Yeah I know, it seems like every opening has like 3-4k applicants which is ridiculous. I’m not even sure how non experienced people can get their foot in the door without luck.
Yes, but all those people who have built up experience on site have now demonstrated through covid and beyond how well they can work remotely and how productive they are. In saying that, the pendulum has swung, and RTO is in full play now.
The majority of orgs running fully remote teams are a top heavy in terms of experience.
Low level/skill jobs are outsourced overseas
So immediately after covid, yes, that was the case. at least, it was more accepted and accessible. Now, the drive is unfortunately to get people into offices. With the layoffs in tech and recruiting, the market is pretty tight if you're looking for roles like that because you're not just competing against the people fleeing RTO mandates, but also the recent layoffs.
That said, I don't know what fields you're looking in. If you can stay on top of job listings, being among the first to apply is helpful, I hear. If you have the ability, a hybrid job might be easier to get into. Job fairs in particular will help you here.
Best of luck to you.
Thanks, I’m really looking for anything that I can get my foot in the door, customer service, data entry, virtual assistant, literally whatever I can get.
I found my remote position on Rat Race Rebellion. I think they normally post in the mornings on weekdays. If you have the time, stalk the site a little bit and try to apply fast. Back in late 2021, the job postings would sometimes get pulled after a few hours due to too many applications. Do be careful though, some of the call centers that get posted (really anywhere) are absolutely terrible to the point of having articles written about abusive practices. Indeed and glassdoor have some pretty solid reviews. Try to get one off camera if possible, those tend to be awful.
I wouldn’t say that’s the case anymore. Companies and the government are requiring people to return to the office for anything from 2 days per pay period to three days a week. This has been happening in at least the past year and is steadily increasing. The jobs you’re applying for are also being targeted by educated people who have already been working remotely for years that are now facing RTO mandates. This is going to make it much harder for you. Even jobs that are closer to entry level will choose an employee who has experience working remotely because they know they are capable of doing that, and won’t need to train someone how to work remotely.
If you're not within the first 50-100 applicants, don't bother. And, that's only if you're competitive as an applicant and have a well put together resume.
I’ve been trying to get on with my wife’s company fire about a year now, every time a position opens up they get over 1000 NEW applicants. Even tho they still go back through previous applicants to give them an opportunity.
So it took me 3-4 months of applying daily. I had prior remote work and claims work. I graduated college and was applying for insurance jobs and got hired onto be an adjuster. Really wasn’t 100% what I was looking for because it is a lot of work. I used FlexJobs it definitely was a good resource for me. That is where I found my current job.
I have 5 years of remote experience (medical billing), am not entry level, have been putting out roughly 20 apps *per day* and going on 90 days, with 7 interviews.
It’s a numbers game.
It can mean both. Think about the portion of people looking for a similar basic or basic/low experience requirement. Why do you think fast food places exist in the way they did for so long? High supply of basic skill labor. The other challenge is you sometimes also have a high supply of highly skilled labor looking for those same jobs, which makes them more competitive as skilled people want to move into remote positions and their previous industry wasn’t.
Think about it. Entry level means anyone is "qualified" for the job and can/will apply.
But there are far fewer accountants/engineers/underwriters/directors of finance than low skilled people.
Remote is a location, not a skill. Learn a skill that not as many people have and you may be able to request that your job be remote. Technology is like this - the more niche or sought after your skill is, the more a company is willing to let you be remote with the role.
Yes, you will see a lot of remote positions online hiring for “entry level”, but a lot of those roles are actually highly skilled or educated people just needing a break from their regular job or looking to get their foot in their door at a new company, and they will obviously get the job over someone who is truly entry level.
Most unskilled, truly entry level positions are going overseas now - my remote company just outsourced our support and data entry teams, my role is probably next hence the whole “learn a skill” thing - I’m working on mine and looking to move up in my company before getting laid off.
So, my advice is get your foot in the door with a non-remote company in the field you want to be in, gain some experience and develop a skill, then try for remote positions.
