Jayalakshmi Iyer

While online job boards can help you find your dream remote job, they also play host to fraudulent entities who post illegitimate job listings. These listings defraud vulnerable developers looking for jobs.

To protect yourself from such job listing, we’ve listed the most common red flags that you should look out for when looking for jobs online. 

Let’s dive in!

Remote software developer job red flags

1. Unprofessional remote job posts
   

   One of the most obvious red flags for work-from-home positions is when the job description screams phony.
   The job posting isn’t well written. They contain a lot of errors or are just very poorly punctuated. Here are a few aspects that can help you separate legit remote jobs from a rip-off:

   1. Grammatical issues

   2. Spelling mistakes

   3. Punctuation errors

   4. Random capitalization

   5. Wrong verb tenses
      
      This isn’t just limited to the job posting, legit remote jobs imply professional recruiters who have the skills needed to do their job. So if they don’t seem professional or well-spoken when you talk to them, it is a sign of fraudulence.

2. The remote job is too good to be true
   

   The second major red flag is when the job posting promises a crazy high salary but includes a vague job description.
   If you feel like a job offer is too good to be true, that’s likely the case. When an ad promises good money, and incredible perks but the details about precisely what you’ll need to do to earn this money are unclear, simply move on to the next job listing.
   Furthermore, legit remote jobs don’t offer the position lightly. So if the recruiter quickly offers you a brilliant job that you aren’t qualified for, it is another red flag.
   Legit remote jobs include many details to ensure only the most qualified candidates apply for the role. These details include:
   1. The job title
   2. Tasks that they expect the remote software developer to complete
   3. Skills and personality traits they are looking for
   4. A detailed introduction to the company
   5. Challenges they’re facing
   6. Sometimes, they also include official company email for correspondence

3. Emails from personal accounts
   

   Hiring managers from reputed companies have email addresses that reflect the company they represent. Unless you’re sending an email to a virtual personal assistant’s ad, legit remote jobs should always have a company email address.It’s a huge red flag if you’re communicating with the recruiter by sharing your application to a personal email, or an ID with a long string of numbers.
   Sure, they may use a reputed platform like Yahoo or Gmail, but even fraudulent entities can create new emails on these reputed platforms without much effort. They may cite excuses like:
   1. Company servers are down
   2. They’ve been facing issues with viruses and spams
   3. The business isn’t established enough to provide official company emails yet
      
      Furthermore, hiring managers usually have information about the company like the company address, contact details, and the website in the signature. If you don’t spot these details, there is a good chance the company doesn’t exist. 

4. They ask you to share confidential information
   

   

   Don’t share your confidential information

   Remote software developers should be skeptical about recruiters who ask for sensitive personal information before the onboarding process. Several job listings have the primary objective of obtaining personal information.
   Monetary theft, identity theft, and spoofing are the most common cybercrimes associated with fraudulent jobs. Remote developers should verify the organization and the hiring manager’s authenticity before sharing any sensitive data, and even then, they shouldn’t disclose any information until hired.
   They may ask you to provide personal information to proceed to the next step in the recruitment process, maybe citing a background check or credit report as the reason.
   Therefore, if someone asks for details like your credit card information, social security number, bank account information, driver’s license number, or others, simply move on to the next job post.
   Furthermore, be vigilant about jobs that ask you to pay to work. 

5. There’s little information about the organization
   

   Companies sharing legit remote jobs should have an official website and social media presence. Generally, businesses share links to their site and social media handles within the job listing. At the very least, they include the name of the organization.
   If you fail to find an online footprint, it’s a red flag.

6. Signs of email or website spoofing
   

   Some fraudulent jobs go one step further, create dedicated websites, or impersonate a legitimate company with nearly similar email addresses.
   A spooked website has a few telltale signs that you should take note of

   1. The website lacks standard branding

   2. The job doesn’t ask for much-needed prerequisites 

   3. The website or email is very similar to the actual company but includes special characters like hyphens or even numbers

   4. The website may have usual extensions instead of the standard .com, .net, etc.

   5. The website is not secure. While this may not always be a big red flag, these websites can put your personal information at risk

However, not all remote jobs are fraudulent. If you find the right job, it can be the best decision for your professional career.

