How to Get a Software Developer Job (in any economy)
Summary
TLDRThis video script offers a comprehensive guide for aspiring self-taught software developers seeking their first job. It covers essential skills like front-end technologies (JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React) and back-end development, emphasizing the importance of a strong portfolio to demonstrate credibility. The speaker advises starting job applications early, leveraging networking and informational interviews to stand out, and continuously improving one's skills and projects to increase job prospects.
Takeaways
- 💻 **Self-taught to Software Developer**: The speaker shares their personal journey from being self-taught to landing a job as a software developer.
- 🚀 **Three Main Topics**: The video covers what you need to know, when to start applying, and the most effective way to apply for a developer job.
- 🌐 **Evolving Tech Skills**: The tech industry changes rapidly, so skills required for a software developer role are not static.
- 🛠️ **Full Stack Developer Skills**: For a full stack developer, understanding front-end technologies (JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React, Next.js) and back-end technologies (Node.js, databases) is crucial.
- 📈 **Use the Roadmap**: The roadmap is a living document that provides an updated guide on what to learn to become a self-taught developer.
- 📝 **Credibility through Projects**: Having a portfolio of projects is key to demonstrating your skills and credibility as a developer.
- 🔍 **Apply Early and Often**: Start applying for jobs as soon as you have a credible portfolio, even if you're still learning.
- 💼 **Resume vs. Interview**: While the resume gets you the interview, it's the interview that secures the job, so focus on both.
- 🤝 **Networking is Key**: Building personal connections and networking can significantly increase your chances of getting hired.
- 📈 **Continuous Improvement**: Always work on improving your skills and portfolio to stand out from the crowd and increase your job prospects.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video?
-The video focuses on sharing advice for self-taught developers on how to get their first job in the software development field.
What are the three main topics covered in the video?
-The three main topics covered are: what skills are needed to get a job as a software developer, when to start applying for jobs, and the most effective way to apply for jobs.
What is the current recommended skill set for a full stack software developer?
-For a full stack software developer, the recommended skill set includes understanding front-end technologies like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and frameworks such as React or Next.js, as well as backend technologies, typically involving a server framework adjacent to a programming language, and knowledge of databases, either SQL or NoSQL.
How does the speaker suggest staying updated with the evolving tech requirements?
-The speaker suggests checking out a roadmap that is regularly updated to reflect current tech requirements and learning the technologies listed there.
What is the importance of having a portfolio when applying for developer jobs?
-A portfolio is critical as it serves as proof of concept and demonstrates credibility, showcasing the developer's skills through projects that are live and functioning on the internet.
At what point should a self-taught developer start applying for jobs?
-A self-taught developer should start applying for jobs as soon as they have a portfolio that they feel confident in showing, demonstrating their capabilities.
What is the speaker's stance on the role of resumes in the job application process?
-The speaker clarifies that while resumes get you the interview, it's the interview that can guarantee you the job, suggesting that more time should be spent on networking and personal presentation than on perfecting the resume.
How does networking play a role in getting a job as a developer?
-Networking is crucial as it helps establish a personal connection, which can lead to informational interviews, internal referrals, and potentially job offers even when there are no advertised positions.
What is the recommended approach to improve one's chances of getting hired?
-The recommended approach includes continuous self-improvement, such as developing better projects, networking, and focusing on personal presentation to stand out from other applicants.
What resources does the speaker recommend for someone learning to code?
-The speaker recommends the learn to code roadmap and specific videos for guidance on projects to build, suggesting these resources are linked in the video description.
What is the significance of informational interviews in the job search process?
-Informational interviews are significant as they provide an opportunity to learn about roles, demonstrate capabilities, and potentially lead to job referrals or offers.
