9 Tips for a Thriving Remote Developer Career

Professionals must be engaged, attentive, hardworking, and collaborative to create a successful remote developer career. However, there’s more to remote work than a determined mind. 

The benefits of working from home as a developer may be more beneficial than you think. Not only will your role be useful to more than just one company, but you can also expect an increase in knowledge and understanding of different developer techniques that you would not have gotten in a singular contract.

Another impact that might interest you is that remote developers get to work globally with different businesses all around the world. Depending on your skill set and professional career, you can sit comfortably at home while becoming financially stable.

However, in order to create a path for your remote developer role, you must first gather the key figures required to increase your chances of getting hired as a freelance developer.

Impenetrable Developer Portfolio

Every successful remote developer career begins with an impeccable and impenetrable portfolio. This portfolio should include a wide range of experiences and proficiencies related to IT development. 

An impressive developer portfolio should also be clear, minimalist in design, and should have all contact information included. It will help if you show your previous work to other companies so that your potential employers have a grasp of your skills and talents.

Keep in mind that you should also include the technologies and languages you’re experienced in as well as your degree. 

Following that will be the contact information of your previous employers for their background checks on your work ethic. Take note that you must first give your previous employers a heads-up should they call. 

World-class Communication and Collaboration Skills

A big difference between in-house and remote developers is their world-class communication and collaboration skills. Successful remote developers not only have the required developer skills needed to process business but are also communicative and able to discuss issues successfully with other members.

Ensure quality communication by practising your social skills and understanding the different cultures that you will be exposed to through your work. Understanding how they communicate will lessen misinterpretations and smooth out any discrepancies in the tasks at hand.

Collaboration also plays a big role in a remote developer’s success. Your role will need to be more active in the production, expansion, or upgrades of the company or client you are working with. Give innovative ideas to make seamless transitions or high-quality solutions and updates so your clients receive a recommendation or even be rehired for another project.

Retain Motivation and Organisation

A big problem with remote working is the lack of motivation and organization. A successful remote developer career will also include multiple projects from different companies. If there are too many, you will become susceptible to burnout and overwhelm.

To prevent such a setback, a healthy, motivated mindset and an organised schedule must be retained. Avoid taking too much responsibility if you can no longer deliver high-quality outputs.

While an extra job may be enticing, quality goes a long way rather than quantity. Ensure that your employers are impressed by your work ethic and delivery by not taking too many workloads simultaneously.

Dedicate a Home Office

Home offices are a necessity for a successful remote developer career. Lessening distractions, creating a work mindset within your home, and being comfortable within said space is a treasure for any developer. Resources can also be easily reached if placed on a nearby desk.

A home office should include a sturdy table at eye level, an ergonomic chair perfect for long hours of sitting, sufficient lighting, ventilation, and high-speed Internet connectivity. 

Don’t forget to prioritise the Internet in general. Remote working requires consistent communication channels and quick responses to create an effective collaboration. 

Not only will you feel more at work in the space you have set, but you can also lessen distractions such as game consoles, chores, and other possible situations that you won’t be able to avoid if working from a public space in your home.

Time Management for Your Remote Work

WFH time management can prevent remote work burnout and mishaps between employees and employers. A successful remote developer career needs to master this before doing any multitasking at hand. Create quality work promptly by using journals and scheduling your tasks weekly.

It’s also wise to use time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro technique, which involves working for 25 minutes and taking short break intervals. 

In addition to techniques you can implement yourself, you should also use project management tools such as Asana, Monday, or Trello. These online management platforms can help you organise what you should be doing at what time and on what day. 

Connect with the Community

Bring about a successful remote developer career by connecting with your community. A wide network of remote developers is untapped but easy to access on the Internet. Consider using online websites or applying to third-party companies to receive job postings that require developers.

Not only will you learn more about job opportunities for yourself, but you may also get a chance to learn more about the culture of remote development through them. Understand, learn, and adapt their advice while establishing relationships with other remote developers and employers.

Advocate Remote Positions

While remote working has become a big part of the workforce, others still need convincing. A successful remote developer career also requires you to advocate for these remote positions.

This also includes discussing the possibility of working remotely and its advantages. Learn more about the positive effects of remote working and negotiate your terms with potential clients or employers to advocate your request.

Continuous Learning and Upgraded Skill Sets

Career development increases your chances of getting hired regardless of your workplace. Successful remote developers often have an edge by specializing in cutting-edge technologies. This includes difficult or uncommon techniques and recently released applications.

Why? Because remote developers continuously learn and upgrade their skill sets. Unlike in-house employees who must work in a singular company, remote developers manage their own time and can successfully keep up with the news about the tech industry.

Not only that, they can even venture further and learn the newest trade. This creates an opening for remote developers to be one of the first specialists regarding new software or technology untapped by those contracted to work in a singular company.

It’s also the edge that creates more opportunities for remote jobs. Being a rare source of a coding platform, technique, or language will cause employers to contact you.

Healthy Work-Life Balance 

A healthy work-life balance in a successful remote developer career is often undermined. However, it can cause burnout and breakdown for the developer if not taken care of.

To maintain productivity and efficiency, developers must learn to establish a line between work and social life. Lacking the strength to sign off after work hours can result in working longer periods with few breaks.

While it may sound effective at first, it could end in disaster: You may no longer find joy in your work and deliver subpar results. Once the work has finished, turn off your work laptop and communication channels. 

It is also important to learn to sleep at an earlier time, follow a healthy diet, and exercise to maintain energy.

Conclusion

The world is changing, and so are the ways to create a successful remote developer career. While all these methods combined greatly improve your journey, technology will continuously adapt. Therefore, working remotely must also adapt to retain its validity. 

Remember these methods to retain your career’s development and continuously grow into becoming an efficient, communicative, and world-class remote developer!

Wish to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of remote working? Plug into our blog at Remote Developer now!