So, how do you find a good remote job?

The best way to find legit remote jobs is to use trustworthy job portals. 

Turing matches remote software developers with authentic US-based enterprises. 

Hundreds of companies, including multinational corporations like DELL, Coinbase, Pepsi, and more, use Turing to find remote software developers.

Turing provides remote job opportunities for developers to work with Silicon Valley-based firms with unparalleled compensation and long-term career growth. 

Visit our Jobs page to know more!

“Are there any questions you’d like to ask me?” This is a question every hiring manager asks while wrapping up an interview. Competent remote software developers understand that asking thoughtful questions here is an excellent way to set themselves apart from the crowd of candidates.

The questions you choose to ask can potentially change the entire dynamic of the interview and even alter the interviewer’s perception of you. 

You should have at least a handful of questions prepared before the interview so that if the interviewer has already answered a couple of questions during the interview, you still have a few more in the bank. 

We’ve listed nine intelligent questions you can choose from to gain a better sense of the company and your role and end the interview with a lasting impression.

Let’s dive in!

1. What software development process does the company use?
   
   There are four types of software development processes businesses prefer to work with: Scrum, Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid. To gain an insight into what the job would be like, it’s crucial to understand the details of the kind of software development methods and practices the company has in place. Here are a few aspects remote software developers should inquire about:
   
    – Code review. How does the development team review the code, and who is responsible for it? How is feedback provided to the remote software developers, and what kind of feedback can you expect?
   
    – Code changes and testing. Is there a process to test the code locally? How long does it take for a code in the repository to get implemented in the product?
   
    – Deployment. How often does the deployment process take place? 
   
    – Process change. Is the software development process subject to change? Has it changed in the past year? What kind of challenges do remote software developers face with the current process?
   
   These questions will help remote software developers understand the company’s engineering culture and the effectiveness of the processes they have in place.
   
2. What does the day-to-day of this job role look like?
   
   

   Programmer working in a software develop company office

   
   This question will give remote software developers a sense of what the position entails beyond the boilerplate job description and help them decide whether it’s right for them. It’ll also give developers an idea about what the company expects from them and make it easier for them to transition into the role.
   
   Would you be expected to attend a lot of meetings? How often would you have to report to your manager? Would you be working closely with other departments? Asking these questions will help remote software developers determine how they would spend most of their time.
   
   
3. How quickly do you want to fill the position?
   This question will tell remote software developers what they can expect after the interview. The pace of the company’s hiring process will define how quickly developers can expect an offer after their interview. 
   
   Furthermore, this question will help remote software developers estimate how long they should wait before following up on their application or moving on to another opportunity.
   
   
4. Beyond core technical skills, what soft skills will serve the organization and job role best?
   
   Businesses hiring remote software developers look for more than just the ability to write code. While a few qualities set an exceptional developer apart from the crowd, the recruiter can let you know the characteristics that their organization values above all else.
   
   You can choose to ask this question when you share your application so that you can structure your interview answers (maybe even your cover letter) to suit the company’s ideal candidate persona.
   
   
5. What are some challenges I might face in this role?
   
   This question will help remote software developers gain insider knowledge about the job position and show the recruiter that the candidate is committed to working and overcoming challenges. 
   
   
6. How does the organization measure success?
   
   

   Programmer consulting with manager

   
   This question shows the hiring manager that the developer holds themselves accountable for their actions and is willing to work hard to achieve their goals. Ask about the metrics that the organization monitors and which metrics they prioritize over others. 
   
   However, this question doesn’t have to be limited to the job role. You can also ask how the management measures success for the development team and the organization as a whole. Again, inquire about the metrics they track in this scenario.
   
   Do they prioritize the speed of the development process, or maybe the number of features that the development team rolls out? While these can be good metrics to monitor, they don’t consider the quality of the code or the end-user experience.
   
   Another good metric to track is the defect escape rate — identifies the number of issues when the product has made it to the production stage. If the company prioritizes metrics like these, it shows what the management and leadership team value.
   
