If you’re a job seeker, here’s some advice you probably won’t hear from anyone else: never ask an employer about their remote work policy during the job interview.
Before you say “OK, boomer. Times have changed!”, know that I strongly believe in hybrid and remote working. It removes a lot of unnecessary face time and unnecessary friction from office life. Also, people who have more agency in their lives are generally happier.
But it’s time to face reality. As the The Federal Reserve continues its campaign to hike rates to tame inflation, millions of jobs could be at risk this year.
Like a CEO, Investor and Founder, I learned a lot about managing uncertainty. After acceptance, the second rule of crisis management is survival – and landing a job in this soon-to-be-relentless job market will require some adjustments and compromises.
What employers really think about remote work
A 2022 investigation from GoodHire found that 78% of managers thought certain in-person jobs were preferred. And 51% said their companies would “definitely consider” pay cuts for employees who refuse to return to the office.
Inevitably, many executives and CEOs, such as Mark Zuckerberg And Elon Muskthink the pendulum has swung too far in favor of remote work and performance is taking a hit.
To go further, following their massive layoffs, Meta has suspended offering remote working options for new hires.
No matter how exceptional you are
Whether fair or not, some managers will initially perceive interview questions on remote work as telegraphing the wrong priorities. Even for me, it’s an immediate red flag.
Imagine this scenario: you end your interview with a question about remote work and receive an icy reception. The next day, the hiring manager meets with another candidate who tells him he could be in the office early the following Monday morning.
Of course, you can be more qualified. But chances are the other job seeker will be perceived as more committed. This can be true even for managers of companies that have very strong remote work policies.
Wait for us to call you back
What if non-remote work is a deal breaker for you? First, make your own detective. There are countless online resources for looking behind the curtain.
You’ve already worked for the interview, so might as well postpone the question until you’re invited back for a second round. For what? Managers are adamant in the abstract, but will bend over backwards once they fall in love with a candidate.
Basically, do a great first impression when the stakes are high. Your excellent job interview skills could have created leverage to accommodate a corporate exception.
And who knows, you might end up working from Bali.
Matt Higgin is an investor and CEO of CSR companies. He began his career as the youngest press secretary in New York City history, where he helped manage the global press response to 9/11. Matt’s book “Burn the Boats: Throw Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential” is out now. Follow him on Twitter And instagram.
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