Remote Technology Jobs – Think Twice Before Applying
Have you ever dreamed of being able to work from home in the tech field?
Do you have the 7 tech skills for remote work you'll need to survive?
I have.
And I'm working remotely for several years now. It's as minimum as good as people tell you.
Believe me.
Why Remote Work is Better than Office? To be honest, there are so many benefits to remote work, I can't list them all.
But, there are also drawbacks. So, you might wonder. What is this post about?
This post is about 2 important things
- All the questions you have to ask yourself, the benefits I love about remote work, and how you can avoid the drawbacks.
- The best places you can find remote technology jobs
So, let's start with some of the hottest questions you need to ask yourself before you apply for a remote technology job.
Questions to ask yourself before applying to remote technology jobs
Before you even think about applying to a remote job, you have to ask yourself the following questions. It's curcial to be able to answer them honestly.
Go through them with your partner and discuss every point before you apply to tech careers.
I also recommend one of our previous articles: 5 Best Degrees for Remote Work in Tech (High Paying Careers).
What should I expect if I get a job offer from a company outside my local area?
These questions head to the core. Maybe they have another culture than the one you're used to. If you're living in Jamaica and you are used to having a more relaxed lifestyle and you apply to a position in Silicon Valley where life is pretty busy, this might cause some problems.
The same goes for the workplace culture, as well as language and time zone differences. Remote technology companies are often located in different countries from where you're based now, so make sure to consider this before applying for a job offer!
How will this impact your family life and relationships with friends and colleagues?
This is one of the most important points you need to consider before applying for a remote technology job. Think about it. You will be at home 24/7. And maybe some of your family members are too.
This can cause problems. How are you going to handle this?
Will your partner have the same freedom when applying for a remote tech job in another country, or will they need to find an office job instead? Be honest and realistic.
Will I be able to get work done without a strong social network?
Some people need to work in close contact with other humans. Remote technology jobs are not for them.
If you know that your motivation and productivity go down when there is nobody around, then this might be a problem for you as well. Human resources of tech companies tend to hire independent workers who can manage their time without constant supervision or guidance from others.
Can I work from home without any distractions?
If you're the kind of person who can't focus at home because there are too many distractions, remote technology jobs might not be for you. Tech companies tend to hire people who know how they work best and don't need any supervision or guidance from others when it comes to managing their time.
Will my partner be supportive of the remote position?
Can you and your partner talk about the remote job? Remote technology companies require a lot of commitment, so make sure to discuss everything with them before applying.
Would I need any additional certifications for this kind of job?
Will you need to take additional courses or create a portfolio before applying for the job? Remote companies usually hire experienced people, so they might ask questions that are not related directly to your expertise.
Do I have a good enough internet connection to work remotely?
Even if this sounds like a no-brainer, you might be surprised how many people fail to ask this question. Remote tech companies expect that your work time is not interrupted by internet connection problems or any other issues with the broadband line at home. So if you're living in an area where there's a really bad connection, you might have to consider moving there before applying for a remote job.
How should a remote position improve my life in comparison to my previous job?
This is a really important point to consider. What do YOU expect from a remote job? If you're looking to only improve your life financially, then this is probably not the best option for you.
But if you want to grow personally and professionally, then you might find a remote position to be perfect for your needs.
What are the benefits of getting remote tech jobs?
After you have a better understanding of yourself and your needs, you're probably wondering about the benefits. When I switched to fully remote a few years back, these points weren't so obvious for me at first. I hope these benefits will help you decide if remote jobs are for you:
1. You can work from anywhere,
You don't need to be tied down by location. If you like to live in Thailand and sip Margaritas every day, then you can do it too. Remote tech companies usually hire people who want to travel, work from home or spend more time with their families.
2. You get to set your hours
Remote companies usually hire independent workers. This means that you can set your hours and there's nobody to say "no" if want to take a day off for some personal reason or work extra on the weekend. As long as you get the job done, it doesn't matter when you do it.
3. You have more time for family and friends
For me, this is the biggest benefit of all. Remote work can change your life for the better. For you, it might be something different. But if you have a partner and maybe kids, then you can spend more time with them by working remotely.
4. There are no dress codes or office politics
You can work in your underwear, bathing suit, or whatever you want. As long as you don't have any video meetings, nobody's going to care what you wear or how well your hair is combed. Monday morning and you don't feel like dressing up? No problem. No one cares.
