Almost every office job became a remote job, even if it was temporarily, during spring 2020. There was a shift in acceptance of having a distributed workforce and some companies even decided to make it a permanent change. Not all work can be done off site but thankfully, tech jobs are definitely ones that can be done from anywhere. 

With many companies using offshore (a.k.a. outsourced) software development teams that are located usually overseas, it’s no surprise that tech jobs are an obvious first category of jobs to go remote. All you need is a computer, a stable internet connection, and discipline. If you have skills in web development, UI/UX design, app development, or anything else related to software and tech, check out the resources below to land a remote job in tech.

Check with Remote Job Boards

Most major job searching platforms have “remote” as a location option now. If you keep an eye on Indeed, Glassdoor, and other job boards, you can set alerts for remote jobs within your specialty. However, in the last decade or so, as remote work has grown in popularity especially among start ups, remote specific job sites have popped up and most of them have a section on software development and other categories related to tech.

WeWorkRemotely.com– We Work Remotely was one of the earliest job boards dedicated to work from anywhere jobs. They have categories that include programming, devops, and product which is pretty tailored to the tech industry. When large companies like Google and Amazon post remote jobs, they usually get featured on We Work Remotely. Job posts are paid for by companies so you know that they’re legitimate and up to date unlike some job aggregation sites like Indeed.

Remote.co- At Remote.co, there are remote jobs for developers, designers, marketers, among many other categories. The website has pages for company profiles and a blog section with helpful information for job seekers and companies looking to hire. Compared to We Work Remotely, Remote.co covers more non-tech roles like virtual assistants and data entry.

Powertofly.com – Power to Fly was founded by women who are on a mission to help other women and members of the LGBTQ+ community land roles in more visible companies in order to help with diversity and inclusion. They offer resources around training and events and many of the jobs they feature are remote. If you identify with the groups they aim to help, sign up for an account to start looking through openings! Although they cover more than tech jobs, one of their priorities is adding more diversity to the tech scene. They analyze your experience and skills and then match you with an employer to tailor the recruitment process.

Justremote.co – Just Remote is a smaller site that is pretty simple and sparse. However, they do have a good amount of listings for anyone looking for a remote job in software development, design, or more. This site is not super targeted to remote tech jobs but may still be worth keeping in your bookmarks.

Flexjobs – Flexjobs is a pay-to-join type job site so they don’t offer much information if you are not a member. They show previews of the types of jobs available with salary estimates but not much else. If you feel like you have exhausted options on the other sites we mentioned or major sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor, it may be worth accessing Flexjobs’ supposed rich pool of remote work. Subscriptions start at under $7 for a week duration and the longer you purchase for, the higher the discount.

Tips for Landing a Remote Job

Create a Digital Portfolio

Many job applications include a section to attach your resume, cover letter, and any other helpful documents for the hiring team. This is where you should include previous relevant work or projects you have done. Every part of an application that asks for an answer or allows you to share something is an opportunity to paint the picture you want the company to see.

If you are looking for a new role in UI/UX design, include screenshots or links to products you’ve helped design. Even if it wasn’t for a past job or internship, you can work on projects on your own time with tools like Figma or Balsamiq to show what concepts represent your style and thought process. If you’re looking for a role in product management, you could share wireframes for an app you worked on from a bootcamp course or past work from a job.

Even if your experience doesn’t match a job listing 100%, it might be worth applying anyway especially if you have the hands on work to fill in the gaps. You never know how flexible an employer is willing to be if they’re looking for a candidate urgently! Sharing a portfolio is a great way to show that you’re willing to go beyond the bare minimum on the application.

Improve your Self-Promotion Skills

Sometimes it’s hard to pin down what your elevator pitch will be even when the question asked is a simple, “tell me about yourself.” The truth is, with technical roles that require a lot of specific tools and skill sets, it’s even harder to fit how you are qualified into engaging stories when speaking to a hiring manager. Practice makes better for any skill and self promoting is no different. 

Before you start jumping on calls with recruiters, StackCache suggests that you create a folder or document with different answers to common interview questions. Think of real examples that showcase problems you’ve helped resolve in the past or stories that portray your values and strengths. You can practice answering questions with a friend or mentor who is willing to do mock interviews with you. Once you feel like the answers come naturally and comfortably, you’re in a good place to start testing them out!

Before you target your top priority roles, we recommend doing a few test rounds to familiarize yourself with typical interview questions. That means applying for jobs you might only be a little bit interested in so that you don’t feel like there’s too much on the line. This takes off the pressure of needing to be 100% on your game and hopefully some of the nervousness as well if you slip up a bit. Remember that it’s okay to not answer every question perfectly and everyone makes mistakes.

Clean Up your Resume and Cover Letter

This goes without saying but make sure your resume and cover letter are updated and match the job description you are applying for. Different experience levels or specialties within tech roles may have varying requirements around specific languages or tools. Ensure you cover all the major bases that the hiring manager is looking for by scanning your resume with a tool like jobscan.co and include soft skills that are mentioned within your cover letter.

Practice Your Remote Presentation 

Since employers looking for remote employees have fewer opportunities to get to know their new hires, they may need to request a presentation or live run through of a problem to get a better sense of your skill level. If you need to share screen and present a powerpoint or other type of presentation, make sure you practice with whatever video conferencing software you use. 

The last thing you want is to accidentally share your interview notes or have another job application open during the interview. Make sure you understand the mechanics of the video sharing tools so that you know exactly what you’ll be showing the hiring manager.

If you really want to check all your boxes, practice presenting to a friend or peer and get feedback before the actual interview. Jot down which parts you want to emphasize the most to convey the strengths you can bring to your new role.

There are many other tips you can use to win remote jobs. Give the above suggestions a try and feel more confident as you embark on job hunting.