Coding remotely - how to land your dream

Coders now have a great opportunity to take advantage of the increasing amount of remote jobs available to them. With improvements in technology, it’s easier than ever to collaborate with employees around the globe and produce successful results. However, if you’ve never worked remotely before then it can be daunting to try and find the remote job of your dreams. The whole process differs from a normal co-located position, but once you get to grips with the basics you should be well on your way to finding a job that is suitable for you. New working practices, tools and company cultures have to be familiarised, along with places to hunt for jobs. If you want to be part of this new global trend in employment, then read on for the best tips out there for all you prospective remote developers!

The remote job market is out there to explore

Our first tip is to take a look at the current marketplace and pick out some remote companies that you’re interested in working for. They’re not all the same, as some may be fully distributed and others only partly. Github and Buffer are good examples of companies that only hire remotely, but if you’re looking to work in the office occasionally then plenty of businesses and startups also offer part-time remote work.

LinkedIn is also another great tool to utilise, as you can build up a great remote network through the platform. It’s full of remoters, as maintaining a physical network is difficult when either traveling around the globe or working from home. You can find job postings, interact with hirers and search around for possible employment opportunities fairly easily. Dedicated remote work boards like our very own Bulldogjobs are also another great place to look for your dream job!

It’s not all about coding! Brush up on your soft skills

When looking for a developer position remotely, it can be easy to think that it all comes down to your technical skills in coding and development. If you don’t have to interact in an office environment, then what else do you need? In fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Soft skills like project management, independent learning, interpersonal communication and problem-solving all play a much more critical role. When having to work with others, you can’t just rely on being in the same physical space as those in a co-located office do. Your skills in communicating, coordinating and time management will all be tested to a greater degree. Make sure you demonstrate your capability in soft skills throughout the interview process, along with with of course your technical coding abilities.

Specialize your technical skills

To really stand out in the remote market, you need to make sure you emphasize your strongest technical skills. Whilst it may seem like a good idea to show your general aptitude for development over all, this can actually be a detriment. Due to remote jobs having full access to employees all over the globe, this means that you’re not just competing with the local market! If this is something that you can’t quite manage yet, then maybe try for smaller freelance jobs to build up your skill set rather than a full-time remote job at first. You’ll likely find more success and be able to really develop key areas of your development knowledge.

Learn about working methodologies and company cultures you’re likely to find in a remote environment

We recommend that you begin to explore the kind of working methodologies that you’re likely to find within a remote development job. Being able to work successfully in an agile/lean environment will put you ahead of other candidates who don’t understand the practices within. This kind of working environment places a heavy emphasis on continuous updates within stand-ups, constant evaluation/iterations and a large deal of collaboration. Being able to fit into a team without having to learn such new processes is certainly advantageous within the development world.

Checking out a company’s culture before applying will also help you in finding your dream remote job. If you find that you’re a good fit, then you’re much more likely to have success with your search. It’s fairly easy to find out the kind of culture a remote workplace has due to the importance they place on it. Without a physical office space to create cohesion, company culture is usually widely demonstrated through their website and online presence.

Take part in the Remote Future Summit!

Are you working remotely or planning to start this new dream development job? Then hop on board the Remote Future Summit 2019 - the biggest virtual conference about remote work! Join us for three days of keynotes and workshops between 15th and 17th of May 2019. The summit will feature over 40 global experts representing companies like Microsoft, Hubspot, Buffer, Doist and Cisco.

Join from anywhere, for free: The Remote Future Summit is 100% virtual and open for everybody! You can book your ticket here.

Author’s Bio

Luke Petit currently works as Marketing Manager for a Berlin-based tech start-up, whilst also producing content remotely. He spends most of his time creating digital marketing strategies, writing copy and hosting tech events throughout Berlin. By working remotely, he gets to experience the benefits of both flexible working arrangements and a start-up office environment.