Ask HN: Remote Jobs. How to get started? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Remote Jobs. How to get started?

19 pointsk__23 comments

Dear HN,

I'm a (web) front-end/UX-developer from Germany. I'm finishing my master degree right now and will have to get a job the next months, so I'm considering remote jobs, since I don't want to be bound to my workplace.

Most companies in Germany are rather conservative and want their people to be in-house most days a week. In other Europe countries this seems to be only a "bit" better.

Can I just apply for jobs all over the world and still stay where I want to work from there? Like USA or Canada?

Where do I need to pay taxes then?

Do I need a work visa for the countries I live in or the countries I have the job in?

If I don't want to do contract/freelancing work, how is my employment status if I got a job in another country, like the USA?

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In other countries you will need a work visa. For the USA and Canada that can be a long process (if you want to work there several months). The 90 day tourist visa doesn't allow you to work in the US though I know people who regularly work from there one month per year. As a German you can work from any other European country.

You need to pay income taxes where you live. For example if you lived in Germany for 8 months, then Italy 2 months and Spain 2 months you would need to file three income tax statements and each country is interested in the total you earned that year. Double-taxation agreements exist between most countries so even if you pay twice there is a legal way to get money back from one country.

On hackernews you read about digital normads who go to Thailand or Marocco to work from there. Most are ignoring the local tax laws, use a tourist visa and write their invoices with a business address from their home country (e.g. Germany).

With sales tax (VAT, MwST) you need to pay that for any client in Germany. For clients in the rest of Europe the client needs to pay the sales tax in their country (so called reverse charge, applies to cross-border software development). For clients outside of Europe you don't need to pay sales tax.

Just a couple quick notes:

a) USA has also 90 days business visas that are very easy to get.

b) I can't vouch for all countries in the EU, but in many, you only need to fill a report if you lived for more than 6 months there (168 days I think). So in your example, you would need to file tax in Germany, but for all income of the year (including the 2 months in Spain or Italy). It is different if you work for a company in Italy and Spain for those months, but if you are a 'nomad' for yourself, usually you only need to file in one country.

Excellent points. You're right: self-employment makes both options easier.

I just started a remote job in November -- I am in the US working for a US company, but this advice still applies.

When I was looking for a job, the best source of remote jobs was StackOverflow careers. If you need an invite, write me. There was a large variety and many would hire from Europe (some were in Europe). The place I work, Trello, hires from Europe.

There are other remote job sites (weworkremotely.com) to check out. They weren't good for me -- but, they may be good for front-end/UX.

You should ask the place you apply, but anywhere with an established remote-friendly environment will set things up so your taxes are as close to possible to what it would be if you just worked for a local place. This is something to work out with their accountants and yours, but it would be a good sign if they already had German employees.

The biggest impediment to you being hired remotely is that you don't have a track-record (I assume) of working remotely for others. It would be good to prepare an answer to why you would be disciplined enough to do this for your interviews -- it will come up -- in any case, you should bring it up, because they will be thinking it.

Well, but doesn't everyone has to start somewhere?

I mean I don't have a track-record because I just started to think about working remotely.

Sure, so you just need to give examples of you working on projects virtually and that you know how to communicate without others in the same physical location. Student projects or other things you have done are ok -- it also doesn't need to be something where you were in different countries -- just different physical locations, working together virtually. The keyword is "discipline" -- it is perceived by employers that you need it to be an effective remote.

For me, I was a contract developer right before being hired, so I had a track record of working for people that weren't in my office.

I see.

I'm doing my master degree on a remote university where I also had to do some software projects remotely. :)

SO Careers requires an invite?

and one more question, is this your first job? Or first job as remote?

Yes it does. I can send you one, if you like.

Does careers require an invite or the "My Profile" part requires one? I have a careers account where I found my last job (but don't remember if I was invited or just signed up) but still need an invitation to create a "My Profile"

I don't know. They just told me one day, that I should use careers and gave me 5 invites.

if you have then, can you send one my way? ;)

Consider it done.

It does seem the invitations are for the profile section but you can still register normally.

In any case, thanks!! Seems like an interesting way to create a profile. Wonder how 'valuable' this is compared to LinkedIn or a simple webpage.

I don't know. Never got a job with this :\

could you send me an invite also, if you have one?

I just need a mail address :)

Does Trello have salary differentiation policies based on location? In other words, can someone from Europe expect a "US 6-figures" salary?

I have a question. Is it okay to go for remote in early career? There was a discussion in Reddit, and people had suggested that during initial years lots of nurturing happens and it cannot be done via remote. And also it's effective to work under a mentor, physically, for a beginner. So basically they were against going for remote for an absolute beginner.

How true is that with employers?

(In my case, I have working experience of 10 months. Later I had to resign my job for some personal reasons. Soon I will be looking out for jobs. Should I consider remote or not?)

This is probably true.

I've learned much working on-site as a product developer with older devs together.

I worked part-time besides my bachelor degree. After that 1 year as freelancer and 2 years full-time.

I also did a remote CS master degree, so I guess I can get stuff done without someone looking after me.

I think this is very true. Go work, spend as much time as you can learning in person. After a few years, you can work out an arrangement to work remotely.

Hi :)

I am trying to put together a little team and right now I am looking also for front end developer.

It will be more a free lance position than a standard position, but if you are interested feel free to write me, you should see my email in my info contact...

You need to approach the company and provide them what you can offer to them, it shouldn't be the other way around "what can your company offer me?"

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