A Chance Encounter (and FlexJobs!) Leads to New Remote Job

By Rachel Pelta

Sometimes a chance encounter is just the push we need to take our career in a new direction. When Steve B. met FlexJobs’ Mika Cross on a podcast he works for, he took the long-awaited step toward full-time remote work.

Steve joined FlexJobs and connected with a remote job that lets him balance his work and professional lives, helped him move forward in his career, and allowed him to achieve personal goals he had been postponing.

Bitten by the Bug

“I had been wanting to work remotely for a long time,” Steve says. “We had Mika Cross on a podcast I help run, Beyond the Uniform, where we interview veterans who share their military transition success stories and lessons learned.”

Steve explains that meeting Mika and learning more about flexible work inspired him to join FlexJobs. He used his membership to research what remote opportunities might be available in his career field. “I was casually looking at what types of companies and roles were available for me as a program manager.”

Like many, Steve joined the remote work ranks during the pandemic and discovered that it was the perfect fit for him. “With the onset of the pandemic, my government contract role transitioned from in-office to temporarily remote. [Eventually] I requested to transition my position to full-time remote work… At that point, I had fully caught the remote work bug.”

Approved Then Denied

Initially, Steve’s remote work request was granted. “I got written approval for my request from the contracting command.”

Unfortunately, though, that approval was short-lived. “My packet then went to my leadership for approval, and I was informed that the [supervisor] did not support my full-time remote work request, as they didn’t want to set a precedent for the office.”

Intensified Search Efforts

Once Steve’s request was denied, he shifted from casually looking over job postings to an intensive and serious job search. Steve networked every day on LinkedIn and requested informational interviews from networking contacts to learn more about jobs in his industry and the culture of specific companies.

Steve also realized that his “usual” resume wouldn’t work in his search for a remote job. “Remote resumes are different,” Steve points out. “FlexJobs was a huge help. My applications immediately got more traction with my updated remote-centric resume.”

Steve ultimately landed a full-time, 100% remote role with PPL, a business segment of Public Consulting Group, as a Lead Project Manager. Though project management has long been Steve’s professional focus, he’s changing industries, moving from army aviation to healthcare.

And, his new position is a step-up on the career ladder! “I applied for a project manager role but was hired on as their lead project manager—basically the number two within their project management office.”

New Plans and Realized Dreams

Steve and his wife had long planned to return to her hometown in Iowa, but his in-person work held that back. Now they can move forward and accomplish the many personal goals they set for themselves.

“This remote job will allow us to move forward with our plans to relocate, build our forever home, and raise our children around our family. I’ve found remote work to be in such alignment with what I want from my work-life balance as a husband and father.”

Steve’s also gained a new perspective on how he can balance his professional and personal lives. “After researching remote work options over the past several months, it’s become clear that there are so many great companies looking for talent in a remote capacity. It’s only further proven to me that I don’t need to settle and can create alignment in my life.”

Just Sign Up!

“FlexJobs is a powerful source of vetted opportunities,” Steve says of his membership. “You’re able to set multiple and highly customizable daily job alerts, so you never miss a new opportunity.”

In fact, it was one of these alerts that connected Steve with his current job!

“Stop having analysis paralysis,” he says, “and just sign up!”

To learn more about Steve B. and Beyond the Uniform you can connect with him on LinkedIn.

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