Learn from those who landed remote jobs at Dropbox, Zapier, GitLab, and more!
You can work remotely AND have a successful career. Learn the steps you can take toward landing your dream remote job at a top tech company. What should your resume look like? How should you write your cover letter?
Check this page for inside tips, straight from Microsoft, Dropbox, Automattic, Zapier, Buffer, and more!
Successfully get a remote job! We're asking GitLab's Director of Engineering to share what he's looking for in a remote engineer, and how you can prove yourself to him. (Tim will also share his key remote work productivity tips, so you can structure your day for success.)
Not all careers are linear, and not all experience needs a certificate. Alastair tells us how saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities gave him the skills he needed to get a remote job as VP of Design at Dropbox— without a design degree!
Writing skills are non-negotiable for remote jobs. Katie shares how tactical use of social media can help you stand out when targeting engineering roles, and her playbook for you to copy.
Designers, listen up! Here's how to get a remote design job at Automattic, and what you need to prepare to nail your interview. Lynn will also give tips on how to leverage remote work as a neurodiverse professional, and how to have these conversations at work.
Thinking about using blogging to show the world your skills and leadership, and boost your remote job search? Steph shares how to leverage blogging, starting from scratch, as well as what makes an amazing blog (instead of an average one).
Culture is key to the success of remote companies — and working remotely. Courtny tells us why you should bring your true self to finding a remote job, as well as some of his go-to interview questions for candidates.
How do you prove you can work remotely if you haven't done it before? And how do you deal with rejected job applications along the way? Matt tells us how he landed his first remote job, and what you need to do to land yours too.
Wondering about the best career move to take next? Megan shares why taking your personal values into account can help guide your work from home career path, and why getting real life experience building products is crucial.
Volunteer your way to impact! Nadia's involvement with design community volunteering, as well as her optimized online presence, has helped shaped her remote work career — and it could shape yours too. Here's how.
Getting approached by the company instead of needing to apply? Dream result. However, it doesn't just happen! Lisa shares the online groundwork that made her stand out as an engineer, and how to overcome challenges you might face in your job search.
Learn about top remote professionals’ career paths, including their resume strategies
Get an inside look at how top tech companies interview and choose remote candidates
Ask your most pressing questions & grow your professional network
Lynn Collette, Design Director at Automattic
Lynn is a passionate, thoughtful, and creative Design Director whose career path has taken her everywhere from Apple to Uber to her current remote role at Automattic.
Katie Womersley, VP of Engineering at Buffer
Katie has had an exciting professional journey to her current role as VP of Engineering at Buffer. Blogging and social media have played an unexpectedly important role in her success. Her writing has appeared in The Next Web, Inc Magazine and Fast Company.
Alastair Simpson, VP of Design at Dropbox
Alastair's unconventional career path eventually landed him in his current remote role as VP of Design at Dropbox. He is now leading the company through their major shift to virtual-first work.
Steph Smith, Product Manager at The Hustle
Steph is a remote work enthusiast, product manager, world traveler, and innovator. Her current endeavors: working remotely at The Hustle and selling thousands of copies of her new book, Standing Out in 2020: Doing Content Right.
Courtny Cotten, Remote Design Team Lead at Microsoft
Previously at StackOverflow, Courtny now works as Microsoft's Remote Design Team Lead. His passion for collaboration, communication, and authenticity have carried him through his successful remote career.
Megan Murphy, VP of Product at Hotjar
Megan has lead product teams across the globe, including San Francisco, Brazil, China, and Spain. She now works as VP of Product at the fully-distributed company Hotjar.
Nadia Udalova, Head of Product Design at Moonpig
In 2015, Nadia co-founded the largest female-focused UX community in the Netherlands. Now, after working remotely at GitLab for a year, she just transitioned to a new role at Moonpig.
Lisa Smith, Engineering Manager at Zapier
A passionate supporter of women in tech, Lisa is co-founder and director of her local chapter of Women Who Code. She also works remotely as an Engineering Manager at Zapier.
