itself according to Yale School of Management’s Amy Wrzesniewski (reported by MarketPlace.org’s Kristin Schwab).

“It shakes people up. It makes them really think about how they’re spending their time, who they’re spending it with, what they’re spending it doing. What seemed tolerable before may not seem tolerable anymore. It may seem very different.” -Amy Wrzesniewski

While the holiday season is a much different source of reflection, the downtime can lead to the same conclusions about one’s career. If your reflections do lead you to the idea of a career change, Northeastern University has a helpful list of signs it may be time to take that leap. They provide a detailed guide on how to assess your career situation and what changes can be made.

Meanwhile, hcareers.com’s Deb Ward recommends making a personal development plan this holiday season while providing additional questions to reflect on.

Why the holidays?

Maybe you’re thinking, “It IS time for a career change, but shouldn’t I wait until the new year?” In our previous holiday job search article, we suggested that while there are challenges to looking for a new job in late November and December, jobs are still out there, and there are a plethora of ways to take advantage of the holiday season.

The lack of competition is one of the mightiest boons of the holiday season, especially if you’re switching to a new industry. A common myth is no one is hiring during the holidays, which leads to a lack of applicants. This can be used to your advantage!

The holidays also provide perhaps more networking opportunities than any other time of the year. Professional and personal office parties provide a chance to mingle and gather information. Holiday cards are a great way to stay in touch with contacts in a personal manner.

Camden Kelly’s Carly Weiner offers even more advantages to a holiday job search. Companies oft have ‘use it or lose it’ budgets at the end of the year. For HR managers, the best way to make sure they don’t lose it is to hire someone before the new year. You may not start your position until January, but you’ll be in the books and ready to go.

It’s also easier to take some time off for any potential interviews if you’re still at your current job, Weiner writes. It’s common for employees to take more time off in December for holiday commitments, and that can make it easier to fit some searching and interviews into your routine.

Ultimately, if you’re set on a career change, there are zero reasons to put it off until January, writes Forbes’ Jack Kelly. Amid this time of uncertainty, many people search for a career to make them feel fulfilled but slow down during the holidays when they should be ramping up instead, Kelly believes.

“Since we are in a new type of world where everything seems possible, why not start on improving your work life right now? View today as the start of the new year and work life. It’s your chance to get ahead of the crowd, as most people put off their job searches during the holiday season and resume it again in the first few weeks of the new year.” -Jack Kelly

Wrap up

Take some time to really contemplate where you’re at in your professional life this holiday season. If you find that part of life wanting, know that you aren’t alone. More workers are considering career changes than ever before. The holiday season may not be the easiest time to find a new job, but it offers some perks no other time of year has. If you’re really invested in a career change, there’s no time like the present. ‘New Year, New Me’ your way into a new career by using this time to your advantage.

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Making The Most Of Your Holiday Job Search

With Thanksgiving and various winter holidays approaching, it may seem that the professional world is entering hibernation mode. It is a common belief that as the calendar year ends, hiring slows to an icy crawl as well. But just because the weather is getting cold, does that mean there is a hiring freeze as well?

There doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on this myth, at least, according to the experts. CareerSideKick believes November and December are the two worst months to apply for jobs (though you should keep trying anyway!) as new hiring budgets come into play into the new year and fewer employees are on vacation in January.

TheBalanceCareers believes the opposite to be true. With less competition (often due to job seekers assuming companies aren’t hiring) and more holiday networking opportunities abound, the holidays are a superb time to find a new position. There may be hidden benefits as well, like potential holiday time off and extra money for the holidays themselves.

TopResume found many of the holiday hiring myths factual, but just as many to be fictional. Companies may be too busy to hire due to end-of-the-year commitments and deadlines and a lack of applicants. However, philosophically there is no reason to wait until spring to make a new hire, and there aren’t too many temporary hires that a permanent worker won’t be hired.

“After looking at all of the evidence, the jury cannot decide. On one hand, temporary hiring speeds up tremendously during the holidays — upwards of 100,000 temporary jobs are available at major corporations. On the other hand, there are fewer qualified candidates and less incentive for hiring managers to fill their open positions, so some may wait until the new year to resume their search for candidates.” -TopResume

Nevertheless, all the experts agree on one aspect: keep applying! There are still jobs out there, and as previously mentioned, fewer individuals apply at this time of year. If you’re determined to use the holiday season to your advantage, here are some of the most valuable tips:

Networking

It seems obvious, but networking is a year-round job in and of itself. But the holiday season actually offers plenty of seasonal options to make the process easier.

