Although shelter-in-place orders forced many people to start working from home during the pandemic, it is a work option that many find suits them better than a traditional office setting. Prior to COVID-19, there was already substantial evidence highlighting some of the benefits of remote work—increased engagement, boosted productivity and generally feeling happier—just to name a few. Working remotely can also be a great option for cancer patients and survivors who are looking for more flexibility during or after treatment.
If you’re interested in finding a job that allows you to work remotely either full-time or most of the time, then you have to start thinking about the best ways to position yourself when applying for those roles. A recent GlassDoor article offers some tips to help as you job search:
Focus on certain skills: Do a self-assessment to see if you have the qualities that make remote workers successful. Time management, self-motivation, and independence are just some of the skills that you should speak to during your interview. Another key skill: communication. Good communication is essential when working from home to ensure you stay connected to your team and invested in your work. Prior to your interview, think of a few examples of how you have used digital platforms (email, video conferencing, etc.) to stay engaged and make sure projects were executed accordingly.
Knowing a potential employer’s brand:Just because the position might not be “on-site” doesn’t mean you don’t have to have a deep understanding of your company’s mission, vision, values, culture and benefits. Prior to any interview, you will want to do your due diligence and do research on the company or organization you are interviewing with. It will make a great impression on your interviewer!
Practice your (virtual) interviewing skills: Because remote work comes with its own set of skills, be prepared to answer questions geared towards them. An example might be, ““How have you established/maintained collaborative relationships with colleagues despite geographic differences?” During your virtual interview, you’ll always want to focus on the skills that are important for this type of work. Click here for more interviewing tips.
Check out our “Job hunting During COVID-19” blog post for more tips on this looking for work during this time.
Also register for our upcoming Ask the Experts session on June 30th with career coach, Kathy Flora, to ask her your employment and job search questions.
Don’t know where to start looking for remote work? If you are looking for flexible work that allows you to telecommute, we highly recommend FlexJobs.com. It’s a useful resource that posts fully vetted flexible/remote jobs. Also you can enter the code CANCER when you check out to receive a 50% discount!
It’s also important to remember that telecommuting can also be a reasonable accommodation. For more on that, please watch the recording of our Balancing Work & Cancer webinar on Working Through Treatment.