One of the best parts of working from home is just that—you’re able to work at home. No commute required. And while you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who actually enjoys their daily commute to and from the office, there are certainly some commutes that are more hellish than others. In fact, some cities are notorious for their lengthy commutes.
Recently over at FlexJobs, we took a look at 10 of the absolute worst cities for commuters.
With information from the U.S. Census Bureau, we were able to find out in which cities people experience the longest commute times, and the results are not too surprising. The top five cities are listed below (do you see yours?), along with tips for finding telecommuting jobs in these cities to help you ditch the commute for good!
Here are the five worst cities for commuting and their telecommuting and flexible job options.
San Francisco, CA
Even though commuting in San Francisco is no picnic, there are companies hiring for flexible jobs to make your days less traffic-heavy. Some examples include American Express; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Teradata; Aquent; and Visa.
Telecommuting jobs available in San Francisco, CA right now include Enterprise Account Executive; Customer Success Manager; Proofreader; Senior Account Manager; and Web and Graphic Designer.
New York, NY
New York is famous for many great things, but one not-so-great thing? Traffic. Luckily, many companies in New York hire for flexible jobs, like New York-Presbyterian Hospital; Covance; UnitedHealth Group; Warner Music Group; and Johnson & Johnson.
Telecommuting jobs available in New York, NY right now include Physician Assistant – Hematology/Oncology; Instructional Designer; MCAT Instructor; Word Processor; Executive Assistant; and Production Designer.
Washington, DC
Looking to ditch your capital commute? Companies like Rosetta Stone; Sirius XM Radio; Glassdoor; AmeriHealth Caritas; ULTA; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are hiring for flexible jobs in Washington, DC regularly.
Telecommuting jobs available in Washington, DC right now include Medical Coder; Human Resources Specialist; Account Manager; Language Instructor; and Outpatient Coding Consultant.
Trenton, NJ
Even with the terrible commute times, there’s no shortage of flexible job opportunities in Trenton. Look for companies hiring, such as Aetna; PNC; Saint Barnabas Health Care System; US-Reports; and Salesforce.
Telecommuting jobs available in Trenton, NJ right now include Network Security Engineer; Operations Support Assistant; Registered Nurse – NICU; Customer Service Associate; and Insurance Premium Auditor.
Los Angeles, CA
The City of Angels–residents think it would be great to use their wings to fly to work, rather than enduring the long, slow drive each day. Companies hiring for flexible jobs in Los Angeles, CA include Kaplan; California State University, Los Angeles-CSULA; OfficeTeam; HauteLook; Artisan Creative; Nordstrom
Telecommuting jobs available in Los Angeles, CA right now include Presentation Designer; Associate, Social Media; At Home Advisor; General Office Clerk; and Office Manager.
If you happen to live in one of the five worst cities for commuting and are thinking about finding a flexible job, here are some tips:
Don’t limit yourself.
You’ve worked as an administrative assistant for as long as you can remember—and never really loved it. That doesn’t mean that you have to continue on in that field as you look for a flexible job, though. Consider what you’d really like to do (a good place to start is by looking at your hobbies) and find jobs that incorporate aspects of those things that interest you.
Be specific in your search.
Let’s face it: job hunting is not one of the most exciting things to do. So naturally you don’t want to spend all day every day searching for that perfect flexible position. That’s why it’s important to be strategic in your job search. Take the time to really read the job listings to determine if the position is one that you really want, then craft your cover letter and resume specifically for that job. Sure, it might take a little longer, but by being more specific in your search, you’ll actually wind up getting more responses and calls for job interviews rather than sending out generic resumes and CLs to any old position.
Be wary of job scams.
It’s an inevitable part of looking for work-at-home positions: the job scams. While it’s estimated that for every one legitimate remote job there are 100 job scams, that shouldn’t deter you from making your dream of working from home a reality. Use niche job search boards (like FlexJobs) that only offer real telecommuting jobs to ensure that you’re applying for a real position, and not entering into a job scam. And always remember, if it seems to good to be true (e.g., a super high salary to the number of hours you’ll work or being offered a job without an interview), it always, always is.
If you’re looking to ditch your commute, try on a flexible job for size. It’s guaranteed flexibility, freedom, and work-life balance—no matter where you live.
photo credit: istockphoto.com