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Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

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11–20 of 212 posts

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#11
I'd highly encourage you to continue learning to code. You might also consider software QA. It is also easy to do remotely, pays well, and the learning curve is a bit lower. If you learned selenium, the ability to navigate a SQL database, postman to test REST APIs, and some testing terms and methods you'd be well on your way. The first job will be the hardest to get, but once you have that, remote jobs are readily available.

Obviously you didn't lay out all the reasons why you couldn't move, and I don't expect you to, but I'd also REALLY strongly consider the implications of what a steady, well paying job can do for a family. Relocation opens up a world of opportunities for you, which opens up support and services for your family (paid and otherwise) that just aren't available in the poorest places. You don't have to be away from the people you care for if you can bring them along. I understand that leaving a support structure, even a flawed one, may not be possible, but think about that REALLY hard before you rule it out, especially if you're young. Some initial pain may transform lives. There's a reason so may people move away from the places they grow up. Plus, if you move for your first job, you always have the option of moving back after a year or two if it doesn't work out once you've established yourself in the career, which would make finding remote work much easier.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#12
post #9

Do you have any QA experience? Feel free to shoot me an email with your resume or Github/LinkedIn, and I'll send back a few openings I know of right now if it seems a good fit. My email is in my profile. Wishing you well on your job hunt!

I'll send you an email with my real email. I do not have QA experience (unless you count checking items in beauty shops), but I learn fast. We might be a good fit. Sending now.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#13

I'd highly encourage you to continue learning to code. You might also consider software QA. It is also easy to do remotely, pays well, and the learning curve is a bit lower. If you learned selenium, the ability to navigate a SQL database, postman to test REST APIs, and some testing terms and methods you'd be well on your way. The first job will be the hardest to get, but once you have that, remote jobs are readily av…

This a great comment, and solid feedback. QA sounds like a great step for this person.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#14
I'm going to echo what exdsq said as well, support or QA roles would be a good in to a company, provide you with some tech associated experience even if its not directly coding. With QA you might be able to start out doing some exploratory testing, move more into scripting up some automated tests to gather more experience writing code even if would just be simple scripts to start. This will get you some experience with source control, working with other automated testers if the org has it and potentially lead you to pivitoting to an SDET as you get more experience then based on your experience with that stuff you could pivot to development work.

Producing good work in your current position and having great communication skills can get you very far relatively fast in my personal experience.

Finding jobs through HN has worked for me in the past, in the search just type {month} {year} and look through the whos hiring threads ctrl-f for remote, look through the companies listings and see if they got anything new even if the post is a couple months old! HN can be a cheatcode to getting an interview rather than cold applying through monster.com or some shit like that.

Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#15
The boards are pretty good.

https://weworkremotely.com/

https://www.tecla.io/

https://remote.co/

https://www.flexjobs.com/

And if you're up for it, I highly encourage trying to try Zapier which is an amazing company and has terrific remote recruitment. Even if you don't get the job, great experience.

https://zapier.com/jobs/

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#16
post #4

Remote support roles will probably be your best bet, perhaps for a startup where it’s focused more customer experience than tech skills. Do that while carrying on with courses and you’ll be in demand quickly! Regarding finding work, I’d go on remote-focused job boards and look for any junior support or QA roles. Email the hiring team directly saying hi along with your CV to try beat any filtering systems. If you can’…

It is generally easy to identify, find contact information for hiring teams?

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#17

I know what it's like to care for family full time due to disabilitys plus work. Hang in there! I hope you can find something that you enjoy and it pays the bills! Best of luck!

It's really tough, but this thread has lifted my mood. I hope I can find something, too! It seems there are a couple leads so far. I hope you are doing well. It's a tough position to be in, but we have to do it.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#18
Just a suggestion based on personal exp...

I started writing paid articles on medium on developing mobile apps: 1. My first 2 weeks doing articles daily has given me: - 90% of my articles curated by medium staff for inclusion in people's feeds that do not follow me. - inclusion the weekly FlutterForce Newsletter every week. Yes at this point pay is low at about $5 total but it gets interesting in that it's the same ratio of free value and small paid value as you would do with free features in a mobile and paid features in the same app.

If you already have a small audience to grab somewhere which for you seems to be the case AND if you can make the stimulus checks yet coming stretch IT MIGHT BE THE PERFECT REMOTE FIT.

In my case I know it will even though I have reddit karma of several K in the flutterdev subeddit that it will take me 6 months to get the 500k monthly views on medium that generate on average $25k and so that plus me self publishing my book in 6 months is what is allow me to leverage to other things.

I cannot promise that you will also have the 500k monthly views on medium in 6 months and $25k monthly but I think you could get close.

As I get to the 500k monthly I also plan to start developing video course which will put me at the million in views and revenues.

Oh yeah, the best writing tool for dev notes and articles and books is a tool that has been highlighted on HackerNews before namely Zettlr.

If you feel the need to reach out my email is in my HN profile.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#19

I'd highly encourage you to continue learning to code. You might also consider software QA. It is also easy to do remotely, pays well, and the learning curve is a bit lower. If you learned selenium, the ability to navigate a SQL database, postman to test REST APIs, and some testing terms and methods you'd be well on your way. The first job will be the hardest to get, but once you have that, remote jobs are readily av…

Just to give an alternate take, I think you can get pigeonholed as a QA person and if you want to be a developer it may be a better route to look for positions that are going to give you practice developing.

That being said, the reality of job market these days might be that entry level positions are too competitive and this just isn't practical in which case getting your foot in the door with a QA role is still a much better option than nothing. But I would say it is a fairly indirect route to where you want to go.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#20

Check out https://www.launchcode.org and see if you can get "in" going that route if they have one in your area. Also, there's nothing stopping you from making things now, getting them online, and building on that experience. With not a lot of experience, I called up places and asked, "Do you need a website?" And got started that way. Good luck!

I'll look into this. My thinking is that there weren't be anything for my area. But I am willing to check out anything at this point, because I'm on a time crunch. I'll pull up it after I follow up with those who have potential job leads. Thank you!
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