   
7. Could you provide some background about the department or team with which I’d be working?
   
   This question gives remote software developers an idea about the company structure and the team’s dynamic. They will have more insight into their role and their potential co-workers. 
   
   To get a clear picture of the team’s composition, you can ask something like — How big is the software development team, how is it structured?  If the company has a huge development team, then it’s likely that your job role will be more specialized. Your responsibilities will probably be more versatile if the team is relatively small.
   
   
8. Can you describe the company culture?
   
   A company’s work culture and values are critical factors that remote software developers need to consider while deciding whether or not the company is a good fit for them. It has a massive impact on different aspects of a developer’s workday. 
   
   Ask the interviewer to give you a more personalized answer instead of simply repeating what’s on the company’s website or handbook. How does the company work towards inculcating these values in their day-to-day activities? Access the company’s work environment with this question and learn what benefits you can expect from the organization.
   
   
9. What are you most excited about the company’s future?
   
   A question like this shows recruiters that you’re looking for a long-term association with the company. By understanding the organization’s vision for the future, you can determine how your job role can help achieve that vision. 

Final thoughts

These questions are an excellent starting point for remote software developers to determine whether or not a company is right for them. 

You need to gather as much information as you can before you decide to pursue an opportunity that an organization offers you.

While moving on to a new company can be a scary process, it’s the best way to advance your professional career. However, finding good remote job opportunities for big firms can be challenging.

Knowing what to do and what not to do during a job interview is just as important as creating a polished resume. But no matter how much you prepare, interview mistakes are inevitable.

As a part of your interview preparation process, here are some common interview mistakes that you should note to make a good impression. 

Let’s dive in!

Common interview mistakes: Not researching the company.

Not researching the company you are interviewing for is one of the most common interview mistakes remote software developers make. 

By researching the employers, developers have an excellent chance to stand out of the crowd during the interview process. It helps them discover information that helps them understand what the organization does and what they look for while hiring a remote software developer.

Here are a few things you’ll learn during your research that will help you position yourself as a good candidate during the interview:

1. You’ll discover the skills and values that the company values within its employees.
2. Learn about the key position holders within the organization and browse through their social media profiles. If you dig a little deeper, you’ll know what the company is currently focused upon and even gain information about what their ex-employees say about the company.
3. Know about the company’s current news and latest updates through press releases and other event information published online.
4. Companies strive to find candidates who fit seamlessly into the company’s culture. Pay attention to the company’s mission, vision, and values and have points prepared that showcase how you’re the perfect fit for the company’s culture.
5. Gain a general understanding of the company’s products/services and their ideal clients.
6. Finally, research the person interviewing you. This research will help you find common ground and give you a better chance of connecting with them during the interview.

Common interview mistakes: Being afraid to say “I don’t know.”

Giving an interview doesn’t mean you have to know everything. If you don’t know an answer, accept it. Not doing so is a huge mistake. 

When you don’t know the answer and start rambling simply to get through to the next question, it is very obvious to the interviewer. 

Good software developers are upfront about accepting things they don’t know. 

Exaggerating their skills or knowledge with something they’re unfamiliar with is one of the most common interview mistakes. 

It won’t take long for the interviewer to figure out that you’ve overstated your assertions if they dive more into the subject. This oversight might lead them to doubt your rightful skills and experience, which is the last thing you want. 

It’s always preferable to admit when you don’t know something but want to learn rather than appear dishonest.

Not asking questions for clarification.

Don’t hesitate to clarify your doubts

Simple interview mistakes like not asking clarifying questions before jumping into coding are something remote developers should avoid at all costs.

Asking questions before you start building a solution shows the interviewer that you can think strategically. 

Interview mistakes that follow this one are staying silent while you code and being so focused on the solution that you don’t explain how you got there.

Don’t rush into problem-solving mode as soon as the interviewer present you with a question to solve.

Break down the problem, think through the solution and explain your thought process to the interviewer while you’re trying to solve the problem. 

