A few months ago a reader contacted me asking for advice on how to find a telecommuting position. I didn’t have much advice for her beyond Craigslist.org and job search engines. I had gotten my current clients by word-of-mouth recommendation. But my blog has opened up lots of new connections, many of whom share a strong interest in telework. Recently, the site Flexjobs.com was brought to my attention. I had come across this site earlier in my telecommuting research and wasn’t sure what to make of it. I would have to pay to access the listings – was it a scam?
The site purports to list one thousand plus telecommuting jobs with new jobs added every week. Through some networking I was granted access to the site to get the low-down. Could this site really help telecommuting job seekers? I really think it can.
For $49.95 per year, job seekers are given access to an ad-free, scam-free listing of jobs across the country (and even a few abroad). Before you scoff at the fee keep in mind that $49.95 is equal to $4.16 per month. That’s about the equivalent of two medium Dunkin Donuts coffees – at least it is in the metro Boston area.
Each job is screened and verified by the Flexjobs.com staff. Still, I wanted to be sure this was legit. I dug around the site and came across a few dead ends, such as job listings that had expired, however I was also presented with hundreds of opportunities that I never would have come across on my own. True, some of these jobs can be found with a few hours of research on the Internet, however Flexjobs.com has everything all in once place, allows employers to post telecommuting jobs to their site for free, and provides members, if so inclined, with email and Twitter updates on new postings.
Jobs are categorized by type – full-time, part-time, contract- and by area of expertise- web development/software, writing, sales, business consulting, etc. There are many listings for sales and telemarketing, which often seem to be the bulk of telecommuting jobs, however I came across positions as varied as Principal Software Engineer, Web Developer, Proofreader and Admissions Consultant. The hiring companies also ranged from tiny and unknown to large, well respected corporations. Flexjobs.com is currently working on some upgrades, including allowing members to search by geographic location, yet the site is still a breeze to use.
The employees of Flexjobs.com are also telecommuters, which made me feel they had a vested interest in helping members succeed. It’s hard not justify the modest enrollment fee when you consider the hours you save by not having to research job opportunities yourself. Instead, spend that time applying for the jobs.
TheTelecommutingMom.com readers have an extra incentive to give it a try. Type in coupon code “SAVE30″ during registration and receive a 30 percent discount on your subscription. That’s $9.95 for a month or $34.95 for a year.
Filed under: job sites, office tools, reviews
Even when jobs are screened there is a chance they’re not going to be legit. Good call.