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Recent graduates searching for their first professional job need to seriously consider the benefits versus drawbacks of both in-office and remote jobs.
While some industries and fields have always had more robust remote work structures, such as information technology and customer service, there have never been more opportunities across the board for people who wish to work remotely than there are right now. You’ve got options. However, not all employers are dancing on top of their desks about it.
Many major companies are trying to reinstitute, even mandate, in-office work. To give you an idea of the “back to the office” mindset, recently a prominent CEO landed in the papers for saying that professionals working remotely “didn’t work as hard.” That’s not an isolated opinion and there are a lot of other reasons the people who sign the paychecks want their employees to be in the office – and they’re not all unreasonable.
In the middle, are hybrid schedules, which is exactly like it sounds. Part remote, part in the office. Sounds like the best of both worlds and maybe it is. Nobody can decide what’s best for you except you. However, you just graduated from school and, with all due respect for your academic achievements, extracurriculars, internships, awards, or whatever you’ve got on your resume, you don’t know anything yet.
What is the right thing to do? For recent graduates, the question is not opportunity but mastery. You’re not just looking for a new job. You’re creating a foundation for your long-term professional goals and whether you work remotely or in an office can profoundly affect that trajectory. Let’s look at the pros and cons of remote work vs. office from that perspective.
Pros of Remote Work:
· Life is expensive, especially in big cities where most Fortune 500 companies are located. Rent, car, gas, work wardrobe, parking, lunch, coffee break, and on and on. The daily mechanics of going into an office is a steady stream of expenses that add up. If you’re on your laptop sitting in your den, those expenses are reduced or eliminated. It is almost a compensation increase, which can be very attractive to young professionals living on their own for the first time or those carrying student loan debt.
· No commute. Ever driven in Los Angeles? New York? Chicago? There are no upsides to fighting traffic to get to work on time. If you use public transportation it takes longer, it’s unreliable, and it smells like unhappiness. Time is the most precious commodity in life. Every minute counts. If your commute is from your bedroom to your den, or, at worse, the coffee shop on the corner, your mornings may be easier than the norm.
· Work-life balance. Up to now, your whole life has been balance. There is no such thing as school-life balance. Even if you are working your way through school, it’s not the same. As you progress through your career and life’s milestones (marriage, children, caring for elderly parents, etc.), work-life balance becomes more and more important.
· If you’re 100% remote, you can live anywhere.
· Many people thrive in environments where they can set the agenda and actually do their best work remotely.
Pros of In-Office Work:
· You’re just starting out. You need to learn your job. You need to know who your co-workers are. You need to experience the culture of your company. That’s not as easy through Zoom.
· Do not underestimate the benefit of mentors. It’s human nature for experienced people to help younger workers navigate the professional world and teach them the ins and outs of the business.
· There is no substitute for face-to-face collaboration. Engagement is a key that unlocks many doors.
· As someone starting their career, visibility is important. If people can see your face and look you in the eye every day, they know who they’re dealing with and their perception is that you’re present and making the effort required to succeed.
· Special assignments, advancement, and promotions may occur more expediently for people in the office than workers who see their coworkers, bosses, and clients on their laptop screens for a limited amount of time per day. There is no “water cooler” if you’re working remotely.
· It’s easier to build trust and credibility in the office.
Bonus tips:
· Don’t assume remote will be better or that you will like it better.
· Don’t assume that because you work in the office and have more extended face time with your company’s decision-makers, stakeholders, and clients you will automatically rise to the top. No matter where you are, the quality of your work is what will ultimately count the most.
· If you’ve already landed your first “office job,” but want to work remotely or have a hybrid schedule, the best course of action is to ask your manager what they think. Just because you want to work remotely doesn’t mean you will be allowed.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
