How To Search For A Developer Job Overseas

Many hundreds of thousands of individuals dream of flying the coop and spending time working overseas.

The chance to work overseas is a well-liked prospect, one undimmed by the years of restriction because of the pandemic and made solely extra accessible because of hybrid working and the rise of the digital native.

Nevertheless, regardless of the still-growing need to work overseas, many individuals — together with professionals within the IT sphere — don’t know the place to begin. With that in thoughts, I needed to put in writing the last word information for locating worldwide employment alternatives.

The article primarily goals at seasoned builders, specializing in the place to search for jobs, the best way to apply, and the best way to put together a resume to get referred to as for interviews. I’ll discover the dos and don’ts throughout worldwide job interviews and hopefully present the precise kind of recommendation that ought to be capable to assist any IT skilled, at any stage of their profession, be capable to search out profession choices overseas.

So, let’s dive in!

Desk of Contents:

How To Put together Your Resume
The place Do You Discover An Worldwide Developer Job?
Your Main Concerns
Relocation, Preparation, And Transferring

How To Put together Your Resume For Getting A Developer Job Overseas

Let’s begin with the fundamentals — your resume.

The important factor to recollect about making a resume for a global employer is the relevance and suppleness of expertise to match your goal firm’s wants and their particular market.

Whereas there are some exhausting and quick guidelines to renew writing that apply regardless of the place you’re sending an software, your resume must be tailor-made to your new market. That is the place a little analysis goes a great distance.

I’ll provide you with an instance: In Malaysia, it’s thought of good apply to incorporate your private particulars like marital standing or date of beginning in your resume. Nevertheless, in different markets, these types of particulars (particularly round age, intercourse, or marital standing) are pointless or, in some instances, thought of inappropriate.

So select the data you share properly! Your resume has to replicate your need to relocate to your chosen market/area, it needs to be hyper-personalized in strategy, and it must sound such as you’re captivated with your work.

Resume Size, Format, And Measurement

Relying in your talent set and expertise, the main points in a developer resume will range, however I stand by my rule of not making a resume greater than 2 pages.
Your resume needs to be formatted in a easy, easy-to-read font (Lato, Merriweather, or Helvetica, for instance).
You also needs to embrace succinct summaries in sections like About Me or Key Achievements. Hold it quick, hold it direct, and don’t repeat data.

Achievements

As a substitute of giving generic lists of duties/duties/duties, I counsel you to obviously talk your achievements and accomplishments, with statistics to again them up. It will show you how to stand out from different candidates.

For instance, should you helped develop an app, be sure to embrace quite a lot of confirmed KPI deliverables, resembling engagement KPI metrics, UX KPI metrics, and income metrics, relatively than only a last product showcase:

Developed a social sharing characteristic utilizing Android Studio, which elevated downloads by 150% within the first three months.

Language

Use robust motion verbs, resembling constructed, led, deployed, diminished, developed, automated, managed, re-architected, carried out, designed, overhauled, and so forth to explain your expertise/accomplishments. They are going to deliver a assured tone to your resume.
Use industry-specific adjectives like scalable, fault-tolerant, multi-threaded, and sturdy (to call just a few) to focus on your experience.

Tailoring

Tailoring doesn’t imply altering each line of your resume. It means adapting the course and need of your resume for a particular employer and their market.
Tailoring your software can take many kinds: you’ll be able to write a customized cowl letter, adapt your introductory paragraph to replicate your need to work at a particular firm, add particular terminology used within the job itemizing you’re making use of for, or angle your achievements to the market and wishes of a specific employer. It exhibits you’ve carried out your analysis and are prepared and in a position to adapt your talent set to the wants of an employer overseas.

For some nice recommendation on writing an efficient developer resume, head to Stack Overflow and FreeCodeCamp for an additional deep-dive.

The place Do You Discover An Worldwide Developer Job?

My recommendation is to construct a method primarily based round 4 key worldwide job-seeking means:

Job boards and aggregators;
Networking and community information;
Worldwide recruitment businesses;
Boolean search logic on Google.

Leaping onto Google and leaving your worldwide profession within the fingers of algorithmic destiny isn’t the best way to strategy getting a developer job overseas.

Job Boards And Aggregators

Job boards and job aggregators (the variations between the 2 are generally imprecise however transformative to the size of your worldwide job search) are a well-liked and efficient first port of name for job hunters.

I counsel utilizing job boards for specificity (particular markets and employers in sure international locations) and aggregators as overview searches (a generalist overview of the place employers are hiring essentially the most and in what sectors).