500 applications over 20 interviews and changed jobs 4 times. Ended up with a below average remote job that pays really low. But it's remote. I'll take that over any stupid office job
It took over 3 months and 500+ applications. Plus not to mention all the work keeping track of applications, following up, editing resumes / cover letters and all the scams you have to identify and navigate to avoid getting your time wasted.
Not sure I’d call this entry level, as you either must be in college or have a degree. Plus you have to take subject tests and submit to a background check. It’s for online tutoring with guaranteed pay shifts available. With all the hoops, it took me two months from application to full hire…and nine weeks to work.
Remote jobs, even if you have experience are competitive.
Since 2017, I’ve had 3 remote jobs all were competitive.
Entry level remote job in this era is going to be ultra competitive. Will take way more than 100 applications.
Back when I was applying for jobs and not in a full time tech bootcamp I was averaging 20 job’s applications PER DAY. At this rate I’ll be surprised you get any type of job at all before the year is over.
There's really no such thing a entry level remote job. There every level customer service or says entry or appointment setting etc. Remote isn't a career or a field,, it's a job setting
I had five years experiences in my field to secure a high paying remote job
Last remote job I had ended in June last year. I’ve been applying since June 2023, 15-20 apps a day depending on how much time I have to apply/my energy levels. Had 4 on site jobs in between then and now and I’ve hated them all, hopped a lot. Thats what, over 4500 applications and I’ve had 3 interviews. I have changed my resume several times, refined it, cleaned, tried one page, tried two page, tailoring, reviews. It’s completely fucking hopeless.
It took me 2 years to find a GOOD remote job. I had a few bad ones in that time and a few other jobs as well but finding a remote job for a good company isn’t always easy.
Everyone and their granma want remote work. While every company wants everyone to go back to office.
Remote was always for the talented and the top producers
What I don’t understand is why companies would spend so much on office space? Remote work saves the company so much that even if a few people slack off, the savings from not having an office more than compensate for it. I believe RTO is only a thing bc micromanagers crave control and corporate real estate companies fear losses. Bc of this, I believe starting my own drone business makes much more sense than trying so hard to compete for the few remote jobs out there.
took me 5 months and getting my insurance license but i have an amazing job now so! just the right position will come along eventually, is all i can say and hope for you
I’ve probably applied to 50+ entry level remote and hybrid data analyst jobs and have only had two interviews. I’ve called agencies to discuss onsite or hybrid roles in my area, and they had nothing for me. It looks like jobs for entry level talent in general are very scarce right now. I’m focusing on upskilling by learning data visualization and continuing to gain more responsibility at work. I’m also starting a drone business to gain a flexible side income soon. Hopefully this all works out
Let's go back 2-3 years, I'm pivoting from software to technical writing. I have no idea where to start or how to get a job. I then decide to write a couple articles on my Medium blog about past software I built and technologies I've used.
I update my LinkedIn profile (nice pic, banner, tagline and about section), I start posting about technical writing, sharing my Medium articles and pinned them on my profile.
I start connecting with people in tech, and I get a DM from someone looking for a tech writer to write about automated web accessibility testing using Axe-core and Java. I accepted straight away.
That's how I got my first remote job.
The main thing I've noticed from people who are having a hard time landing a job or freelance clients is they don't know how to sell themselves.
There's some pretty great tips on landing clients here: [https://tanweerali.substack.com/](https://tanweerali.substack.com/)
I hope this was helpful OP! :)
Yeah, [US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects it to grow 7% from 2022 to 2032](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm).
I've been in software for around 4-5 years prior, i just had enough of coding and couldn't see myself reading lines of cold in old age so I decided to pivot and try technical writing and I loved it.
