On April 16, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo once again extended the work-from-home order until May 15. And in talking about what the “new normal” might look like once we all get back to some semblance of a work week, Cuomo spoke of a “reimagined workplace,” one in which telecommuting wouldn’t be some once-a-week added bonus you might negotiate for during a future job interview.
Working from home is by no means a new concept; freelance writers have been doing it for decades and some, quite lucratively. As it were, our staff was even able to publish four separate magazines—The Hyde Collection’s latest “digest,” the Saratoga Automobile Museum’s 10th-anniversary Horsepower, Capital Region Living and Saratoga Living entirely remotely. While it would’ve been nice to catch the few typos that we found after the fact—the type of thing us editors find on printed paper versus a computer screen—it certainly wasn’t an impossible feat, and we made do.
But this partially answers our job-hunting riddle from last week’s column: Has the governor’s proposed “new normal” opened up the job market entirely to remote workers? In other words, if you were to apply to any job right now that you were qualified for, anywhere—even if the job posting said you needed to be “located in X metropolitan area”—would it be possible to land an interview and potentially nab that job? It’s a good question, and one that everybody should ponder.
Local Job Opportunities
Cool Job Opportunity (Local)
It stinks not being able to go out to your favorite restaurant or bar and sit down and enjoy the food there. And while all of them in the Capital Region are closed, with some offering takeout or to-go meals, we can still support them as best we can. But what if you could actually work a cool, remote job for one of the top spots on your list? That’s what one lucky person will be able to do for Troy‘s Plumb Oyster Bar. As we reported in a recent issue of Capital Region Living, Plumb welcomes in “Troy’s three-dollar-sign crowd [who enjoy its] raw bar and specialty cocktail menu.” (Their juicy-as-hell burger is one of the better ones in town.) The restaurant’s owner, Heidi Knoblauch, is looking for a Content Creator, who can work ~30 hour/week position on a W2, not a 1099, for a late April/early May start date. (Read the full job description here.) Email Heidi for more information: [email protected].
Cool Job Opportunity (Local)
If you’re of a certain age—and of the nerdier persuasion—you probably remember the Fox show, The X-Files, which aired every Friday night and featured spooky adventures led by Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Did you know that Scully’s weekly appearance onscreen led to what was later known as “The Scully Effect,” or an uptick in young women seeking out STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers? You, too, could be an agent at the FBI—at the FBI’s Albany field office. (We’re not sure if any of the future investigations you do will feature a liver-eating man-monster, but you’ll be helping to keep America safe, for sure.) There is an age requirement, though: You need to be at least 23 years old and have not reached your 37th birthday yet. Search for the job on Glassdoor or head over to the FBI’s Albany office page.
Cool Job Opportunity (Local)
Do you think you have a RADIO VOICE? It just so happens that national radio conglomerate, iHeartMedia, which owns and operates local radio stations such as the venerable PYX 106.5 and 99.5 The River, is looking for both a full- and part-time news reporter to work out of its Latham office. It looks like the gig will be reporting on traffic and weather—a beat which inspired one of the greatest Fountains of Wayne songs ever (#RIP Adam Schlesinger). Search for the part-time gig on LinkedIn Jobs; the company’s careers page has the two positions open here.
Cool Job Opportunity (Local)
Are you an LGBTQ advocate with a strong sense of duty for the Capital Region LGBTQ community? (Example: Tas Steiner.) Do you have a bachelor’s degree in social work or mental health counseling (preferably, a LMSW or LCSW)? Local nonprofit In Our Voices Inc. is hiring for a number of positions, including an LGBT Victim Advocate. The position “will provide services and activities that assist victims of domestic and/or sexual violence in understanding the dynamics of victimization and in stabilizing their lives after a victimization.” It’s a full-time position, which will currently be done remotely, and actually quotes its salary range: $36,500 – $42,700 per year. Whether or not you’re pulling in a salary, this position pays it forward big time. Think of it as a karmic downpayment. Learn more about this role and a number of others at the nonprofit here.
