Working in the IT Industry as a Digital Nomad

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen more people work from home and work remotely than ever. It’s looking like this trend will continue post-pandemic, as many companies have made the decision to move permanently to remote working, or have offered their employees a hybrid approach of working some days in the office, and others at home.

Digital nomads worked remotely before the pandemic made it more efficient to do so, but it can be difficult to know where to start. All you really need is a laptop, and somewhere to travel to.

What is a digital nomad?

A digital nomad is an individual who does their job remotely from various locations across the world. Their location of choice is often in local coffee shops, libraries or from home. Digital nomads rely on wifi to connect to their phone or laptop so they can work remotely in any environment.

What are the benefits of working as a digital nomad?

Working remotely may suit individuals differently, however, there are actually many benefits to working in this manner, especially under the current climate of Covid-19.

You’ll likely be more productive

An individual can be motivated by a whole host of things, but adventure can certainly be one of them. When you want to go out and explore your new area, you’re more likely to want to get your work finished, so you can go out and explore. Most employees will be more productive in a new environment because of the excitement of entering something new, even if the work isn’t new at all.

Your creativity levels will be up

Being in a new environment and experiencing different things can lead to a spike in creativity levels. When your brain is exposed to different experiences, it creates new synaptic connections and therefore new ideas come flooding in too.

You will learn key skills like versatility and adaptability

Your comfort zone is a, well, comfortable place to be and is often achieved when you work an office job. However, what your comfort zone doesn’t teach you is skills like adaptability. When you’re constantly being pushed outside of your comfort zone by travelling to new places, you learn to easily adapt to change and it will strengthen those skills which can then be taken forward into the workplace.

It gives you time outside of work to enjoy life

Life is supposed to be lived and not worked, so it’s important that you get time off work too, to enjoy it. Being motivated leads to work being completed faster, which leaves you with time. Time to spend exploring, or with family and friends. Let’s be honest, you don’t have to be a Technogypsie and live out a van, but it’s sure nice knowing you have that flexibility.

How do I find work if I’m a digital nomad?

Start by speaking to your current employer and don’t be afraid to ask them about working remotely. The IT industry naturally lends itself to being a digital nomad, as the work is mainly done on a computer. Most of the time your employer will be willing to speak to you about it, and they may even offer you a hybrid approach where you work both in the office and remote.

However, if you’re looking for somewhere new to work, a great way to start is to send out a letter of inquiry to the company asking for a remote working approach. By asking whether they have any remote positions available, you’re showing that you’re not only interested in their company, but you’re also willing to work remotely too.

How does being a digital nomad in the IT industry work?

As just stated, it’s relatively easy to be a digital nomad in the world of IT, because most IT work is completed on a computer or laptop – and these can easily be moved. For example, some of the jobs which work the best as remote jobs are programmers, website developers and SEO specialists.

It can be scary to take the plunge to commit to never going back into the office ever again, but once you’ve taken the initial plunge, becoming a digital nomad can be one of the most freeing things you can commit to. Being able to work from wherever you want, you’ll see a rise in both your creativity and motivation, which are two huge benefits, not only for you but for your employer as well.