Liza Rodewald & Erica McMannes
Co-Founders, MadSkills
Here at MadSkills, we practice what we preach. It’s our goal to help military spouses with mad skills find remote work – starting with us. We hired Michele Bradfield to join our all-remote team in November 2016. She’s an Army spouse of eight years with more than a decade of marketing and communications experience. She’s moved five times in eight years. Tired of starting over with every move, she launched a freelance business. Today she helps businesses, nonprofits, and personal brands bring their ideas to life.
Michele applied to be the MadSkills content manager, and we snatched her up. She works for us from her home office in Virginia as a freelance contractor. Her responsibilities mimic a traditional office job, but her work style differs. Here’s what a typical day for Michele looks like.
Real-Life Example: A Day in the Life of a Remote Content Manager
Michele’s Daily Tasks:
– Manage a content calendar with rapidly changing topics
– Write + edit blogs to be published on WordPress
– Coordinate featured contributors
– Write content for weekly newsletter
– Measure data using Google Analytics and social media reports
Michele’s MadSkills:
– Google Drive for file sharing
– Trello for project management
– WordPress for uploading content (HTML + CSS for formatting)
– Photo editing software like Photoshop or Canva
– Editing software like Grammerly and Hemmingway App
– Google Analytics for data collection and analyzation
– Virtual communication tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Slack
– Social media sharing and search engine optimization
Working remotely allows Michele to sustain meaningful employment no matter where the Army takes her. She stays relevant in her chosen field and is challenged daily by projects she enjoys. In return, MadSkills gets a dedicated, hardworking employee who can work from anywhere, anytime. A win, win for all!
Traditional Office Job vs. Remote Job
Traditional Office Job
In a traditional job, work hours are set (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.). You can expect multiple face-to-face interactions with co-workers and clients. And likely, lots of in-person meetings. A traditional content manager works in an office researching and writing articles. They usually collaborate with an editor for final review and publishing (digital or print). Normally there’s an annual content plan that relies on long-term deadlines. Word-of-mouth and external praise measure success. Employees use company software, equipment, and supplies.
Remote Job
A remote position allows for flexible hours. The only requirement is get the job done (even if it means clocking in at midnight). Teams communicate virtually, as needed, with co-workers and clients using live video software like Zoom. Content is researched and created from anywhere there’s internet (home office, coffee shop, dining room table, hotel room). Content managers are responsible for reviewing, editing, and publishing their work. The flow is face paced with short deadlines. Data and click rates are used to measure success. Remote hires use personal software, equipment, and office supplies.
Think a remote worker would be a good fit for your team? Give it a try!