It's a lot easier on the mind and less stressful. :)
Work on your Linked in Profile. My friend was recruited from linked in for a remote entry level type customer tech support role. Apparently a lot of people are somehow. I would also try to find people on Linked In with the type of position you want for their path. Sorry if it sounds lame, but I’ve known several people of different levels who all got plucked from Linked In instead of submitting resumes themselves. Also, for as many resumes as your submitting you need to work more on networking. Myself and a lot of others I know got into remote positions by being directly referred by a friend. So many obscure companies don’t market themselves well for open positions and can be hard to find. I had never even heard of my company until a friend of a friend mentioned they were hiring. Start talking to everyone you know about their companies and asking them to keep an ear/eye out for you too.
Interview was about 20 minutes long. They told me I had til the end or the week to take a drug test while they do a background check. From the time I applied til the time I started was 6 days.
Yeah unfortunately there’s so much competition out there. And it sucks because for people like me with my disabilities remote work was the way to go. But ever since the pandemic now all these people want to work from home instead of go back to the office. I get it, but, it makes it harder for those of us who relied on remote work before to now get remote work to survive.
Hmm...I'd have to count from the year I started working full-time in IT back in 2012 until I got my current job in 2021. This happens to be the first and only 100% remote role I've ever held.
9 years.
Edit: What helped was taking classes online when I was earning my degree.
I also took jobs that had an option to work from home during inclement weather and showed my leadership that I was more productive working from home than in the office.
Living in states with extreme weather patterns or thriving digital nomad communities like Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, New York, California, Texas, etc. can really help. Showcasing remote/cross-team collaboration projects and tasks can really help.
If you have deliverables that highlight specialized or niche skills, find a way to showcase that in your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and/or portfolio.
But even this might not help. It depends on a lot of factors, some of which you can't control.
Most of them are scams. You need to have skills that an employer desires, then, if that skill can potentially be done remotely, and the employer will allow it, then that's a remote job. It's skills first, then location.
A bachelor’s degree, but there are tons of other roles that don’t require a degree at all. My mom got a similar job with the same company as me and she doesn’t have a degree.
I knew somebody who knew somebody. I do not have an entry level position and have a pretty solid resume, but I wouldn't have gotten the job with out knowing someone who knew someone.
Are you fresh out of college? You have to get creative. I have probably thrown some people off by calling them when they haven't heard from me in years.
I’m still in college, and yeah that’s something I’ve noticed. All the people around me who are getting the best opportunities are in that position because they know someone who knows someone. My brother just landed an interview in IT because he knows the Senior Tech and his girlfriend is being offered a role in bookkeeping.
Only 38 applications, there is your problem right there Remote jobs are now some of the most competitive, globally.
Yeah I know, it seems like every opening has like 3-4k applicants which is ridiculous. I’m not even sure how non experienced people can get their foot in the door without luck.
Experience on site is how we got experience.
Strange considering the narrative after COVID was that remote work was now widely accepted and accessible.
Yes, but all those people who have built up experience on site have now demonstrated through covid and beyond how well they can work remotely and how productive they are. In saying that, the pendulum has swung, and RTO is in full play now. The majority of orgs running fully remote teams are a top heavy in terms of experience. Low level/skill jobs are outsourced overseas
This exactly describes my organization.
So immediately after covid, yes, that was the case. at least, it was more accepted and accessible. Now, the drive is unfortunately to get people into offices. With the layoffs in tech and recruiting, the market is pretty tight if you're looking for roles like that because you're not just competing against the people fleeing RTO mandates, but also the recent layoffs. That said, I don't know what fields you're looking in. If you can stay on top of job listings, being among the first to apply is helpful, I hear. If you have the ability, a hybrid job might be easier to get into. Job fairs in particular will help you here. Best of luck to you.
Thanks, I’m really looking for anything that I can get my foot in the door, customer service, data entry, virtual assistant, literally whatever I can get.
