Websites to Find Remote Work for Digital Nomads

The digital nomad lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular among professionals all over the world, combining the excitement of travel with the convenience of working remotely. This isn’t just a passing phase but a feasible long-term method for achieving a better balance between work and personal life.

To begin your journey as a digital nomad, you need to know where to look for remote work. Important resources for this search include websites dedicated to remote jobs, professional networking sites, and industry-specific job boards that list positions without geographic restrictions. Participating in virtual job fairs and becoming active in digital nomad communities can also uncover job opportunities that you might not find through traditional job search methods. For those just starting out, freelance marketplaces are an ideal entry point, offering project-based work that can develop into more stable, long-term roles.

Here’s a comprehensive guide with practical tips on how to find the best jobs for digital nomads. This guide includes various platforms and strategies to help you find remote work, empowering you to travel the globe while earning a reliable income. Whether you’re an experienced professional seeking a remote transition or a newcomer ready to dive into the digital nomad life, this guide will provide you with the tools you need to navigate your way to a successful digital nomad career.

1. Remote Job Websites

Several websites specialize in listing remote jobs, which are ideal for digital nomads. These platforms offer a range of opportunities across various industries:

Workew: Curated list of remote job opportunities from startups around the world and updated on a daily basis.
We Work Remotely: One of the largest remote work communities, it features jobs from tech to customer service.
Remote.co: A resource for finding remote jobs and learning about remote work from other professionals.
FlexJobs: A subscription service that curates job listings for freelance, part-time, and full-time remote positions.
Remote OK: Provides a wide variety of remote jobs, mainly in the tech sector but also including non-tech roles.
AngelList: Targets startups and tech companies that often offer remote positions.

Large job portals like Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor also list remote work opportunities. These sites aggregate listings from multiple sources and provide a wide array of job options across the globe. Using specific search terms like “remote” or “telecommute” can filter out relevant opportunities.

2. Freelance Marketplaces

For those preferring freelance work, several platforms connect freelancers with clients needing specific skills:

Upwork: Offers a wide range of job categories from web development to content writing, with flexible work terms.
Freelancer: Similar to Upwork, it allows freelancers to bid on projects ranging from graphic design to marketing campaigns.
Fiverr: Focuses on gigs, where freelancers offer specific services at set prices, which can scale up with add-ons or package deals.

3. Industry-Specific Job Boards

Certain fields have specialized job boards that list remote opportunities suitable for digital nomads:

Stack Overflow Jobs: Ideal for developers, offering many remote positions in software development.
Dribbble Jobs: While primarily a portfolio site for designers, Dribbble also offers a job board with many remote opportunities in design and marketing.
ProBlogger Job Board: A popular spot for writers looking for blogging, copywriting, and content strategy jobs.
GitHub Jobs: This is a great place for developers to find remote work, focusing on software development roles that often feature remote options.
Authentic Jobs: Tailored to creative professionals in web, design, and programming sectors, this site offers a mixture of freelance and full-time opportunities, many of which are remote.
Dice: Known for listings in the technology space, Dice features a variety of remote roles ranging from tech support to advanced programming.
Contently: This platform connects freelance writers with large brands to produce content marketing, with many jobs offering the flexibility to work remotely.
JournalismJobs.com: Offers listings related to journalism, including remote positions as news writers, editors, and content managers.
Copywriting Jobs: A niche board for copywriters seeking freelance, part-time, and full-time opportunities, often remotely.
We Are Rosie: Specializes in connecting marketing professionals with freelance, remote opportunities in everything from strategy to execution.
Teach Away: Offers a variety of remote teaching positions, including online teachers, tutors, and course developers.
HigherEdJobs: Although focused on higher education, many universities offer remote positions for administrative, teaching, and research roles.
Health eCareers: While healthcare is often in-person, there are remote opportunities in medical coding, telemedicine, and case management.
FlexMedStaff: Specializes in part-time and full-time telemedicine positions for physicians and other health professionals.
Green Jobs: Provides listings for environmental professionals, including remote opportunities in policy, advocacy, and research roles.
Conservation Job Board: Features jobs in conservation that can include remote research positions and data analysis roles.
Lawjobs: It’s one of the leading sites for legal jobs and includes positions for remote work in various capacities such as legal writing, consulting, and compliance.
Behance: As Adobe’s online platform, Behance not only allows creatives to showcase their portfolios but also features job listings for designers, illustrators, and other creative roles, with many remote opportunities.
Coroflot: Designers of all types can find freelance and permanent positions, with many companies offering remote work to tap into a global talent pool.

4. Company Websites

Some companies are known for their remote-friendly policies. Checking the career pages of such organizations can yield positions not listed on mainstream job boards:

