How to Get a Programming Job With No Experience?

Summary

The video addresses the challenge of landing an entry-level tech job without prior experience. The speaker outlines three strategies to overcome this: 1) Freelancing by offering free website development for local businesses, 2) Completing virtual internships from major companies like JP Morgan and EA Games, and 3) Building a simple startup project to showcase skills. These methods are presented as practical ways to gain legitimate experience and enhance a resume, with the goal of landing a first job as a self-taught developer within six months.

Takeaways

• 😀 Entry-level jobs often require years of experience, which can be frustrating for new job seekers.
• 💡 Freelancing is a recommended strategy to gain initial experience by offering to build websites for friends, family, and local businesses for free.
• 📞 Reaching out to local businesses through email or calls can help find clients needing a website, often within one to two weeks.
• 👨‍💻 Completing virtual internships is another way to gain experience, with many programs available online from large companies like JP Morgan Chase or EA Games.
• 🎓 Virtual internships provide certificates that can be added to resumes, which helps boost credibility with potential employers.
• 🚀 Building a startup is a viable third option for gaining experience, and it doesn’t have to be revolutionary—just useful for a specific group.
• 🖥️ The focus for a startup project should be on making it look professional with a good UI, logo, and social media presence.
• 🌐 Using a professional domain and creating LinkedIn and social media profiles for the startup can help make it look more legitimate.
• 💡 Resources like Product Hunt and university hackathon projects can provide inspiration for startup ideas.
• 🛠️ These strategies are legitimate and verifiable, helping job seekers not only secure interviews but also land job offers.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by individuals trying to land their first coding job?

The main challenge is the requirement of having work experience for entry-level jobs, which can be difficult for those who have none.

How long did it take the speaker to land their first job as a self-taught developer?

The speaker landed their first job within 6 months of learning.

What is the first strategy the speaker suggests to overcome the experience paradox?

The first strategy is freelancing by offering to build websites for free to gain experience.

Who should one approach to find clients for freelancing?

One should approach family, friends, mutuals, and local businesses in their area.

What is the second strategy mentioned in the script to gain experience?

The second strategy is to do virtual internships offered by companies.

What are some of the companies offering virtual internships?

Companies like JP Morgan Chase and EA games offer virtual internships.

What is the third strategy to gain experience and how does it differ from freelancing and virtual internships?

The third strategy is building your own startup, which involves creating a project that could be useful to a certain group of people and making it look legitimate.

What are some ways to make a startup look legitimate according to the speaker?

Ways to make a startup look legitimate include having a professional logo, a modern UI, a LinkedIn page, social media profiles, and a professional domain.

What resources does the speaker recommend for finding project ideas for a startup?

The speaker recommends checking out Product Hunt for simple startup ideas and hackathon projects from universities like Harvard or MIT for more complex ideas.

How can the experiences gained from the strategies be proven in an interview?

The experiences can be backed up with real proof such as internship certificates or the actual startup project.

What guarantee does the speaker provide if one takes action on the strategies mentioned?

The speaker guarantees that if one takes action on even just one of the strategies, they will get hired.