Thinking out loud and checking in periodically helps ensure you don’t stay off course and give your interviewer insight into how you approach a problem and gauge your problem-solving skills. It also gives them opportunities to provide feedback or hints, should you need them. 

Common interview mistakes: Not showing your human side.

Companies are not just looking for remote software developers who can code brilliantly. Beyond what you’ve shared on your resume, they want to know what tick. 

Therefore, don’t be afraid to talk about things that you’re passionate about, even if they’re not related to the position you’re applying for. 

These outside interests allow the interviewer to learn more about how you manage yourself in a remote work setting and ensure you know how to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Having a system to rewind after a long day of work shows them you know how to work efficiently in a remote setting.

Additionally, understand that job interviews are not interrogations. Try to build a real conversation with the interviewer instead of simply answering questions or getting them to answer a list of your questions.

Common interview mistakes: Simply relying on your technical skills.

Core technical skills are undoubtedly crucial for technical parts of an interview, like a live coding challenge. However, one of the most common interview mistakes remote developers make is assuming that only having technical knowledge can get them the job. 

Companies that have a global remote workforce can only operate with employees who have the soft skills to function efficiently within a remote-first environment.

Therefore, even if you’re the best software developer in the world, businesses may choose to work with someone with less skill or experience if you can’t even hold a proper conversation.

Weak communication. 

Not communicating effectively can jeopardize your interview

Interviews can be a nerve-wracking process, and a brief moment of complete silence can make it seem like the most stressful thing in the world. 

However, a little silence is not always a bad thing. 

Taking the time to think through your answer demonstrates your ability to think before you speak, which is a quality that interviewers not just appreciate, but actively seek out. 

Secondly, talking over the interviewer or not waiting for them to finish asking a question before you start answering are interview mistakes you should avoid at all costs.

There can also be a slight delay during your virtual interview. To ensure this blunder doesn’t happen unintentionally, always wait a few seconds before you start speaking. 

Summary

As a remote software developer, interviews can be tough to crack if you don’t know how to prepare for them. Businesses aren’t just looking for engineers with technical knowledge; they want to hire independent thinkers who know more than just write code. 

Reading so far, you may have a much better understanding of the common interview mistakes you should avoid making to showcase yourself as the best candidate for a job role. 

However, if you’re not sure how to find remote software developer jobs with international companies, Turing can help.

Turing provides remote job opportunities for developers to work with Silicon Valley-based firms with unparalleled compensation and long-term career growth. 

Visit our Jobs page to know more!

What sets apart great programmers?

Good programmers can write code that can run without errors. 

However, simply writing good code doesn’t make a software programmer successful. It’s not just about being an expert at a language or having a specific educational background. 

While understanding code is the first step of success for remote software developers, there’s much more to becoming a great programmer.

In this post, we’ll share five qualities that will help you become a great programmer and skyrocket your remote software development career. 

Great programmers have a positive attitude towards work.

Compared to the traditional work model, remote work comes with many benefits. The most significant advantage is the flexibility to work from anywhere at their preferred time. 

However, with this added advantage comes greater responsibility.

A great programmer has a dedicated work ethic that aligns flawlessly with the team’s workflow. They are optimistic about their work and appreciate their fellow team members.

Great programmers don’t need constant supervision. They have the skills and the right mindset to get their tasks done within the timeframe. 

You have to instill the confidence within your superiors to trust you with more than just your tasks. 

For example, if you find a bug within a product, don’t just solve the immediate problem and move on. Instead, take a step back and analyze it from all angles. Where did the bug originate? What could have caused it? Did it affect any other functionalities of the software? How long has it been present? What impact does it have on the project?

Skilled remote software developers can use the most seemingly harmless problems to gain essential insights into a project’s fundamentals by taking an analytical approach.

Great programmers have excellent communication skills. 

Effecient Communication

Efficient communication is one of the most crucial qualities of a skilled software engineer. It helps them establish themselves as valuable team players and become an integral part of highly functional remote workforces.

In a remote-first world, companies expect developers to communicate directly with the clients. Essentially, if the software developer is the one who can help solve the client’s issue with technology, it’s wiser to let the developer communicate directly with the client.

