The Most Unusually Creative Thing I Did to Get a Remote Job (It Worked)
In 2017, I fell in love with a company called Remote Year.
It's a fully remote organization that coordinates travel and work programs for people who already work remotely. Think of it as "turn-key digital nomadism." You pay a monthly fee and this company sorts out all the logistics for you: an itinerary of cities, coworking spaces, apartments, events, flights, ground transport, and more.
I knew I wanted to work for Remote Year.
In fact, it was my dream job to travel the world while working for Remote Year and selling their programs, just like the guy who sold the program to me (thanks Luke!).
So, what did I do?
I joined their community as a customer. I knew that if I experienced Remote Year as a customer, I'd have an unparalleled advantage over any other candidate applying to the job I was interested in.
I'd know the company in and out, like the back of my hand. I'd be able to speak to the nuances of the adventure that a potential customer would embark on themselves. And, I knew if I was ever interviewed for the position I wanted, my company research would come from a place of experiential wisdom.
Me just before boarding my one-way ticket to Lisbon, Portugal with two backpacks in hand and a shit-eating grin on my face 👉
I invested in a 4-month program and traveled to 4 different countries in Europe and Africa in early 2018 with 50+ strangers.
It was the most incredible experience of my life. Not only did I meet 50+ other awesome humans on the trip who were traveling together, but I was able to meet dozens of Remote Year employees along the way. I focused on being active in the community, sharing my knowledge whenever possible - doing skillshares, networking, and helping to be an ambassador for the company.
All the while I made my intentions known to employees that one day I wanted to work for Remote Year. At the time I had a fledgling coaching business and freelancing work that was keeping me afloat, but I was so aligned with Remote Year's mission, it just felt right.
I knew it was up to me to make it happen. And I did.
Conveniently, during my last month on the program, a job opened up for my dream position and I already knew the inner workings of the organization as a part of the community and a client.
So, when the time came, I was the first to get the call. Multiple employees submitted my resume for me. No formal application online. No job search process. They vouched for me and I crushed the interviews because I knew so much about the company. The role was fully remote and for a year and 3 months, I traveled to 10+ countries while working for them.
Becoming Part of a Remote Company's Ecosystem
What does this mean for you?
There are many ways you can be a creative strategic job seeker.
One of those is becoming part of a company ecosystem. While doing what I did and becoming a client works great, it's certainly not the only way to be creative.
Just think... what if you:
Follow the company on all social media
Subscribe to the company communications (newsletters, updates, etc)
Set up Google News Alerts and LinkedIn job alerts for the company
Figure out who in your network is already at the company or connected to someone in the company
Engage with the company content on their social media pages (usually, there's little engagement!)
Browse through the employees at the company and saw how you can connect with them on a personal basis
Find out who's posting about the company and connect with them
Join virtual events that they host: live streams, webinars, user groups, etc
Become a customer of the company when appropriate, and use free versions of their product/service
When you do these things with your target companies, you become closer to their pulse, you start to understand their culture, messaging, and what they send to their customers.
This becomes powerful down the line because you can speak to these specific experiences, and even use what they communicate to their clients to your advantage. That way, when it's time to apply to a position, you've already done pre-work to put yourself in the best position possible.
The more you increase your familiarity prior to applying, the better.
If you’re looking for a remote job and feel discouraged or lost, it’s time for a new strategy.
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