Lezlie Garr - Portfolio

LinkedIn for Networking (To Get Hired Faster)

by Lezlie Garr | Nov 11, 2025 | Uncategorised

LinkedIn for Networking (To Get Hired Faster) was originally published on the RVer Job Exchange, authored by Lezlie Garr.

Now – more than ever – networking is vital to job search success.

(After you finish here, learn about networking strategies that actually work – and get example networking scripts – in this blog’s companion piece here)

LinkedIn is a great place to build your network – if you use it the right way.

The trouble is, most job seekers don’t.

Instead, they’re using it the Wrong Way.

The Wrong Way: log in every once in a while; scroll through your feed; maybe tap ‘Like’ on a couple things (usually not); answer messages (if applicable); log out; repeat monthly.

If you want to elevate yourself above ‘most professionals’, then it’s important you understand how to use LinkedIn the right way in your job search.

The Right Way looks more like: log in regularly; Follow companies, people, and organizations related to your target industry/roles; Like and Comment on posts from those profiles; seek out and maintain meaningful connections; create and share valuable content; repeat daily or multiple times per week.

But again, most job seekers aren’t using Right Way strategies with LinkedIn.

That’s why I centered this blog and its companion piece on step-by-step strategies to network, communicate, and use LinkedIn for maximum success in your job search.

Why It Matters

Image Credit: Parnika Sheth (Lottie Files)

Before we get into the specifics, let’s take a look at why it’s important to cultivate your social media for passive professional development.

This is something I’ve been trying to yell from the rooftops for a while now, and if you’ve been following me for any time at all, you’ve probably heard me talk about it at least a little.

You can strategically cultivate your social feeds to show you more helpful, beneficial, and positive content for your professional (and personal) development.

Read that again.

By being mindful about how you spend your time on social media, the pages and people you follow, and the groups you join, you can improve your social feeds and intentionally foster a more productive digital environment for yourself.

It all works like this:

Social media platforms are run by algorithms that, different as they may be, are all driving toward 1 goal: keeping your attention for as long as possible.

Why? Because in an online world, attention is the currency, and social media platforms make their money from advertisers based on how many people are on the platform and for how long.

So, each time you use a social media platform, its algorithm learns from your behavior and alters your feed to show you more of what it thinks you will like – meaning, what it thinks will keep your attention the longest and keep you coming back the most often.

Knowing this, you can be intentional about your usage and leverage the algorithm as a tool to help your feed show you more of the content that is helpful to your life and/or career, and less of anything else.

You still with me?

Good.

Now that you have this knowledge, do something with it.

Cultivating Your Feed and Building New Connections

Image Credit: jignesh gajjar (Lottie Files)

To help you get started on cultivating your LinkedIn profile for your job search, let’s look at who is best for you to connect with, and how or where you can find them.

For the who, that really depends on you and your circumstance. Typically, you want to focus on people you have things in common with, or who have things in common with the person you want to be. (Learn more about this in the companion piece.)

As for the how or where to find the right people to network with – it’s never been easier, thanks to LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Search Bar

Through this function, you can search for companies, organizations, schools, industries, and groups you may want to start Following.

You can also search for people you know, and even people you don’t know.

The part of this function that’s super beneficial for job seekers is that you can do a kind of cross-search to find new people based on the companies, organizations, schools, etc. they have listed in their profile.

So, if you wanted to start networking with people who work at your ideal company, you could use the search bar, type in the name of the company, and click Search.

When the results come up, you can filter them by several different selections. If you select ‘People’, the results will filter to show you people who have that company listed in their profile.

Same thing goes for organizations, schools, job titles, etc. You can put the org / school / job title in the search bar, then filter your results by ‘People’ in order to find people with that thing somewhere in their profile.

LinkedIn has even added a Filter By Company option, so you can enter a job title into the search bar, then select People, then select Current Company and add the company you’re looking for – this gets you a list of people currently working in the exact company and role you’re targeting. Talk about a targeted list for networking!

LinkedIn Activity

Use your search bar as discussed in the section above to look up people of interest.

When you find someone you might be interested in networking with, click on their profile and scroll down to their Activities section (just before Experience).

What you’re looking for is someone who is active on LinkedIn.

This section will show you all their public activity on LinkedIn. If this section doesn’t show much activity, or if the activity is months or years old, that means they aren’t very active on, which means they may not be a great connection on this platform.

The goal with this exercise is to find people who are active on LinkedIn, because those are the people who will likely respond to your connection requests, engage with you, and/or become a valuable connection within your network.

LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn groups can be a powerful way of connecting with people of similar interests, industry, or job function.

Through groups, you can more closely target your message to a particular audience, and you have the

Groups should be chosen based on their relevance to your career- current or intended- skills, and interests.

You will see updates and articles from people in your groups. You can even set your preferences to receive emails whenever a new topic is brought up. This gives you the opportunity to learn new things about your industry, debate and give your opinion on group topics, and interact with others.

By being active in groups, people will begin to recognize you, thus creating bonds that may be useful to one or both of you in the future.

And, it doesn’t have to be a difficult or time-consuming task to complete. Just be diligent about logging onto LinkedIn once or twice a week, checking in with your groups, and commenting a few times. Then, if you find yourself consistently interacting with the same person or people, consider sending a connection request to grow your network.

Organizations

Across nearly every industry, there are professional organizations that have been created to provide professional development, networking opportunities, authority building, and more.

Whatever industry you’re in, use LinkedIn to look for and Follow the professional organizations that exist within that space. If that organization also has an ‘official’ or even ‘unofficial’ Group on LinkedIn, join that, too.

Doing this will help you to interact and engage with other people in the space and build your network from there. Having the commonality of being in the same Group or Following the same organization is a great ice breaker or starting point for an initial message to Connect. (more on Follow vs. Connect in the next section).

Actionable Steps

Image Credit: lovipa8202 nubotel (Lottie Files)

Networking is best when considered as a long-term strategy. That said, in a job search there are times when a short-term strategy can be effective.

Follow vs. Connect

Follow and Connect are two options LinkedIn provides for you to engage with and begin seeing more of a particular person’s or page’s content.

When you Follow a person or page, the algorithm will populate (show you) their content in your ‘Feed’. (‘populate’ is tech-speak meaning ‘to show’, and if you’re not sure what a Feed is, I Googled it for you.)

The act of Following is a 1-way function – you can follow any person or page without their express permission, and when you Follow a person or page, you will see their content in your Feed, but they won’t necessarily see your content in their Feed.

When you Connect with a person, it’s a 2-way function. You have to request the Connection, and they can confirm or deny. If they confirm, then the algorithm will populate their content in your Feed as well as populating your content in their Feed.

As a general rule, you should try to Follow people you are genuinely interested in learning from (but not necessarily having a direct relationship with), and Connect with people you are genuinely interested in developing ongoing communications with.

When you connect with someone, especially someone you don’t know or don’t know well, be sure to include a message with your Connection request.

On desktop: click Connect then select Add a Note

On mobile: do NOT click Connect, instead click the ellipsis (three dots “…” indicating ‘More’), then select ‘Personalize invite’

What to Say When You Connect

This is another area where the LinkedIn Activity section comes in handy, and this is by far one of the most valuable tips I’ve come up with recently regarding LinkedIn + Job Search networking.

This is especially helpful when you find someone new you want to connect with, but you don’t have any common people or experiences you can reference.

Click on that person’s profile, browse their Activity, and read some of their posts, comments, etc. to look for something you can use to break the ice.

Remember that flattery will get you everywhere, so look or something that really resonates with you, something you like a lot, or something you can compliment them on.

You can also look for commonalities you share, like people you both know, a school you both went to (or a fraternity sorority you were both a part of), an organization you both volunteered for, or an interest your both share.

When reaching out to connect, take the time to send genuine messages that are unique to them, not generic, copy/paste messages, and always show gratitude for any help (or even time) someone gives you.

And always try to be helpful first (or at least flattering, because flattery will get you everywhere) – try to avoid leading with an ‘ask’ for yourself.

Ways to Engage

The easiest and least intimidating way to engage with someone is to ‘Like’ a Post or Comment from them. You can also choose other reactions, which I’m sure will change over time but for right now are: Like, Celebrate, Support, Love, Insightful, and Curious.

The next step after Liking is to leave a Comment on something. This is a great way to start developing your ‘voice’ and sharing what you value and find important in your space.

(This is also a great time to begin flattering the people you’re interested in connecting with.)

If someone posts content you feel strongly about and want to support by spreading it even further, you can Share that Post.

It’s good to include your own commentary when you Share, but you can also Share without typing anything yourself.

You can also Tag people in posts you Share or your own original content (more on original content below), to engage with them on a more direct level.

When it comes Tagging, think of this as a privilege and avoid overusing it. Not only is over-tagging or irrelevant tagging an annoyance to the person/people you’re tagging, the LinkedIn algorithm responds negatively when people you Tag don’t interact, and it will ‘ding’ your content reach and social score.

