Working remotely has been a career goal of mine since my kids were small. It always seemed like an unattainable dream back then. We were yet to have internet beyond dial up and Human Resource professionals were expected to be a presence on corporate campuses. Back then it seemed impossible that we would move towards a society where working remotely became a reality.
After years of getting up early, rushing kids out the door, and commuting to an office or cubicle for fifty hours a week, I was burned out. I was not taking care of myself and was depressed and overweight from rushed fast food dinners and stress eating. There had to be something else out there that would afford me some time to give back to my family and strike a healthier balance. I was determined not to miss another child’s football game or concert because of work. I decided to leave the corporate life and find something, anything, I could do from the comfort of my home.
It was not easy to find remote work when I started looking in 2012. Even though I had a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management and a diverse HR background including benefits administration, payroll and generalist roles, most companies still wanted employees to be onsite. I ended up taking a role as a team leader for a lobbyist firm out of Washington DC which resulted in hours of working on the phone and a lower salary. I was still happy to be doing remote work which allowed me to be at home for the kids when they got off the bus and let me plan my schedule around their school events.
In 2013, I found a remote position for a recruiting admin/sourcer and applied. I joined the team and quickly fell in love with the recruiting profession. I was a contractor, but the work was fun and flexible. I learned all the ins and outs of recruiting and grew to take on more responsibility. I found that because of the nature of recruiting projects, contract work was not reliable, so I ended up working for other companies and held several contracts at a time to cover the slow times and make ends meet. It was not until 2018 that I found a steady home with Antony International Solutions, and bonded with a growing team and people who shared the same family oriented vision that I had.
I won’t say that working at home is easy, it is not! When people ask what I do they are surprised I work from home and assume I have the freedom to come and go as I please or put in half the effort as an onsite employee. That could not be further from the truth. In fact, working remotely can be very challenging. As a remote worker it takes discipline to adhere to a normal working schedule and yet try not to work 24/7 as the temptation is always there to check one more email or make one more phone call.
Remote work has been an adjustment for my family who think just because I am home I am available. I am jumping all day from video conference calls to phone interviews to scheduling interviews or sourcing candidates. Every one of my work days is always 100 % full. I work harder from home than I ever have at an onsite job. But every day I am thankful that I don’t have to commute to work, or miss out on events because I am expected to work 50 hours for a 40 hour paycheck. I can make time for a workout every morning before I start my day and live a truly healthier and balanced life. Moving to remote work has been a long road but has definitely been worth the wait.