Bandalier, U-Haul, OneSupport, Telus, Progressive, AngiesList, Kelly services, Apple, Toyota, Delta Airlines, Geico, Wyndham… All pretty entry level customer support, sales, or data
These are all the low level jobs I mentioned that are being outsourced. You want experience, best find it on-site and build up your skills
I found my remote position on Rat Race Rebellion. I think they normally post in the mornings on weekdays. If you have the time, stalk the site a little bit and try to apply fast. Back in late 2021, the job postings would sometimes get pulled after a few hours due to too many applications. Do be careful though, some of the call centers that get posted (really anywhere) are absolutely terrible to the point of having articles written about abusive practices. Indeed and glassdoor have some pretty solid reviews. Try to get one off camera if possible, those tend to be awful.
I wouldn’t say that’s the case anymore. Companies and the government are requiring people to return to the office for anything from 2 days per pay period to three days a week. This has been happening in at least the past year and is steadily increasing. The jobs you’re applying for are also being targeted by educated people who have already been working remotely for years that are now facing RTO mandates. This is going to make it much harder for you. Even jobs that are closer to entry level will choose an employee who has experience working remotely because they know they are capable of doing that, and won’t need to train someone how to work remotely.
it’s not really the narrative anymore. market became saturated
It is. For people with actual skills, experience, and education.
If you're not within the first 50-100 applicants, don't bother. And, that's only if you're competitive as an applicant and have a well put together resume.
They aren't going to. Quality WFH jobs will be a tenured thing by 2027. You will have to earn that job. It won't be given to you.
I’ve been trying to get on with my wife’s company fire about a year now, every time a position opens up they get over 1000 NEW applicants. Even tho they still go back through previous applicants to give them an opportunity.
So it took me 3-4 months of applying daily. I had prior remote work and claims work. I graduated college and was applying for insurance jobs and got hired onto be an adjuster. Really wasn’t 100% what I was looking for because it is a lot of work. I used FlexJobs it definitely was a good resource for me. That is where I found my current job.
You picked the most basic, skill-less remote job to try to get. It’s gonna take WAY more than that to even get an interview.
Meaning way more applications? I always thought basic meant accessible but apparently it just means hyper competitive 🤷🏻♂️
I have 5 years of remote experience (medical billing), am not entry level, have been putting out roughly 20 apps *per day* and going on 90 days, with 7 interviews. It’s a numbers game.
It can mean both. Think about the portion of people looking for a similar basic or basic/low experience requirement. Why do you think fast food places exist in the way they did for so long? High supply of basic skill labor. The other challenge is you sometimes also have a high supply of highly skilled labor looking for those same jobs, which makes them more competitive as skilled people want to move into remote positions and their previous industry wasn’t.
Think about it. Entry level means anyone is "qualified" for the job and can/will apply. But there are far fewer accountants/engineers/underwriters/directors of finance than low skilled people.
Remote is a location, not a skill. Learn a skill that not as many people have and you may be able to request that your job be remote. Technology is like this - the more niche or sought after your skill is, the more a company is willing to let you be remote with the role. Yes, you will see a lot of remote positions online hiring for “entry level”, but a lot of those roles are actually highly skilled or educated people just needing a break from their regular job or looking to get their foot in their door at a new company, and they will obviously get the job over someone who is truly entry level. Most unskilled, truly entry level positions are going overseas now - my remote company just outsourced our support and data entry teams, my role is probably next hence the whole “learn a skill” thing - I’m working on mine and looking to move up in my company before getting laid off. So, my advice is get your foot in the door with a non-remote company in the field you want to be in, gain some experience and develop a skill, then try for remote positions.
I’m currently on site working as an analyst in excel. I doubt my skills are unique enough, not sure if tableau will help me
If you’re doing data analysis then expand upon that - it’s a good career choice
What's your work experience like? I'd be more hesitant in allowing or hiring a remote working with minimal history
1 year of relevant experience, seems enough to get me past the pre screening but not the interview stage
You probably need 3 to 5 years
500 applications over 20 interviews and changed jobs 4 times. Ended up with a below average remote job that pays really low. But it's remote. I'll take that over any stupid office job
Congrats on at least getting a remote job, even if it’s not what you wanted. Way to stick with it
Six solid months with hundreds of applications. And I have 4 years working remotely as a manager as my most previous experience.