Matt Nearents, Senior Product Designer at GitLab
From pre-med to psychology to programming, Matt has had a unique career path. He is now a passionate Senior Product Designer working remotely at GitLab.
Tim Zallmann, Director Of Engineering at GitLab
A self-taught programmer from the age of 15, Tim always knew that he wanted to pursue a career in engineering. He now works remotely as GitLab's Director of Engineering, leading and scaling their global workforce.
Each event will include a fireside chat style interview, live AMA, and networking session.
Working in the office forever? No thanks!
Remote work (especially working from home) has been on the rise, and more and more people want a remote job.
If you’ve come to learn how to get a remote job, you’re in the right place. On this page you’ll find a quick guide on how to find a remote job, as well as curated expert interviews and blog posts to help guide you in your search.
But how do you actually get a remote job, especially if you don’t have prior full time remote work experience? Read on to nail your job search right from the start.
Remote work is a normal job — done remotely.
Most people have a fully set up home office or regular third space they go to every day, and regular working hours (although these parts can be negotiable, compared to an in-office 9-5 job.)
For more basics, check out our Remote Work FAQs.
Like any job, your new remote work should be suited to your skills and experience, taken seriously, and, if possible, working on something that you love.
If “having a remote job” is your only motivation, you might struggle to get past the first interview round — employers want to see passion for their company, not just for “having a remote job!”
To successfully work remotely, there are some equipment non-negotiables: a laptop, a headset, a fast/stable internet connection, and a place where you can get work done.
Aside from the technical skills and knowledge you bring to your role, you also need solid soft skill fundamentals. These include written and spoken communication, time management, project management, and trustworthiness.
Are you able to manage your own time well, and stay motivated throughout the work day?
Are you comfortable with being on your own for long periods of time, without colleagues physically around you?
Are you able to communicate clearly through different formats, including email, messages, and video calls?
Are you able to give and receive feedback remotely?
If you’re already employed, can your current role go remote part-time, as an experiment?
Potential employers spend very little time looking at your resume — so you need to prove that you’ve got the skills to “work remotely” to an employer at first glance. Three of these skills: trustworthiness, clear written communication, and ability to self-manage:
Show that you take things to completion, and fulfil instructions given to you in the past. Give examples, ideally beginning with verbs (e.g. “Negotiated [X] with client and achieved outcome [Y]”).
Write in clear, succinct sentences. Create a logical flow to the “story” you are telling in your resume. And don’t forget to proof-read!
Make sure your CV clearly describes any self-directed side projects that you’ve done outside of work. (These are a key indicator that someone will be successful working remotely, if they haven’t done it before.)
A remote job cover letter is a one-shot, approximately 300 word chance to introduce yourself to the company and convince them to read your resume. Let’s unpack what it should – and shouldn’t — include.
Start with who you are: other than giving a basic introduction to yourself, remember that you’re applying for a remote role. Being able to communicate with personal style, accuracy, and efficiency is valued in a remote employee. This is your first chance to show these skills. Feel free to tactically add some personality — tell your story in a way that your CV can’t!
Speaking of CVs: don’t just reiterate the same information that’s already in your resume. Your cover letter’s job is to intrigue, not be a biography.
Next up: explain why you’re a great fit for this particular role. You’ve read the job description, right? Now’s your chance to explain why you fit it — and give concrete/data-based success examples from previous jobs where you can. Leave your future employer in no doubt that your skills more than cover the role, and that you actually want this job!
Show your culture fit with the prospective employer. Read the company’s website and blog. If relevant, try out their product. Understand their market position and competitors. Learn the company’s written “voice.” This can all help you craft your writing style to give the hiring manager a first impression that you’d seamlessly fit into the existing team.
What’s your unique edge? How can you leverage your past experiences to help the new company grow? Do you already have some ideas for the company? Make sure that you show the value you will bring to the company, and that you are self-motivated.
