There are pros and cons of remote work going mainstream.
In the very recent past, remote working changed forever. There has been a substantial influx of remote workers, of people who were forced into working away from an office. And it turns out that some ended up preferring it! The competition is tight, it’s tough. You gotta find new ways to stand out in order to land your dream RV job.
But the good news is that it’s not just an influx of remote workers, there is also a massive influx of remote job opportunities that are perfect for Rvers as employers see the benefits of moving away from sprawling office buildings. A forever-changed workforce that now expects work flexibility. To attract and keep top talent, employers are now offering more remote work options than ever.
In this new world of remote work going mainstream, you must advocate for yourself when you job hunt – “headhunters” represent corporations these days, not individuals, so you must become your own headhunter to gain a competitive advantage.
We’ve published an extremely comprehensive guide to finding a remote job, and discussed how to translate your experience into remote work success, but today, we’ll dive deeper into being your own headhunter in context of the new attention on remote working. We want to help you get your dream RV job that will let you travel AND earn an income along the way!
Let’s peek at your budget.
If your budget allows, hiring a high-quality resume writing service or career coach is ideal. The money you invest gets you past the learning curve your competitors are dealing with, and these people will best know the current hiring trends and what methods are landing jobs. It is a tremendous shortcut, but you still have to put in the work and apply for these roles.
Not all budgets allow for this, so you may have to expedite the process yourself and be your own advocate in this competitive environment, so let’s discuss how to do just this.
Here are 9 ways to rise to the top of the new candidate pool and snag your dream RV job.
You’re smart – you already read our guide on landing a remote job. You know the standard advice of updating your resume, preparing for an interview, and so forth. What follows is information specifically formulated for the context of the current hiring environment:
Adopt an awareness mindset.
- Keep all eyes focused on applying your awareness of the influx of candidates AND open roles. This means addressing it in your resume, and in job interviews. You don’t need to avoid the topic for fear your interviewer will rule you out. Be bold and take it head on – it shows you’re not sticking your head in the sand, you have an awareness mindset.
Adopt a profitability mindset.
- Nick Corcodilos of the Ask The Headhunter blog says, “There is only one rule for success in a job search, and almost no one follows it: You must prove, to the manager for whom you want to work, that you can do the job he needs to have done and that you can do it profitably.” Here’s how to be the profitable hire.
Be available.
- If you are currently employed, unless it’s a toxic environment, stay put until you have that dream RV job opportunity lined up. But also understand that someone ready to start next Monday could beat you out for a desired role. Availability is one component of decision making for employers, and not just for starting date. Demonstrate your availability by being flexible with interview times, and by being responsive quickly via email. In this competitive environment, the early bird often does get that worm!
Start with folks you know.
- Comb your LinkedIn connections for people at companies you’re considering applying for. If you actually know them, reach out! Many employers put emphasis on internal references, and if your friend or former coworker is willing to vouch for you, they may get a bonus when you start, AND you may get a foot in faster than a stranger. Seriously, don’t overlook this option.
Spice up your search with actual headhunters.
- Don’t know any recruiters at third party firms in your industry or town? Time to hop on LinkedIn and find them – they’ll often have a website where you can apply to specific roles, and once applied, you’re in their database. Doing this may open invisible doors only they can see, so get in that database and connect with them on LinkedIn without being annoying. Network with them – most will be receptive if you’re a catch!
Act as a talent agent. (You want that dream RV job, right?)
- For some people, it’s hard to say “I’m amazing, I’m the best!” If that sounds like you, acting as if you’re a talent agent (like actors have) representing someone (that just happens to be you) can be wildly empowering. So, at each step, ask yourself, “how would a talent agent phrase this to get me in the door, or close the deal?”
Over-communicate.
- Follow hiring managers’ expectations, and never expect someone to drive the process or to be psychic. They can’t know that you’ll email by X date, so state it explicitly. Thank people by email or the channels they’ve established communications on. It sounds simple, but very few people do this, so it’s an easy way to stand out. This also helps demonstrate your reliability and communication skills, two things employers commonly doubt when hiring remote employees.
Pick the RIGHT job search engines.
- You’re on one right now, but we’re one tool in your toolbox. You should never have to pay loads of money to see job listings (employers typically pay job search sites already), that’s why ours are free. Keep your security in mind – don’t just give your personal info to any ol’ site. First, you should look and make sure you’re not getting scammed… Remember, you may be giving your home address to an insecure source, so use caution. Can you delete your resume once you’ve found a job or are you permanently in their database? Look at the jobs – are they posted by employers (which is preferable) or just third-party firms? Are the jobs current or 90 days old? Peek around before wasting precious time!
Find your choke point.
- Look at the timeline of your applications and where everything stops. If you aren’t getting any interviews, there’s a problem with your resume. If you aren’t getting called back after any interviews, those are the skills to focus on. Stress less about the entire process and focus strictly on your choke point. Think of it as levels in a video game – where are you getting stuck? Focus there to level up!
You have the competitive advantage
We love the analogy of a job search being like a modern video game – you won’t win the entire game in seconds. It takes time. It takes practice. And leveling up has everything to do with working on your strengths and uncovering your weaknesses.
To be your own headhunter and advocate for yourself in landing that dream RV job, you must adopt an awareness and profitability mindset. YOu must also think like your own agent whose income relies solely on you landing a badass job. Be available, over-communicate, connect with third-party recruiters and inside contacts at companies, use only the best job search sites (like ours, duh), and you’ll have the competitive advantage in the growing talent pool seeking remote jobs!
