Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job? • Hacker News Board

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

#191

Post by killtimeatwork » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 1:59 PM UTC

klondike_klive wrote: post #177

ldjb wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's an interesting question and something that hadn't really occurred to me. Personally, over the past few years I've been a developer, a product owner and now a product manager. But if I were to apply for a new developer role, would I leave out my current product manager role from my CV? Absolutely not! It's generally considered a bad idea to have gaps in your CV. And actually having worked various roles can actu…

How about if I was a stay-at-home dad for a year? I haven't included that in my resume - I figured if I were asked I have no problem speaking about it, I'm actually super proud of it, it just doesn't strike me as something I should put in my list of experience.

Employers worry about gaps in CV because of two possible scenarios:

- you were actively looking, but were unable to find a job during that whole time - for them it's social proof that you suck

- you're actually picky and "high maintenance"

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

#192

Post by 40four » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 2:05 PM UTC

leesalminen wrote: post #180

40four wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have used Ginger! There is a Pet Paradise in my city we used to go to, and I booked through the app all the time. Small world haha

Oh, awesome! We love Pet Paradise- they run a good business and the leadership really does care about pet safety.

Probably the nicest daycare/ boarding brick & mortar facility I've ever seen. Great people working there too. We only stopped going because we moved to the other side of town and it's too far, there is another place closer.

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

#193

Post by brandall10 » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 2:12 PM UTC

wyclif wrote: post #133

brandall10 wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To add to your last comment, there are relatively cheap courses to help get AWS certifications on places like Udemy.

The best gambit is to get an entry-level job that will pay for your AWS certificates while you work. Always, always, take advantage of free training when it's offered.

We’re talking like $20. Considering the situation the OP is currently in, I’d consider that money well spent to aid in getting that first job and assisting in leapfrogging to the much better one soon after.

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

#194

Post by nec4b » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 2:30 PM UTC

pbreit wrote: post #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/

> 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.

I've just check their job openings. In their application form they are asking questions about race, ethnicity, gender,... Is it legal to ask such questions and what is the relevance of such questions?

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

#195

Post by costcopizza » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 2:43 PM UTC

I also have a special-needs sister so I commend you 1000%.

Are you near any colleges or hospitals nearby? Those are probably your best bet for finding a local helpdesk. Don't forget YC's Work At A Startup and AngelList -- I see remote customer support posting there as well!

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

#196

Post by wyclif » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 2:51 PM UTC

brandall10 wrote: post #193

wyclif wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best gambit is to get an entry-level job that will pay for your AWS certificates while you work. Always, always, take advantage of free training when it's offered.

We’re talking like $20. Considering the situation the OP is currently in, I’d consider that money well spent to aid in getting that first job and assisting in leapfrogging to the much better one soon after.

OK, sure. Granted, it's not expensive. But at least if a company is willing to support you in getting the AWS certificates, it means they're willing to help you grow as a developer.

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

#197

Post by brandall10 » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 3:02 PM UTC

wyclif wrote: post #196

brandall10 wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We’re talking like $20. Considering the situation the OP is currently in, I’d consider that money well spent to aid in getting that first job and assisting in leapfrogging to the much better one soon after.

OK, sure. Granted, it's not expensive. But at least if a company is willing to support you in getting the AWS certificates, it means they're willing to help you grow as a developer.

I get your point in a general sense, but if I were in the OPs shoes I would certainly not wait for or expect something like that. He's in crisis mode. He's looking for any job that will allow him to remain at home with his family. He will have to hustle to get that first job which likely won't have any interest in supporting growth like that. That's why I said "leapfrog to the next better job".

Back in the day instruction/certification for things like this would run in the thousands/be in person would be a non-starter in a situation like this. We're in a different world now where instruction like this has an infinitesimally small cost compared to the value it can bring.

The question is whether or not doing this now is the best use of his time, and I would argue yes, absolutely, the earlier the better. Just the education alone is powerful, but having an actual AWS Certified Developer cert will open doors.

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

#198

Post by redshirtrob » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 3:26 PM UTC

mettamage wrote: post #159

AlexDanger wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Make multiple resumes, each with a focus on one thing. Use the resume that's best for the job. I recently saw somebody who must have had 20 different resumes to match the jobs they were applying for. It worked. I'd like to second this methodology. It is a very effective approach. I've worked across multiple specialties within technology and I always tailor my CV to the job I am applying for. I highlight the most rel…

Question: how do you deal with gaps in your resume? Let's suppose you were a machine learning engineer for 2 years, a web developer for another 2 and a product owner for 3 years. I presume that some experiences would almost make it seem that you're not dedicated to the role you're applying for if you leave them in. So you have to leave them out. How do you deal with that?

Be honest. I make a habit of having gaps in my resume. I like to take some time off between jobs. It's a luxury, but if you can swing it, it will do a lot to recharge you and get you ready for your next role.

If the gap is fairly large (say over six months), be prepared to discuss what you were up to during that time. Hopefully it's something interesting, but it doesn't have to be something related to your career path.

To your actual question: I see no issue with bouncing between roles. If anything it shows flexibility and a diverse interest. You'll fit right in at small to medium places where folks frequently wear many hats. Plat it as a strength.

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

#199

Post by tmaly » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 4:33 PM UTC

It seems like you already have some good tech skills here. Have you considered trying out upwork?

Hear me out, I was trying to figure out how to best go about sending out emails to people who sign up on my website. I try to listen to podcast episodes to learn some of these things. A well known copyrighter from Australia was interviewed on the podcast episode I happened to listen to 2 days ago. His story of how he got started was brilliant. He went above and beyond with the projects he did on upwork. People that hired him were blown away by how much value he provided. He started raising his prices as word spread about the quality of his work. I think what he did is a very viable strategy for those getting started.

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

#200

Post by colllectorof » Thu, Feb 18, 2021, 5:29 PM UTC

mattbee wrote: post #56

Hey anon, I feel for you, and most of the answers here are giving you a 12-month plan when you need a 1-month plan. If you know Linux well enough to configure Wordpress, how about tech support for a hosting company? Try making some short email approaches to old-school hosting companies (I used to run one). They might be flexible enough to take a chance depending on how confident your approach is. They have lots of cu…

Somewhat off-topic, but important.

Note how this path wouldn't be possible if all these hosting companies went out of business thanks to competition from big cloud providers. Then think about what this means for the future we (in IT) create for ourselves and for newly minted IT professionals.

I commonly see people on HN deny that there are any major shifts in overall system complexity happening right now. "Everything always seems complex if it wasn't created when you started in IT". Ok. If the complexity of newer tech stacks is an illusion, why don't you hire the OP to manage your containerized micro-services via Kubernetes? He's starting his career in IT right now, so he should have no preconceptions you allude to.