Outlines
💻 Becoming a Self-Taught Developer
The speaker shares their personal journey of teaching themselves to code and securing a job as a software developer. They highlight the desire of many to enter the tech job market and the importance of the video's content. The video aims to provide insights on getting a first job as a self-taught developer, covering three main points: the necessary skills, the right time to start applying for jobs, and the most effective job application strategies. The speaker emphasizes the dynamic nature of tech skills, especially with the advent of AI, and suggests checking a roadmap for updated learning paths. They outline the importance of front-end and back-end technologies, mentioning JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React, Next.js, Node.js, and database systems. The speaker advises that having a strong portfolio of projects is crucial for demonstrating credibility and readiness for job applications.
📈 Demonstrating Credibility with Projects
The speaker discusses the importance of having a credible portfolio to apply for developer jobs. They recommend starting with front-end development and then moving to back-end to build a full-stack portfolio. The speaker suggests that once a candidate feels confident in their projects, they should begin applying for jobs. They also mention a video resource for project ideas and emphasize the significance of networking and personal image in the job application process. The speaker advises that while resumes and cover letters are important, they should not consume the majority of job seekers' time. Instead, they recommend focusing on public presentation and networking, including reaching out to people in the recruitment process and conducting informational interviews to establish personal connections and demonstrate one's capabilities.
🔗 Networking and Self-Improvement for Job Success
The speaker stresses the importance of networking and self-improvement in securing a job as a self-taught software developer. They explain that informational interviews can lead to job opportunities, even when positions are not advertised. The speaker encourages job seekers to connect with people in their desired field and to be genuinely interested in their work, which can lead to internal referrals. They also suggest that if job seekers are not getting the desired results, they should focus on improving their portfolio and communication skills rather than just sending out more applications. The speaker concludes by reiterating the importance of the strategies discussed and encourages viewers to take action, providing links to resources in the video description.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Self-taught developer
💡Software developer
💡Tech job market
💡Full stack developer
💡Front-end technologies
💡Back-end technologies
💡Database
💡Portfolio projects
💡Resume
💡Networking
💡Informational interview
Highlights
Self-taught individuals can successfully enter the tech job market as software developers.
Three main topics covered: what to know to get a job, when to start applying, and how to apply effectively.
Front-end technologies like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and frameworks such as React are crucial.
For backend, JavaScript-based Node.js is recommended along with knowledge of databases.
Having a live project portfolio is essential to demonstrate credibility.
The roadmap is a valuable resource for staying updated on necessary skills.
Resumes should match job requirements to integrate effectively into a company's workflow.
Apply for jobs as soon as you have a credible project portfolio.
Starting with front-end development and then moving to full-stack can be an effective strategy.
Networking and personal image are more important than focusing on resumes and cover letters.
Reach out to people in the recruitment process for informational interviews.
LinkedIn can be leveraged for networking and finding job opportunities.
Internal referrals can lead to job opportunities even when positions are not advertised.
Improving your portfolio and communication skills can increase your chances of getting hired.
The video provides actionable advice for self-taught developers to secure their first job.
Using platforms like h.sh can streamline the job application process.