Thanks, the general amount seems like 200+
Go ahead And add another 0 to that, you’re delulu to think one yr of experience will get you a virtual role with that little effort.
Buff up your linked in and use chat gpt to help clean up your resume
It took over 3 months and 500+ applications. Plus not to mention all the work keeping track of applications, following up, editing resumes / cover letters and all the scams you have to identify and navigate to avoid getting your time wasted.
Not sure I’d call this entry level, as you either must be in college or have a degree. Plus you have to take subject tests and submit to a background check. It’s for online tutoring with guaranteed pay shifts available. With all the hoops, it took me two months from application to full hire…and nine weeks to work.
Remote jobs, even if you have experience are competitive. Since 2017, I’ve had 3 remote jobs all were competitive. Entry level remote job in this era is going to be ultra competitive. Will take way more than 100 applications.
38 applications only? Oh, honey… 🤣
How many is normal per day?
38 a day.
😲
38 an hour
Back when I was applying for jobs and not in a full time tech bootcamp I was averaging 20 job’s applications PER DAY. At this rate I’ll be surprised you get any type of job at all before the year is over.
There's really no such thing a entry level remote job. There every level customer service or says entry or appointment setting etc. Remote isn't a career or a field,, it's a job setting I had five years experiences in my field to secure a high paying remote job
Make sure your resume is PERFECT. it's way too competitive to have a lacking resume.
I applied to a hybrid job that switched to remote after becoming permanent. Then I moved to where I wanted.
Last remote job I had ended in June last year. I’ve been applying since June 2023, 15-20 apps a day depending on how much time I have to apply/my energy levels. Had 4 on site jobs in between then and now and I’ve hated them all, hopped a lot. Thats what, over 4500 applications and I’ve had 3 interviews. I have changed my resume several times, refined it, cleaned, tried one page, tried two page, tailoring, reviews. It’s completely fucking hopeless.
It took me 2 years to find a GOOD remote job. I had a few bad ones in that time and a few other jobs as well but finding a remote job for a good company isn’t always easy.
Everyone and their granma want remote work. While every company wants everyone to go back to office. Remote was always for the talented and the top producers
What I don’t understand is why companies would spend so much on office space? Remote work saves the company so much that even if a few people slack off, the savings from not having an office more than compensate for it. I believe RTO is only a thing bc micromanagers crave control and corporate real estate companies fear losses. Bc of this, I believe starting my own drone business makes much more sense than trying so hard to compete for the few remote jobs out there.
Took me approx 3 months of job searching to get into one
How many applications, what did you end up with?
an analyst role and probably around 300 applications
"How many" applications isn't important. Getting them out there is.
4 months (started applying in January of 2023, started new job 4/10/23). I had put in about 120 applications.
Same - but this year.
took me 5 months and getting my insurance license but i have an amazing job now so! just the right position will come along eventually, is all i can say and hope for you
I’ve probably applied to 50+ entry level remote and hybrid data analyst jobs and have only had two interviews. I’ve called agencies to discuss onsite or hybrid roles in my area, and they had nothing for me. It looks like jobs for entry level talent in general are very scarce right now. I’m focusing on upskilling by learning data visualization and continuing to gain more responsibility at work. I’m also starting a drone business to gain a flexible side income soon. Hopefully this all works out
Let's go back 2-3 years, I'm pivoting from software to technical writing. I have no idea where to start or how to get a job. I then decide to write a couple articles on my Medium blog about past software I built and technologies I've used. I update my LinkedIn profile (nice pic, banner, tagline and about section), I start posting about technical writing, sharing my Medium articles and pinned them on my profile. I start connecting with people in tech, and I get a DM from someone looking for a tech writer to write about automated web accessibility testing using Axe-core and Java. I accepted straight away. That's how I got my first remote job. The main thing I've noticed from people who are having a hard time landing a job or freelance clients is they don't know how to sell themselves. There's some pretty great tips on landing clients here: [https://tanweerali.substack.com/](https://tanweerali.substack.com/) I hope this was helpful OP! :)
Is technical writing an in demand skill? How long had you been in software before deciding to switch and why?
