Jim Lynch: Tech Analyst and Community Manager

Ever since my full-time gig as Community Manager for Ziff Davis Media ended back in June, I’ve been looking around for a new gig by checking various job sites. I’ve been dismayed at how many job descriptions state that you must be in the office and that telecommuters are not invited to apply.

This strikes me as incredibly shortsighted on the part of these companies, particularly if the job in question involves managing online communities or dealing with social media in general. Why on Earth would you hire for a job that requires someone who basically eats, sleeps and breathes online, and then demand they spend part of their time actually going to and from an office instead of being online and in touch with your customers?

My Background
I’ve been telecommuting for the most part for the last 15 years or so either as a freelance writer or online community manager. (For a good overview of my career see my public LinkedIn profile.)

During that time, I’ve written for lots of different sites and publications, and almost never actually met my editors face to face. I’ve also worked as a freelance online community manager, and never met my bosses or most of the folks that participated in the communities that I managed.

Over the years, I’ve used mostly e-mail, instant messaging and phone conference calls to stay in touch, plan content, and do all the rest of the stuff that my work entailed. And the folks I’ve worked for and with have been all over the place. Some here on the East Coast of the U.S., some on the West Coast, some in Europe, and some in other places. Never once did I ever have a problem getting my work done; I was always at least as productive (if not more) than the folks that were back in the office.

Read the Full Article At ExtremeTech

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