Hey Reader,

Everyone I know has seen The Odyssey these days.

Homer wrote the story about 2,800 years ago. Now we see its adaptation in IMAX.

Ten years, one man, one impossible trip home.

If you're currently hunting for a remote job (or really any job), you probably watched that film differently. You know the feeling of rowing towards an island that keeps moving.

So let's talk about the map and the sailing instructions, shall we?

The map

The door is small. Indeed's Hiring Lab tracks remote and hybrid mentions at 16.9% of UK postings as of June, and their Canadian data has hovered around 14% since 2022. Those shares are holding near their peaks and will likely not be increasing all that much anytime soon.

At the same time, competition is steep for these roles. Remote roles get A LOT more applicants than in-office jobs. And if you add to that mix the ghost jobs and the scams, it makes sense why your job search is an odyssey these days.

Sailing instructions

1. Plug your ears to the sirens. The sirens made the sailors head towards the rocks. Stale listings make you waste your time. A lot of postings are ghost jobs, roles with no real hiring behind them, or filled weeks ago and never taken down. Check the posted date before you spend an hour on an application form or a cover letter. If it's weeks old, it's often best to skip it.

2. Never tell them you're Nobody. The Nobody trick saved Odysseus from the cyclops. It won't work for you. A generic CV sent at a hundred listings makes you Nobody a hundred times, in places where so many other applicants are trying to get the job. Ten applications written for the actual role are better than a hundred written for no one.

3. Skip the island of the lotus-eaters. Odysseus's crew ate the lotus and forgot they were going home. That island is called scrolling. Two hours of browsing job boards feels like progress and lands zero interviews. Set a timer, pick your targets, apply, close the tab, and move on.

4. String the bow only you can string. At the end, a hall full of suitors couldn't string the bow. However, Odysseus could. Apply where your fit is the bow: roles that genuinely hire from your country, in your timezone, at your level. Be ultra-specific in your job search.

One more thing

I'm working on something special that should significantly help you in your job search. I'll be sharing more info about it soon.

Think of it as the fastest route towards Ithaca.

Talk soon,
Alex