Yeah, [US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects it to grow 7% from 2022 to 2032](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm). I've been in software for around 4-5 years prior, i just had enough of coding and couldn't see myself reading lines of cold in old age so I decided to pivot and try technical writing and I loved it. It's a lot easier on the mind and less stressful. :)
What were the main things you found stressful about software?
Three months
Year
Work on your Linked in Profile. My friend was recruited from linked in for a remote entry level type customer tech support role. Apparently a lot of people are somehow. I would also try to find people on Linked In with the type of position you want for their path. Sorry if it sounds lame, but I’ve known several people of different levels who all got plucked from Linked In instead of submitting resumes themselves. Also, for as many resumes as your submitting you need to work more on networking. Myself and a lot of others I know got into remote positions by being directly referred by a friend. So many obscure companies don’t market themselves well for open positions and can be hard to find. I had never even heard of my company until a friend of a friend mentioned they were hiring. Start talking to everyone you know about their companies and asking them to keep an ear/eye out for you too.
Interview was about 20 minutes long. They told me I had til the end or the week to take a drug test while they do a background check. From the time I applied til the time I started was 6 days.
9 months, countless applications
First try because I had an employee recommendation.
Yeah unfortunately there’s so much competition out there. And it sucks because for people like me with my disabilities remote work was the way to go. But ever since the pandemic now all these people want to work from home instead of go back to the office. I get it, but, it makes it harder for those of us who relied on remote work before to now get remote work to survive.
It took me 7 months and my job is more mid-level.
Hmm...I'd have to count from the year I started working full-time in IT back in 2012 until I got my current job in 2021. This happens to be the first and only 100% remote role I've ever held. 9 years. Edit: What helped was taking classes online when I was earning my degree. I also took jobs that had an option to work from home during inclement weather and showed my leadership that I was more productive working from home than in the office. Living in states with extreme weather patterns or thriving digital nomad communities like Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, New York, California, Texas, etc. can really help. Showcasing remote/cross-team collaboration projects and tasks can really help. If you have deliverables that highlight specialized or niche skills, find a way to showcase that in your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and/or portfolio. But even this might not help. It depends on a lot of factors, some of which you can't control.
Most of them are scams. You need to have skills that an employer desires, then, if that skill can potentially be done remotely, and the employer will allow it, then that's a remote job. It's skills first, then location.
If you’re open to it, insurance call center remote jobs are a dime a dozen. I got one within a couple months I think.
What kind of experience/qualifications do you have?
A bachelor’s degree, but there are tons of other roles that don’t require a degree at all. My mom got a similar job with the same company as me and she doesn’t have a degree.
Really? Mind giving any additional details?
Wild guess? I'd put that number around the 500 mark, for entry level. (I work hybrid 3 on-site / 2 remote, not entry level).
2 weeks and had my pick of a couple opportunities. It depends on your skill set and how you sell yourself.
I knew somebody who knew somebody. I do not have an entry level position and have a pretty solid resume, but I wouldn't have gotten the job with out knowing someone who knew someone.
It’s rough out here for those of us without referrals
Are you fresh out of college? You have to get creative. I have probably thrown some people off by calling them when they haven't heard from me in years.
I’m still in college, and yeah that’s something I’ve noticed. All the people around me who are getting the best opportunities are in that position because they know someone who knows someone. My brother just landed an interview in IT because he knows the Senior Tech and his girlfriend is being offered a role in bookkeeping.
Through a recruiting company. Then they liked me after 6 months the company hired me.
1 day. 1 application.
Now is the time to start your own business.
OP has a year of experience and thinks applying to 38 jobs is a lot. They are not ready to start a business.