Go where the fish are. – Ramit Sethi
My friend Ramit said this all the time. He meant it about finding customers: figure out where they spend their time. And be there, too.
The idea applies to all aspects of life:
- 💗 Relationships. Looking for a partner? Do activities that interesting single people do.
- 💵 Money. Need to save & invest better? Spend time with friends who “figured it out.”
- 🏋️ Health. Want to lose 10lbs? Go to gyms and healthier restaurants.
And it applies to jobs, too. Especially remote jobs.
Go where the jobs are.
😔 “I’ve Sent 100s Of Resumes… And Nothing”
I’ve been there.
It’s a shitty feeling.
That pit in your stomach that won’t go away. The weight wrapped around your shoulders, hanging off you with the force of a cartoon anvil, dragging you down.
You wonder: “What’s wrong with me? “
The answer: Nothing.
But there might be something wrong with your approach.
When helping people land their next remote job, I go through a checklist. At the top:
Tell me what companies you’ve applied to.
(Would you find a checklist like this helpful? Reply back and LMK, I’ll build one for you.)
Because if you’ve sent out 100 resumes and heard back nothing, then:
1/ Stop. Get feedback.
Who are good people to get feedback from?
- Mentors
- Former colleagues
- Professional friends
Ask them to look over your resume, cover letter, and emails.
If it’s not working, iterate.
2/ You might be applying to the wrong companies.
If you’re just applying to:
- Technology companies
- Fortune 500 companies
- Brand name companies
These might be the wrong companies right now.
❗️ “But These Companies Are Hiring! That’s Where The Fish Are!”
True…
But it’s also where everyone else is fishing.
If you’re not having success, look for better fishing.
Where?
Three industries to consider:
- Private education and health services
- Professional and business services
- Government
Source: BLS
What does a public, government remote job look like?
My friend works in social services for Philadelphia. He recently switched from a traditional client-facing role to a remote role where he writes grants for more resources and funding.
He loves it. He gets to help his community (important to him) and dropoff his son each morning before school.
Finally, fish with local businesses.
Local, small businesses are desperate for good help. I can’t tell you how many small business owners I hear complaining about how hard it is to find dependable talent.
And local business owners don’t operate under the same constraints of big tech and big companies. Which means they are more open to remote work than these companies.
🎣 When Should You Look For Alternative Fishing?
I get it. Your “dream job” might be to work at one of these tech or Fortune 500 companies.
Respect.
There are times when you should hold out, and keep fishing where you are:
- You’re optimizing your career around a very specific role or industry
- You have an emergency fund or second household income
- You’re getting traction (just haven’t closed yet)
But if you don’t meet these criteria…
And you’re starting to feel urgent about landing the next role…
Then go where the fish are.
🌏️ Best Remote Work Links This Week
- ⏰ I love productivity hacks – but here’s the last time management hack you’ll ever need
- ⌨️ Applying for remote work jobs? Go smaller and earlier.
- 😔 How to beat remote work loneliness
- 🧬 Why will hybrid be the defacto mode of work? The economics.
- 🪑 Having lower back issues from sitting too long? “Bending at the knees” might be a wrong (and how to fix it)
That’s a wrap.
See you next week 👋