5 Tips for Getting Hired During COVID + 25 Remote Roles Available Now
The news broke today that the U.S. unemployment rate had reached 14.7% — the highest rate since the Great Depression. This information can be both affirming (knowing that, as the CEO of AirBnB told the employees he had to let go earlier this week, "This is not your fault") and daunting, as you realize just how much competition there must be for open roles.
And while more Americans are actively searching for jobs than we've seen in decades, there are still companies hiring. If you're smart in your search — both in the roles you look for, and how you present yourself — you can get a foot in the door at a company that hasn't been brought to a halt by this pandemic.
Here are 5 tips from our Senior Talent Advocate, Abigail Vachon, for getting hired in the midst of COVID-19. For more tips, check out this 30-minute Q&A with our Director of Recruiting Amy Trappey.
(And be sure to scroll to the bottom of this piece to see 25 of the remote roles posted on PowerToFly within the last week spanning writing, sales, marketing, and more!)
1. Level up your skills.
Abbie's advice? "Use this time wisely! Try to get more experience by participating in open source projects (GitHub, etc.) so that when you're reaching out to programs, they can see you've been staying busy."
There's only so much time you can spend re-tweaking your resume and LinkedIn. One of the best ways to land a new job is to leverage your time to learn new skills or to improve upon your existing ones. Just Google "free courses during COVID-19" and you'll find a plethora of options — including ones that previously would have cost you a pretty penny just a few months ago.
This isn't to say that anyone expects you to be at your most productive during this time of uncertainty, or to accept doing work for free indefinitely, but by taking courses and contributing to projects, you not only grow your own skillset and make yourself a more attractive candidate, you grow your network, too! You never know who you might meet when you drop into an online course or offer your skills to help with an open source project. It could be the very thing that leads to your next job (which brings us to point #2).
2. Don't knock on the front door, find ways to slide in the back.
We all know that submitting a resume and cover letter online is frustrating even in the best of times — how many times do you click "apply" and never hear back? In not-so-great times like these, that only becomes more true.
So we recommend getting creative and finding ways to connect with folks at companies before you apply. Building a connection who could end up referring you to the company will dramatically increase your chances of getting an interview.
Abbie's top tip for making these connections? "Register to attend our events! Virtual (or live, when things go back to normal!) events are a great way to help show the company that you're seriously interested in getting connected with them."
3. Don't be scared to pivot industries.
If you work(ed) in an industry that has been particularly hard-hit by COVID, don't be afraid to pivot. You may be surprised by just how many of your skills are transferable (think moving from in-person events to a tech company that needs a virtual community manager).
As Abbie explains: "Remember that what you choose to do while we're in this crazy period does not need to be what you do forever. If the job/industry that you were laid off from is something that you love and want to continue to pursue - do so! If there's something that you've been interested in but haven't had the ability to explore a different direction before, now may be a good time to see what opportunities are available if you were to pivot. These are uncertain times, but they won't last forever so if you need to make a different choice just 'for now' - that's okay too!"
A pivot doesn't have to mean a permanent shift. But it can help you land a job much faster by focusing your search on industries (think pharmaceuticals, grocery stores, tech, medicine) that are still actively hiring.
If you've been contemplating making a career shift for a while now, this may be the perfect time to go for it, given that when the job market is tough, the opportunity cost for going back to school is actually lower. In Abbie's words, "If you're just waiting to be rehired but there's something else you'd rather be pursuing professionally - do it. Or at least, investigate if it could be a viable option... You can use this time to explore other options that may be more appealing to you so when we come out of this economic down turn, you're well placed to move forward."
And if you decide a pivot is exactly what you need, be sure to check out these tips how to pivot careers successfully from our career coach.
4. Optimize your LinkedIn and leverage your network.
A good resume is key to landing your next role, but you should go one step further and leverage your resume to make sure your LinkedIn is up to snuff as well. Abbie recommends:
1) Uploading your updated resume to your LinkedIn.
2) Ensuring your LinkedIn is searchable to recruiters. At a minimum, you need "good keywords related to your industry/skillset listed in your skills section, 'About Me,' and/or in the areas where you describe what you've done in a certain job," she says.
That said, arguably the best way you can use LinkedIn is to ask your network for help. That's exactly what Natalie Marciniak, who was laid off from her job as an Onboarding Manager at a fitness company in California, did earlier this week. Within minutes, she had connections from all aspects of her life commenting and offering help. As she says, "It would be silly to not be vulnerable enough to try to use the network you've built over the years. Times like these are, essentially, what your network is for!"
There is NO SHAME in admitting that you're on the job market right now, and more than ever before, people are looking for ways to help. So don't be scared to say publicly what you're going through, what you're looking to do next, what your skills are, and what you need. You may be VERY pleasantly surprised by the responses you get.
Need additional inspiration? You can view Natalie's example here.
5. Do your due diligence before you apply.
Last but not least, you should be strategic in your approach. Applying to roles takes time, and rather than just uploading a resume to every open job you see that matches your skills, you can avoid investing time in less-than-promising prospects by doing a bit of quick research on the job/company before you apply. Ask yourself:
- How old is the posting? (If > 30 days, it may well be an old, inactive posting that a recruiter forgot to take down).