With this approach, remote software developers need to be capable of explaining technical concepts in a practical and relatable manner to non-technical people. 

Great programmers understand that effective communication establishes them as reliable sources of information in the company.

Time management.

Great programmers understand that software development involves technical and creative thinking. The process can include a lot of variables and complicated dependencies. 

Solving technical problems, thinking for creative solutions, or learning new information takes time. Therefore, effectively organizing your time to produce quality work is one of the most crucial qualities of a professional software engineer. 

Here are a few time management tips that remote software developers can use to become great programmers:

1. Create a plan. Whether undertaking a complex project or simply starting your day, have a plan.
2. Prioritize important tasks. Finish your most challenging tasks at the beginning of your day and save the simpler ones later. 
3. Break it into smaller chunks. If you have a large, complicated project, divide it into smaller tasks. This practice will make the project seem less exhausting and much more manageable.
4. Delegate. If you think someone is more qualified to finish a task, delegate it to that person. Also, make sure your team members can rely on you for your expertise. 
5. Disruptive periods. It’s usual to find yourself checking your email or slack every half hour (or even more frequently) when you’re supposed to be finishing up a task. While distractions are inevitable, you can manage your time better by planning disruptive periods when you can check your emails. 
6. Avoid multitasking. While many people pride themselves on their ability to multitask, it’s not always as good as they think. Shifting your mind from one task to another takes you at least 15 minutes to re-focus on the task at hand. So when you constantly move your focus from one task to another, it’ll probably take much more time to complete your work. 
7. Self-discipline. Whether it’s time management or learning new skills, becoming a great programmer requires self-discipline. Therefore, if you create a system, try your best to stick to it. 

Great programmers are open to feedback.

Great programmers leverage feedback from clients and fellow remote software developers to gain an in-depth insight into improving their performance. 

Building a friendly environment where you welcome constructive feedback is critical to improving your technical and soft skills. 

On the other hand, it’s equally essential to be proactive about sharing your feedback with your team. Keep in mind that the goal is to challenge your team members to be better remote developers.

Connect with developers in a community. 

Remote developer community

Developer communities are an excellent way to connect with other remote software developers. They provide programmers with a platform to solve problems, create learning opportunities, and build a network. 

Great programmers always keep track of technological trends and have the habit of learning new things that help them grow. 

Therefore, it’s vital to find a developer community that can guide you to become a successful remote software developer. By providing you with access to like-minded people, you gain a support system that can help you focus on upskilling and growing your career.

Turing developer community allows remote software developers to share their experiences, expand their skill sets, and help each other build their dream careers. It’s a free and diverse platform that can help developers worldwide advance their developer journey with tech and soft skills training, career development workshops, and meetups. 

To sum up: What are the attributes of great remote software developers?

Working as a remote software developer is a rewarding career choice. However, you need to constantly challenge yourself to become a successful remote developer. 

To become a great programmer in a remote-first world, you have to stay on top of your technical skills and develop the qualities we’ve discussed in this post. 

If you are a developer looking for remote job opportunities, Turing can help. You can work for US-based enterprises from the comfort of your home with unparalleled compensation and long-term career growth. 

Visit our Jobs page to know more!

In the past, companies primarily expected software engineer skills to include core technical competence like writing code, running tests, and developing intuitive software applications. While a solid grasp of programming languages will help you get a long way, there are several other skills needed for software engineers to succeed in the remote-first world.

As the IT industry has diversified, the required remote software engineer skills have broadened to include extensive soft skills. 

Organizations expect developers to converse with coworkers from different departments in this remote-first world. For example, developers regularly interact with design team members, project managers, and other company executives.

Along with the core technical skills, here are the top soft skills needed for software engineers:

Software engineer skills: Communication

Skills needed for software engineers: Communication

The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most critical skills needed for software engineers or any professional in general. 