It’s additionally necessary to make the most of worldwide job boards which have filters for “relocation” and “visa sponsorship.” In different phrases, fish in the precise pond. Listed here are some websites I like to recommend:

AngelList Expertise is now one of many go-to web sites for locating a tech job with a startup.

It is advisable join and full the obligatory profile data with a view to filter for positions that provide visa sponsorship. When you’re all arrange on the location, you’ll be able to enter your search parameters at https://angel.co/jobs.

Should you open the Filters tab, you’ll discover a part referred to as “Immigration.” Select “Solely present corporations that may sponsor a visa” to slender your search appropriately.

Should you don’t activate this filter, you’ll discover all jobs that meet your different standards, no matter whether or not they supply visa sponsorship.

Relocate.me is a job board for IT professionals (primarily software program engineers) that’s designed with relocation in thoughts.

You’ll be able to see job alternatives in Europe, Asia, and North America from verified employers who supply relocation advantages. The listings embrace particular particulars in regards to the relocation packages, making it simple to match your choices.

Japan Dev is a job board for locating quite a lot of tech jobs in Japan.

This web site options hand-curated jobs from corporations which have quick openings. You’ll be able to seek for positions that provide relocation advantages by clicking the “Jobs with Relocation” button on the house web page. You’ll be taken to the Jobs web page, the place you’ll be able to additional refine your search.

Many of the listings are for software program builders and programmers, however different positions for individuals who work immediately with builders are listed as effectively.

TokyoDev is one other web site that helps overseas builders discover positions in Japan.

You’ll be capable to filter your search with labels resembling “No Japanese Required,” “Apply From Overseas,” “Residents Solely,” and so forth.

Touchdown.Jobs is particularly for tech jobs in Europe, with a deal with Portugal.

If you’re on the lookout for jobs via this web site, you’ll want to discover the “Visa & work allow” filter part and choose the choices you want.

SwissDevJobs is, because the identify signifies, particularly for IT jobs in Switzerland.

The positioning is well-designed, with a contemporary and easy-to-navigate UI. Within the superior filters, you’ll be able to slender your search all the way down to solely present jobs that present visa sponsorship with a easy checkbox.

Arbeitnow relies in Berlin and options positions in Germany. It makes it easy to filter for jobs that present visa sponsorship and lots of different choices.

Certainly, LinkedIn Jobs, SimplyHired, and Monster are main job aggregators that may be very efficient when trying to find developer jobs overseas should you use the suitable key phrases.

When looking out on LinkedIn, for instance, you must add “relocation,” “visa help,” or “visa sponsorship” into the key phrases tab, and choose the town/nation/area that’s your alternative for relocation. In fact, some searches can come again with alternatives not fairly suited to your state of affairs, however utilizing related key phrases does job of filtering them out.

The identical technique works for Certainly, Monster, and different comparable aggregators. Embody “relocation,” “visa sponsorship,” or “visa help” alongside together with your job title (or different key phrases) in your search.

Networking And Community Information

Networking takes time however is a extremely efficient supply of referral suggestions. Using social networks (LinkedIn, GitHub, Twitter, and even Instagram) is a extremely private and efficient means of creating connections with hiring groups and enterprise leaders worldwide.

However I additionally urge the eagle-eyed developer to take a look at the market and community leaders like Hacker Information’ Ask HN: Who’s hiring? and TechCrunch to see the place the movers and shakers are within the tech world and the place upticks in hiring are occurring. You’ll be able to then use these media-led referrals to immediately strategy corporations and hiring managers on-line, by way of social media channels, and thru their very own web sites.

Worldwide Recruitment Businesses

For an entire end-to-end software dealing with service, specialist developer help is out there for these on the lookout for a bit of extra hands-on steering by way of worldwide recruitment businesses.

My prompt greatest first ports of name are worldwide expertise acquisition businesses like International Expertise Hub, Zero to One Search, Toughbyte, Orange Quarter, and TechBrainJobs, amongst others.

Tech corporations usually outsource hiring worldwide expertise to recruitment businesses, so going via a recruitment company will be very helpful. Along with serving to you discover the precise place, recruiter can fill you in on the entire related data on an organization, together with firm relocation coverage, advantages, and extra.

Boolean Search

The trick to discovering unadvertised but very alive jobs is through the use of a rarely-utilized search device technique referred to as Boolean logic.

Boolean logic refers to an algebraic components that creates a transparent “true” or “false” worth to an information kind through the use of “operator” phrases whereas trying to find jobs. For job seekers, “knowledge kind” refers to a job emptiness question, and “operator” phrases check with the phrases used to seek for the roles!

