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Building a Successful Career as a Software Developer

Finding a software developer job is an excellent career choice that can offer you many opportunities to collaborate on exciting projects while earning a good living for yourself.

Dhashen Govender
February 1, 2023
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Building a Successful Career as a Remote Software Developer: Strategies and Tips

Finding a software developer job is an excellent career choice that can offer you many opportunities to collaborate on exciting projects while earning a good living for yourself.

Another perk of this job is that it can often be done remotely. This gives remote software developers a ton of lifestyle freedom. You can choose to live where your company is headquartered, or you can opt for your hometown, a low-cost living area, or even spend time abroad.

As the remote work trend continues to grow and become more commonplace, more and more people are asking themselves how to build a successful career as a long distance knowledge worker. In this article, we will offer some tipss tricks, and advice intended for people pursuing a career in software.

Understanding the Remote Work Environment

Of course, the remote work lifestyle is not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes remote workers face unique challenges that must be addressed. If you wish to thrive in a remote software developer job, you should work on cultivating skills that are specialised to the remote work environment. For example:

Communication

Developing the ability to communicate your ideas in a manner that is clear, concise and compelling is especially crucial in a remote work setting. This will help you express your points of view, form connections with coworkers and avoid misunderstandings.

Focus

With great flexibility comes great responsibility. Staying concentrated on the job for hours each day is sometimes more challenging from home. We recommend practicing strategies such as the Pomodoro technique in order to keep your mind on track and provide you with regular short breaks.

Consistency

On a related note, adhering to small administrative tasks that should be performed regularly can also present a challenge when working alone. Develop strong organisational skills to guide you in your remote work journey and keep you consistent.

Enthusiasm

It may sound cheesy, but the ability to find joy in your work is very important for anyone hoping to build a successful career. People often tend to feed off the enthusiasm of others, so finding a way to get passionate about your work will take you and those who collaborate with you farther. That enthusiasm will also help you when pitching projects or submitting proposals as a freelance software developer.

Work/Life Balance

Just as it’s important to be able to concentrate, it’s also important to be able to turn it off at the end of the day. Remote work can sometimes blur the line between home and business, so it’s crucial to be deliberate about creating those boundaries for yourself.

Building a Strong Professional Network

Of course, another major concern that developers and other professionals have about remote software developer careers is the potential impact on their ability to network and make connections. After all, a strong professional network can provide you with invaluable mentorship, job offers, information, and friendships.

Your professional development depends in large part on the things you learn from others. Those working remotely should therefore invest time and resources into deliberately building their networks. This can be done through:

  • Participating in company events and get-togethers.
  • Meeting up with clients or coworkers in real life.
  • Attending industry relevant conferences and summits.
  • Going to local meet ups for developers, startups, business leaders, etc.
  • Utilizing online mastermind communities on platforms like Slack or Discord
  • Getting social and sharing your thoughts on a platform like LinkedIn.

Staying Up-To-Date With Industry Trends and Technologies

Things move fast in the tech industry. As a software developer, you need to be proactive about expanding your knowledge and growing your skill set. Lifelong learning is part of the job. Here are a few strategies you can employ to do just that.

  • Attend conferences. Perhaps we are starting to sound like a broken record here, but conferences are a wonderful opportunity to learn about your industry, make valuable connections and get out into the world.
  • Watch webinars. Many of the world's best minds today are creating educational content and sharing it for free. Don’t pass up all the wonderful education that is at your fingertips online.
  • Read industry publications. Though video content is certainly all the rage in 2023, there are plenty of great insights being published through the written word as well. Publications like TechCrunch and the Harvard Business Review are definitely worth your time as a remote developer.
  • Participate in online forums. While the influencers and publications we mentioned previously offer great big picture insights, many of the smaller details important to developers are shared on forums. Staying tuned to some online communities relative to your skill set is a great idea for any developer.

Growing Your Career As a Remote Software Developer

Career growth means more than just a higher salary. Moving up in your company will give you the opportunity to lead and help others based on your own experiences. And it can be a positive feedback loop in terms of creating even more professional opportunities for you in the future. Here are a few of the top strategies you can use to advance your career as a remote software developer.

Take on New Projects

Your willingness to try new things will help get you noticed even in a remote setting, which can help you move up in the company. Moreover, this attitude will expose you to many new types of work, which plays into our next point…

Learn New Skills

Expanding your horizons will create far more job opportunities for you can help you find a line of work that matches your financial ambitions, your work/life balance goals, and perhaps most importantly your interests and passion.

Watch for Opportunities

As a remote worker, opportunity is less likely to fall in your lap easily. However, if you take advantage of the freedom and flexibility that this type of work allows you, remote work can be an asset rather than a liability. And remember, don’t let remote work stop you from making some good IRL professional connections as well!

Strategies to Build a Successful Software Development Career

Remote work allows you to remain within your physical comfort zone while completing a lot of daily tasks. With that said, it’s important to keep a mindset of pushing yourself, which can sometimes means stepping out of your professional comfort zone. By being proactive about finding opportunities, educating yourself and growing your career. You can enjoy just as much success as a remote worker as, your peers achieve from the office.

Looking to find some remote development opportunities? Check out the jobs board on Scrum.com to find your next project!

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