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INSIDE: FlexJobs promises a better way to find scam-free, legitimate remote jobs. Let’s explore the pros and cons in depth in this FlexJobs review.
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If you’re short on time and looking for a Better Business Bureau-trusted source, it delivers. But better sometimes comes at a cost, as this isn’t a free service. Let’s explore the pros and cons in depth in this FlexJobs review.
It’s frustrating. You’ve been thinking about working from home for a long time. Maybe you’ve even been applying to various jobs, but nothing has worked out yet.
You hear about the scams, the rip-offs, and the companies that charge a bunch of money up front. Sometimes it seems like that’s the only thing you hear about.
But you know there are some legitimate companies somewhere because there are people who’ve been successful in finding great work at home. You’ve read their blog posts, you’ve talked to them online, and you might even know some in person. But where do they find those jobs? And how do they land them?
I’ve been working from home since 2007. I was looking for a work-at-home job long before that. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “you should never pay for a work-at-home job” or “getting a remote job shouldn’t cost you anything.”
While that’s true in many cases, there is no one-size-fits-all in anything.
As someone who has been around the remote worker world for more than 10 years, I have found that a lot of the myths and “rules” come from people who have either had a really easy job search or those who have had a horribly miserable one and have been taken by every scam around.
The majority of us fall somewhere in the middle. What rules apply to us?
The issue with looking for flexible work
When you’re looking for a work-at-home job, the most important thing you can do is research every option thoroughly.
Read reviews about the company on sites such as Glassdoor. Look for videos on YouTube. See if anyone you know works for the company already.
That’s what we mean when we say “do your research” – don’t just stop at the company’s website. See what other people are saying.
It takes time to find legitimate work-from-home jobs. Sure, there are some success stories of people who transitioned out of their day jobs into remote work, or people who had connections and got jobs quickly that way.
Those are legitimate stories – and using any connections from your work history or your personal network is always a great way to get a job, home-based or otherwise.
But you’re also familiar with all the things that can go wrong. Scams. Rip-offs. Companies that want to take hundreds of dollars out of your pocket before you can start working for them.
Recruiters who lead you on with their “work-at-home opportunities” that amount to direct sales (which is a legitimate way to make money from home, but not what you want if you’re looking for a more traditional job).
Sending your resume into the online resume vault, never to see the light of day again.
How do you tell which job opportunities are legit and which ones are a waste of your time? Are there really any legitimate work-at-home jobs being posted online these days?
The good news
One of the amazing things about being alive today is that we have the Internet – and not only do we have it, but we’ve had it long enough that it’s become an integral part of our lives and our workplaces.
Employers, both large and small, have started to recognize the incredible value of having remote workers, which means that more and more of these remote jobs are opening up every day.
The downside to this positive growth is that the opportunities to get ripped off are also growing. When it comes to finding a work-from-home job, there’s one basic golden rule to follow: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
There are absolutely legitimate work-from-home jobs posted online – I write about a lot of them right here on the blog.
Many of these jobs don’t necessarily have terrific pay (a typical entry-level hourly rate is between $12 and $15 per hour), but there are many companies that pay their remote employees well, offer benefits even to part-timers, and fold in other perks that make these jobs an attractive and viable option.
And for those of us with more specialized education and experience, the field of remote jobs is also widening. There’s way more to working from home than being part of a call center.
All you have to do is find the job ads. It seems simple, but it isn’t always easy.
The best place to find legitimate work-at-home job openings: FlexJobs
If you’re looking for work in traditional fields, you can always go to the traditional job boards (such as Indeed, CareerBuilder, and Monster) and search for jobs using keywords like “remote” and “telecommute.”
You can also search for industry-specific job boards online to see what kinds of ads are posted there – and how frequently.
You can read blogs like this one, where I write about all the different work-at-home opportunities I can find. I also share hot job leads in my email newsletter, which is great because it means the job ads come to you instead of you having to go find them.
But if you rely on sites like mine, you’ll know about the great jobs out there, but you’re potentially up against some steep competition when it comes to landing them.
If you rely on general job boards such as Indeed or Monster, you have to spend more time, dig deeper and sift through all kinds of results that may or may not actually be relevant to what you want. There may even be scams in the mix.
If you want to zero in on legit work-at-home jobs quickly, a specialized job board is the way to go. That’s where FlexJobs comes in.
FlexJobs review
And now, onto the FlexJobs review part of this article…
A little background on FlexJobs
FlexJobs was started in 2007, when founder Sara Sutton Fell was frustrated with her own flexible job search. As the founder of an entry-level employment service already, she knew what employers and potential employees were looking for and set out to fill the gap.
FlexJobs is now the top-rated job board for telecommuters.
But it’s not all telecommuting positions. You can also find jobs offering flexible work options, seasonal work, and other types of alternative scheduling.
FlexJobs partners with a lot of high-quality companies that offer telecommute positions on a regular basis. You can see a list of some of those here.
