Discouraged - Need Encouragment

Thanks everyone. Sorry didn’t realize you’re all copied on my responses to individuals :woman_facepalming:

I’d strongly advise you to be well prepared before actually trying out Triplebyte. Things you learned on FCC alone is definitely not enogh. They test you as if you are an experienced developer, which means you can code small web apps within a reasonable time, whiteboard common algorithms like a red back tree question and diagnose runtime, know your web technologies like HTTP / HTTPS, security options to prevent cross site forgery…etc, and talk reasonably in depth about system design.

Part of being resume blind is the fact they put you through the ringer to make sure you fit the profile of a competent developer.

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I don’t have the skills and I am still learning, but I’m always researching what is possible. One thing I’ve taken from listening to a lot of stuff online is “if you can’t find a job, make one for yourself.” Just looking at what you have, you’ve got it and you can do so much with the web developing. So I just want to say keep pushing and keep going. I came across this reddit post today maybe it’ll help . Happy Camping! :grin: https://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/5ffp9j/web_design_only_started_in_jan_this_year_making/

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Also I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it but knowing html css and js isn’t enough for most companies. Most companies now require experience in a framework such as react Vue or angular if you are going for front end dev. Having that on your resume will surely help. Hope this helps

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Keep working on your goal. I’m 49 and just started to learning how to code about 5-6 weeks ago. You are far more skilled than I am at this point AND you have real-world experience.

I’ve read several articles fromLaunch School . They emphasize slow deliberate learning to master a skill instead of just being familiar with a skill. They also state “Never underestimate the time it takes to become a professional”.

By continuing the effort of self-improvement, you are setting a great example for your children. We must be forever learning to be relevant in the 21st century. Best wishes to you.

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Cool! I’ll find you. I’m @divsaunders in Insta

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I have been working as a freelance programmer for 5 years now. When you search for a job you depend of the decision they take about you, it doesn’t mean you are not good, it just mean that you don’t qualify for them.

When you work as a freelance is much more different: you have a portfolio, you start getting clients, you decide what kind of projects you take. If you have a bad client or bad project, you are just a few weeks or months away to say goodbye.

So while you keep searching for a job, why not start getting some experience the freelance way? Yes, it needs more selling, it needs more time to go out and find the clients, but the main difference is that you are chosen on the premise that you can get things done. So you grow your portfolio and with time your experience will give you better and better clients.

It is a different path. Small businesses in your area may need a website or an app. They won’t be as picky to search for a full trained front-end developer and you will have more creative independence.

Pack some of these and with time you will be able to apply for better jobs. Just notice that in this world of programming there are many paths you can take and you already have some skills that can open it for you.

What is your portfolio? I would like to see your websites.

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It seems to me that for the skills that you have (strictly front-end/design), the market is saturated (depends on the area though).

My cousin has the same hard time has a graphic designer with front-end skills. Maybe get deeper into Javascript? But hey, don’t give up, keep getting better. The better version of yourself won’t care about a few rejections, it will crush those interviews :wink:

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I disagree with you, the first thing is becoming competent and need to be sincerely about how many experience you have for a job application.

However if you try to apply for jobs and your skills are less 50% and you dont be honest in the interview, you’ll get be frustred.

you can apply for any job application but tell the true, I have this example in my company a colleague in the work start this year and we was very sincerely about y knowledge

The company give the opportunty and now he growing very fast. It’s about to be sincerely and honest if the company accepts you learn with them so you will learn but if you try to learn in a company who needs and depends that skills you gonna be very frusted that’s my point.

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I am trying to learn coding for 4 years. But still I am somehow far from a fron end developer. But I am taking my time and developing well. this slow pace sometimes discourage me. But I am not stopping by rather trying harder.

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I’d strongly advise you to be well prepared before actually trying out Triplebyte. Things you learned on FCC alone is definitely not enogh. They test you as if you are an experienced developer, which means you can code small web apps within a reasonable time, whiteboard common algorithms like a red back tree question and diagnose runtime, know your web technologies like HTTP / HTTPS, security options to prevent cross site forgery…etc, and talk reasonably in depth about system design.

Part of being resume blind is the fact they put you through the ringer to make sure you fit the profile of a competent developer.

Agree with this. I did Triplebyte… I don’t remember right now if it was before or after I went to my bootcamp but yes it’s tough and very particular.

Quick progress? The people that get jobs that fast are probably in college and have all the time in the world compared to the rest of us. I’ve been working on FCC projects for over two years. I just finished all the legacy certificates last week and they’ve already changed the curriculum on me!

It may also be how you are presenting yourself in your resume, if you are presenting yourself with more designer skills, then maybe you should change your resume up a bit to feature more of the javascript projects you have been working on. Or perhaps apply to more web designer jobs where you can work with html and css more so you can get into the industry and then work your way towards being a developer. Believe me, it’s all about being creative and finding the right people to talk to. For example, find someone who works at a company you want to work for on linkedin, sending them a message saying that you want ask them a few questions about X, Y and Z and more likely than not you will probably get a positive response. I got a job interview with a company I was interested in via linkedin. I didn’t even have to write a cover letter, I messaged the lead developer and sent them a link to my portfolio. Diversify your search techniques and create a portfolio!!

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If my comment is worth anything, I would suggest that you market yourself well in the job market. As someone who has hired devs in the past, I can definitely say that the market is full of “fluff” (eg., people saying they’re experts in a certain field when they’re only “familiar” with it).

