Remote jobs from home - suggestions appreciated

I managed to get a full WFH role, but it took some trickery. I got hired as an IT service desk engineer but I did not disclose my diagnosis. After I finished probation I showed my official diagnosis and asked for a workplace adjustment. I have WFH since then.

It's a tough balancing act. Recently I had an interview for a digital marketing role and the business was using a psychometric test. And expecting us to be in every day. I challenged both with my diagnosis and they played along briefly, but I knew they'd boot me out. Sure enough, generic rejection email.

I can see their job spec online still now, they're still looking! Just because the bosses won't allow 2 WFH days. It's pathetic - control freak capitalism at its worst. I'm highly qualified for that role they want, too, but it's not good enough for the owners so there we go. Anyone using a psychometric test, though - massive red flag straight away. How stupid do they need to be? 

Congrats on your role, though!

I'd be tempted to do a similar thing, it really does depend upon the employer and whether they're decent people or not.

It's a tough balancing act. Recently I had an interview for a digital marketing role and the business was using a psychometric test. And expecting us to be in every day. I challenged both with my diagnosis and they played along briefly, but I knew they'd boot me out. Sure enough, generic rejection email.

I can see their job spec online still now, they're still looking! Just because the bosses won't allow 2 WFH days. It's pathetic - control freak capitalism at its worst. I'm highly qualified for that role they want, too, but it's not good enough for the owners so there we go. Anyone using a psychometric test, though - massive red flag straight away. How stupid do they need to be? 

Congrats on your role, though!

I'd be tempted to do a similar thing, it really does depend upon the employer and whether they're decent people or not.

Hello, could I ask did you have to train in copy writing and was it easy to find this sort of work?

It really is scary how good AI is becoming.

I currently work in IT and can see how fragile working in that sector in the UK is going to be in the next 5 years. It has been hard enough with cheap offshoring (pity that management brush the inferior product/service under the carpet all to appease the bean counters).

I'm being taken through an HR policy due to my regular absences (due to autism, FND and other conditions) - not a pleasant experince. I'd like to stay (we don't like change or uncertainty), and I truly believe that I have a lot to offer, but if I were to reject their "settlement offer" (which certainly isn't massive) then there is the risk of disciplinary *** to go through.

Maybe a complete career change is the way forward, but I'm the wrong side of 50 and you know what they say about old dogs.....especially old autistic dogs!

Now, what did I do with that lottery ticket?

Iain said:

I moved onto a role in construction so as to avoid the shrinking job market

Yes, that's my goal. I'm doing this soon, setting myself on a career shift over the next 24 months or so due to AI. Just waiting for the right moment really.

There'll be some piece of SaaS software to handle many business duties, such as IT, HR, and marketing. All-in-one kind of thing. Great news for employers looking to save budget.

The downside once booming job markets will no longer need millions of employees. 

Potentially. They're extremely paranoid if they do think that. I think that just highlights the chronic lack of trust overpaid higher management professionals have in subordinates. Hire them... but never trust them.

There is a contract of employment you sign with various clauses, so if there are any breaches they can come down on staff like a tonne of bricks.

Regardless, me sitting in an office doesn't suddenly remove the "risk" of outsourcing work. I can easily do that in office as well.

Perhaps those sorts of employers should start monitoring all employee activity 24/7 with CCTV, tattleware, and armed security guards in office to ensure we do our jobs. A bit Orwellian, but I guess it's the only solution.

Judge Dredd said:

You can understand that the security risk is unacceptable.

It depends on the level of access the outsourced companies have to data - most large companies have this pretty well locked down now.

A much bigger threat isn't outsourcing but AI. I worked on building the raw data to feed into an AI support solution in my last role, making sure the info was all consistent, accurate and current so they could automate the role of customer support - it worked scarily well for about 85% of issues which was a huge win for the project.

Like it or not, it is the future for most of IT from infrastructure, database, coding to support and it will only need a handful of lackeys to do the physical interactions of kit exchange when outsourced companies provide a box exchange solution for faults.

I moved onto a role in construction so as to avoid the shrinking job market and it has paid off but I think all those who are looking at this role need to seriously consider changing fields to stay relevant.

For jobs like yours, there is another issue: they fear that you will just outsource your job to some of those freelancers working for pennies. There have been many people found doing that. You can understand that the security risk is unacceptable.

Yes, that's the flipside of it. And one I appreciate needs to happen. But I do think a lot of jobs aren't remote suitable anyway, so there'd always be a mass of people commuting in every day.

I work as a copywriter, though, and there's little need for me to be in the office. Yet businesses demand it, usually simply as a control mechanism. It's actually counterproductive having writers in the office, you can't concentrate.

My issue is if businesses want me to commute in, they're totally ignoring how atrocious the UK's infrastructures are for commuting. Roads are old-fashioned and can't handle the massive influx of cars, public transport is massively overpriced and woefully unreliable (another failing of the Tories, through privatisation), the cost of living crisis etc; etc.

Sort that mess out and I'd happily commute in 2-3 times a week to contribute to the local economy. Just not every single bloody day.

Of course, those considerations will be lost on this particularly inept government.

Widespread WFH would require a lot of changes in society.

First, there are a lot of people that will lose their jobs. First of all, the people selling overpriced, greasy food to the office workers. Then, all those people offering services to the workers. Third, all the lower management will become completely useless without office workers to manage.

Second, a lot of important people would lose their source of income. The owners of the car park, or the people leasing offices in the city centres. Incidentally, many of them are big Tory contributors, but we all know that it's just a coincidence