LinkedIn also provides the option of sending Direct Messages (or DMs) to people. This is another function that is best thought of as a privilege.

By all means DM people with relevant information, but be careful not to abuse the privilege of having direct access to them. Don’t be spammy, or selfish, or rude. Always be kind, helpful, and supportive.

Indirect Networking

You can take your engagement a step further by posting your own thoughts, ideas, and opinions as they relate to your career field.

Posts and Articles are a great way to indirectly network on LinkedIn. By Posting your own original content and writing your own Articles, you give other people the opportunity to Like, Comment, or otherwise engage with content from you.

Be sure to Follow/Connect with other professionals who comment on your posts.

This type of indirect networking activity also helps you develop a portfolio of content based on your own career-related thoughts, opinions, ideas, and solutions.

This content can be viewed by anyone who goes to your Activity section, so having strong, compelling content here can be an excellent way to elevate yourself above other candidates in a job search. It’s also a great way to let your personality show and align yourself more with the types of companies / industries / jobs you’re pursuing.

How to Maintain a Strong Network

Image Credit: Blessing Studio07 (Lottie Files)

After you’ve done the initial work of cultivating your feed and establishing some new relationships, strive to dedicate time (daily or 3-4x per week) to reading posts and articles your LinkedIn feed.

Interact with Posts, leave Comments, and share relevant Articles and Posts you find informative from people in your industry.

As the LinkedIn algorithm starts to learn more about what you are interested in, it will begin to show you new, more relevant people and posts.

In the beginning, especially, it’s helpful to track your networking activities and communications with others. Create a spreadsheet that includes names, dates of previous interactions, most recent interactions, an anything else important bout people you’re especially interested in growing your relationship with.

Set reminders for yourself or do whatever else you need to do to continuously engage and communicate with relevant people you identify.

And to help you make the most of those initial interactions, you can read about a few digital networking tips:

Give more than you get: Don’t be a needy networker. Make sure you strive to give more than you get in every relationship. Let people know they can count on you, let them know you care about their success and want to help in any way you can.
Provide value and contribute thoughtfully: Consider how your knowledge, expertise, and skills can help others. People are much more likely to help you if you’ve helped them in the past. This can be as simple as answering a question posed on social media or forwarding a link to someone who may benefit from it.
Respect others’ time: NEWS FLASH: Everybody’s busy, and we all think we’re busier than everyone else. If someone actually does agree to give you some of their time, be respectful and don’t take up any more of their time than necessary.
Play the long game: Don’t be the person who only networks when it’s beneficial to you. Make network maintenance a long-term habit. Building relationships takes time, so decide now that you’re in it for the long haul. You never know when you’ll need your network.
Share generously: Share posts from people you like, admire, and respect. In doing so, you not only help their information to reach a larger audience, you’ll also help yourself ‘get on their radar’, develop your relationship with them, and even build your own authority in your career space.

Remember to head over to this blog’s companion piece here to learn about networking strategies that actually work – and get example networking scripts!

For more networking, job search, and remote work tips slow-dripped into your social feeds, follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn!

Job Search Networking Strategies (That Actually Work)

by Lezlie Garr | Nov 11, 2025 | Uncategorised

Job Search Networking Strategies (That Actually Work) was originally published on the RVer Job Exchange, authored by Lezlie Garr.

When is the best time to start networking?

It’s now – the best time is now.

And, let me just say that if you’re anything like me, you’ve heard this piece of advice before, and it irritates you because you think to yourself, ‘Sure, it’s important to have a network, but I don’t have one and it takes time to build one, so that really doesn’t help me out right now.’

And because I’ve been in that position, I can tell you that you just have to start somewhere.

(After you finish here, learn about leveraging LinkedIn to maximize your networking and your job search success in this blog’s companion piece here)

Why Network

Image Credit: jignesh gajjar (Lottie Files)

Having a strong network is important and it can work for you on multiple levels in your job search.

For one, referral candidates have always been a preferred source for companies to find high quality candidates.

The reason for this isn’t because these referrals are magically better than everyone else who applies. It’s because they can be trusted more easily by the recruiter because there is a well-known mutual connection who is ready and willing to vouch for them. And studies show that referral candidates can be hired more quickly and onboarded more efficiently than any other external source.

That’s why it’s so valuable to leverage your network to get a referral for a role, because it lets you bypass the ‘anonymous submission’ phase of the recruitment cycle and go directly to a decision-maker with ‘referral hire’ status, which puts you in a way better position and gives you much better odds overall.

Building a strong network will help you gain access to resources that will foster your career development. It will help you stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, keep a pulse on the job market, and meet prospective employers, referral connections, and/or mentors.