5. The pay is often higher than a traditional job's salary
Tech companies often value talent and experience more than a local company does. So if you want to be paid well for your knowledge, then this might be the right choice for you. Oftentimes, they also offer perks and bonuses that are not included in a local salary. For example, remote companies often offer benefits like free education or discounted health insurance premiums to their employees.
6. It might be easier to find tech jobs to work from home because they're in high demand
There are more remote jobs now than ever before. Remote working is becoming a trend, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. Though for some higher education positions the competition might be tough, more and more companies are offering remote jobs to experienced job seekers.
Are there any drawbacks?
The ability to work from anywhere is not without its pitfalls. Remote tech companies expect their employees to be self-motivated and proactive, as they're often working independently on a long list of tasks and projects that require constant attention. Here are 4 drawbacks to think about.
1. The tech industry, in general, is very competitive
As more and more tech businesses offer job opportunities for remote workers, the competition gets tougher. Technology companies often have a very high hiring bar as they hire the best people from all over the world to build their hybrid work model.
If you don't have any significant experience in your niche, then it might be harder for you to land remote jobs with big-name brands and popular startups that are looking for more established talent. Also, having a bachelor's degree or master's degree is a big plus if your end goal is landing a top position in any of the fortune 500 organizations (though it's not typically required).
2. There are often long work hours and high-pressure deadlines
In a traditional office environment, you have the support of your colleagues and supervisors. Remote jobs often require employees to juggle multiple tasks with little or no guidance from their managers.
Remote companies usually hire independent workers so there's nobody to say "no" if they want to take a day off for some personal reason or work extra on the weekend. Remote companies often expect their employees to be self-motivated and proactive as they're working independently on a long list of tasks and projects that require constant attention.
3. Limiting social interactions that happen during the workday
You don't get to see your co-workers in person daily, which might be difficult if you're an extrovert or have trouble communicating face-to-face. Remote workers are sometimes discouraged from socializing while they work because it's easy for them to lose track of time and forget about their tasks at hand.
4. The work-life balance might be off - if you don't take care of yourself
Work from home is often associated with burnout because it can be isolating. Remote workers don't have the common everyday interaction of colleagues, so it's easy for them to slip into a pattern where they lose touch with their social life and relationships outside of work.
The best places to find remote technology jobs
Okay! Now that you know all the cool stuff and the not-so-cool stuff about remote tech jobs, you might be wondering where to find these gigs. Remote companies are everywhere - here are some of the best websites for finding tech and web development jobs.
1. Search for remote technology jobs on sites like Sqotty.com Indeed, and Monster.
If you're looking to land remote jobs as a software engineer, web developer, or in other programming languages, Sqotty.com is for you. It's a remote job board for developers who are interested in remote work. They have some really interesting job categories for computer science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and many more!
Another popular site for finding Remote Technology Jobs is Indeed.com, which has a lot of job postings worldwide. It's the world's number one job website, so there are tons of opportunities to find great positions that you can do remotely from home!
You can also find Remote Technology Jobs on Monster.com, which has a lot of Remote Tech and Web Development jobs as well.
These websites are great for finding open positions but you should apply to your desired job immediately after seeing the posting because there might be hundreds or even thousands of people applying during the application process!
2. Look at the job listings in your area that are near you
Weeding through local newspaper ads, Craigslist postings, or postings on your school's job board are great ways to find Jobs near you. Just because you're looking for tech jobs you can do remotely doesn't mean that the employer has to be located somewhere else!
3. Use social media
If you have a specific company in mind that you want to work for, try searching on social media sites like LinkedIn or Twitter. Remote companies are often looking for talent in the location where they're located - so it might be easier to find local Remote Jobs if that's what you prefer!
Conclusion
There you have it. If you have great tech skills, Remote jobs are a great way to find a work-life balance and avoid high-stress levels. Companies usually hire independent workers so there's nobody to say "no" if they want to take a day off for some personal reason or work extra on the weekend.
They often expect their employees to be self-motivated and proactive as they're working independently on a long list of tasks and projects that require constant attention without socializing with co-workers during the day.
Remote technology jobs can provide an excellent opportunity, but you should apply immediately after seeing positions because it is easy for remote workers to forget about their tasks at hand when not surrounded by co-workers all day.
The best places to find these types of opportunities include sites like Sqotty.com, Indeed.com Monster.com, and social media sites like LinkedIn or Twitter where Remote Companies are looking for talent in the location that they're located!
Happy job hunting everyone!
