🚝 Super-commuting has doubled

Good Morning,

Hope the massive Crowdstrike / Microsoft outage last week didn’t impact you too much. As some pointed out, Microsoft experiencing a global outage without taking Microsoft Teams down with it was kind of like waking up to snow outside as a kid, but not getting enough snow to cancel school.

And as with most big news stories these days, the memes didn’t disappoint.

Even though it wasn’t a cyberattack, it goes to show how important it will be in the coming years to protect our global technical infrastructure from any accidents or nefarious activity.

So for those considering career changes, keep in mind that any company devoted to this kind of protection is only going to have an increased demand for talent in the future.

Remote Source Job Board

Featured companies:

Origami Risk: 11 remote jobs
FloQast: 35 remote jobs
Toast: 69 remote jobs

🤝 Find Remote Jobs Here

Need to Know

👩🏻‍⚖️ Law firm CEO: remote is the future of work
Husch Blackwell, a top 100 law firm in the US, launched a virtual office a few years ago that they call “The Link.” Jamie Lawless, the firm’s CEO, along with about 700 other employees, consider The Link to be their primary office.

She also states that by maintaining a virtual office, the firm has been able to establish itself in new geographic territories where they don’t have a physical presence. It’s a great way to test a market for business without any sizable, and sometimes risky, real estate investments. (Above the Law)

❌ Tougher enforcement of RTO
In the early wave of return to office policies we saw in 2022, there was a lot of resistance toward the policies (and to be honest, there still is). This meant managers had to decide whether to actually enforce their policies.

The team at WFH research recently released an update to their initial survey question from 2022 about policy enforcement:

Employers feel empowered enough this year to be twice as likely to terminate employees who don’t comply with their return-to-office mandates.

As long as we’re in this “employer’s market” where employers have more bargaining power than prospective employees, it’s likely this won’t change in the near future. So if you’re going to test the mettle of your employer by not complying with a mandate, proceed with caution. (WFH Research)

📦 Amazon cracks down on coffee-badging
Amazon is now tracking the number of hours its corporate employees work from offices, claiming that they must be in an office for over two hours for their attendance to count as a day in the office — and some units will require up to a minimum of six hours.

Last year, Amazon announced a policy that would require employees to be in the office three days per week, which was unsurprisingly met with a ton of resistance. This appears to simply be the next iteration of their policy enforcement to ensure managers can keep a watchful eye on their subordinates! (Business Insider)

🚂 “Super-commuting” is growing in popularity
The remote work shift brought about by the pandemic finally offered many people the choice to plan their lives around their own needs and those of their families, without needing to factor in commutes or office locations.

But as companies have shifted back to hybrid office requirements, many employees are unwilling to give up what they consider a higher quality of life outside of work, despite the need to commute further than they may have before.

This means super-commuting — spending at least 90 minutes commuting in each direction to work from an office — has become more prevalent.

A study done by travel company Trainline found that there are twice as many super-commuters on UK trains today than there were pre-pandemic. And this phenomenon is not at all limited to the UK.

According to HR software company Gusto, the mean distance to the office for employees in the United States went from 10 miles in 2019 to 27 miles (!) in 2023.

Most super-commuters say their arrangement provides them with far better work-life balance than they would have if they lived closer to the office and had shorter commutes. It just goes to show how much better quality of life can be for many people when offices are removed from the equation. (Fortune)

👯‍♀️ Missing office friends is normal
The consistent #1 complaint about remote work is the lack of socialization with coworkers. For all its benefits, remote work has created totally new and complex social dynamics with the workplace that most companies haven’t quite figured out how to manage.

Even though the opportunity for more socializing with non-colleagues is typically a good thing, it’s important to develop some connection with those you work with. If you find yourself feeling as though those connections have been lacking, this columnist advises taking the initiative to establish meetups, happy hours, etc. with coworkers and encourage them to invite others.(Washington Post)

Stuff We Like

💡 A career coach’s top tips
Given the state of job searches, this career coach shares the three things she tells all of her clients up front:

1. Quality over quantity: the “spray-and-pray” strategy leads to many generic resumes that don’t fit a position well — and therefore, won’t stand out to recruiters. Focus on creating resumes and cover letters that will specifically stand out for the roles you apply to.

2. Pick the right shortcuts: not all AI tools will truly help you stand out, and relying on LinkedIn and Indeed’s one-click-apply options should be avoided simply because they require such little effort. But she does recommend having different versions of resumes and cover letters ready to go, along with a word bank to draw from to help you generate tailored materials more efficiently.

3. Find job leads within your network: comb through your phone, email, LinkedIn, and other social contacts first to see if there are any people who may have useful connections or knowledge about relevant job openings. Joining professional organizations is another way to meet people who are far more likely to be in positions to help you. Cold outreach on LinkedIn sometimes works, but it’s not nearly as likely to be effective as these other options.

She closes by saying it’s normal to feel frustrated during a job search, and it’s especially true this year. Keep your head up; you never know what opportunities could be right around the corner. (CNBC)

📝 Beat the ATS
You know by now that applicant tracking systems can be stringent gatekeepers that determine whether your resume is ever read by an actual person. Here are several tips from an expert on how to boost your chances of making it past any ATS:

• Read all instructions first, and follow them

• Optimize relevant keywords

• Use simple formatting

• Customize the right thing — cover letters can help with this

• Quantify your achievements with data

• Avoid graphics and symbols

• Complete all fields on the application

• Network outside the application process by connecting with employees via LinkedIn or email, or in person when possible

It’s impossible to know whether you’ll land an interview, and in today’s job market there are many exceptionally well-qualified candidates who are passed up for various reasons. But the above steps are in your power, and sure to increase your chances of getting past an ATS and landing an interview. (Forbes)

🇲🇽 Newsletter: El Expat Insider Mexico
This newsletter just launched, but I can already tell it’s going to be great. Mexico’s a popular spot for Americans and Canadians to temporarily work from, and this newsletter has plenty of tips and tricks for anyone considering a move there.