Avoid These 3 Mistakes When Starting Your First Remote Job as a Software Engineer (So You Can Actually Enjoy It)

Plus: how to give yourself an extra salary.

My first job as a software engineer was completely remote.

My second and third were the same. The COVID-19 pandemic was hitting hard, and the world had shifted to almost 100% remote knowledge work. This reality is changing now, but there are still lots of completely remote jobs out there.

If you are starting your first remote job, avoid these three mistakes I made.

• Doing less for you than you should.

• Not having well-defined working hours.

• Being available for a “quick call” all the time.

If you manage to successfully avoid all of the above, I guarantee your experience will be much better—you will be able to focus on what matters most in the beginning: learning as much as you can.

Mistake #1: Not having well-defined working hours

One of the worst mistakes you can make when starting your first remote job is not setting boundaries for your work time.

This leads to quick changes in production at 8 p.m., multiple calls with multiple people, and even working on weekends. When you instead have a clear…