My search for Remote work

My Search for Remote Work

It’s been a while since I published an update, so I’m going to write one about my job search.

In 2018, I had been working for the same company for nearly 18 years when it was sold, and I was declared superfluous and let go. I was lucky—within a few weeks, I found a new job working remotely from Vancouver, WA, with a company based in Phoenix, AZ. I was so happy the break was not too long. Unfortunately, I was only there for four years when I got sick. I won’t go into the details here, but I was unable to work for several years, living off my IRA and selling my Prius.

Once I started feeling better, I got back to the question of finding a job. I’ve worked for nearly 39 years using various forms of Business Basic (ProvideX/PVx, UniBasic, BBx, B32, Pick Basic, Basic Four, Thoroughbred Basic). I began my search looking for a remote job programming in one of those languages. I did this without much hope, knowing that Business Basic and all its variants are a dying language. I was lucky and did find a few openings, but when I applied, I never heard back from any of them. Still, I kept up the search every day—scanning job boards for any opening for a Business Basic programmer. After a few weeks, I was getting frustrated with no progress, so I decided to narrow my focus to the variants still in use: ProvideX/PVx, UniBasic, BBx, and Pick Basic. I also cut back on the number of job boards I was checking.

In June, my diabetic ketoacidosis flared up, and I was hospitalized for four days. When I returned home, I decided to widen my job search. I still wanted to work from home and with computers, but since I have no experience with modern programming languages, I began looking for new job titles that might fit my skills.

My research led to titles like AI Trainer (where I review and rate AI-generated results), AI Tester, Data Annotation Specialist (where I describe or classify results), Virtual Assistant, Data Entry, and Software Tester. I haven’t given up on programming—I’ve set several job boards to send me alerts for any new openings mentioning my set of languages—while shifting my focus toward new opportunities.

I started exploring platforms that offer gig work in these fields. I’ve checked DataForce, UTest, Userlytics, Testbirds, CrowdGen, DataAnnotation, Branded Surveys, Recruit + Field, and Bugcrowd.

My results have not been stellar. I spent a day answering questions and taking surveys on Branded Surveys and came away with a couple of bucks—not worth the effort.

As for DataForce, for weeks now they’ve only offered two remote projects in the United States. One requires working in San Diego, CA. The other might have been a good fit, but it required the tester to be either African American or African—so I was out.

Bugcrowd and Recruit + Field have no openings, while CrowdGen has been saying my account is under review for weeks.

Userlytics has sent me several invitations, but I haven’t responded quickly enough—and by the time I do, the project is full.

Testbirds offers free training in their Bird School. The training is helpful but not comprehensive. I completed it several weeks ago, but I haven’t received any offers for paid work yet.

Finally, UTest offers what they call an Academy, which is also free. It includes 30 different courses covering what a tester needs to know when working for UTest—basics of testing, bug reporting, making recordings, screenshots, screen recordings, browser logs, and proxy testing. They also offer five (with an optional sixth) live tests. This morning, I completed the last test, except for the invitation-only one (we’ll see if I get invited). I’ve also received several invitations for paid work from UTest. The pay isn’t great, but it’s better than nothing—which is what I’m making now.

What next? I’m still looking. I’ve searched for more titles I might be suited for, such as Pricing Analyst, Logistics Analyst, Reputation Management Specialist, Online Reputation Specialist, Virtual Research Assistant, Remote Quality Assurance Analyst, or Remote Compliance Specialist.

I’ll also consider customer support positions, though I’m hesitant since I’m an introvert.

Well, that’s it for now. Thank you for reading.