Another reason networking is a valuable piece of your job search is because of a theory called Planned Happenstance.

Career Theorist John Krumboltz created this theory and clarified it as “constructing unexpected career opportunities”.

Krumboltz found there were 5 traits that significantly increased a person’s “luck” when looking for work:

Curiosity
Persistence
Flexibility
Optimism
Risk Taking

Through each of these traits, job seekers were able to seemingly curate their own luck by simply taking actions and placing themselves in situations that were most likely to lead to success.

Below are some examples of how you can use each of these traits as calls-to-action to help construct unexpected career opportunities.

Curiosity

Let’s say you see a friend on social media who seems extraordinarily happy in their career. Like, just overjoyed to be doing what they love for work.

If you notice that and have a closed response like, “Wow, so-and-so seems really happy in their career – good for them. Moving on…” or even, “Wow, so-and-so seems really happy in their career – I wish I was that happy in my career. Must be nice. Oh well, moving on…” – then that won’t lead you to any new opportunities.

But if you let curiosity serve as a call-to-action for you to take a step in a new direction, then that could possibly lead you to new opportunities.

So instead of closed responses like the one above, you can try to adopt more open and curious responses like, ‘Wow, so-and-so seems really happy in their career – I wonder what’s involved in their role that they like so much? Maybe I should see if they’ll talk to me more about that.”

This will allow you to be more open to the possibilities and opportunities around you, thus increasing your odds of finding yourself in a ‘right place at the right time’ situation.

Persistence

Let’s say you’ve identified your dream company. A company that makes you feel like, “If I can get a job there, life will be good from here on out”.

You spend hours preparing your resume, LinkedIn profile, and application, but when you apply – you never hear anything back.

Do you give up, or try again?

If you’re practicing using persistence as a call-to-action, you try again.

And you do even more than that.

You research more about the company and role, and figure out where you can make improvements to your resume, LinkedIn profile, etc.

You reach out to people you know to see if they know anyone within that company they can introduce you to.

You look people up on LinkedIn (more about that in the companion blog here) who work within that company, and you follow, connect with, and perhaps even reach out to them in order to learn as much as you can about what it takes to land the role you’re targeting within that company.

Through persistence (and probably some curiosity, too), you think outside the box and find your way in.

Flexibility

Same scenario: you’ve identified your perfect company. Only this time, the position you want isn’t even available.

What do you do?

Give up – or get creative?

If you’re willing to be a little flexible, you may be able to find a similar role in that company that you can take in the short term that will get you into the company, that you can then parlay into a future opportunity to get into the role you really want.

Optimism

The idea is that whether you approach situations with optimism or pessimism, your brain will be more likely to see opportunities which confirm that mindset.

So, if you can stay more optimistic than not, your brain will be more like to see opportunities around you, because it wants to confirm that optimism.

And, vice-versa if you’re pessimistic and don’t believe there are good opportunities around you, your brain may miss or even ignore good opportunities in favor of confirming that pessimistic mindset.

Risk Taking

Of course, you want to be as informed as you can when taking any risks into consideration. That said, taking well-informed, calculated risks is a great way to bring about new opportunities.

And the final WHY I’ll mention about networking is that human connection is good for you.

I firmly believe we are better people when we surround ourselves with others who are better than us at some thing or in some way.

And the only way we can do that is by connecting with one another.

Networking Strategies

Image Credit: Vector Stall (Lottie Files)

Networking is best when considered as a long-term strategy. That said, in a job search there are times when a short-term strategy can be effective.

Short-Term

The best short-term networking strategy involves the people closest to you: your friends and family.

(Many job seekers I’ve worked with were initially hesitant about this, but in almost every case they’re surprised by how many people are willing to help them if they ask.)

Reach out to all the people you know well, who like you, and who are really in your corner. Tell them your situation and include as much relevant detail as possible. This isn’t a time to be vague.

Let them know what role, industry, or company you’re looking for, and why you’re great for that role, industry, or company.

Ask them to keep you in mind if they hear of any openings and ask them to consider whether they know someone in that role, company, or industry they can introduce you to.

When doing this, always be mindful of the person you’re reaching out to, and always show gratitude for any time or help they give you.

Long-Term

For your long-term strategy, think of growing your network strategically with people who can help you get where you want to go – even if it’s just through the example they set.

Networking isn’t just going to be about people you wind up creating a close connection with, it’s also about the people you follow, look up to, and learn from – even from afar.

