UltravioletClearance t1_jdmnh1r wrote on March 25, 2023 at 3:12 PM

I decided to make a career change into tech in 2019. I was living and working on the South Coast at the time. I applied to a lot of Boston-area tech companies, and I don't think I saw a single entry level or mid-level role that was remote-eligible. The first thing every interviewer asked me is if I planned on relocating to Boston because that commute is going to kill me. In my very limited experience of simply interviewing for tech jobs in Boston, remote work pre-pandemic seems like it was unheard of for entry and mid-level roles. FWIW, I did know several people who were senior engineers with 20+ years experience who negotiated work-from-home, but that seemed like the exception not the norm. Pre-pandemic, a lot of the "name-brand" Boston-area tech companies built up their in-office cultures as a kind of "perk" and it was seen as a benefit to go into the office, even if the commute sucked.

As for what happened to me, I gave up on Boston and got a full-time in-office tech job along the 495 belt in February 2020. Good that I got a stable job in a new field just before the world went to shit, bad in that the owner of the company refused to allow remote work and forced us all back in mid-2020 (before even vaccines!). Quit that job in 2022 for a fully remote Boston-based tech company that DGAF if I ever come into the office, which has since been significantly downsized due to becoming a remote-first company. I will say when I was job hunting in mid-to-late 2022, things had completely changed in tech. I couldn't even find a full-time in-office job if I wanted to. About 75 percent of my interviews were with out-of-state fully remote companies, and 25 percent in-state hybrid/remote companies.

Mei_Flower1996 OP t1_jdmo4pn wrote on March 25, 2023 at 3:16 PM

Well, fully remote is still a big ask, even in the post COVID world. I'm more thinking of being allowed 1-2 WFH days a week. Of course fully remote is another thing.

UltravioletClearance t1_jdmpjot wrote on March 25, 2023 at 3:26 PM

I'm still pretty skeptical of companies that call themselves "hybrid" and only offer 1-2 days of WFH a week tbh. It seems to me they really despise remote work and throw you a limited bone as a carrot on a stick. From talking to my friends who work remote one day a week, they tell me their employers usually don't do the WFH part well because they lack the infrastructure and culture to make it work. Which makes sense, because you're in an office most of the time. And you know they'll eventually use that to get rid of it altogether.

Mei_Flower1996 OP t1_jdmqken wrote on March 25, 2023 at 3:34 PM

Idk, one of my friends workes regulatory affairs for a company based in suburban MA (far from Boston), and she works from home twice a week with no issues. It actually does save her for her commute ( she lives in NH).

jacosis t1_jdne1xv wrote on March 25, 2023 at 6:20 PM

I would also like to add that fully remote is fantastic for work life balance, but it comes with its cost as well in that it's very hard to build personal connections. In my industry where you need a very long education and training, and once you start working still many decisions in the work place rely on experience, some regular face to face times with more senior colleagues could be critical for your career growth. People who stayed in the company long enough don't need it; people with a ton of experience don't need it. It's the junior ones that're affected most.

Mei_Flower1996 OP t1_jdnigij wrote on March 25, 2023 at 6:51 PM

Right. That's why I anticipate no more than 1WFH day for the 6mo-1 yr of my career at the least. I know it limits new employees.