- How is the company doing? Google the company before you apply — if they've done mass layoffs, you will be able to find news articles reporting this easily enough. Have connections at the company? Reach out and ask them how the company has been impacted by COVID.
- How many open roles are listed on the company's site? If they only have one or two openings listed, this may actually be a good sign, notes Abbie: "They may have paired down the roles for which they're hiring. If you only see a couple, those may be considered 'critical roles' and so are worth applying for because those would be the ones they'd still need to fill."
Another way to ensure you're applying to current jobs? Subscribe to job alerts from job search platforms. (If you'd like to be alerted when a company posts a role on PowerToFly) that matches your skillset, you can subscribe to our weekly job alerts here!)
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Ready to hit the ground running with your search? We've compiled a list of remote/flexible roles posted on PowerToFly within the last week to help you get a jump start!
25 Remote Jobs Available Now
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MURAL Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina(flexible) see details » |
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MURAL
Remote
see details »
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MURAL Argentina(flexible) see details » |
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Dell Technologies Palo Alto, CA, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Dell Technologies Palo Alto, CA, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Facebook, Inc. Sunnyvale, CA, United States(flexible) see details » |
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MongoDB
Remote
see details »
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Microsoft Corporation San Francisco, CA, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Okta, Inc. Seattle, WA, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Okta, Inc. San Francisco, CA, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Spotify New York City, NY, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Spotify New York City, NY, United States(flexible) see details » |
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Elastic United States(flexible) see details » |
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Elastic United States(flexible) see details » |
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PagerDuty
Remote
see details »
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Flatiron Health, Inc.
Remote
see details »
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Shogun
Remote
see details »
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Shogun
Remote
see details »
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Shogun
Remote
see details »
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Facebook, Inc. London, United Kingdom(flexible) see details » |
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Facebook, Inc. London, United Kingdom(flexible) see details » |
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Google LLC see details » |
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PagerDuty
Remote
see details »
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StockX LLC
Remote
see details »
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Contrast Security
Remote
see details »
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Best Work-From-Home Jobs to Apply to in 2021
If you're like me, and freelance, task-oriented remote jobs like article writing, data entry, transcription, or professional survey taking (yep, that exists), aren't your thing - don't worry. There are more full-time remote opportunities than ever before that offer you the freedom to manage your own time, the security of consistent monthly income, the support of a team, and the promise of growth. In fact, we've got close to 5,000 on PowerToFly.
So, if you're looking for a remote opportunity in 2021 that will push you to develop professionally, look no further than our list of the 10 best work-from-home jobs. And by best, we mean fun, challenging roles that will help you grow, while making a respectable income.
All the jobs listed have average salaries between 45 and 119k, and have average or higher-than-average growth potential (based off of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' predictions for growth from 2018 to 2028 and/or LinkedIn's 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
10 Best Work-From-Home (Remote) Jobs for 2021
Jobs sorted from highest to lowest average salary. (Salary data taken from ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and/or the U.S. BLS depending on availability and specificity to remote roles.)
1.Data Scientist
Who It's Good For: Detail-oriented stats masters skilled at identifying and understanding trends.
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Data Science Roles. Plus, watch this Chat & Learn with a data insights engineer to learn more about data-driven careers.
Why You Can Do It Remotely: With more data than ever before at our fingertips, companies know the value of hiring folks who know "big data" as more than just a buzzword. True stats buffs are hard to come by, so expertise often outweighs location.
Growth 2018-2028: 30.7%
Annual Growth: 37% (Data Scientist made LinkedIn's List of the top 15 emerging job for 2020)
Average Annual Salary: $119,000
2.Software Developer/Engineer
Who It's Good For: Self-directed (and disciplined) coding enthusiasts who love problem solving and having the freedom to work whenever they feel most focused.
Sound Like You? Check Out: 4,000+ Software Developer/Engineer jobs on PowerToFly and be sure to check out this Q&A with software engineer, Kasey Champion to learn about her experience working at a fully remote company and get her tips for acing technical interviews!)
Why It Can Be Done Remotely: Arguably, not only can programming be done remotely - it should be! Why? Writing code requires undisturbed blocks of time rarely found in traditional workplaces.
As computer scientist and entrepreneur Paul Graham observed in his essay on makers' vs. managers' schedules:
" Most powerful people are on the manager's schedule...But there's another way of using time that's common among people who make things, like programmers and writers. They generally prefer to use time in units of half a day at least. You can't write or program well in units of an hour. That's barely enough time to get started."
Office culture was designed with managers' schedules in mind, and thus makes adhering to a maker's schedule extremely difficult. Remote work, alternatively, is much more conducive to this. After all, it's a lot easier to snooze your Slack notifications than it is to ignore your boss literally hovering over your shoulder.
Growth for 2018-2028: 21%
Annual Growth: 35% for full stack engineers, 30% for backend developers, 25% for javascript developers (all three made LinkedIn's top 15 emerging jobs)
Average Annual Salary: $111,781
3.Designer (Web, Graphic, Product, or UI/UX)
Who It's Good For: Designers who do their best work independently or from the comfort of their own home.