National/Remote Work Opportunities
Cool Job Opportunity (National/Remote)
So, you drink a lot of craft beer. Tallboys, pints—whatever you can get your paws on. The next time your significant other complains about how much you’re downing, just tell him or her that you’re “just doing research for a job interview.” The Terre Haute Brewing Company, located in Indianapolis, IN, is looking for a Social Media Specialist with just one year of experience with social media and social media marketing required. The job listing says you’ll need to spend time in the brewery itself, but we both know that that ain’t happening anytime soon. So, let’s just say you can send along an application. But make sure you know your Indiana beer before you send it off. Search for the job on Indeed, or go check out their website here.
Cool Job Opportunity (International/Remote)
Right. So you can’t travel right now. Can’t get on a plane or a train or an automobile and go any-stinking-where. But you can work abroad. Yes, as long as you’re willing to work English hours—or any other country’s, for that matter—you’re golden. DuckDuckGo, a digital app company that helps protect/secure your browser from ad trackers and other privacy-busting products, is looking for a Senior Copywriter to work remotely for its Bodelwyddan, Wales–based team. It’s looking for someone to “help shape the DuckDuckGo user experience across all of our products.” It’s a full-time, but the company won’t hold a gun to your head about the types of hours you keep. You’re just required to work at minimum, 40 hours a week. And when the COVID-19 pandemic eases up and international travel is an option again, expect two work trips a year, once for our an all-hands-on-deck meeting in the UK and another for the company retreat, each of which is about 4-5 days apiece. Find the job description on LinkedIn Jobs or browse DuckDuckGo’s other positions here.
Cool Job Opportunity (International/Remote)
Are you the type that would rather hit the (backyard) halfpipe after work than get cozy with a Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. novel? Oh, you say you’re into both? Well, this might just be the job for you. A new Berlin, Germany–based online skateboarding publication, Dose Skateboarding, is looking for a part-time writer/editor to cover OG and up-and-coming skateboarders, streetwear brands, photographers, artists and more. Interested in ollie-ing ahead with the application? Send them three writing samples, a cover letter and your résumé (or, as most people abroad refer to it, your CV or Curriculum Vitae). Find the job on Indeed or hit up the staff here.
Local/National Job, Business And Volunteering Resources
Cool Job Resource (Local/National)
A reliable source recently directed us to this San Francisco Chronicle story about how tech businesses on the West Coast are still hiring, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s because the majority of Silicon Valley’s workforce was already working remotely in the first place. The Capital Region has its own “Tech Valley,” which waterfalls down the hill from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to Downtown Troy, as well as outposts in nearly every other part of the greater region. Where does one find the meatiest tech jobs? Try Dice.com. Get rollin’! (See what we did there?)
Cool Resources For Kids
Starfall
Our latest survey of local moms and what their children are enjoying in the realm of homeschooling has led us to Starfall, which caters to a pre-K/kindergarten and Grades 1-3 crowd of tots. For the younger set, kids can watch educational videos that “act out” songs (“Motion Songs”) and learn how to say words through an Art Gallery that includes paintings by masters such as Seurat, Chagall and van Gogh. (The next time your kid hands you a Mr. Potato Head ear, hopefully that’s not because of his newfound proclivity for Vincent.) For the older kids, the studies are leveled up—i.e. instead of learning how to sing and act out “Little Miss Muffet,” they’re learning actual American folk tunes such as “Oh California.” Soon enough, they’ll be singing “Hotel California,” and you won’t be able to stop them. Check out Starfall here.
Cool Diversions
Join These Facebook Groups
We have a pair of Facebook Groups to hawk to you this week—two that will probably make your day, over and over and over again for the foreseeable future. (Now, obviously, you have to join the group and hope that the page admin lets you in, but we’re going to take a wild guess that, during these tough times, your ticket will be punched.)
(1) Looking Good, Albany! – The Capital City doesn’t get enough love, and this Facebook Group is all about worshipping Albany’s pretty side. The concept is super simple: just snap a super cool shot of the city and post it with a little update. Perfect for a lunchtime scroll.
(2) I love Saratoga – Yes, the “love” is lowercased in the Group name, but you wouldn’t know it from the amount of LOVE that people show for Saratoga in it. One of our favorite features is all of the vintage photos of the city group members post on a daily basis. You might even find some recent photos/stories from, say, Saratoga Living, too.
Listen to This Song
So, you’re working hard on the landing that next gig. R.E.M.’s got you covered with its “Finest Worksong.” Yes, job hunters, this is your finest hour.