Transcripts
some of you may know this about me some
of you may not but not so long ago I
taught myself how to code managed to
weasle my way into a job as a software
developer inside of the tech job market
now this is pretty covered a lot of
people want to do and I think it's a
great thing to do and in this video I'm
going to share with you everything you
should know if you want to get your
first job as a self-taught developer now
this will also work if you're looking to
get job as a developer uh whether or not
you have experience and the main three
things we're going to cover in this
video first and foremost is what you
need to know to get a job in the first
place number two is when should you
start applying for jobs a lot of people
leave it way too late and they could
have had a job much much earlier and
number three what is the most effective
way to apply for jobs to land your role
as a
developer so it should be a weapon of a
video loads of good advice and by the
end of it you will have all the
knowledge you need you'll be extremely
well equipped to go out there into the
vast open ocean of jobs available on the
you know all the job sites and land your
developer
role now first questions first what
exactly do you need to know to get a job
as a software developer and it's a
really interesting question because the
answer is always changing Tech evolves
extremely quickly especially with AI
coming out at the moment what you need
to know is never a fixed answer and I'm
going to give you an answer for this
current snapshot in time if you're
looking to get a job as a software
developer specifically a full stack
software developer you need to
understand front end and you need to
understand backend Technologies on the
front end side that's predominantly
going to be JavaScript HTML CSS and some
front-end JavaScript Frameworks such as
react react is definitely the most
popular another good one is nextjs both
of them are very cool as for the
backend backend can be done in just
about any programming language but
normally there is a framework a backend
uh server framework that you'll learn
adjacent to the programming language if
you're already learning JavaScript for
the front end then I'd recommend no JS
for the back end and if you can do all
of that plus some database stuff either
a SQL or nosql database
system and deploy it live to the
internet then you should be in tiptop
shape that's all the knowledge you
should need to get your foot on the door
and get your first job as a
developer now in saying that you know
before I commented that the tech always
changes so how do you know what you
should be learning well first and
foremost is that you should check out
the road map because the road map is
always updated and maintained it teaches
you everything you need to know to get a
job as a self-taught developer so
whatever's in the road map is what you
should be learning but that information
is basically created from research where
you know if you go to LinkedIn and look
at hundreds of jobs you'll find some
core requirements amongst a lot of them
and that's the technology that's
recommended for you to learn so
basically you have a huge pool of job
applications you've got all the relevant
technology that people are looking for
all of those skill sets and having been
in the involved in the recruitment
process for hiring software developers
the thing that is most critical is that
the expertise and stuff that you have in
your resume needs to match what we're
looking for in this company because
that's just going to mean that you can
effectively integrate into the workflow
of the company and you'll get hired in
no time so check out the road map that
has everything you need to know you can
go through check off all the items and
that should have you sorted for question
one what do you need to know now before
we dive into the most effective way to
get a job first we're going to talk
about when can you start applying for
jobs you want to start as soon as
possible but what does that even
mean so if you want to get a job the cor
requirement that you have to meet is CR
you have to find a way to demonstrate
credibility you have to be a credible
High candidate and the only way you know
if you don't have an accreditation you
don't have a qualification the way that
you prove your credibility is by you
know proof of concept you have projectss
portfolio projects specifically when I
got my job my interviews were literally
just me raving about how awesome my
projects were they were appalling but I
thought they were you know the best
thing on planet Earth uh so it's
critical that you also have projects
that you can show off you can show the
codebase you can show the challenges
that you've you know conquered uh or
overcome to deploy them and have them
live and functioning on the internet
most big Tech companies are just a
bigger version of a lot of full stack
personal
projects uh so that's basically point is
is that if you can get some projects
together you can suddenly start to
really demonstrate your credibility and
as soon as you have projects in a
portfolio that you feel confident
showing then you can start applying for
jobs now if you're desperate to get into
Tech the way I'd recommend doing this is
start off this is how the road map is
built as well start off learning front
end development do some front-end
projects get a frontend portfolio
prepared start applying for front-end
jobs learn the backend stuff build some
full stack projects and then you can
start applying for full stack jobs if
you haven't already got a front-end job
already once again if you want to know
exactly what projects to build I have a
video specifically for that Linked In
the description down below so be sure to
check that out so that's the first two
questions answered what do you need to
know we've covered that go to the road
map number two how do you know when
you're ready to start applying basically
do you have stuff that demonstrates your
capability if yes start applying
today now number three this is arguably
the most important question what's the
most effective way to apply for jobs to
actually land the role and there's a bit
of a process that I recommend for this
the first thing that you have to
