Ask a Recruiter
Q: I keep reading that remote work is common now, but I can’t seem to find many of those jobs and when I do apply, I don’t get a response. What am I doing wrong?
A: You’re not doing anything wrong — it’s just a matter of supply and demand. If you’re watching or reading the news, you’ve inevitably heard about the growth of remote workforces as a result of the pandemic. But media portrayal of the changing job market has often focused on large employers, especially those in the tech industry, who may be well equipped to support a remote workforce — yet nearly half of all workers in the US are employed by small businesses, many of whom may not have the resources (or desire) to hire a remote worker.
Okay, so there may not be as many remote jobs out there as the media would have you believe, but what about the remote jobs that do exist? Well, by their very nature, they are the most competitive roles in existence. When you’re applying to jobs that are in-office or even hybrid, you’re only in competition with other geographically local candidates. When it comes to remote work, applicants could be coming from anywhere around the world.
Not only does this mean that employers will be inundated with resumes to sort through (making it unlikely that they’ll follow up with all applicants), they’re also able to be extremely picky about whom they choose to interview. As a result, the remote positions that do exist can have the highest barriers to entry.
One suggestion? Look for hybrid workplaces that focus on both employee schedule flexibility and the value of in-person collaboration.
