How to Land Your First Remote Role in Tech

Once upon a time, landing a tech job meant packing your bags. If you wanted to work with a global company, you had to move to where the jobs were. That often meant relocating to cities like San Francisco, Berlin or London. The path was narrow and expensive.

Then the pandemic happened. COVID-19 forced companies to rethink how work gets done. Meetings moved to Zoom. Teams adopted tools like Slack, Notion and GitHub. Remote work, once seen as a backup plan, quickly became the default. Companies discovered they could hire talented people from anywhere and still get great results.

Today, remote hiring is no longer a trend. It is the new standard. And that shift has opened doors for people across the world, especially in tech. If you have the right skills and a stable internet connection, you can work with companies in Europe, North America or Asia without ever leaving your city. This guide will walk you through how to land your first remote role in tech and position yourself for global opportunities.

Identify Which Tech Role Fits You

Tech is a wide field. Not everyone needs to write code, and not every role requires a technical degree. The key is to find the type of work that matches your strengths, interests and learning style.

Some people enjoy building things from scratch. They might be drawn to frontend development, backend engineering or mobile app creation. Others are more visual and prefer working with layout, branding or user experience. That leads naturally into design roles like UI, UX or product design. If you love organising information, creating systems or finding patterns in data, you might be better suited for roles in product management, data analysis or operations.

There is also room for writers, marketers, support specialists and community managers. These roles are just as critical to tech companies and often require strong communication, empathy and problem-solving skills rather than technical knowledge. You can click here to learn more about no-code tech jobs that you can try out.

Before you start learning or applying, take a moment to reflect on what you actually enjoy. Do you like solving logic puzzles or writing clean, efficient instructions? You might enjoy engineering. Do you get excited by colours, layouts and user flow? Design might be a better fit. Are you naturally curious about how users think and how to make their journey smoother? Consider product, research or growth roles.

Start from who you are, not what sounds impressive. The right fit increases your chances of learning quickly and staying motivated long enough to get hired.

🔗ICYMI, we wrote a guide on how you can break into tech in 2025.

Learn the Right Skills 

Once you’ve figured out the kind of role that suits you, the next step is learning the skills that make you hireable. This is where many people get stuck. Not because the material is too hard, but because they try to learn everything at once.

You don’t need to master ten different tools before you apply for your first job. What you need is a focused learning path and a consistent routine. If you’re learning to design, start with Figma. If you're going into frontend development, focus on HTML, CSS and JavaScript. If data is your thing, start with Excel or Google Sheets, then move into SQL and beginner-friendly tools like Tableau or Power BI.

There are free and low-cost resources everywhere which you can pay for any of these using your Geegpay virtual dollar card. From YouTube, Udemy, Coursera to Notion-based roadmaps, these courses can take you from beginner to job-ready if you give them time. The most important thing is to set realistic goals. Study for one hour a day instead of binge-learning once a week. 

🔗You’ll also like our blog we wrote on the best platforms for online learning and how to pay with your Geegpay Dollar Card

Build a Simple, Proof-Based Portfolio

When you’re starting out, your portfolio is often more valuable than a certificate. It shows what you can actually do, not just what you’ve studied. Fortunately, you don’t need a perfect website or ten polished projects to make an impression. What matters is proof that you can solve real problems.

If you’re a designer, share before-and-after versions of your mockups and explain your design choices. If you’re learning to code, link to your GitHub profile or create a basic website that shows your skills. If you’re in marketing, write a case study about a content strategy you created or how you helped grow a small brand online.

The goal is to show your thinking, not just the final result. Employers want to see how you approach challenges, how you make decisions and how you follow through. Your portfolio can live on Notion, GitHub, Google Docs or any simple format. You can always improve the design later, but the content should be clear from day one.

Start Applying for Remote Roles

Once your skills and portfolio are in place, it’s time to start applying. But don’t just send out random applications. The goal is to be intentional. Target the right roles, present yourself clearly and make your application easy to say yes to.

Begin with platforms that focus on remote jobs. Sites like We Work Remotely, Remote OK, and LinkedIn all list roles that are open to remote candidates. Use filters to narrow down by skill level, time zone or industry. Visit company websites as well. Companies like Raenest can have openings you might be interested in. Many startups post roles on their own career pages before listing them elsewhere.

When you apply, make sure your CV and online profiles tell a consistent story. Your LinkedIn should reflect your skills, your projects and the kind of work you want to do. Tailor your application to each role. Use the company’s name. Mention something specific about the job or the product. Show that you are serious.

You do not need to meet every requirement. Most hiring managers know that perfect candidates are rare. What matters is your potential, your communication and the initiative you have shown through your learning and portfolio.

Remote hiring is competitive, but it is also global. That means more opportunities, more companies and more chances to find a role that fits. Keep applying, follow up respectfully and stay ready while you wait for the right offer.

Nail the Remote Interview Process

Remote interviews are a little different from in-person ones, but the core idea is the same. Employers want to understand how you think, how you solve problems and how you would work with the team. What changes is the format and the expectations.

Most companies will schedule video calls instead of physical meetings. Some may also include asynchronous interviews where you respond to questions in writing or record short videos. Others might give you a task to complete within a specific time frame. Prepare for these formats by practising your communication. Speak clearly, write concisely and be honest about what you know and what you are still learning.

Make sure your environment is quiet and well-lit. Check your internet connection. Use headphones if possible. Show that you can handle the basic setup of remote work because that matters as much as your technical skills.

When answering questions, focus on how you think through problems. Share examples from your portfolio or learning journey. Talk through your decision-making. Show that you can work independently and communicate clearly, even without daily face-to-face check-ins.

Finally, be yourself. You are not expected to be perfect. You are expected to be prepared, thoughtful and teachable. That already puts you ahead of most applicants.

How to Receive Your First Tech Salary in USD, GBP or EUR

Now that you have your first tech remote job, there’s one final step—getting paid. Most international companies pay in their local currency, which often means your salary will come in dollars, pounds or euros. You need a reliable way to receive that money without delays, restrictions or surprise charges.

That’s where Geegpay comes in. Geegpay makes it easy for African tech professionals to receive payments from global companies. You can create USD, GBP and EUR accounts in minutes. These accounts are fully functional and can receive payments from clients, employers and freelance platforms without any complications.

🔗Are you a Nigerian looking to get paid in USD in 2025? Click here to learn how. As well as how to receive GBP in Nigeria with a GBP bank account. 

Once your salary lands in your Geegpay account, you can convert the funds and withdraw to your local bank completely free or spend directly using your Geegpay virtual dollar card. There are no hidden charges and no inflated exchange rates. Everything is fast, transparent and built for people who earn globally but live locally. If you are yet to create your Geegpay account, click here to do so.

Don’t Just Work Remotely, Think Globally

Landing your first remote role in tech is a major win, but it is only the beginning. Now that you have a foot in the door, you have the chance to grow your skills, expand your network and build a truly global career.

Join communities that connect remote workers across different time zones and backgrounds. Platforms like DevCareer, SheCodeAfrica, Indie Hackers and 100Devs are filled with people sharing opportunities, advice and lessons from real-world experience. Geegpay’s community is also a good place to start. These spaces will keep you motivated, help you stay updated and remind you that you are not doing this alone.

Most importantly, keep building. Your first job gives you a foundation, but your global career is what you make of it. Stay curious. Stay visible. And always look for the next thing you can learn, ship or share.

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