Have holiday parties coming up? Use those to your advantage! The holidays are one of the busiest seasons for social gatherings, and even just mentioning to your peers you’re looking for a job can start the process. Accept any invites you may get to maximize the number of contacts you can get in touch with. No matter what holidays you celebrate, generosity is a common theme.

This is also the perfect time of year to send holiday cards. Firsthand’s Jane Hurst had this to say:

“Everyone loves to receive handwritten notes—and they make strong and lasting impressions—so take the extra time to write notes to old friends you haven’t spoken with in a while, ex-colleagues, even relatives. You never know who might lead you to your next job interview.” -Hurst

Clean up your documents

Even if you believe your job search will slow down, there are ways to keep busy. The end of the year is the perfect time to tweak your important documents—no need to wait for spring cleaning.

Go over your resume and cover letters to make sure everything is up to date. Have you acquired any new skills or certifications but forgotten to add them thanks to the daily grind? This is the ideal time to add them to your resume. Make sure to tidy up any errors or misspellings as well, and do your best to keep the language action-oriented and show tangible results.

This is also a great time to reconnect with your references and make sure you have their information up to date (as well as their permission!).

“It’s both considerate and professional to ask to use someone as a reference—and important to let him or her know what you’ve been up to.” -The Muse’s Stacey Lastoe

Will you use the holidays to volunteer or find temporary work? Now is the time to add those experiences to your documents. Even if you aren’t actively looking and applying in November and December, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in January and February.

Research and prepare contacts

The coming new year is always a time for introspection, and this applies to your career search as well. Take time to think about what experiences you’ve liked in your career journey and what you want in your next adventure. Take the time to brainstorm and come up with a plan.

The truth is many hiring managers will either be on vacation or busy with end-of-the-year tasks during the holiday season. That may make it hard to get in touch with the right people if you’re looking for your dream job. But there is plenty of work to be done that can get you in touch with the right people.

The Muse’s Stacey Lastoe believes this is a great time to get the ball rolling. Take the time to research the organizations you’d like to apply for and find the best people to get in touch with. Spend some time on LinkedIn and company websites to find the right people to connect with and start preparing your emails or direct messages.

Wrap up

The holidays are a great time to take some time to yourself and enjoy the company of friends and family while resetting your mental health, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive in your job search. Many companies are still hiring, and with less competition around, you may get more opportunities thanks to your diligence. The holidays provide an ideal chance to prepare yourself for the next stage of your career, whether that’s an active search, finding a temporary opportunity, or simply setting yourself up for success in the spring.

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Testimonial: Former UTA Guard Accepts New Mortgage Role

At NexGoal, we take our athlete career placements very seriously – which is why our Project Coordinators spend so much time working with each candidate to put them in the best position to succeed. Once our candidates are placed, we like to take the time to share that candidate’s journey with all of you.

Our client, a nationwide leader in consumer direct and traditional mortgaging, keeps its partners, clients, and communities at the centerfold of everything they do, and they offer the number one CRM operating system in the mortgage industry. With their commitment to people and the community, they were looking for a like-minded Senior Loan Officer to join their Dallas, Texas, team.

We were fortunate to be able to work with Rodrick Epps, a former point guard for the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. A leader on and off of the court, with his driven attitude and proven skills as a licensed Loan Originator, we knew Rodrick would be a slam dunk for the position. Rodrick’s four years of successful mortgage industry experience meant that this would be a seamless transition.

Rodrick said his decision to work with NexGoal was easy once he spoke with one of our recruiters, Emma Sullivan.

“Emma presented herself to be very helpful and professional in reference to facilitating the career opportunity. I really enjoyed the ease of communication and being informed thoroughly throughout the process. 10 out of 10 experience,” Rodrick said. The two stayed in regular contact throughout the process, and Rodrick said Emma was always available for any questions or concerns he had.

Rodrick praised the NexGoal team following the acceptance of his new position. “Others seeking a new career opportunity or a new opportunity in the same field should choose NexGoal because you will experience an easy-going streamlined process while having any and all concerns alleviated.”

Over the past 10+ years, we have specialized in placing former athletes in careers with our various corporate clients. The core of our business surrounds athlete job seekers, and Rodrick was quick to advocate that other former athletes like himself and competitive-minded job seekers come to NexGoal when looking for their next opportunity.

The NexGoal team would like to thank Rodrick for his feedback and kind words, and we wish him continued success in his new role as Senior Loan Officer.

Are you looking to work for an industry leader and advance your career in the mortgage industry? We have the opportunity for you! We look forward to placing you in your next career. You can get started by filling out our Athlete Candidate page here.

Employers: Are you looking to bring on highly qualified candidates like Rodrick, who may not find you on their own? Reach out & discover how quickly we can connect you with top active & passive job seekers near you!

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