Adopt networking into your daily / weekly routine. Connect regularly with your network – something that’s truly never been easier, thanks to social media and LinkedIn, especially.

Start with people you know: friends, former and current colleagues, people you went to school with.

Check out who they follow or are connected with, because those may be good people for you to follow or connect with, too. (more about Follow vs. Connect on LinkedIn in the companion blog here)

You can also look for people who graduated from the school you went to, people in your ideal company / job / industry.

Overall, you want to network with people you like, respect, and can learn from.

So, what do you actually say when you go to connect?

The first thing I’ll tell you is that flattery will get you everywhere. Do some research into each person and find something they’ve done, said, posted, etc. that you like – and start by complimenting that.

You can also look for commonalities between the two of you to help break the ice. I’ve found that sharing an alma mater (i.e. having both gone to the same college) can often be a great starting point.

(Total insider tip on finding the right people and researching their content on LinkedIn in the companion blog here)

Some important things to remember:

Don’t start with an ask
Connect based on the other person’s best interests, not just your own

You’re genuinely trying to make lasting connections based on mutual interest, so don’t make it all about your needs.

Maintaining a Strong Network

Image Credit: Blessing Studio07 (Lottie Files)

In all of your connections, try to be helpful, thoughtful, and/or supportive as much as possible. Bring positivity into people’s lives – people appreciate that.

And if anyone helps you in any way – be thankful and show gratitude.

In the beginning, you can track your activity with an excel spreadsheet or a tracker you find online.

Keep track of the important people you connect with, when you last contacted them, and what your communications have been thus far.

Again, LinkedIn is the best way to start and maintain your professional network, so don’t miss out on the great tips for using LinkedIn to maximize your job search (and get hired faster) in the companion blog, here.

To truly help you get started, I’ve included 5 example scripts to help you network both on and off of LinkedIn.

Example Scripts

Image Credit: Design Circle (Lottie Files)

Email

1. Someone you know who your advocate and/or supporter is already

Hi [Name],

I hope all is well!

As you may or may not know, after being at my current position as [Job Title] for [Company Name] for [Tenure], I recently decided to look for a new challenge in the [Industry] field.

I’m reaching out to you to ask for your help with any leads or contacts for a [Level] [Job Title/Function] position in [City], ideally in the [Industry] or [Industry] field. I’m particularly interested in joining a [Type of Company] but I’m also open to [Other Type] work.

I’m sure you must be super busy, so if you don’t have the opportunity, I completely understand.

But if you happen to know of any job opportunities or leads that you could to share with me, it would mean the world to me if you would send them my way. I’ve also attached my resume, in case you can pass it along to anyone.

Thanks in advance for your help! I hope you’re doing well and hope to catch up with you more soon.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

2. Asking a Friend for a Referral for an Informational Interview

Hi [friend’s first name],

Hope all is going well in your world!

Working as a [what you do] at [where you work] for [number of years] has been great. But it feels like time to move on to a new [employer, career, or industry]. Given your vast experience and really great network, I’m hoping you can help me connect with a few people.

I’m focusing my exploration on [employers, location, or name of field/industry] for opportunities as a [job title] or [job title]. Since you’re so familiar with that [location or field], I would really appreciate your help by introducing me to anyone you know who works [in your target field or for one of the employers].

My goal is to set up a short conversation with a few people to learn more about their experience and maybe ask a few questions. I won’t be asking for a job — only for information.

I’ve heard great things about [these employers or these jobs], and learning more about them would be very helpful. I am particularly interested in an introduction to people who work [at any of these employers or in any of these jobs]:

• [Employer A name or Job Title A]
• [Employer B name or Job Title B]
• [Employer C name or Job Title C]
• [Employer D name or Job Title D]
• A [similar employer or someone doing a similar job] you recommend considering.

I really appreciate your consideration and any time or referrals you might be able to give me. Feel free to reach back out if you have any questions.

Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

Regards,
[Your Name]

LinkedIn Conversation Starters

1. Former Co-Worker

Hi again [Name],

I hope you’re doing well! I really enjoyed working with you at [Company] from [Year] to [Year]. Your [blank] skills were so impressive – I really learned a lot from you! If you have the chance, I’d be thrilled to catch up and learn more about what you’re doing in your new role at [Company].

Best,
[Your Name]

2. Someone You Met at a Networking Event

Hi [Name],

It was great speaking to you at the [blank] event last month [or whenever]. Your [blank] work at [Company] sounded really interesting [/fulfilling/important/complex/etc.]! I’d like to follow your career and learn from the work you do.