You also need to make the case about why you can succeed at working remotely. If you’ve had a previous remote job, this is easier. If you haven’t, think laterally: explain times when you have successfully collaborated with others across distance, and driven projects to completion. Have you run an online book club, co-built a website with a friend across the country, or contributed to an open source project? This all counts.
It goes without saying, but let’s say it anyway: always be truthful. If you don’t meet a certain requirement, don’t make false claims. (But maybe you can explain how you have transferable skills, or a self-directed learning plan to make up the gap?)
Finally, make sure you’re giving the information the employer wants! If the job description includes specific skill, or other, requirements, leaving these out will see your application thrown out. Always read the job description carefully! Optimize your answers for those requirements. If the job description includes specific software, or certain soft skills, make sure you cover your experience with these.
Online freelancer/contractor marketplaces: home to some of the original remote jobs, if you’re looking for some remote side gigs, here’s where they live.
Specialist online job boards: for part-time and full time remote jobs, you’re better focusing your searching on online job boards, rather than freelance marketplaces.
Reaching out to remote companies: have certain companies in mind? Keep an eye on their website — or if you think you’re bringing specialist skills and experience to the table, why not cold email?
Online networking: don’t underestimate the value of online networking for finding a remote job. Since remote workers do their work through the internet, being able to build relationships remotely is a key skill. Find people with the jobs you want, and get in touch!
Online conferences and virtual events: although usually focused on upgrading your skills, online events often have networking built into the schedule. You never know who you might right into, and what opportunities they can provide!
Real-life networking: in-person networking is one of the most effective ways to find a job. Provide insights and value where you can, and stay in touch.
Ask for one: if you can’t find a suitable remote role, see if you can transform your existing job into a remote job (help your employer out by suggesting a trial period approach and performance metrics), or ask if a job ad can be done remotely when responding to it.
Smart remote job candidates make themselves stand out on the internet — in a good way!
Since your employer might not ever meet you in person, creating a professional online presence is a great way to show who you are, your skills, and what you’re interested in.
Blogging, LinkedIn posts, content-heavy Tweets, and a personal portfolio/website are some of the ways you can build a professional online presence.
Don’t underestimate becoming part of online communities: presenting your ideas, contributing to open source projects, and volunteering your skills online to help others not only feel personally rewarding, but are a great way to expand your personal network — remotely.
You can do the job: you have the technical skills and experience (or a solid self-learning plan to fill the gaps).
You can work remotely: you’re self-directed, organized, and can communicate clearly and with empathy. You know how to build personal connections without being physically in the same space. You’re good at removing your own blockers, following written instructions, and researching solutions without being told to.
You want this job: you’re passionate about the product/service, on board with the company’s values and direction, and excited to be part of the team.
More tips? Check out:
Show how your skills transfer: if you haven’t worked remotely before, you’ve probably still got the skills to do it. Have you done a group project online? Built a website? Done an online bootcamp? Won a team online gaming championship? These sorts of activities all include “remote work” skills like teamwork, communication, self-direction, and organization.
Help your future employer visualize you working remotely: explain your setup, tools, and approach to how you will work remotely.
Come with a plan: suggest ways and metrics that the company can use to check that you’re doing well with remote work.
Research the company: understand their values and mission, their product/service (if possible, sign up for an account/try it out!), read their blog, and understand their market position and competitors. Think about what challenges the company might face, and how they might face them.
Understand the role: re-read the job description, and think about how you meet the criteria. Prepare answers that explain how your skills and experience help you fulfil these.
Prepare your portfolio: if a portfolio of prior work is a standard part of interviewing for the job role, take the time to polish this up! Think about how you will describe the processes and decisions behind the contents of your portfolio. It’s a great way to show your skills.
Check your tech: you’re probably going to be doing an interview, so make sure you have a fast, stable interview connection, decent lighting, a working headset, and a working device. That pile of laundry in the background? Move it! (And, if you’re using new software, get a friend to do a test call with you.)
Confirm the meeting time: double-check the meeting time, especially if there are multiple time zones involved.
Explore global remote developer salaries here.
