Finding Remote Work

[rich126]

I went back to work for a few months but quit for a variety of factors that include: Work was 2,000 miles from my current home, full time job in office, furnished rentals were rare and the one we got had serious bed issues which made sleeping tough.

One of the things I did learn in going back after being retired for 18+ months was that I enjoyed doing work and thinking again. I just would like to find something I can do part time (24 or so hrs a week) from my home (where ever that may be).

Are there any tips as to how to find a remote position?
Just check out the usual job sites and apply to anything that looks interesting?

Obviously if you have contacts that would help but most of my work have involved security clearances and doing that kind of work remotely isn't allowed so my contacts won't be of use.

And in my case I'm only looking for hourly pay, I need no benefits (everything from my retired position). If it matters my background is in programming and computer security. I've only been able to do work form home for about 6 weeks back in 2021 and really enjoyed it. Having some bonus money and keeping my mind occupied would be nice.

Thanks.

[Sandtrap]

I went back to work for a few months but quit for a variety of factors that include: Work was 2,000 miles from my current home, full time job in office, furnished rentals were rare and the one we got had serious bed issues which made sleeping tough.

One of the things I did learn in going back after being retired for 18+ months was that I enjoyed doing work and thinking again. I just would like to find something I can do part time (24 or so hrs a week) from my home (where ever that may be).

Are there any tips as to how to find a remote position?
Just check out the usual job sites and apply to anything that looks interesting?

Obviously if you have contacts that would help but most of my work have involved security clearances and doing that kind of work remotely isn't allowed so my contacts won't be of use.

And in my case I'm only looking for hourly pay, I need no benefits (everything from my retired position). If it matters my background is in programming and computer security. I've only been able to do work form home for about 6 weeks back in 2021 and really enjoyed it. Having some bonus money and keeping my mind occupied would be nice.

Thanks.

to op:
24 hrs/week.
How much "bonus money" would you need?

j

[rich126]

I went back to work for a few months but quit for a variety of factors that include: Work was 2,000 miles from my current home, full time job in office, furnished rentals were rare and the one we got had serious bed issues which made sleeping tough.

One of the things I did learn in going back after being retired for 18+ months was that I enjoyed doing work and thinking again. I just would like to find something I can do part time (24 or so hrs a week) from my home (where ever that may be).

Are there any tips as to how to find a remote position?
Just check out the usual job sites and apply to anything that looks interesting?

Obviously if you have contacts that would help but most of my work have involved security clearances and doing that kind of work remotely isn't allowed so my contacts won't be of use.

And in my case I'm only looking for hourly pay, I need no benefits (everything from my retired position). If it matters my background is in programming and computer security. I've only been able to do work form home for about 6 weeks back in 2021 and really enjoyed it. Having some bonus money and keeping my mind occupied would be nice.

Thanks.

to op:
24 hrs/week.
How much "bonus money" would you need?

j

I don't know about need but adjusting to retirement where money is going out but not much is coming in is a strange feeling. For the stuff I did full time we are talking about $150/hr and up. I wouldn't expect to get that but I also wouldn't work for $20-40 an hr either.

I just saved up a nice amount after working a few months and now I'm having to pay for various AC issues/insulation/duct work. It seems to go as fast as you make it.

[stan1]

Obviously if you have contacts that would help but most of my work have involved security clearances and doing that kind of work remotely isn't allowed so my contacts won't be of use.

Without getting into details, that might be a very limiting assumption. Reach out and see what your contacts say. They may be able to refer you to a project that has sensitive but unclassified work that can easily be done through remote work on authorized devices/networks. Lots of demand for skilled people in the government/defense contracting world. Open the aperture rather than closing it. You may find the harder part is keeping your work hours to less than full time.

[Normchad]

Obviously if you have contacts that would help but most of my work have involved security clearances and doing that kind of work remotely isn't allowed so my contacts won't be of use.

Without getting into details, that might be a very limiting assumption. Reach out and see what your contacts say. They may be able to refer you to a project that has sensitive but unclassified work that can easily be done through remote work on authorized devices/networks. Lots of demand for skilled people in the government/defense contracting world. Open the aperture rather than closing it. You may find the harder part is keeping your work hours to less than full time.