Thank you,
[Your Name]

3. Someone You Admire

Dear [Name/Title],

For the last year, I’ve been following your work for [Company], and it’s really impressive. I particularly loved your recent [blank] – it was [blank] and [blank].

I’m a [blank] interested in working in [Industry]. If you have 20 or so minutes in the next couple weeks, it would mean the world to me to hear more about how you started working in the field and what skills you think are most important in the profession.

Thank you so much,
[Your Full Name]

Pro Tip:

The key to these is customization! Make each message unique and authentic by taking the time to look into each person and figuring out how to connect with them based on genuine respect or mutual interest.

Part 3: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Thought Diversity & Location Diversity

by Lezlie Garr | Feb 1, 2024 | Uncategorised

Part 3: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Diversity was originally published on the RVer Job Exchange, authored by Lezlie Garr.

Diversity has recently taken a front seat as a business consideration across numerous industries worldwide.

It’s no secret that diversity breeds innovation.

Turns out, it also breeds profitability.

According to Inc.com, “A 2020 McKinsey study tracked six years of data and found that more ethnically and culturally diverse businesses are as much as 36% more profitable than the least diverse companies.”

The same Inc.com article quotes Miriam Lewis, chief inclusion officer for Principal as saying,

“Diverse companies with inclusive cultures outperform more homogenous companies. Revenue, market share, smarter teams, retention–there’s just no lack of evidence.

“While it’s always the right thing to do to have equity in our organizations, it’s also the profitable thing to do.”

Which makes sense, because innovative solutions become unique differentiators that can help elevate a business from its competitors.

The common types of diversity include:

Ability diversity
Age diversity
Cultural diversity
Linguistic diversity
Racial diversity
Sex / Gender diversity
Sexual orientation diversity

But like many social concepts, the idea of diversity is always growing and expanding.

Nomadic workers are the next step in expanding diversity

Image Credit: Наталія Нестеренко

People who travel often are shown to offer more varying perspectives than people who don’t.

The term digital nomad was popularized in 1997 by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners in their book, The Digital Nomad.

This fairly new concept stands to be the latest expansion of diversity.

Nomadic workers, digital nomads, and working RVers are able to bring a diversity of experience and a diversity of thought that is virtually unmatched by any other segment of the population.

If a major benefit of diversification is bringing in widely varying perspectives and experiences, that’s exactly what nomadic workers, digital nomads, and working RVers offer.

This geographically dispersed and constantly moving population better understands various local regions, people, cultures, and markets.

What’s transportation like in Chicago vs. Kansas?
What’s the grid like in Texas vs. Washington?
What’s the music scene like in Austin vs. Seattle?

Anyone who’s spent time traveling away from home can tell you that people, cultures, and societal norms differ across different parts of the country.

Which makes sense, because the environment around us is part of what makes up our background and contributes to who we are. And that environment changes drastically in different parts of the country.

Environmental factors include societal views, types of jobs in that area, typical classroom makeup in local schools, whether it’s city, suburb, or rural – and all of these things contribute to who we are and the knowledge base we bring into our work.

Working RVers, digital nomads, and other nomadic workers bring a LOT of value to companies through their widely varying perspectives and experiences from traveling across the country.

*Written with contributions from Xscapers member Jason Boone.

Part 2: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Adaptability & Resourcefulness

by Lezlie Garr | Jan 15, 2024 | Uncategorised

Part 2: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Adaptability & Resourcefulness was originally published on the RVer Job Exchange, authored by Lezlie Garr.

It’s undeniable that adaptability and resourcefulness have long been important skills for the workplace. And that’s even more true for remote work, where autonomy is the name of the game.

So how do companies target candidates with those qualities?

One way is to hire RVers.

Being an RVer – especially a full-time, working RVer – adds more complexity to everyday life than what a typical in-office or even work-from-home employee has to deal with from work.

Which means RVers have had to become more adaptable and resourceful to handle and overcome those obstacles.

Some examples of this include:
Using numerous apps to plan travels (and work)
Always being prepared to change locations
Carrying multiple redundancies for power and internet
Dealing with continuous unexpected RV maintenance issues

Let’s break down each of these to see how they relate to success in the workplace.

Using numerous apps to plan travels (and work)

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

As working RVers, there are a lot of considerations to make for every new location we visit.

Cell and Internet service availability
Power (often solar) availability
Good weather (enough sunshine for solar without extreme temps)
Researching parks, campgrounds, and off-grid spots that accommodate all of the above
Researching fuel and food stops that accommodate larger vehicles

All these things (and more!) are considerations RVers make to live and work nomadically. Fortunately, there are plenty of apps to help us find the information we need.