understand there's a lot of mix
messaging on the
internet I often see people coming out
raving saying this resume got me a job
at Fang a Fang company and I'm just
going to come straight out the bat and
say that that is
misinformation the rese gets you the
interview the interview is what can
guarantee you the job so a lot of people
end up spending all their time on their
resumés and cover letters and all that
kind of stuff thinking that that's going
to be you know their golden egg their
golden ticket into the job it's actually
not where you should be dedicating a lot
of your
time so to cut down on the time just you
know Linked In the description down
below is higher Dosh it's my platform it
helps make this process incredibly fast
I'd recommend checking it out just you
know sign up free try it out see if you
like it it will save you countless hours
in your job hunt now so we've trimmed
down on the cover letter and resume what
are we actually meant to be doing
then this part is twofold it's it's all
about a your Public Presentation Your
Personal Image and B
networking
now in addition to credibility the thing
that will get you a job is uh personal
attachment to you so if people have met
you and they like
you but how do you get people to know
you especially randoms on the internet
if you can't get an interview in the
first place well this is where most of
your time needs to be spent and
basically there's two things you have to
do the first part this is absolutely
critical is whenever you apply for a job
at a company you've you know prepared
your application with h.sh you submit it
it takes about 2 minutes this is where
you got to do the hard yards you have to
find someone to reach out to that's
involved in the recruitment process it
could be the CEO of the company the
hiring
manager send them a message and say you
know I saw this job was posted I'd love
to have a chat and learn more about the
opportunity I feel like I'd be a prime
candidate you know and send a connection
request on LinkedIn now if you want a
specific messaging template for that
that will also be linked in the
description down below you can just copy
and paste it and send it basically how
it works is free you send a connection
request and you add a note to it uh
brilliant thing to do people love the
initiative and if you can get a free
informational interview now this is not
a job you're talking about the role but
it kind of as a job at the same time you
can't approach it from that lens but
it's as good as an interview because in
either either a legitimate interview or
an informal
informational informational interview
basically all you're doing is you're
asking about the role demonstrating your
capabilities showing what you've done uh
and just letting them get to know you
which is critical and if you can show
that you're a cool person uh and you
have the skill set why wouldn't they
just Peck you you know save them a lot
of time and effort so that's the first
thing you have to do
now the second thing also extremely
important is even when there aren't jobs
advertised you also have to find people
on LinkedIn hunt them down someone who
has your dream job and also send them a
connection request with a little note
that says hey I love your job I'd love
to learn more about it would you be open
to connecting and having an
informational interview so that I could
learn some
more a lot of people not everyone's
going to take you up on this absolutely
but a lot of people
will give you their time and now you
should never come into these processes
thinking that you're going to get
anything more than an informational
interview but if you're a cool person
you know you work on your communication
skills you show interest in what they're
doing everybody loves to talk about
themselves so if you can get them on a
run and you know take some interest show
that you're genuinely enthusiastic about
what they
do chances are they might offer you an
internal referral now how this works is
most companies have a process where uh
employees can recommend an external
candidate to work at the company and if
that candidate is hired and sticks
around for like 6 months then both of
you get like you know a load of money so
they have an incentive to find good
people and so if you can deliver
yourself on a silver platter through
this informational interview often you
can actually even get a job where there
wasn't one in the first place and this
is the best way to combat even things
like the job market you know if there's
100 applicants going for a job how many
of them are going to be having an inter
informational interview with this one
person it's just going to be you so it
really allows you to separate yourself
from the mean you can you know become an
outlier which is what you want to
be and
that's where the effort needs to go
that's where you have to go the one last
thing that I'll say is that if you
aren't getting the success that you're
looking for once again it's not about
putting out more application you want to
just keep them quick and efficient I
mean obviously it's still a numbers game
do as many as you can but the time
should be spent on the networking and
also the self-improvement if you're not
getting much interest on one of your
projects and you start to realize that
it's actually a bit you know a bit mud
make a new one out with the old and with
the new you know add a new project
that's even better than anything you've
already
done that self-improvement that
self-development you know the
Improvement in your portfolio will get
you a job anyway that's my recom that's
if I wanted to get a job in the current
job market as a self-taught soft devel
software developer that's what I would
do um all the information you need is
linked in the description down below now
it's over to you to go out and do it I
believe in you uh and if you yeah want
to absolutely save some time on the
resume and COV letter sections then
check out h.sh anyway thank you so much
for watching the video if you've enjoyed
smash the like And subscribe buttons and
I'll catch you guys later peace
learning to code if so be sure to check
out the learn to code road map or dive
straight in with these
videos that's a good one
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