Big Data

Remote developers are finding hiring hard, and this is why


Navigating the hiring process has never been easy, but in an age where remote working is the norm, new challenges and expectations continue to emerge.

Though most knowledge workers are pretty comfortable with video meetings now, like Zoom or Google Meet, this technology comes with its own set of issues.

Unlike traditional in-person interviews, remote interviews lack the personal interaction and rapport-building that are crucial in showcasing your personality, and soft skills.

The latter especially matters, according to the Future of Work 2023 report from the World Economic Forum (WEP), which lists self-efficacy, working with others and ethics as “soft” skills that will be upskilling priorities for 2023 to 2027, across a number of industries.

And with the rise of gen AI and automation, employers are putting greater value on soft skills than ever.

New research data lists organizational skills, teamwork, problem-solving, communication and leadership as the soft skills with the strongest connection to faster promotions, and these can be more difficult to convey remotely.

Technical proficiency is paramount for most developer roles, and technical interviews and coding assessments give applicants an opportunity to showcase these skills, but applicants must also demonstrate how they can adapt to virtual collaboration tools, and work autonomously.

Competition is also fierce. Remote developers find themselves competing with candidates from all over the globe, or within a particular time zone at least, creating intense competition for coveted positions. Standing out, in a crowded and talented field of applicants, can be an uphill battle.

Easy upskilling

Despite these obstacles, savvy developers are being creative in their job search.

From networking through online communities like GitHub and Stack Overflow, to building a strong digital presence through personal projects, and open-source contributions, and even being a subject matter voice on social media, there are plenty of ways to build credibility and visibility remotely in a way that feels natural.

You can even start quietly fine-tuning your remote communication skills in your current role, by actively participating in virtual meetings, Slack channels and collaborative platforms. This experience will shine through in a virtual interview, and may even become a talking point.

Ready to flex your updated skills? Check out the VentureBeat Job Board, which contains thousands of fresh tech roles all across the country each week. Discover three below.

LRP Media Group publishes books, pamphlets, newsletters, videos, webinars and eLearning courses that empower HR professionals to stay on top of the latest legal compliance and workplace technology solutions.

Now hiring a Senior Software Developer to enhance its Java/Oracle technology, the successful candidate will improve and support subscription websites by developing and maintaining software.

The role is onsite in Palm Beach County, and in addition to Java/Oracle, you’ll need skills in CSS, HTML, AWS/Linux/RedHat, GitHub/Wildfly, CMS platforms, and experience in integrating with third-party APIs. If you’ve at least five years of advanced full-stack experience, apply today.

If a culture of active participation in open-source communities appeals, check out this System Software Engineer – Networking role with ByteDance in San Jose.

Joining the System Technology and Engineering (STE) team, you’ll complete research and development in infrastructure system technology, such as operating system kernel, various virtualization technologies (Cloud Native, SDN, NFV), performance optimization of system software and libraries, stability and reliability of large-scale data centers, and collaborative design of next-generation hardware and software.

A list of requirements, responsibilities and preferred qualifications are all available to view on the job spec. View requirements.

Be part of a tightly-knit team developing groundbreaking innovations in the world of spoken-audio by joining Adobe’s Podcast team as a Senior Software Engineer. This well-paid role is based in New York City, and involves working closely with the engineering team and collaborating with product management, design and internal AI/ML Research and Applied Research teams.

The successful applicant will invent, design and implement new video/audio workflows on the web, and should have a Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent practical experience — at least eight years. You’ll need extensive experience architecting, developing and maintaining API services, be comfortable programming in multiple languages and paradigms, and have experience building single-page apps. Read more here.

Find your next role in tech today via the VentureBeat Job Board.