There are a lot of options when it comes to civilian jobs once you make the military-to-civilian transition. This includes different industries, a variety of positions and, of course, many companies to choose from. Veterans can look into a plethora of opportunities, especially now that more companies are seeing the value of hiring veterans.
One option that has been increasing in popularity due to the availability of technology is working remotely, also known as working virtually, working from home or telecommuting. For some, this is an amazing option that has many benefits and fits their personality and lifestyle. For others, not so much.
As with anything, it has its pros and cons, and it's important to weigh both to determine whether a remote job is for you. Below are some factors you should consider about remote jobs.
Self-Directed Goal Setting
Depending on how structured the company is with its remote employees, sometimes goal setting needs to be fairly self-directed. Many companies expect remote employees to be more independent, so it's important that you're OK with either setting your own goals or taking them from your manager and independently reaching them with little direction.
Structure
Since you're working at home by yourself, the structure of your job is really what you make of it. You won't have a manager there breathing down your neck. You may have to do conference calls or video calls, but you're not sitting in an office or cubicle, and no one is monitoring you every hour. It takes someone who is disciplined and structured to get the work done when no one else is working around you and not get distracted.
Time Management
The company may or may not have set hours for you to work. They may tell you they need you to work a certain number of hours per week but not specify when those need to be done, leaving it up to you to fit them in when it works for you. They may just have projects that you need to do and not specify hours at all. This can be a positive or negative.
Isolation
Working from home can be very isolating. For some, this is fine because they would prefer not to deal with people on a daily basis. They would rather get the job done by themselves and be done. Others thrive on interactions with people. It really depends on your personality.
Not everyone has the personality to work from home. While veterans most definitely have the structure and self-discipline to excel at a remote job, those traits often make them want a job in an actual office setting, because they thrive on a more formal setting and chain of command. But you may be ready for a change of pace now. After thinking about the above items and taking into consideration your personal brand and personality, you can make the decision about whether a remote job would work for you.
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