Is FlexJobs a scam?
Here’s one thing I want to make clear up front: FlexJobs is not a scam.
This isn’t some fake system like we see so often in the work-at-home world, where you sign up for something only so they can send your information to some spam list somewhere or start recommending that you sign up with a bunch of other services if you really want to work remotely.
There’s none of that here. It’s a totally legit job board, just like Monster or CareerBuilder. The main difference is that FlexJobs concentrates its efforts on flexible positions as opposed to traditional 9-to-5 jobs.
Why should I sign up for FlexJobs?
There are two main reasons I fell in love with FlexJobs after months of subscribing:
- They research every listing. That means NO SCAMS! Every week, I hear from people in my community that they found a good-looking job listing and applied – or sometimes never fully applied – only to be sent information on signing up for a business opportunity or something really sketchy phishing for personal information. FlexJobs does the legwork so you can apply with confidence.
- I am really in love with their Advanced Job Search. Frequently on job boards such as Indeed, you search for work-at-home jobs and are sent a huge list. But once you start digging in, you find that it’s only partially working at home or that on-site training is required, or maybe Indeed’s robot thinks it’s work from home, but it really isn’t at all. FlexJobs’ Advanced Job Search lets you search by keywords, work schedule, telecommute level, career level, and more. That means if you are only looking for full-time 100% telecommute entry-level positions, that’s what you’re going to get. You get to decide what kind of job you want and then spend your time applying to those jobs instead of digging through job listings.
How much does FlexJobs cost?
This is the best part. It’s pretty inexpensive, considering the time you save by not having to waste time with bogus employers.
- One week subscription – $9.95
- One month subscription – $24,95
- Three months: $39.95
- One year: $59.95
Is a FlexJobs promo code available?
Yes. For a limited time, use code WAHWIFE to save up to 30% off a new membership.
Other FlexJobs.com benefits you may not know about (yet)
No FlexJobs review would be complete without talking about the other benefits FlexJobs has to offer because not only are you going to find scam-free work-at-home job leads once you become a FlexJobs member, you are also going to have access to other awesome perks, some of which you may not yet be aware of!
- Discounted career coaching – This is something I am asked about often. FlexJobs Career Coaching connects you with a career expert who can answer your questions, offer guidance and help you get your search on the right track. Members receive sessions at up to a 50% discount. You can also bundle this with a FlexJobs resume review.
- Skills testing – Every so often, you’ll see a specific skill listed in a job lead and wonder if you’re qualified. Maybe you have a little bit of experience with that platform or service, but are you really up to snuff? Then doubt sinks in… Should you still apply? Maybe you shouldn’t apply…
Find out once and for all with the free skills testing available to FlexJobs members. Available tests range from data bases and medical transcription to writing and web design. There are more than 170 to choose from!
If you receive a score over 70%, it will be listed on your profile. However, the only employers who will be able to see your test results will be those you apply to directly from within the FlexJobs portal or those who find your resume on FlexJobs (should you choose to include one).
- Applicant profile – You can create an online resume within your FlexJobs member profile that will be visible to employers. FlexJobs allows you more than one profile, so you can create one specific to each type of job you’re interested in. We know how important targeting is when applying to work-at-home jobs!
- Email notifications – There may be no other job category in which it is truer that the early bird gets the worm than work-at-home positions. Many job positions are filled within 48 hours of posting because the competition is so steep.
You can’t be late to the party if you want to get a job. Get the job leads you’re most interested in and qualified for sent right to your inbox as soon as possible.
- Other partner discounts – FlexJobs has negotiated discounts for some other great services needed by telecommuters. These rotate frequently but often include popular software, online training centers and household services to help create more work-life balance.
- Advanced job search – If you aren’t already a FlexJobs member, you may not realize just how awesome its job search tool is. Unlike most online job boards, where you’re going to spend hours digging through leads to find those that meet your specifications, FlexJobs allows you to search by part-time jobs or full-time, 100% telecommute or partial telecommute, entry-level or professional, employee or freelance jobs, and more. You can also save these searches so they’re easy to find next time and/or receive email notifications when jobs in these searches pop up.
- Video course on Finding a Remote Job – This video course is also found on LinkedIn Learning and Lynda.com for $19.99. You can access it free for a limited time as a FlexJobs member.
- Members-only webinars – FlexJobs also hosts special webinars from time to time. In addition to virtual job fairs, past webinars have included resume writing tips, protecting your career in the technology age, and more. There’s also exclusive access to a FlexJobs career coach for a live weekly Q&A discussion, where you can ask questions and get advice.
Those are just a few of my favorite perks at FlexJobs. This is in addition to its stellar no-scam job leads, which people have come to know and trust.
How to get the most out of your FlexJobs membership
Now, let’s move this FlexJobs review onto the “how to” section.
I’ve had a FlexJobs membership for many years. Even though I’m an affiliate for the program, I still pay out of pocket for my own membership every year.
