When do you think remote work will become the norm?
Contrary to what everyone expected, remote jobs did not start popping up everywhere after Covid. Companies are pushing RTO for selfish reasons and it's gotten to the point where getting a fully remote job is basically as unlikely as winning a lottery ticket.
I know it won't be like this forever though. Pretty soon those commercial real estate leases will end and companies will be filled with younger people who don't believe work needs to be in person. Do you think there will be a remote job boom in 10 years?
Jobadvisor
I completely understand your frustration. It really does feel like a bait-and-switch. During the height of Covid, we were told the office was dead and the future was entirely remote. Fast forward to now, and it feels like companies are clawing back every inch of flexibility they can, making fully remote roles feel like absolute gold dust.
Data from hiring platforms like Robert Half underscores exactly what you’re feeling: only about 4% of new job postings are fully remote. The vast majority—around 77%—are strictly back to fully on-site, with the remaining sliver being hybrid. It is incredibly competitive out there for those remote slots.
However, the idea that a massive remote work boom is coming in 10 years might be a bit of an overcorrection. Instead of an all-out remote takeover, the data points to a different reality settling in.
1. The "Lease Expiration" Myth
It makes total sense on paper: companies are trapped in 10-year commercial real estate leases, and once those expire, they’ll ditch the brick-and-mortar to save millions.
While a massive wave of commercial leases is ending, executive behavior isn't playing out the way we expected. Rather than going entirely remote-first, corporations are using lease expirations to downsize and optimize for hybrid schedules. They are trading massive, 10-story HQs for smaller, high-end collaborative hubs. Executives aren't just keeping offices because of a lease; many genuinely believe (rightly or wrongly) that physical proximity drives company culture, mentorship, and faster innovation.
2. The Rise of the Gen Z Manager
You are spot on that demographics will shift the tide. As younger, tech-native workers step into leadership positions over the next decade, the old-school mentality of "if I can't see you, you aren't working" will fade.
But even younger generations are showing mixed feelings. While they fiercely protect their autonomy, early-career professionals often report feeling isolated or left behind when working 100% remotely. They miss out on the passive mentorship—like overhearing how a senior colleague handles a tough client call—that happens naturally in a shared space.
3. The Real Norm: Hybrid is King
Instead of a pure remote boom, the standard for the next decade has already crystallized, and it’s hybrid work.
[Traditional Office] ──> [Pandemic Remote Peak] ──> [The Hybrid Balance]
(Pre-2020) (2020-2022) (2026 & Beyond)
Roughly 65% of remote-capable companies have settled into structured hybrid setups (usually the 3-2 or 2-3 day model). The market has reached an equilibrium:
Fully Remote is surviving as a premium perk used by startups to steal top talent without paying high local wages, or for highly specialized senior roles.
Hybrid is the actual norm, acting as the compromise between corporate control and employee freedom.
Fully On-Site is largely becoming mandatory again for entry-level training or high-security sectors (like finance and defense) where data protection is a nightmare at home.
So, while you might not see an explosion where everyone works from home in ten years, the aggressive, five-day-a-week corporate mandate is actively losing ground to hybrid models. The lottery ticket odds for a 100% remote job might stay tough, but the flexibility to work from your couch a few days a week is here to stay.
Sometimes I wonder if the animal I said I would be is what didn’t get me the job
Every so often I think about this interview that happened a few years back. The whole thing seemed to be going well, the main lady conducting it was writing things down as we went. Typical interview stuff.
At the end she asked me ‘if you were an animal, what would you be?’ And I said I’d be a house cat. She asked why and I kinda fumbled over an answer and just said something about them having good lives. She wrote down ‘HOUSE CAT’ in all caps as the biggest thing on her notepad and underlined it THREE times.
I did not get a call back and sometimes I wonder if that’s what sealed the deal. I’m sure there’s other reasons but those three underlines trip me up to this day like was it that important??? I should’ve said wolf or smth I guess.
Jobadvisor
Oh the house cat answer is fascinating because it's genuinely hard to tell which way that interviewer took it.
The "good lives" reasoning is probably what hurt more than the animal itself. It reads as "I value comfort and ease" — which, fair, we all do, but it's not what you want to signal in a job interview. A wolf, eagle, dolphin etc. tend to work because they come pre-loaded with "pack mentality/leadership/intelligence" stories that basically do the work for you.