So, making use of Boolean logic to a job search in a short time provides you a extremely related shortlist of dwell jobs out of your chosen nation, area, or {industry} and even from focused corporations’ applicant monitoring methods like Lever, Workable, and Greenhouse!

It sounds advanced (and the speculation behind it’s), however the search phrases are tremendous efficient and easy to deploy. As Reed highlights of their piece on Boolean job searches, “You should utilize key phrase looking out nearly in all places, starting from huge search engines like google via to go looking features inside smaller websites.”

So, how does it work?

You add the related “operator” phrases into your search platform or web site that check with particular jobs, expertise, or standards you’re on the lookout for. It’s not as advanced because it sounds!

These operator phrases are the next:

AND: for job searches containing a number of key phrases, for instance, developer AND javascript AND python will assure search outcomes with solely these main key phrases as precedence listed phrases.
OR: for job searches the place one among a number of key phrases are prioritized, however not all of them have to be. For instance, net developer OR software program developer will deliver you again jobs with each net and software program developer within the title or textual content, however no different jobs.
“” marks: utilized in searches for a specific phrase or time period. For instance, placing “cellular developer” right into a job search will solely deliver again cellular relatively than different developer roles.
*: for searches the place you need to begin with a sure time period. For instance, *Engineer will return all jobs that begin with the time period Engineer, resembling Engineering Supervisor.
( ): once you need to group sure job standards collectively. For instance, software program developer (startup and python) will solely deliver again particular jobs that match the startup and tech stack mildew you’re on the lookout for.

Instance: (web site:https://jobs.lever.co OR web site: https://apply.workable.com) (engineer OR developer) AND android AND (relocation help OR relocation help OR relocation package deal OR visa sponsorship OR visa help)

Ex-Amazoner Kip Brookbank has an ideal article on LinkedIn about utilizing Boolean searches to supply a job. Make certain to test it out!

Put It All Collectively

The tip results of utilizing all 4 methods above is a extremely focused, particular, area of interest, and private job search that makes use of the perfect of digital job looking out instruments and the worldwide recruitment advisor market.

However above all else, the above 4 factors ought to drive dwelling the sensation that you just can get the proper worldwide tech job with a little bit of persistence and consideration utilizing these very efficient, free instruments at your disposal.

By utilizing every particular search platform’s personal location instruments, you’ll be able to slender down the precise kind of alternatives for you. Recruiters supply recommendation, focused recruitment help, and hands-on assist discovering a job. Via networking, you will get job referrals. Lastly, utilizing Boolean search removes lots of the stress of sifting via lots of of jobs.

Your Main Concerns When Wanting For A Developer Job Overseas

Now you’ve received your resume sorted, and also you’re using a raft of various methods to supply your new developer position overseas. So what are your main issues past clicking the “apply” button?

My recommendation is to begin by constructing an software technique (or a number of methods) that may deal with the complexity of relocation and which is able to hold you targeted on constructing a basis of credible, versatile professionalism within the eyes of your new employer.

These methods embrace a few of the factors raised above and additional particulars on referral methods, social media approaches, and watching out for purple flags!

Utility Methods

My high 5 functions methods are:

Apply via particular job boards or aggregators.
As talked about above, make the most of all digital choices at your disposal.
Apply with data from firm web sites.
Go on to your chosen firm or use Boolean search phrases to shortlist your chosen jobs higher.
Search referrals.
One of the versatile and private job search channels, referrals are discovered by way of your community and community information.
Contact your goal corporations’ HR departments via LinkedIn or e-mail.
Using social media isn’t any unhealthy factor, and LinkedIn is your main weapon.
Be careful for purple flags.
Get your self savvy about what constitutes a poor job advert (Workable gives some eye-opening recommendation on unhealthy job adverts), and use Glassdoor and Blind to sift via corporations with unhealthy opinions. You may dodge a profession bullet by doing so.

Interview Preparation

In my expertise working with extremely exacting tech expertise, generally the fundamentals of interview prep can get misplaced within the melting pot of evaluation testing and high-value candidate dealing with.

There are some completely essential dos and don’ts for getting a developer job overseas you should adhere to:

Do:

Study in regards to the firm.
Do your analysis, perceive your employer’s journey, and get underneath the pores and skin of their firm’s objective and mission.
Lookup interview questions that the corporate might ask and contemplate your solutions.
Put together for any and each query, from coding to important pondering, from teamwork to timekeeping.
Put together your personal inquiries to ask to indicate your curiosity.
Your analysis ought to information the kinds of questions you need to ask your potential new employer. That is your one probability to mine them for data!
Be on time.
A fundamental interview should isn’t be late.
Reiterate your need to relocate and your plans to take action.
Though I do go into extra element on this beneath, worldwide employers will need to understand how you intend to consider a relocation into your software. Higher to be ready than caught out.

