Despite the reopening of offices across the country, the market for fully remote tech jobs remains strong. That’s good news for any technologist who wants to stay in their sweatpants while coding an app or securing a company’s tech stack.
According to the latest edition of CompTIA’s Monthly Jobs Report, job postings for fully remote positions increased between January and February. Software developers, web developers, system engineers/architects, and business intelligence analysts all saw notable month-over-month jumps. Consult the table:
Do you want to apply for a remote job? Keep a few simple things in mind. To start, make sure the “remote” part is permanent; with the increase in vaccinations and the easing of pandemic-related restrictions, some companies are shifting their employees entirely remotely to hybrid office work (i.e. in the office a few days a week) or full-time . Second, make sure the potential employer’s time zone and schedule matches your needs; if you live on the east coast and they expect you to work west coast hours, this could potentially be a problem.
Interviewing for a remote job also involves some additional considerations, especially since the interview will likely also be remote. For example, you need to consider not only your appearance, but also the background of your video. Make sure well in advance that your interview-related apps (such as Zoom or Teams) are up to date. “If I’m on a technical interview and the technical lead doesn’t know how to answer the call and as an employee or candidate I can’t, that could create a little bit of discouragement,” Jim Johnson, vice -senior president and director of field practice at Robert Half Technology, recently told Dice. “Find a quiet place, ideally your home office, where you will be working, so they have an idea of what it will be like to work with you.”
If you’re applying for a developer or engineering job, chances are you’ll face at least one coding test (and probably several). Be sure to review potential questions and answers ahead of time (LeetCode can give a good idea of what hiring managers might ask). A remote interviewer may also choose to give you a “homework assignment” instead of a live test. If you prepare enough, you’ll show them that you have what it takes to get the job done, no matter where you’re doing that job from.
