Application Guide
How to Apply for Software Engineer - PHP/Laravel
at Highlightta
🏢 About Highlightta
Neon One is a mission-driven nonprofit software company that has been empowering small and mid-sized nonprofits since 2004. Their culture is centered on empathy, innovation, and a customer-first mindset, offering a fully remote environment where you can directly contribute to social impact through technology.
About This Role
As a Software Engineer on the Events team, you'll primarily work with PHP/Laravel to build new features and improve performance, while also gaining exposure to Node.js and AWS as the platform transitions to a serverless, service-oriented architecture. This role is critical in bridging legacy systems with modern solutions, directly supporting nonprofits in their daily operations.
💡 A Day in the Life
Start your day with a stand-up meeting via Slack or Zoom to sync with the Events team. Spend the morning coding new features in Laravel, such as enhancing event registration flows, and after lunch, collaborate with a senior engineer on migrating a legacy module to AWS Lambda. End the day by reviewing pull requests and documenting your work for the team.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Highlightta Is Looking For
- Proficient in PHP and Laravel with experience building and maintaining web applications.
- Comfortable working in a legacy-to-modern migration context, with openness to learning Node.js and AWS.
- Collaborative and empathetic, thriving in a fully remote, mission-driven team environment.
- Detail-oriented with a focus on performance optimization and scalable solutions.
📝 Tips for Applying to Highlightta
Highlight any experience with nonprofit or social impact tech in your resume or cover letter.
Showcase specific Laravel projects where you improved performance or added features.
Mention any exposure to Node.js or AWS, even if limited, to demonstrate adaptability.
Tailor your application to emphasize your comfort with remote collaboration and asynchronous communication.
Include a brief note on why Neon One's mission resonates with you personally.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your passion for using technology to support nonprofits and community building.', 'Specific examples of PHP/Laravel work that resulted in tangible improvements.', 'Your willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies like Node.js and AWS.', 'How your collaborative style fits into a remote, empathy-driven culture.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Neon One's product suite and understand how their software helps nonprofits.
- → Read about their company culture and remote work practices on their website or Glassdoor.
- → Look into their technical blog or GitHub to see if they share any engineering practices.
- → Understand the nonprofit tech landscape and common challenges small nonprofits face.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning Neon One's mission or your interest in nonprofit tech.
- Overemphasizing legacy PHP experience without showing willingness to learn modern architectures.
- Ignoring the remote aspect – failing to demonstrate strong communication and self-management skills.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!