The Pros and Cons of a Remote Job

Philip M. Coniglio, DeMatteis School Assistant Dean for Co-op and Experiential Learning

Philip.M.Coniglio@hofstra.edu

It has been four and half years since Covid erupted here in the US. Since then, we have adjusted our lives to a post-pandemic world. Many companies have moved to remote or hybrid operations, for better or worse. For recent graduates this has been a two-edged sword. Whereas landing a remote job allows you to live anywhere you would like, and opens many more opportunities, it comes with some significant downsides as well. If you are just starting your career, working completely remote doesn’t offer you the benefits of networking, mentorship and other interpersonal benefits that in-person employment gives you. Management does not get to know you as well, and developing working and personal relations with your supervisor and or other staff is very difficult. All these challenges can hurt your career advancement.

So, what can you do if you find yourself in this remote working environment to minimize the negatives, while taking advantage of the positives? You must find ways to communicate with your superiors and other teammates on a regular basis beyond merely emailing and texting. Always keep your direct supervisor updated on your work progress, even if he or she doesn’t require it. If possible, schedule casual in-person social events where you and some of your co-workers can get together after working hours. Attending professional engineering meetings is a good way to network with both your co-workers as well as other professionals in your field.

Seek out a mentor, someone further along in their career, and not necessarily someone from your own company. Talk to them on a fairly regular basis. Your mentor will be able to give you objective advice on resolving issues or problems you are experiencing at work.

Find opportunities to go into the office for meetings and other work-related projects. Being seen in the office even though you do not need to be there will give a positive impression of you to others, especially management.

And finally, at some point, if you see that working remotely is hurting your career advancement, start looking for another position either within your company or with another firm. Your focus, once you enter the workforce, is career planning and execution. Every three to five years, you should plan where you want to be in your career journey and then measure your progress during those intervals. Don’t be afraid to make course corrections as needed.

Good Luck!

For further information about the co-op program, please feel free to reach out to me by phone at (516) 4635548 or by email at Philip.M.Coniglio@hofstra.edu , and be sure to check out our website at https://www.hofstra.edu/dematteis-co-op/

[DeMatteis School Fall 2024 Newsletter]