We know that 2020 has become the year of working remotely – the companies that could send workers home at the start of the coronavirus pandemic did, and we saw the rise of Zoom happy hours, dining table desks and pets as coworkers. And while working from home had become increasingly popular in the few years leading up to this mass exodus from the office, it looks like the trend might be here to stay. Keyword searches for “work from home jobs” are up 70% compared to this time last year.
Some employers are diving all the way in and won’t bring workers back to an office at all. And even if other companies are planning to eventually return to a physical space, it’s likely that interviewing candidates remotely is still top of mind.
The past six months have given companies a crash course in operating businesses remotely – here are a few best practices for posting work from home jobs.
How to post a work from home job and get noticed
Attract top talent across the U.S. regardless of geography. Job seekers on CareerBuilder.com can filter their search with a simple “Work from home” toggle – so make sure you’re visible in that search. In your job post, set your location as “Work from home” (a recently updated feature!) and our tool automatically flags it as just that. You can also use “Remote” or “Virtual” as location, but, Google users’ monthly search for the phrase “work from home” was used 3.3x more than “remote jobs”, according to Ahrefs. Stick with “Work from home” and be seen where candidates are searching!
Set expectations for physical versus virtual experiences
Just as you would describe the office environment for an in-person role, you should set expectations for your work from home position. Specify if this person will eventually be brought back to an office, or at the very least, share how long your workforce has been remote and any plans you have in place for moving forward. This is also a good spot to include interview expectations – is it all phone and video? Will the candidate be expected to interview in-person at any point? And because the job seeker likely won’t be visiting an office to peep at dress code, casualness or other culture-oriented details, make sure to include some helpful highlights in your work from home job description.
Tweak in-office perks to work from home benefits
In addition to being upfront about in-person expectations, it’s also good to acknowledge that work from home is a totally different beast than working in a traditional office environment. There are built-in benefits to remote work, like no commute, typically more casual dress, more time with loved ones. But if you’re setting up your team to be permanently remote, or at least working from home the majority of the foreseeable future, it’s time to think about what separates you from other remote positions.
Consider the in-person discounts, stipends or programs you’d normally offer, and get creative with how you might flip those to virtual opportunities. Can your company offer a stipend for technology or office supplies? What about extra paid holidays? These perks, along with others like flexible hours to accommodate family needs, virtual support centers for working parents or regular employee mailers, are all great to mention when looking to attract candidates for work from home roles.