I agree with reaching out to your contacts. You’re looking for something that nobody wants to offer to a stranger. You need somebody to vouch for you.

As a hiring manager, I wouldn’t want to hire you. You want very limited hours. You want full time remote. What am I getting out of this? I can find more committed candidates. (Don’t take that personally. They don’t know you. But people that do know you, would know exactly how to find a fit that’s perfect for you and them).

[rich126]

Obviously if you have contacts that would help but most of my work have involved security clearances and doing that kind of work remotely isn't allowed so my contacts won't be of use.

Without getting into details, that might be a very limiting assumption. Reach out and see what your contacts say. They may be able to refer you to a project that has sensitive but unclassified work that can easily be done through remote work on authorized devices/networks. Lots of demand for skilled people in the government/defense contracting world. Open the aperture rather than closing it. You may find the harder part is keeping your work hours to less than full time.

I agree with reaching out to your contacts. You’re looking for something that nobody wants to offer to a stranger. You need somebody to vouch for you.

As a hiring manager, I wouldn’t want to hire you. You want very limited hours. You want full time remote. What am I getting out of this? I can find more committed candidates. (Don’t take that personally. They don’t know you. But people that do know you, would know exactly how to find a fit that’s perfect for you and them).

Its funny you say that. When I started a job search I asked about part time work (I don't need any benefits) and everyone kept saying no. Then I gave the full time job a try and when I suggested things were not working for me, they were all like "how about reducing your hours?". I found that "interesting".

If you have a ton of qualified candidates and want people in the office then sure don't consider someone like me. If you are short of qualified people and have stuff like programming, looking through network data for issues, etc. then that can easily be done remotely and may not require someone full time. Fortunately for me, I don't have to work so I can be selective.

Anyhow, I will look around a bit but I won't be upset if I can't find the right position.

[hoofaman]

My last job search was 2 years and I only considered full time remote positions, I didn't mind going into an office in my 20s but it's not something I'm interested in doing at this stage in my life. What I learned is that many jobs were not advertised as full time remote, but were willing to offer it to me once I started talking to them. Sometimes there were also companies that, due to company policy would not offer a "full time remote status" designation but because the entire team was distributed everyone always worked from home because going into a local office where your not working with anyone doesn't make much sense and most companies don't seem to push that (but some do).

I also know people who were full time remote, their company was acquired, and the parent company had a hard line mandate that everyone must be going into their local office. One person in particular just flat out refused to go into the office and has continued working remotely for almost a year now, the team he works with is spread out all over the world and the "local" office was 30 miles from his house

Anyway good luck with your search

[PNWHiker]

Just my opinion, but I think you're going to have a very hard time finding the kind of work you'd like to do on a part-time basis. Have you thought about taking short- to mid-length contracts and having space between to approximate a "part time" schedule? I work for a VAR/SI that is constantly placing staff aug resources at companies all over the US, and there'd be little issue working for a company like mine and picking/choosing the gigs you take.

[stan1]

When I started a job search I asked about part time work (I don't need any benefits) and everyone kept saying no. Then I gave the full time job a try and when I suggested things were not working for me, they were all like "how about reducing your hours?". I found that "interesting".

If you have a ton of qualified candidates and want people in the office then sure don't consider someone like me. If you are short of qualified people and have stuff like programming, looking through network data for issues, etc. then that can easily be done remotely and may not require someone full time. Fortunately for me, I don't have to work so I can be selective.

Anyhow, I will look around a bit but I won't be upset if I can't find the right position.

Reading this objectively just with what you've posted, I'd say they don't see a fit for you: job duties, skills, work location, salary, hours all have to intersect and right now it sounds like the intersection is a null set. No one is "at fault" just not a match. You can wait and see if something changes on their end, change what you are willing to on your end, or continue into retirement without work. Your call, you are in charge. If you only want a small number of hours, you might consider positioning as an "advisor" not a "consultant".