Be honest with yourself and your resume. Keep it short and concise. When you’re applying, present yourself as an asset to whatever position you’re applying. Create a generic email that you will blast out to 20-30 postings in a day, old and new, as long as you’re able to do them (of course).

It gets discouraging and I’ve been there. The trick is to up the volume of applications you send out in a day/week, be presentable, and be to-the-point in your email and resume.

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So I want to ask you some questions. What city or town are you at? I only ask because sometime the issue also might be regional. I will state what hasn’t mentioned because I am black/Mexican American myself and I think it would be unrealistic to not mention that it also could be about “who you are” in addition to 'what you can do", it’s a harsh reality but statistically black women have one of the lowest hiring rate in the tech field. I would take the time to join www.meetup.com and join a “black professional group” in your location or find one posted on Facebook locally in your community. Many places even none black exclusive businesses will participate in such events and can give you a bit of support and guidance in companies that will hire fairly. You can do it! You just might have to take less conventional ways of doing it. I did.

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Oh you should certainly be honest about your skills.

But you’ll find that many if not most positions have asks that are just nice to haves, not actually expected, listed as requirements. it is very common to apply for jobs with only 60% of actual skills.

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yeah, that it’s a true most of companies have a lot of requirements, sometimes is unreal and not compatible with the pay.

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Thank you for your realistic positivity. I = Black/Nigerian lady, so I feel this hard:sweat_smile::triumph::smiling_imp::pray::raised_hands:

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5 months aren’t that much really, just continue learning and you will definitely get a job. Also remember your only competition is yourself, forget about others and do things on your own phase.

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I understand your struggles as a parent with limited time and energy with no obvious benefit up front. I am a father of four younsters and I can relate with you. The first step in finding a job is confidence, don’t lose faith. If this is something you truly want you will achieve it! You are a single mother, determination is a skillset you have in abundance.

That being said your outlook seems a bit skewed. That is not to say you aren’t talented but you are not demonstrating your knowledge base by listing that you are a beginner. The job hunt is just that, a hunt. Not only do you have to convince a potential employer that you are a great pick for the job, you have to demonstrate that you are better than every other developer interviewing for the position.

*Bulk up your resume and portfolio.
*Create a web presence that makes you look like the star that you are.

Keep in mind that when a company writes up a job description they are generally asking for skills above and beyond what you’ll actually need to perform your duties on a regular basis. If they did find a person who has everything they are asking for, they’d likely not be able to afford his or her services. You know better than anyone the tasks that you are capable of and it is not a lie to say you know Wordpress even though you may have not mastered all of the ins and outs of the platform. Take a look at the position that you want to apply for and adapt your resume to show that you have applicable skills and experience. Once you get your foot in the door, brush up on the skills you do have and cram on the general outline of the skills you don’t. If you get the job you will learn all you need to know about performing the tasks they require of you hands on, but be prepared.

One more thing, curb your study habits. If you are trying to master Wordpress for example and expect to be working in the next month or so, that is not practical. There is way too much to learn and you are limited on time, don’t wait to master it before you are convinced that you’re ready for the gig. You may never master everything in Wordpress taking into consideration they are rolling out new updates and tools regularly, but you can master utilizing the tools. Why not instead study by doing? Work on tutorials that will teach you how to create child themes from scratch and finish two or more full websites to add to your resume and portfolio? That way you are learning and experiencing what it takes to be a full stack Wordpress developer. If Wordpress is your goal there is an awesome Udemy video that will help you out. For web development in general, I am recommending a second video course. I am not affiliated with nor do I get paid for recommending these videos but I took them in the past and they helped me rethink the way I view who I am in this industry and where I want to be.

The first one will give you all of the skills you need to get your foot in the door and teach you a ton you may not have already known about Wordpress:

https://www.udemy.com/become-a-wordpress-developer-php-javascript/

The second one will advance your skillset as a developer to where you should be and give you an understanding that most tutorials and classes don’t provide. You will learn modern web tools and workflow development by working through projects from start to finish. There is also a section on interviewing, which was helpful for me when I last switched companies.

https://www.udemy.com/git-a-web-developer-job-mastering-the-modern-workflow/

I recommend doing the second one first to open your eyes to professional web development, unless you have your heart set on strictly working in Wordpress.

Try posting your resume with with following two services. Both are free and tons of companies are looking for developers on both platforms. If anything, getting updates on regular job postings should boost your self esteem and give hope that one of those jobs could be yours. And looking at what companies are looking for will give you a great idea of which skills to add to your arsenal. [I am not a fan of recruiters and they will beat down your door when you open an account at these links, but you can apply to the jobs yourself on these websites if you want. Recruiters are not bad but they ask potential employers for more money because they need to get paid, which can often be a deterrent. They can also be helpful because some employers work with certain recruiters because they know they’ll offer quality candidates. ]

https://www.indeed.com/

Additionally, if you need advice or want to check out my resume I will be happy to share, just contact me outside of this forum in my freecodecamp inbox. I don’t want to link my personal email address and potentially end up with a billion emails at my personal email address. ^^

*Note, the last day for the sale ends soon and each video is a one time fee of $11.99, do not pay the full amount if you miss the sale. Udemy has a sale all the time. Either wait for the next sale, contact the instructor directly (Brad Schiff, I don’t know him personally but he seems like a nice guy,) he may be able to extend the sale or contact me directly, I may be able to help you in some other way.

Good Luck!

Morgan Segura

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