I get a lot of questions about whether the program is worth the investment and what the purpose is in paying for a membership. (You can just find your own leads for free. Right?)
There’s a lot to unpack here. I want to help you get the most out of your membership.
1. Know what you’re looking for (and at)
A lot of remote job seekers come to me after signing up for FlexJobs saying they couldn’t find any jobs on the site. In most cases, this comes from narrowing your job search down too far or not far enough.
I have one parameter in the Advanced Search that I recommend first: Remote Work Level – 100% Remote Work
This is going to return the largest number of jobs, which FlexJobs has vetted for legitimacy and are 100% telecommute.
If you find this yields too many jobs or too many jobs irrelevant to what you’re looking for, you can start narrowing things down further:
- Location – This is really helpful if you live in a hard-to-hire-in state, such as California. But for many other states, using it will just eliminate far too many jobs off the top. Try your search both with and without it.
- Job type – Some of you out there are only looking for employee positions or only looking for independent contractor positions. This field can narrow that down.
- Categories – This is useful if you are only looking for a specific type of job, such as accounting or customer service.
- Career level – This is great for people only qualified for entry-level positions and those with management or professional experience.
- Work schedule – So many of you are looking for full-time only or part-time only. Or maybe right now you need a flexible schedule or a temporary side job. You can choose that here.
As you can see, if you check too many boxes at once, your exact matches are going to become fewer and fewer. Go broad first. Then whittle down the results as needed. And you can save multiple searches for later, too!
2. Email notifications
Now that you’ve saved your favorite searches, make sure you’re signed up to receive email notifications about new jobs. Open positions don’t last long!
3. Skills testing
Maybe you aren’t sure how your skills stack up against other applicants. FlexJobs members have access to free skills testing.
In addition to the over 170 tests available for things like Microsoft Excel, bookkeeping, call center skills, and beyond, a FlexJobs account now offers soft skills testing as well. Soft skills include communication skills, a positive attitude, adaptability, creativity, and the like.
This is an easy, quick and integrated survey you can take to gain insights into your own soft skill strengths. Additionally, FlexJobs is offering four free “micro-lessons” focused on skills that are particularly useful in today’s work environments. These are great skills to include on your resume!
4. Discounted career coaching
Wish you could talk through your job search with someone who understands the nuances of remote and flexible work? FlexJobs Career Coaching connects you with a career expert who can answer your questions, offer guidance and help you get your search on the right track. As an exclusive benefit to members, FlexJobs offers Career Coaching sessions at up to a 50% discount from traditional rates.
5. The company guide
I use this guide a lot! Whenever I hear about a new company, I head over here to see if FlexJobs has reviewed it, what jobs it has had openings for in the past, and more. Having a little insight into who you are applying with can go a long way in your application and interview.
6. Resume profiles
Constructing a telework resume for the first time can quickly become the biggest challenge of your day. Finding out you may need more than one can be a deal breaker for many people.
FlexJobs members can fill in the blanks on these resume templates, making the process a snap. These resume profiles will be visible to FlexJobs employers who prefer to hire people from within the platform as opposed to accepting public applications. You can also download them as PDFs for uploading and emailing to jobs around the web.
FlexJobs even has a handy-dandy checklist to ensure you are crossing all your t’s and avoiding common mistakes.
7. Resume critiques
I get asked if I offer resume critiques a lot. Unfortunately, I don’t. But you can get some help with your resume as a FlexJobs member – and at a 65% discount.
With a Resume Review, a FlexJobs career coach will take your existing resume and edit it to create a more effective document that you’ll be proud to send to employers. You can even bundle a resume review with a 30-minute career coaching session for additional savings.
Is FlexJobs worth the investment?
Of course, as you’re reading this FlexJobs review, you’ll want to know if it’s worth the investment.
I absolutely love FlexJobs because it has become the go-to hub for non-traditional work arrangements, especially remote work.
If you want a work-from-home job and you don’t want to have to dig through piles and piles of job descriptions to find the one open job that might actually be right for you, give FlexJobs a chance. This is what it’s known for and what it specializes in.
If you’re serious about finding a work-at-home job, you want to be sure that the job postings you’re looking through are legitimate.
Better-quality job postings plus less competition means it’s even more likely that you’ll be able to find your perfect at-home job – without coming anywhere near a scam or a rip-off.
And don’t forget FlexJobs offers a 30-day money-back guarantee! If you aren’t happy with the service, you can get your money back.
Final Thoughts About This FlexJobs Review
As you can tell, I really love FlexJobs, and I think it has a lot to offer. The benefits are big, and it’s a valuable resource.
Ultimately the question is, how valuable is an at-home job to you, and how much would you be willing to pay to leapfrog the competition and land one sooner?
Focus your time. Focus your efforts. Apply!
While FlexJobs doesn’t offer a free trial, the service is really affordable. And don’t forget to use code WAHWIFE to save 30%!
