Why you should never say youare open to “any kind of remote job” during a job interview

I worked as a recruiter for +15 years, and on several occasions, I heard candidates say during the job interview that they were “available for any kind of remote job”. From the company’s perspective, this is the worst thing you can say in a job interview. Do you know why?

When you say you are open to do “any job”, what you are really telling the recruiter is that you don’t know what you want, you have no clarity about your skills, you have no career plan and you are most likely desperate to land a job. Believe me: the combination of all these elements will push you away from the list of candidates who will move ahead in the recruitment process.

You might have heard the expression “Jack of all trades, master of none”, right? In other words, it’s not possible that a person is able to do “any” job in a good and professional way. What you do should be linked to your background, interests, skills or studies – or at least some of those elements. So don’t waste your time, or the recruiter’s time saying that you are interested in “any kind of remote jobs they can offer”.

“I can do any job” can also be translated by the company as “I am desperate and I just need a job to pay the bills and survive”. Even if this is your reality now, you don’t want to show that during the interview. Remember: companies will hire you because of your motivation, the results you‘ve previously generated, your potential to learn and because you can be a good cultural fit to the organisation – not only because you need a job! 

“I can do any job” doesn’t reflect your expertise nor sell you as someone that can really add value to the team.

“I can do any job” will probably give the impression that you are lost and don’t have clarity about what you want for your career.

What to do instead?

Targeting a specific position in your job search is a much more effective approach. This focus approach will create a better image of you as a candidate. It will show confidence about your skills and about the plans you have for your career.

When you apply only for a certain kind of position, you are also making your life easier when you land a new job, because you actually know you can do the job and you have the experience required. 

Limiting your options has nothing to do with a lack of flexibility or with being picky. You don’t need to get attached to a job title or a position level, and close yourself from great opportunities. When you eliminate from your radar the kind of jobs you are definitely not interested in, you use your time and energy to explore the options that might be a good fit for you, and engage more with getting to know the company, networking with people already working there, doing your research and better preparing for the recruitment process. 

From now on, if you are really committed to landing a remote job, forget about saying that you are open to “any kind of remote job”. Be specific, be real about your profile and skills, and show flexibility to learn and improve. Companies will appreciate that and give you much more creditas a candidate. 

What else can you do during the remote work recruitment process to avoid looking just like anyone else?

Juliana Rabbi is a recruiter-turned-career coach. After working for + 15 years as a Recruiter and part of the Human Resources teams in multinational corporations all over the world, she has been working remotely for the past 9 years and now helps professionals land jobs that make them happier. She also provides support to location independent companies to improve their processes and hire the right candidate.

Juliana is a keynote speaker, she shares videos on her YouTube channel and daily content on social media, while traveling the world and working.

You can find more about her on LinkedIn, on Instagram, and on YouTube.