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Design Roles
Why You Can Do It Remotely: No doubt there's value in brainstorming with your team, but once you know the needs of a project, most design work can be done independently and then shared. With tools like Zoom, Jira, and Slack, it's easier than ever before to share your work, get feedback, and hit deadlines. (And, like programmers/developers, designers are also more likely to benefit from a maker's schedule!)
Growth for 2018-2028: The BLS predicts only 3% growth, but others predict significantly higher growth based on the length of time UI/UX roles stay open before being filled.
Average Annual Salary (for UX Design): $98,816 according to data from ZipRecruiters
Average Median Salary (for Graphic Design): $50,370 in 2018, according to the U.S. BLS (not specific to remote roles)
4.Product Manager
Who It's Good For: Anyone who loves big-picture strategy and building products that users will love.
(If you enjoy more nitty-gritty task oversight, consider project management instead — both roles can be done remotely! You can learn more about the differences between the two PM roles here.)
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Product Manager Jobs (Plus, practice these product manager interview questions to help you land the gig!)
Why You Can Do It Remotely: As more and more software engineers and other tech professionals work remotely, it only makes sense that the PMs coordinating with them work remotely. If you're a virtual communication wiz comfortable communicating online and using tools like Zoom, GitHub, Jyra, Slack, and Asana (the list goes on...), then you're all set!
Annual Growth: 24%*
*Based on expected growth for Product Owner from LinkedIn's emerging jobs report. The BLS doesn't currently track growth specifically for Product Manager positions.
Average Annual Salary: $81,149
5.P.A., Nurse, or Nurse Practitioner
Who It's Good For: An experienced medical practitioner ready to swap 12 hour shifts for a more flexible schedule.
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Nurse Jobs and subscribe to job alerts from Flatiron Health for future remote roles!
Why You Can Do It Remotely: New technology is changing the way healthcare is delivered. You can provide wellness and medical education, patient-centered care, and treatment virtually, all while collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, physicians, and medical assistants.
Growth for 2018-2028 (Nurse Practitioner): 26%
Average Annual Salary (Remote Nurse): $73,374
6.Technical Writer
Who It's Good For: Top-notch communicators (writers) who can explain complex topics succinctly and clearly. (It's helpful if you have expertise in at least one technical subject.)
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Technical Writer Jobs
Why It Can Be Done Remotely: Like programmers, technical writers are makers - they need large, undisturbed blocks of time to create content. Technology and the nature of remote work can help ensure writers are able to communicate efficiently with their teams and organize meetings when they'll be constructive, not distracting.
Growth for 2018-2028: 8%
Average Annual Salary: $68,,454
7.Customer Success Manager
Who It's Good For: Good communicators who love helping others and problem-solving.
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Customer Success Roles
Why It Can Be Done Remotely: Most customer service needs can be met over the phone and online. With a computer and good internet connection (and enough patience), you can handle all your customers' needs from wherever you are.
Growth for 2020: 34% annual growth rate (The BLS doesn't share data specific to customer success, but thanks to the growth of SaaS, Customer Success Specialist made LinkedIn's 2020 list of the top 15 emerging jobs)
Average Annual Salary: $67,371
8.Marketing Manager
Who It's Good For: Folks who are equal parts creative and analytical.
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Marketing Manager Jobs on PowerToFly
Why You Can Do It Remotely: Analyzing industry trends and crafting strategy can be done from anywhere. And with teams becoming more and more spread out, you can coordinate cross-functionally with sales people, engineers, and more using Zoom, Slack, and other online tools.
Growth for 2018-2028: 8%
Average Annual Salary: $62,788 (according to data for remote professionals from ZipRecruiters)
Average Median Salary: $134,290 in 2018, according to the U.S. BLS (not specific to remote roles)
9.Recruiter
Who It's Good For: A people-person skilled in market research, project/time management, and negotiation.
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote Recruiting Roles
Why You Can Do It Remotely: As remote work takes off and fully remote teams become more common, it only makes sense that recruiters at these companies would be remote as well. Although recruiting saw a dip at the start of the pandemic, the number of remote recruiting roles is steadily increasing as companies ramp back up their hiring goals—we have hundreds of open remote recruiter roles on PowerToFly!
Growth for 2018-2028: 5%
Average Annual Salary: $59,474
10.Sales Development Representative
Who It's Good For: A self-starter with previous experience or an interest in Sales, or anyone who's just starting out and eager to prove themselves!
Sound Like You? Check Out: Remote SDR Roles
Why You Can Do It Remotely: You don't need to be in a particular location to make sales calls, deliver pitches, send follow-up emails, or manage your sales team. And if you have to fly from an office to meet a client, you can just as easily fly from your hometown.
Growth for 2018-2028: 5%
Annual Growth: 34% (LinkedIn lists SDR as one of its top 15 emerging roles for 2020)
Median Annual Salary (not specific to remote) for SDRs: $45,937
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Interested in one of the roles above? Check out these resources for landing your dream remote job and get ready to reap the full benefits of remote work in 2021 - doing what you like, where you like. Good luck!
[A version of this article was originally published on Dec. 19, 2018]