Automattic: The powerhouse behind WordPress, WooCommerce, and a suite of other influential tools, is renowned for its commitment to distributed work. This structure allows them to list remote job openings regularly in areas such as engineering, where developers work on expansive projects like WordPress themes and plugins. In design, positions focus on enhancing user interfaces and experiences across their various products. Support roles at Automattic are critical, providing assistance to millions of users worldwide, ensuring they can effectively utilize platforms like WordPress and WooCommerce.
Buffer: Known its transparency and dedication to a remote-first workplace, making it an appealing choice for professionals across the globe. The company frequently recruits for marketing roles, focusing on strategies to enhance user engagement and brand presence online. In customer advocacy, positions involve direct interactions with users to ensure satisfaction and gather feedback to improve services. Buffer also offers roles in software development, where team members work on innovative solutions to streamline social media management tools, enhancing functionality and user experience.
Basecamp: Company that operates entirely remotely, maintaining its philosophy that great work can happen from anywhere. They hire for customer support roles where employees are expected to provide top-tier assistance, helping users navigate their project management software. In programming, Basecamp seeks developers who are passionate about building reliable, scalable software solutions that enhance user productivity. Design positions at Basecamp involve crafting intuitive and aesthetically pleasing interfaces that make project management both effective and enjoyable. All roles at Basecamp emphasize autonomy and the importance of a balanced work-life integration.
GitLab: The all-remote company behind the popular DevOps platform, is a pioneer in remote work. With employees in more than 65 countries, GitLab has no physical offices and posts jobs in engineering, development, marketing, sales, and support. Their comprehensive handbook on remote work practices is also a fantastic resource for anyone working remotely.
Zapier: A web automation platform that connects thousands of apps to automate workflows. The company has been fully remote since its inception and offers roles in customer support, product management, software development, and business operations. Zapier frequently highlights how remote work aligns with their mission to improve productivity.
Trello: Owned by Atlassian, Trello has long advocated for remote work, even before being acquired. Trello’s team is distributed globally, and they often have openings in software development, marketing, and project management. Their team regularly blogs about productivity and remote work, providing insights into their culture.
Toptal: Connects top freelance talent in software development, design, and finance with companies. While Toptal itself is a platform for freelancers, the company also practices what it preaches by maintaining a fully remote team for its internal positions in sales, marketing, and operations.
DuckDuckGo: As a company focused on protecting privacy, DuckDuckGo operates a remote team that works on the development of their search engine that doesn’t track user data. Their job postings, often remote, include positions in marketing, operations, and software development.
Twilio: Known for its cloud communications platform, offers many remote opportunities, particularly in engineering, business development, and sales. They support flexible working arrangements to attract and retain talent in the competitive tech industry.
Mozilla: The organization behind Firefox, advocates for an “open web” and supports remote work among its workforce. Positions often available remotely include software engineering, research, and data analysis.
Shopify: The e-commerce giant, announced a shift to being “digital by default,” meaning they consider remote work as the primary approach for their employees. Opportunities range from e-commerce support to software engineering and business analysis.

5. Networking and Social Media

Leveraging your professional network and using social media platforms can also lead to remote work opportunities:

LinkedIn: Making effective use of LinkedIn can go a long way in finding remote jobs. By setting your profile’s open-to-work feature to indicate you’re looking for remote opportunities and actively networking with recruiters and professionals in your field, you can increase your visibility for remote roles.
X (former Twitter): Many remote jobs and gigs are shared on Twitter. Follow remote work advocates, companies, and job boards.
Facebook Groups: Join groups such as Digital Nomad Jobs or Remote Work & Jobs for Digital Nomads to find postings and network with other nomads.

6. Tech Meetups and Conferences

Participating in conferences and meetups focused on remote work can provide valuable networking opportunities and insights into companies that are remote-friendly. Events like Running Remote or Remote Aid bring together leaders in remote work, offering a chance to connect directly with employers who are open to hiring digital nomads.

Finding remote work through tech meetups and conferences can be an effective strategy, particularly for those in fields like software development, IT, cybersecurity, and digital marketing. These events not only offer the chance to learn about the latest trends and technologies but also provide invaluable networking opportunities that can lead to job offers. Here’s how to maximize your chances of finding remote work through tech meetups and conferences:

Select conferences and meetups that align with your skills and career aspirations. Look for events that are known for their community engagement and networking opportunities. Larger conferences often have job fairs and networking areas specifically designed for job seekers and employers to connect.

Before attending any event, research the companies and speakers that will be present. Understanding their business, recent news, and their role within the company can provide talking points and show genuine interest during conversations. Also, update your LinkedIn profile and have a digital copy of your resume ready to share via email or LinkedIn.

During the event, engage actively with the content and the people. Attend keynotes, breakout sessions, and workshops not just to learn, but to meet other attendees and speakers. Asking insightful questions during sessions can make you memorable and establish your expertise in a topic.

Use coffee breaks, lunch breaks, and networking hours to introduce yourself to others. Start conversations by discussing the sessions, sharing insights, or asking about others’ experiences and projects. Exchange contact information and follow up with a LinkedIn connection request that includes a personalized message reminding them of your interaction.

7. Co-Working Spaces and Digital Nomad Hubs

These spaces are not just places to work; they are vibrant communities of like-minded professionals from various industries, often including tech, marketing, design, and more. Select co-working spaces and digital nomad hubs in cities known for their tech and startup communities, such as Berlin, Bali, Chiang Mai, or Lisbon. These cities attract a diverse crowd of entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers, increasing your chances of meeting potential employers or collaborators.

Most co-working spaces host regular events such as workshops, seminars, networking nights, and social gatherings. Participate actively in these events to get to know other members and learn about potential job opportunities. These events are often designed to foster collaboration and networking, which can be critical for finding remote work.

Present yourself as a resource to others in the co-working space by offering your skills and expertise. Whether it’s a casual conversation over coffee or a more formal presentation or workshop, showcasing what you can do can attract the attention of potential employers or clients who need your skills.

Many co-working spaces have physical or digital notice boards where members post job openings, project requests, and collaboration opportunities. Regularly check these boards and consider posting your own skills or services. Additionally, use any member directories or online platforms associated with the co-working space to connect with other professionals.

Join in on group projects or start one to demonstrate your skills in a real-world setting. This not only enhances your visibility within the community but also allows you to directly contribute to projects that can lead to job offers or long-term collaborations.

Get to know the staff and regulars at the co-working space. They can provide insights into who might be hiring, which companies are growing, and connect you with key individuals. Staff often know about upcoming opportunities before they are publicly announced and can recommend people who are a good fit.

Participate in skill exchange sessions where members offer to trade skills without monetary transactions. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door, build trust, and demonstrate your capabilities in a tangible way that could lead to paid work.