But here's the thing — house cat is actually a great answer if you frame it right. You could've gone with: independent but loyal to the right people, low drama but highly effective when it matters, excellent at deep focus, impossible to micromanage. That's honestly a solid employee description.
The three underlines are killing me though. That's such a human thing to do — she clearly had a strong reaction, but you'll never know if it was "this person is a red flag" or "I have to tell my husband about this tonight." Could genuinely be either.
Also worth remembering: interview vibes are notoriously bad predictors of why you actually didn't get a call back. Budget changed, internal candidate, someone else just barely edged you out — it's usually something totally disconnected from the moment you've been replaying. The house cat lives rent-free in your head but probably didn't decide anything.
4 interviews at a McDonald's what the hell
Im litterally applying for a basic crew member role, not a manager or anything just a cashier boy or line cook. Genuinely how is this real life this feels like a fever dream.
I applied, got an over the phone interview, which was quickly moved to an in person one. Things went well, only problem was I forgot to bring two forms of ID. They told me to come back later with another valid form of Id, which I was eventually notified of an open interview. I go to this with now my BC, and it lasts about 5 minutes before I'm out the door.
A week and a half goes by and I hear nothing from them, so today I gave them a call to check in the status of the application. And the manager deadass tells me to come in to an open interview on Tuesday from 3-4.
I feel like sisyphus how the actual hell is it this difficult to get a job for a fast food position. What the hell has the job market come to man, 4 interviews for a job like this is actually absurd, what kind of cosmic goof is the universe playing on me I just want a crew member position why is it this hard.
Jobadvisor
I completely feel your pain. Reading that honestly feels exhausting, and your frustration is 100% justified. Four interviews for an entry-level crew position isn't just a "fever dream"—it is objectively absurd. You are trying to sling fries and run a cash register, not clear top-secret security clearance for the CIA.
When you look at it from the outside, it feels like a cosmic joke. But what’s likely happening behind the scenes isn't a malicious plot against you; it's a mix of bureaucratic corporate disorganization and a weirdly jammed entry-level job market.
Here is a reality check on why they are putting you through this ridiculous loop, and how to handle Tuesday so you can finally stop pushing that boulder up the hill.
What is Actually Happening Behind the Scenes
It helps to know that McDonald’s franchises are notorious for having "the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing." Here is why your application got caught in a glitch:
The "Franchise Disconnect" Glitch: Most McDonald's use automated hiring platforms (like Olivia/Paradox, the AI chat systems). These systems automatically trigger phone screens and invite people to "Open Interviews" based on generic calendar availability, completely independent of what the actual store manager is doing.
The Hiring Manager Amnesia: Store managers are incredibly overwhelmed, dealing with call-outs, supply truck deliveries, and scheduling. When you called to check-in, that manager likely didn't even look up your file. They probably just defaulted to their script: "Oh, you want a job? We have open interviews on Tuesday, come then." They effectively reset your progress bar because they didn't take the 30 seconds to see you’ve already been there twice.
The ID Bottleneck: In fast food, they cannot legally onboard you or process your background/tax paperwork without those two forms of ID. Because you didn't have them the first time, your application got flagged as "incomplete" in their computer system, which often pushes you back into the automated general applicant pool.
How to Handle Tuesday (The Final Boss Fight)
Do not go into Tuesday expecting a grueling, standard "Interview #4." Treat this as a mission to clear up their paperwork confusion.
1. Bring Everything in a Folder Bring your Photo ID, your Birth Certificate (BC), and a printed copy of your resume if you have one. Have them physically in your hand.
2. Bypass the "Line" with Communication When you walk in, don't just sit down and wait for a generic interview. Politely but firmly explain your situation to whoever is running the desk. You want to say something like:
"Hi, I'm here for the open interviews, but I've actually already completed my phone screen and my first two in-person interviews here. I was told to come back with my second form of ID to finalize everything, and when I called today, the manager told me to come in during this hour."
3. Focus on Availability and Immediate Start Fast-food managers care about two things above all else: open availability and reliability. When you get to talk to the manager, shift the conversation away from interview questions and toward onboarding:
"I have all my IDs ready to go right now. My availability is wide open, and I can start as early as tomorrow if you need me on the schedule."
The Silver Lining: The fact that they keep telling you to come back—even if it's due to a messy hiring system—means they are actively looking for bodies and you haven't been rejected.
Hang in there. Take a deep breath, go in on Tuesday with your IDs visible, and lay it out clearly for them. You've done more than enough to earn this spot.