In today’s Zoom world, here are some things developers need to keep in mind to communicate effectively:

• Even if you second-guess yourself, speaking clearly and with confidence is crucial. Learn to articulate your thoughts and verbalize them concisely. If you learn how to communicate with conviction, people will pay attention to what you say.
• Effective communication is a two-way street. To be a good speaker, you need to be an attentive listener. Listening to your coworkers, customers, or potential clients will help you discover new perspectives, learn new things, and prioritize your tasks.
• This point is more of basic etiquette. Don’t interrupt people when they’re making a point. Let them finish speaking before you verbalize your thoughts. If you’re on a video conference, you can take advantage of the chatbox to share your thoughts without disturbing or interrupting the speaker.

Empathy

In simple terms, empathy is the ability to put yourself in others’ shoes. 

Understanding your coworkers and customers, belief systems, and personalities will benefit you greatly. 

As a remote software developer, you’ll be much more confident suggesting new ideas if you can predict how your audience is likely to react to what you have to say. Then, you can tailor how you present your suggestion according to your audience. 

Empathizing with your target users will help you better understand their points of view. Given that they will be using your product, this is one of the most critical skills needed for software engineers. 

Software engineer skills: Patience

As a software developer, you may have to attend customer or product meetings that don’t always comprise technical professionals. In this situation, you need to explain the reason behind your decisions in a non-technical manner. 

While some may grasp your points on the first go, others may need a little more clarification. Some may ask questions without understanding the scope of the topic. 

Without building the patience to walk them through your decisions, things can become frustrating very quickly. Though this is no easy feat, you need to be capable of explaining things better with future sessions. 

Open-mindedness, adaptability, and self-learning

Open-mindedness, adaptability, and self-learning are software engineer skills that help them stay relevant.

The IT industry is constantly changing. With the development of new tools and technologies every day, it’s difficult for a developer to thrive without a flexible and self-learning attitude. 

These software engineer skills give them a competitive edge over other developers.

Remote software developers need to be open to accepting new ideas. Even the weirdest ideas can spark inspiration for something great if you’re just willing to consider them instead of simply dismissing them.

Critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving

Critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving software engineer skills could also fall comfortably into the hard skills category. 

Only remote software developers who are confident about their technical capabilities can respond to situations with agility and creativity. 

Critical thinking and problem-solving are crucial skills needed for software engineers in their everyday activities. 

From a broader perspective, software engineering is all about solving complex problems. While the scope and complexity of these problems can vary, the nature is the same. 

Therefore, good software developers need to be excellent critical thinkers. They should have the ability to solve complex problems and think outside the box to develop unorthodox approaches.

Software engineer skills: Accountability and consistency

As a remote software developer, it doesn’t matter how effectively you communicate, empathize, or how skilled you are at writing code — you are answerable to someone.

It could be your team lead, project manager, client, or even an investor. 

You need to report transparently and honestly to ensure your projects run smoothly. Proving yourself dependable and accountable builds rapport with key stakeholders and helps secure support to rectify problems, overlaps, or roadblocks. 

Software engineer skills: Management

Remote software developers need to be efficient while working in a team setting on a project with strict deadlines. These projects may not always require you to simply write code. 

Managing people and different projects are vital skills needed for software engineers. 

Another vital management skill is time management. Adhering to deadlines and providing the correct estimates means developers need to be conscious about their time on a specific project.

Software engineer skills: Teamwork and collaboration

Skills needed for software engineers: Teamwork and Collaboration

Teamwork is not just one of the most critical skills needed for software engineers; it’s crucial for any professional. 

Developers inherently need to be team players. Working on any project means you need to collaborate with UX developers, designers, project managers, and other key stakeholders.

However, being a part of a remote team comes with its challenges. Therefore, to be a good team player, patience, empathy, and effective communication are soft skills needed for software engineers. 

Summary

You may have realized that all the soft skills listed in this post complement one another. For example, being efficient in communication will help you collaborate effectively and be a better team player. The ability to empathize with coworkers will make you more open-minded and, again, a better team player.

These software engineer skills will help you become a well-rounded professional with solid potential to thrive in this remote-first environment.

If you are a software developer looking for remote job opportunities, Turing can help. You can work for US-based companies from the comfort of your home with unparalleled compensation and long-term career growth. 

Visit our Jobs page to know more!