Flexibility, Give-and-Take, and Digital Nomadism With John O'Donnell

All things come with costs. The cost for freedom? Flexibility.

For John O'Donnell, Talent Acquisition Specialist with Freedom's Everything as is flexibility, a price he pays by smiling.

We spoke to him about the challenges of being an online nomad who was naive and asked him plenty of questions on his way of working on traveling. And he shared his top four pro tips as well.

Q1: John, what was the first thing you did in your journey to nomadic living?

I'm originally from Ireland. I was raised in Ireland and I started my career in sales. Later, I donned the consultant's hat and recruited for various companies. Then I became an expert in Talent Acquisition before eventually finding my way to .

Q2. Which was the most suitable match to you?

Last summer, I knew I needed to join an online company, but not just any remote company.

My former employer's culture and work ethic was impressive. When I got exposed to that, it set the bar for what I could expect in the future.

In my search at new possibilities and opportunities, I decided to find an organization that was truly dependable to the employees they employed and offered flexibility, that balance of work I had grown accustomed to, that kind of work environment that makes you desire to give more back to the company you work for. I wanted to work for a company that was trying to improve its services and was striving and also.

Whereas plenty of organizations claim that they're not far away, only to ask you to be bound to a particular nation (or even to a specific city) is different through walking the path.

The remote-first business is a rarity (at least, for us European-based professionals)! At , you can work from just about anywhere. The office isn't even an office.

A month after my starting date at , I went off traveling. I was trusted to behave as professional. I've been at the company for roughly six months out of which almost five months were spent on travels. How cool is that?

Q3. You joined and almost immediately embarked on your journey. How did you approach such an intimate conversation with a new employer?

The lifestyle of a digital nomad was actually something that I'd wanted to experience for quite a time. The plan was to be a digital nomad as a part-time employee for my previous employer, but then the economy took a turn for economic conditions.

When I started interviewing with  my interviewers, I had a clear understanding of my intentions from the get-go. Setting expectations helps immensely and makes the process much easier. Find out your answers, and find out the information you require, prior to joining an organization and then realizing that you won't be able to live an existence you're passionate about.

Q4. What's it like to finally be working... out on the roads?

It's unreal. It's perfect. It's everything I imagined it would be.

I get to drastically change my environment and choose exactly my work location. Naturally, I try to maintain a professional appearance. It's not possible to dial into a conference via an eddy, but being able to pick which cafe to use is great.

I usually have all of my phone calls in my house, and those days on where I'm juggling plenty of administrative work to finish or I don't have as many meetings, it'll occur more frequently from different cool locations as much as possible.

Q5. What are the biggest challenges you've faced so far?

I was unaware of how challenging it would be to establish the habit of a healthy lifestyle.

Back home, I played on a regular basis and went to the gym, and I ate a healthy diet.

Then I'm back now in Asia, where there are many delicious foods I can try for the first experience. I've eaten worms, too! I'll try any delicacy once. This makes it a lot harder to come off holiday-modethat is, when you eat as well... all the time. Add travel and work into the mix, and it makes things even tougher.

We're on the move so much. Moving from one location to the other. Getting into a routine is difficult, but I believe I'm on the right track.

Q6. What's something you wish you'd knew prior to becoming digital traveler?

The ability to plan ahead could prove beneficial. As a digital nomad, you'll want to be as flexible as possible and be able to make choices at the whim of your fingers, but this costs significantly more.

A little bit of planning in advance will save you a lot of money on flights and accommodations.

It also ensures that there's no chance of being stranded on arrival. Some locations are very popular You don't need to find yourself in a location that doesn't have a place to stay, and especially not if you're supposed to be on the job.

Q7. What was it working to accomplish this?

With the staff being amazing, the company being so flexible and well-organized the top product we offer, as well as the culture that we have it is hard for me to have a time imagining working somewhere else and feeling this content.

I was hired by the company in the first month of my employment, I had solid plans to go to Thailand. That speaks volumes about the flexibility of the culture.

