Ask HN: Remote-Friendly for International Timezones?

Since I moved, I've only been able to find work about 50% of the time. Getting a work permit in Europe basically isn't possible without a degree.

I've been unemployed since Covid began. It was quite humbling going from complaining about recruiters to spending my days staring blankly at job sites for 10 hours per day.

Going back to the USA is out of the question, but nobody in Europe will do a work permit for somebody without a college degree.

Finding consulting has proven impossible due to the timezone difference. Upwork and other similar sites are worthless, unless you're a guy with 30 years experience (I am) who is willing to work for $10/hour (I am not).

I'm done with working in this part of tech. Which other realms might be more conducive to remote work with minimal interaction? Maybe it's time to give up and become a landlord instead?

EDIT: Clarified that I do not live in the EU.

Most places have at least a couple hours of overlap with the US. What time zone are you in?

What is your criteria for remote jobs? Perhaps the criteria is too limiting?

E.g. are you refusing jobs that require joining any meetings whatsoever? (Not saying you are, just speculating what the problem might be)

In the meantime, reaching out the the thirty years of coworkers, bosses, and subordinates might also provide job leads related to your direct experience.

Good luck.

We do care (and check) that you’re legally allowed to work where you live, but other than that, I’d expect there are high hundreds (likely thousands) of companies hiring remotely who are in a similar boat.

1. Get a degree. Sign up for something like Western Governor's University or anything you can complete at quickly as possible. Burn the the curriculum by working your ass off to get that degree. This path makes sense if getting a degree is, as you state, the only thing from preventing you from working locally.

2. Get a USA job. Update your CV to make it look like you've been doing something over the past two years (which could be going to school). Set your LinkedIn location to an East Coast USA city (e.g. NYC or DC). Interview for remote only positions. Get hired. Don't tell them you're working from Europe. Have them ship work laptop to some place in the USA where you can fly to pick it up. Fly home. Set your laptop timezone to be timezone of local office so you don't have to explain why you're 7 hours ahead all the time. Say you like to work early & simply avoid companies that have a lot of later afternoon meetings. Budget for flying back to get a replacement laptop if you have to. Make sure you pay your taxes in Europe. You don't want to get busted. Hire a tax professional to help you navigate the European tax system.

3. Fight to establish yourself on sites like Upwork & TopTal. Kind of a race to the bottom, but obviously people do it.

I didn't suggest becoming a self employed consultant because if you were wired to do that, you'd have already done it. You can of course develop this skill, but it takes time & isn't for everyone.