Get Remote Job Offers - ASAP

I created this guide out of my passion for the developer community. A star 🌟 on this repo would be greatly appreciated 🤗, as it motivates me to dedicate more time to it.

If you have any comments, ideas, or appreciation, please use the discussions tab. This is a continually updated, open source project. Don't hesitate to clone, fork, and submit pull requests!

This guide is designed like a to-do list, so there's no need to read it all at once. In each step, I purposefully suggest only one tool to keep you from wondering what to use. Just follow each step, slaying one dragon at a time, until you land that job offer.

Steps

<ol> <li><a href="#resume-preparation">Resume Prepration</a></li> <li><a href="#customized-cover-letter">Customized Cover Letter</a></li> <li><a href="#start-applying-for-jobs">Start Applying for Jobs</a> <ul> <li><a href="#linkedin">LinkedIn</a></li> <li><a href="#cord">Cord</a></li> <li><a href="#remoteok">RemoteOK</a></li> <li><a href="#glassdoor">Glassdoor</a></li> <li><a href="#indeed">Indeed</a></li> <li><a href="#weworkremotely">WeWorkRemotely</a></li> <li><a href="#wellfound-formerly-angellist">Wellfound (Formerly AngelList)</a></li> <li><a href="#otta">Otta</a></li> <li><a href="#golangprojects">GolangProjects</a></li> <li><a href="#cold-email">Cold Email</a></li> <li><a href="#referrals">Referrals</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#prep-for-interview">Prep for Interview</a> <ul> <li><a href="#show-dont-tell">Show, Don’t Tell</a></li> <li><a href="#star-method-action-verbs">STAR Method (Action Verbs)</a></li> <li><a href="#improve-your-english">Improve Your English</a></li> <li><a href="#boost-your-confidence">Boost Your Confidence</a></li> <li><a href="#practice-with-mock-interviews">Practice with Mock Interviews</a></li> <li><a href="#look-presentable">Look Presentable</a></li> <li><a href="#be-punctual">Be Punctual</a></li> <li><a href="#research-the-job-and-company">Research the Job and Company</a></li> <li><a href="#flash-a-smile">Flash a Smile</a></li> <li><a href="#send-a-follow-up-email">Send a Follow-Up Email</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#interview-stages">Interview Stages</a> <ul> <li><a href="#hr-interview">HR Interview</a></li> <li><a href="#technical-interview">Technical Interview</a></li> <li><a href="#cultural-fit-interview">Cultural Fit Interview</a></li> <li><a href="#interview-postmortem"> Interview Postmortem</a></li> </ul> </li> </ol>

Resume Preparation

First off, it's crucial to read job descriptions carefully and tailor your CV and cover letter to match them. It's completely normal to spend about 30-60 minutes on each job application. Preparing a proper job application takes time. That’s why I often say that applying for jobs is a full-time job in itself! Taking the time to craft your application can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed and ultimately landing an interview.

You can find many free resume templates here. Choose a CV style that you like—I'd suggest going for a one-column layout. If you're familiar with LaTeX, great! If not, you can use Overleaf's visual editor to easily create your resume.

It might seem counterintuitive, but it's better to keep your job search focused. For instance, if you know you want to be a back-end engineer specializing in Python, don't apply for every software engineer role out there. By narrowing your focus, you can tailor your resume, LinkedIn, and other profiles to match exactly what you're looking for. This makes you a stronger candidate for the jobs that really matter to you.

Here's a simple way to create your CV:

Master CV

First, write a detailed CV. Don’t worry about making it short; include everything. For each job you've had, list at least ten things you did. This full version will be your base for making shorter ones tailored to each job.

Tailored CV

For each job you apply for, pick the top 3-4 most relevant points from your detailed CV and hide the rest (easy to do in LaTeX). This way, you make a CV that highlights what's most important for that job. You can use JobScan to check how well your CV matches the job description.

Start with the most important information. If your education is the most relevant, list it first. If your open-source projects are the best match for the job, highlight them at the top. If your experience is the strongest fit, lead with that.

For instance, if you're applying for a remote job with a European company, showcase any experience you have working with Europeans right away. This shows you understand their work culture. If the employer is in the healthcare industry and you have an article on healthcare data analysis, don't bury it on the second page. Put it at the top to grab the recruiter's attention.

CV Tips:

• Don’t rely on ChatGPT to write your entire resume. Instead, draft it yourself and use ChatGPT as a helper. A simple prompt like, “Rewrite and keep my tone,” can refine your text while preserving authenticity, eliminating grammar or dictation errors, and often enhancing the wording.
• Use Job Keywords in your resume.
• Name at least 10 skills in each job experience.
• Include relevant public profile pages in your CV (like GitHub, StackOverflow, Kaggle, etc.). Only add them if they showcase your skills; empty profiles won't help and could even hurt your application. Make sure these links strengthen your application, not weaken it. If your contributions on Github is more on private repositories, you can show your contributions on your profile without exposing the code. Read the guide for Showing your private contributions and achievements on your Github profile.
• Check for grammar and spelling mistakes using Grammarly.com. Writing correctly is crucial as it reflects your attention to detail.
• Ensure all links work properly across different environments.
• Include the location for each job. If you have remote work experience, label it as “remote.” This is a positive signal for remote-first companies, showing you’re experienced in remote team collaboration.
• Avoid labeling yourself as a Full Stack Engineer/Developer unless you have at least 8 years of experience and are truly proficient in both front-end and back-end development. I prefer using the term Software Engineer. In your resume, you can list the technologies you've worked with, specifying whether they are front-end or back-end, in the description section.
• Remove the languages section unless you know a language that would be beneficial for the employer. Companies assume you know English, and proficiency in your native language isn't usually relevant to them.
• Avoid using just one accent color. It makes the content dull and unengaging for a real human reader.

Optimize for ATS

Before a person sees your resume, a computer system called an ATS might check it first. Make sure your resume is easy for this system to read. This can help you get noticed and hopefully get an interview. You can upload your resume to ResumeWorded to get tips on making it better. Even if you don’t agree with all the advice, try to use the feedback to improve your resume.

Customized Cover Letter

A cover letter is your opportunity to expand on your resume and make a real connection with the recruiter, showing why you're the perfect fit for this specific role.

Your resume highlights your skills, but your cover letter is where you get to tell a story, forge a personal connection, and hook the recruiter. For instance, when I applied to Amadeus, I emphasized how the travel industry hasn't seen significant change in the last 50 years and how I believed Amadeus was well-positioned to lead a breakthrough. I meant every word, and I still stand by that view.

Keep your cover letter simple, concise, and to the point. Think from the recruiter's perspective: Why should they pick you? Make yourself memorable by thoroughly understanding the job posting and researching the company. Be sincere in your cover letter—mention the aspects of their business that resonate with you, and showcase the skills and expertise you bring that align perfectly with the role.

I've noticed some people skip the cover letter entirely, and that's a big mistake. Leaving it blank sends the message that you're not really serious about the opportunity.

I've created a tool that simplifies writing custom cover letters and tracking job applications—all in one place: Google Sheets link. If you want a free copy, just fill out this form.

Start Applying for Jobs

There’s no magic platform or trick that guarantees job interviews. If your skills and experiences match a job posting, you’re likely to get an invitation for an interview. Below, I’ll introduce some of the main job listing platforms and offer some tips on how to effectively use them:

LinkedIn

As you may know, LinkedIn is the mai