Last updated on April 16th, 2024 at 06:42 am

2020 has permanently changed the way we do work, and even more so for some sectors than others. One such sector, without a surprise is, the IT sector. What businesses and professionals in the sector have now realized that a significant amount of work can be done remotely, and that there is no need to build large offices for everyone to sit in?

Some companies were a little ahead of their time. Gaper and Andela (among a few others) have been running business models centered around remote work since before the pandemic of 2020. The demand and supply of remote IT jobs are catching up their office-based counterpart.

Online IT Work Platforms Have Been Normalized

These aforementioned companies are platforms for programmers, developers and engineers to work remotely. In addition to Gaper, a company really big on remote work, platforms like TopTal also recruit individuals with graphic design and consultancy in specific fields.

These platforms have now been normalized, not just because they are operated by reputable companies but also because, well, no one feels apprehensive about remote work anymore.

The Market Is More Competitive

Another implication of the recently growing ubiquity of remote work is a highly competitive market. Online platforms now foster a culture of tougher competition for new entrants (and even experienced ones) by firstly, being open to a global talent pool.

This means that while there is no discrimination (hopefully) between where a developer is from, the market naturally filters out individuals who may not be skilled enough to match their international “colleagues”.

Some freelance platforms like UpWork and TopTal are conspicuously very specific about the talent they bring on-board their platform. Unless you land within the top 3% of the applicants (according to their assessment criteria), you may find it tricky to be a part of the platform.

Similarly, being proficient in common programming languages is no longer enough to join UpWork. The platform is now very selective about the number of people with the same skill set they let on. This is understandable when looked at in light of the effect that a high supply has on the price of associated jobs as well as the average quality of freelancers.

More Opportunities to Learn

On the other hand, a lot of businesses are willing to take on less experienced individuals and match them with a client project appropriate for their skills. Additionally, some of these companies (e.g. Gaper) also have career accelerator programs that impart the necessary skills required to excel in the programmer’s field of work.

Being exposed to a remote and global market of professionals who are, at times, more experienced and competent than you, opens you up to potential learning avenues. In the typical job (Tips for Site Reliability Engineer Job) hunting stages, you go and apply to firms, get rejected by companies, and at times are still unsure of where you were lacking.

The remote work setup allows you to assess that for yourself. You can see what skills are the most in-demand at the current time, what areas of your work you need to brush up your skills on and what the quality of work being sought by employers is.

Be Prepared For Remote Work

Regardless of whether you prefer to work in an office with local teams, remember that remote IT jobs are very much the norm now. Not only are businesses choosing to hire remote engineers, IT businesses are also choosing to move their work online.

It is therefore imperative that you are open to working remotely with teams and manage your projects and time accordingly. This may very well be the future of IT work now.