NEENAH — You might feel like the odds are against you if you're looking for a job during the pandemic.
Thomas Conn of Neenah, Wisconsin, said by being open to working remotely and working for an out-of-state company, he found a position with the right pay and one that matched his level of experience.
"There weren't any real opportunities in my current area," Conn said.
Conn has a social media marketing job for a health insurance company in Connecticut.
"I have the flexibility to take care of my family as well and work from wherever I need to, especially during this time," Conn said.
Conn's job is a temporary position, but he says he's gaining skills he needs in his field. He teamed up with a marketing and design staffing company calledAquentto secure the remote job. John H. Chuang is the CEO.
"If you lived in one city, in Philadelphia, are you really going to take a job in San Diego without moving there? It happened, but it was rare. But now, it's much more likely that you can work remotely," Chuang said.
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According to Chuang, Aquent supplies 10,000 workers every year to companies like Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft. During COVID-19, he's been witnessing more and more businesses make the workplace switch from the office to the home.
"The big tech companies, they've gone from maybe 20 percent work from home to literally 100 percent work from home," Chuang said.
"All Fortune 500 companies, not including big tech, have probably gone from 20 percent to around double to around 40 percent," he continued.
Chuang said that includes financial service companies, health insurance companies, and even oil and gas companies. There's freelance, part-time or full-time opportunities.
"I also have the freedom and flexibility to work for organizations all over the country," said Conn.
For those who argue working for an out-of-state business isn't beneficial for local companies or the local economy, Conn sees it differently.
"The salary that I'm taking in, that's still being used in our community," Conn said.
"I think there will always be that local advantage," Chuang added.
"But now remember, that local business can also hire from anywhere around the country," he continued.
Click here to check out job websites specializing in remote work.