How it translates to value in the workplace:

First, it shows tremendous resourcefulness.

It’s a lot of work having to look at 10+ different apps for every trip you take, especially when you’re moving every couple of weeks.

But because work is a top priority for working RVers, we make sure to get it done.

Another high-value transferable skill this brings to the workplace is the ability to aggregate data from a variety of sources and use it to make important decisions – which can provide value across a number of roles at any company.

We also consistently create backup plans for places to stay, because we have to be able to work and we want to be prepared in case Plan A (or B or C) doesn’t work out.

This is another strong transferable skill and mindset that working RVers bring into the workplace.

Always prepared to change locations

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

Speaking of creating backup plans…working RVers are always prepared to hitch up and hit the road if we need to. While this doesn’t happen often, we always know it’s a possibility.

Whether because of disruptive neighbors, the weather, internet signal going out, or some other unexpected issue, we may wind up having to move to a new location.

How it translates to value in the workplace:

This requires a huge level of adaptability and openness to change that we bring in our everyday lives – which are two more high-value transferable skills we can also bring into the workplace.

The strongest and smartest companies know you have to adapt to survive, and having adaptable employees is the best way to give yourself a competitive advantage.

And while it may be hard to pinpoint where adaptable candidates come from, one sure way to find them is to target working RVers.

Multiple redundancies for power and internet

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

Location flexibility isn’t the only way RVers show our adaptability and resourcefulness.

We also demonstrate it by carrying multiple redundancies for power and internet.

Since cell signal and internet are so important to us getting work done, working RVers often have hotspot devices from the top 2 (or even 3) service providers. That way if one provider isn’t strong in that area, we have other options.

Read more about internet and other redundancies working RVers use here: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs: Part 1

How it translates to value in the workplace:

Having this mindset of creating backups and redundancies carries into the workplace and helps us to be better prepared for unexpected situations that may arise.

This helps reduce potential delays and additional expenditures that occur when roadblocks come up, and overall keeps businesses running smoothly and moving forward.

Continuous problem solving

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

RVs break a lot.

Like, A LOT.

As working RVers, many of us have had to become “YouTube experts” in RV maintenance and repair to avoid the time, trouble, and expense of constantly going into a repair shop.

From repairing water heaters (in extremely tight, jigsaw puzzle-like spaces), to troubleshooting wiring issues, to replacing the kitchen sink and so much more – working RVers do what it takes to stay on the road.

How it translates to value in the workplace:

This takes a lot of resourcefulness, determination, strong work ethic, creative problem solving, and willingness to learn, which are all valuable transferable skills for any workplace.

Whatever issues may arise or challenges we may face, we’ll meet them head-on with curiosity and a problem-solving mindset.

It also shows we’re open to continuous learning and development to keep up with the work we do. In today’s rapidly evolving world, this skill shouldn’t be overlooked.

Part 1: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Redundancies

by Lezlie Garr | Jan 1, 2024 | Uncategorised

Part 1: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Redundancies was originally published on the RVer Job Exchange, authored by Lezlie Garr.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, our working world started to change.

A great many companies across most industries had to – almost instantaneously – learn to adapt their operations to become remote friendly.

Since then, the remote work trend has continued to accelerate, and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

According to Forbes:

Researchers from Ladders have been carefully tracking remote work availability from North America’s largest 50,000 employers since the pandemic began. Remote opportunities leapt from under 4% of all high paying jobs before the pandemic to about 9% at the end of 2020, and to more than 15% today.

The number of remote work roles is increasing.

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

At the same time, the number of full-time RVers is also increasing.

According to the Annual North American Camping Report by KOA (the world’s largest system of privately held campgrounds), the number of full-time RVers increased by 10% YOY.

But those new RVers certainly aren’t giving up on work.

CamperReport.com says, “Up from previous years, 40% of campers say that they sometimes or always work while camping.”

But, many companies are missing out on the awesome talent available from working RVers.

Many feel hesitant to hire a digital nomad or working RVer because they think someone who travels won’t be as reliable as someone who is always in a stationary location.

But the truth is, the remote workforce is way more prepared for work than a lot of people realize.

Heck – we’ve had to be.

For years, we never wanted our employers to know we weren’t working from a landline internet connection or a stationary “sticks and bricks” location – because we were afraid we’d get fired.

So, in order to hide the fact that we work nomadically, we’ve learned to be over-prepared for remote work.

How did we do that?

By creating redundancies

Backups. Contingency plans. Alternative options and strategies.

All created to make sure we could work from the road without interruption.

