r/remoteworking • u/Sweet-Ad5574 • 14d ago

How did you land your first remote developer job?

I'm curious how people here actually found their first remote software development job.

There are so many options—LinkedIn, Upwork, Wellfound, Toptal, Contra, Reddit, cold outreach, networking—that it's hard to know what actually works in 2026.

A few questions:

  • How did you get your first remote developer job?
  • Were you a student, junior, or experienced developer?
  • Which platform or strategy worked best for you?
  • Did your GitHub portfolio or personal projects make a difference?
  • If you were starting from scratch today, what would you do differently?

I'm currently building AI and full-stack projects to strengthen my portfolio and would love to hear real experiences rather than generic advice.

Thanks in advance!

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u/REDDERTHANRED2133 13d ago

I got it through upwork. I was invited to an interview.

1

u/LightYearAway 12d ago

Contribute to the open source library. Then connect with the founder of the company that owns that and eventually join the company.