Don’t:

Criticize or in any other case communicate poorly about former or present employers.
It’s not look, exhibits a scarcity of professionalism, and can replicate poorly in your exit methods.
Suggest that your predominant curiosity within the job is relocation.
Though relocation is necessary, it shouldn’t be the predominant motive for shifting because it makes the job sound like a way to an finish.
Say “I don’t know” through the interview.
Opposite to common perception, you are allowed to make errors in an interview. However relatively than so that you don’t know, say you’d be completely happy to offer a solution for it in a follow-up interview or post-interview as you don’t have the precise data at hand or one thing to that impact. Briefly, point out you could not know now, however yow will discover out simply.
Ask about wage, bonuses, and advantages through the interview.
Interviews are designed to find out whether or not you have got the character, expertise, drive, and dedication for a job. The wage and bonus dialog will come later. It’s not a dialog for now except an interviewer asks you immediately. My recommendation is to be ready and know your value!
Neglect particulars in your resume.
You will be requested about sure factors in your resume, and your interview will ask you to elaborate on key factors. You need to know your resume again to entrance. Should you don’t, you run the danger of trying half-prepared and out of your depth.

How To Negotiate A Job Supply And Navigate Discussions About Your Wage

Contract, wage, and compensation negotiation is a crucial second in your worldwide developer job search. This dialogue isn’t just about cash alone; that is your alternative to speak about every little thing from relocation packages to IP rights, expat taxes, and extra.

First issues first, do your analysis.
Perceive the expectations for tech expertise out there (and for the scale of the corporate) you want to relocate to, and formulate an concept of what you’d need out of your pay packet commensurate with the state of affairs of your preferrred employer.
Watch out about providing wage expectations.
One of the simplest ways to strategy a dialogue round wage is to ask for a proposal first relatively than put in your expectations primarily based in your analysis. See if the supply meets your concept of truthful pay and relocation package deal (if provided).
Relocation packages
Does your new employer assist with relocation, and if that’s the case, by how a lot and at which stage?
Negotiate perks and advantages
From sponsored journey to commute prices, your employer must put an entire package deal in writing.

Different negotiation issues needs to be:

Think about expat taxes: do you pay extra tax whereas working overseas?
Talk about mental property rights: do you keep any IP in the midst of product creation, or are there different choices out there?
Guarantee settlement is enforceable: worldwide employment contracts generally is a foggy minefield to navigate via, so do your analysis relating to every little thing from employer’s rights to e-signing functionality.

Relocation, Preparation, And Transferring To Your New Developer Job

Relocation is a fancy, emotional, and dangerous endeavor, and by no means one a developer ought to take evenly. I counsel relocating developer expertise to run via a pre-travel hitlist to ensure clean crusing:

Study every little thing you’ll be able to about your vacation spot.
The very first thing you must do is deep-dive into the place you’re shifting to, from intercity journey to the nuances of the native language. It’ll assist scale back the tradition shock of the primary few weeks and months in a brand new place.
Go to your new location earlier than your transfer.
I recognize worldwide journey isn’t low-cost, but when it’s doable to go to pre-move, you’ll profit from a little bit of a headstart with getting round and making some native connections. It’s additionally helpful on the subject of assembly potential landlords, work colleagues, and so forth.
Decide the price of residing in your new location.
Value of residing fact-finding can be carried out across the negotiation stage. Nonetheless, it’s worthwhile understanding how far your wage will stretch and any nuances round pay and tax bandings, price of residing, hire, meals, journey, and the like. That’s the place web sites like Numbeo turn out to be useful.
Perceive what’s included in your relocation package deal.
That is important. How a lot of your journey, lodging, or relocation can be sponsored, if in any respect, by a brand new employer? It is a cornerstone of your monetary planning preparations.
Think about your loved ones’s necessities in your planning.
Lastly, though it ought to by no means be far out of your thoughts and it little question received’t be, your loved ones is a vital consider your relocation. I urge you to incorporate them as a lot as doable within the course of and bear in mind the emotional toll of shifting away from dwelling to a brand new nation, as a lot because the bodily and monetary.

Discovering a developer job overseas is a labor of affection — one which has to take inventory of every little thing from monetary planning to tweaking and perfecting your resume for a global viewers.

It takes lots of preparation, however the outcomes of a well-planned worldwide job search are extremely rewarding.

Transferring overseas for work is likely one of the most rewarding and life-changing issues you are able to do, particularly should you’re a proficient employee with an in-demand talent set like software program growth.

The world is your oyster!