When developers apply to Moonlight for contract or full-time jobs, we ensure candidates meet a high standard of technical proficiency. Each applicant must have proof of experience, specialized technical skills, and an independent working style.
Here are some best practices for developers in the Moonlight network:
Community requirements: We strive for a diverse community of specialists who can apply their skills and experience to help clients on a remote basis. This includes:
3 years professional working experience in each skill listed. Academic projects may qualify (e.g. research work).
Looking for at least 8 hours per week of availability
Evidence of software engineering or product design experience in the form of work experience, education, publications, and open source contributions.
Language: We currently treat English as the language of business. We hope to expand languages as we grow, but for now - developers should have full working proficiency of written English including technical topics, and limited working proficiency of spoken English.
Minimum profile requirements: Developers should have a full profile. We want to help you get projects, and these guidelines help to make sure that clients have enough information to consider your services.
Profiles must be 100% truthful and representative of your skills and experience.
Even if you have an anonymous profile, you should fill out all sections. When you send a private proposal to clients, they will see your full profile. It makes you more likely to get a match.
Profiles should have at least: Headline, Bio, 1 identifying link (like Github, LinkedIn, or personal website), at least one skill, and one thing listed in experience.
High-quality writing with no typos. (Try Grammarly to check for mistakes!).
Bad headline: Software Engineer (not specific enough)
Good headline: Cryptography PhD / Microsoft Alumnus
Good headline: Former YC Startup CTO
Good headline: Senior Rails App Developer
Skills: Should represent the desire to work on specialized projects, and developers should have substantial experience to justify each skill.
Just a few skills is ok
An average of two skills per year of experience is good. Over two skills per year of experience my show the developers is not specialized enough.
Specific skills should be reflected in experience section.
Hourly rates should match levels of experience. Rates lower than $50US per hour may signal inexperienced or unspecialized work.
Type of work specialties: We seek diversity in developers beyond just web and application development.
Developers working on software app development should be specialized.
Skills outside software development include but are not limited to applied math, machine learning, hardware development, cryptography, security, networking, compilers, embedded systems design, testing, and infrastructure.
Experience: We are looking for developers that are experienced and confident in working independently.
Have had a full-time coding job for at least 3 years outside of school.
If education is included in total years experience, the experience section in the profile must include dates and details of that education.
Ability to work without the support of a mentor or manager.