I have been doing remote work for years. I lived in Atlanta and Seattle. Both with enough a tech hub that meeting other techs were easy.
When I lived in Sedona, AZ, there were practically no meetups, or tech to speak of. Of course, I moved there because I liked the hiking and the New Age hippie folks, and enjoyed their company. However, the natural networking I got just hanging out in Atlanta or Seattle disappeared.
I moved fo Phoenix because of family issues. I missed northern AZ, and not only that, the tech scene in Phoenix sucks. For example, no one in town really wants to hire senior Rubyists, or pay them at that rate. As I told recruiters in the Phoenix market, I think all the really good people got remote jobs with companies outside of Phoenix.
I think the rest of the mainstream tech community is catching up. At some point, people will start to realize that you can move to where your lifestyle fits.
For example, if you love the mountains, or like the idea of hobby farms, you can move out into the sticks. Once Starlink becomes generally available, it will be even easier to do so.
Other people live in mobile tiny houses.
People raising kids will find that moving back to your hometown with a lot of extended family to act as a safety net will help a lot. Pr to select the school district for your kids.
For some people, it may even mean becoming more involved in the local community. You act as a kind of economic importer, and your support can make a huge difference.
I know a lot of people got introduced to remote working during a lockdown. If you ever get a chance to continue remote work after lockdowns are lifted, you’ll find that remote-first does not have to mean work from home. It can mean working from a coffeeshop, or patronizing local establishments. It can mean joining a coworking facility. It can mean enjoying your work outside on the patio when the weather is nice (or, if you are like me, coding in the porch while it is raining or snowing is a great experience).
When I lived in Sedona, AZ, there were practically no meetups, or tech to speak of. Of course, I moved there because I liked the hiking and the New Age hippie folks, and enjoyed their company. However, the natural networking I got just hanging out in Atlanta or Seattle disappeared.
I moved fo Phoenix because of family issues. I missed northern AZ, and not only that, the tech scene in Phoenix sucks. For example, no one in town really wants to hire senior Rubyists, or pay them at that rate. As I told recruiters in the Phoenix market, I think all the really good people got remote jobs with companies outside of Phoenix.
I think the rest of the mainstream tech community is catching up. At some point, people will start to realize that you can move to where your lifestyle fits.
For example, if you love the mountains, or like the idea of hobby farms, you can move out into the sticks. Once Starlink becomes generally available, it will be even easier to do so.
Other people live in mobile tiny houses.
People raising kids will find that moving back to your hometown with a lot of extended family to act as a safety net will help a lot. Pr to select the school district for your kids.
For some people, it may even mean becoming more involved in the local community. You act as a kind of economic importer, and your support can make a huge difference.
I know a lot of people got introduced to remote working during a lockdown. If you ever get a chance to continue remote work after lockdowns are lifted, you’ll find that remote-first does not have to mean work from home. It can mean working from a coffeeshop, or patronizing local establishments. It can mean joining a coworking facility. It can mean enjoying your work outside on the patio when the weather is nice (or, if you are like me, coding in the porch while it is raining or snowing is a great experience).