There's a learning curve, but it's so inspiring! It's only been just a couple of months and I've learned a lot more than I could have been able to at other places in this short period of time.

Finally, I must add that everyone is helpful and kind. Being nice is wildly underrated.

  Every day, more and more, this company feels like my ideal scenario. I'm not sure what any other company out there can do better than the one that is providing to its employees. That's not something I'll ever think about as a thing to be taken for granted.

It's evident by looking through the Glassdoor reviews. They are very grateful that their employer is a person who values and appreciates them. they'll go above and beyond the expectations of an organisation deserving of it.

Q8. How do you keep your work load when you are in such a different location?

I told my manager that I would stick with EMEA hours. This was the time zone that I was recruiting in I had just begun, I was keen to be in the exact time zone with my manager as I settled.

They've been very accommodating in this regard as well. Zsofi my supervisor has said we could work with that, and modify it if ever required.

It usually starts about 3 or 4 p.m. and finish around 10 or 11 p.m. I truly don't mind, though! It's a great place to spend sunshine early in the morning, and early after-hours.

  's very flexible, but also, there's flexibility from my end which is a part of that. You can't ask for anything you're not prepared to offer -- it wouldn't be fair.

Sometimes we hire in the U.S.A. If that's the case, it helps to find candidates who are from their West Coast. Our time zones are in conflict somewhat, however there are workarounds.

For interviews that I set up I will always provide candidates with my calendar URL. It's based on their location and their location, they may only see time slots at 3, 2, or 4 a.m. My calendar isn't available 24 hours per day and when it does the candidates are able they can reach me to schedule ad-hoc meetings. It's happened on many occasions.

In most cases, I do work continuously between the afternoon and the evening. If needed, my days are broken up. It's crucial not to be too rigid when it comes to arranging my day.

Q9. Do you utilize any tool to help coordinate your work with the team?

There's no micromanagement at . It's not necessary when we communicate so well. Our team also has a custom TA tracker. It is a breeze to be on the same page regarding the priorities of each contributor's performance.

Q10. Did you meet your teammates?

Yes -- I met my colleague Mohit! We became acquainted with each more intimately. The interaction in real-time creates new conversations, builds connections, and encourages the collaboration.

The group worked in harmony all day long and took an effort to have a delicious, authentic Thai dinner.

Mohit utilized the informal plan to meet me at the place I was staying at. The money was used for travel expenses and also some of the breakfasts and coffees we got that day.

After work, Mohit and me Mohit set out to discover the different parts of Pathong by eating some authentic Thai food, and also checking out the bars.

Q11. What advice do you have for people contemplating the lifestyle of a digital nomad?

Definitely do take the time to do. It's worth it. You'll get to experience some of the most stunning locations in the world closer. What person wouldn't love to experience this?

Once you get over the initial fear and go on the journey, you will realize that it's feasible as well as how flexible you are able to be. You can write your own story, which includes deciding on the background for your work life.

A bit of advice, I would say, is:

• Research the area and your accommodation. The reliability of Wi-Fi is an essential requirement. It is essential that the overall area not be excessively noisy. You should surround yourself with like-minded people that are probably working like you. Be sure to conduct an extensive search on websites such as Tripadvisor, where you can review a range of real reviews and ratings. I make all crucial calls via video from my house It is important to leave a the right impression on candidates. This is a way to improve the quality of your conversation. This also assists me in reducing distracting factors.
• Make sure you invest in a quality headset! Good noise canceling can be a huge advantage, particularly if you ever end up working at a café'.
• Research thoroughly about visa procedures. Some countries offer digital nomad visas - some do not! You must stay aware of every nation's needs, because each country has its own unique requirements.
• Put money into comprehensive health insurance and travel. I have digital nomad insurance that covers my travels in all countries. It's possible for anything to happen and you shouldn't have to worry about every small thing that happens during your big, bold adventure.

A great suggestion Use this style of life to cut costs. There are so many affordable cities with a lower cost than the average home in which the price of living is quite costly. This is a major benefit is another method by which you can benefit from this lifestyle.

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