Turns out, many of us do it with even less interruption than working from a stationary home.

Having multiple redundancies for the most important aspects of our work – Internet, Power, and Environment – is a huge part of how the remote workforce brings even more value than stationary work-from-home employees.

Internet Redundancies

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

Multiple Service Providers

Internet connection is one of the most important components of being able to work from the road.

For RVers, the most common way to access the internet is through an internet hotspot, either from a standalone hotspot device or from their cell phone.

Since the hotpot is provided by a cellular service provider, the internet connection is dependent on cellular service in that area from that particular provider. In areas where a given service provider has a weak cell signal, the internet signal will be weak, as well.

To combat this, many RVers create a redundancy by having phones and/or hotspot devices provided through multiple carriers.

Of the top 3 carriers in the U.S. (commonly understood to be Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile), many RVers will choose to hold plans through at least 2 of them; some go even further and opt for all 3.

This means that if internet signal is weak through one carrier, they can just switch to using another.

Which gives them an advantage over most stationary work-from-home employees, who usually don’t have backup internet if their primary one goes out.

For RVers, having these backups is just a normal part of living and working on the road.

Signal Boosters

Beyond having backup carriers for cell and internet access, many RVers also use signal boosters to maximize usability from each carrier.

The 2 most common types of signal boosters for RVers are cell signal boosters and WiFi boosters.

Cell signal boosters amplify cellular reception, which allows for better cell phone calls and stronger internet signal from any hotspot devices.

This helps RVers take business calls, access the internet, and get work done from remote areas of the country.

WiFi signal boosters help lengthen the reach of a wireless internet signal, which helps RVers have stronger internet when staying at an RV park or campground.

So no matter if we’re camping off-grid or staying right in town, we have devices to make sure we have strong internet access.

Starlink

Starlink is a satellite internet network by SpaceX that uses advanced satellites in a low orbit to provide high speed, low latency internet that enables high data rate activities like video calls.

And through its new Portability feature, it’s making high-speed internet more accessible than ever for RVers. And since Starlink fills the gaps left by major carriers in more remote areas of the country, even the most adventurous RVers can get work done from wherever they go.

Power Redundancies

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

There are two main default ways an RV gets power: from being plugged in to an external power source or from onboard batteries.

External power sources often come from ‘shore power’, which is usually the electrical box at an RV park or campground, but can even be an electrical outlet in a home garage.

As for RV batteries, while many of the factory-installed ones are small and don’t provide much power, most full-time RVers level-up to lithium batteries, which provide exponentially more power.

Another common power source for RVers is a generator, which is another external power sources that provides power in much the same way ‘shore power’ sources do.

Finally, many full-time RVers opt to have solar power as an additional back-up (or even primary) option.

Most full-time RVers who work from the road choose to have all 4 options for power, so we’re almost never in a situation where we can’t power our devices and get work done.

Environment / Location Redundancies

Image Credit: LottieFiles.com

Pre-Planning

Working RVers use a multitude of resources to research and choose our destinations.

There are apps, tools, and other online resources to plan travels based on weather, cellular coverage, WiFi signal, and so much more.

By using those tools to pre-plan our travels, and having back-up options just in case the first 1, 2, or 3 don’t work out, we’re able to make sure we land in a spot that lets us get work done.

Adaptability

Because we know we need to have back-up options, RVers are usually more adaptable to changing environments.

So, for instance, if the location we’re in has been good for a few days, but all of a sudden there’s construction or an influx of loud adventurists – we can hop in the truck and head to the nearest town to get work done in a coffee shop or restaurant for the day.

Many of us even do that research ahead of time, so we’re prepared to do that if we have to.

And we’re usually already equipped with remote work tools like a hotspot device, laptop, and earbuds, so it’s not much hassle for us to change locations on the fly.

That’s not always the case with stationary work-from-home employees.

Location Independence

Speaking of changing locations on the fly, the best part about living in an RV is that your home is on wheels, so you can always move it if you need to.

No matter how much pre-planning we do, there will always be things out of our control.

But for RVers, if plans A, B, and C don’t work out, and we wind up in a spot for a night with less-than-optimal working conditions, we’re always prepared to sleep on it, regroup the next day, make a new plan, and get to somewhere we can work from.

Stationary work-from-home employees don’t often have the option to go somewhere else if a 3-month construction project starts in their neighborhood.

That’s the beauty of being a digital nomad.

And hiring one.

Part 1: Why Working RVers are the Best Hire for Remote Jobs – Redundancies was originally published on the RVer Job Exchange, authored by Lezlie Garr.