Hello.
Since I’m living in Venezuela I can’t find opportunities as a Frontend due to the extensive requirements we have here.
A friend will be my sponsor to take me to the United States (Seattle) and try to have a better quality of life. However, none of that guarantees me to finally get a job as a Frontend developer.
I haven’t professional experience, but I have done projects for my portfolio using React, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SASS and API consumption.
Any help or advice would be welcome.
Is it difficult to have a frontend developer job in the US?
So if you are asking if its difficulty to have the job already, I mean kinda? Its a complex job with ever changing requirements and technologies.
If you are asking if its difficult to get a job, then yea. Odds are its about the same as Venezuela.
The front-end market, and tech in general is currently going through a contraction period, meaning jobs are hard to get, there’s layoffs and plenty of people looking. Even before this (before the pandemic) getting a front-end developer job wasn’t “easy”. It was easy to send out hundreds, if not thousands of emails to get a role.
Any help or advice would be welcome.
You need an angle/approach to separate yourself from the crowd. Being just a front-end developer means you more or less are selling skills that another 5k+ people also are selling. You need some way to standout, and be able to approach a given job from a standpoint that makes you either the only candidate or one of a handful that fit.
Find an angle, and find a job that is looking for that angle and build toward that.
It’s NOT difficult / impossible to find in job in US in tech sector. In fact they are super short of proper skilled labours.
This is main reason why they rely heavily on Indian companies for outsourcing or providing skilled engineers onsite.
Coming back to your question, keep building some quality projects and updating them on GitHub.
If you check Y Combinator jobs section, there are tons of jobs in South America as well.
But you can as well, keep applying for job in US itself with help of friends, linkedin and Y Combinator jobs page.
Initially you can apply for internship as well.
Just keep trying till you get it, dedicate some time each day just for job search.
All the very best and do share your experiences here sooner; once you get job in US in coming months.
Cheers,
Vikram
one more point, would like to add here @Zetiram, build your network with help of “Linkedin”
I’m 2 decade old in IT and earlier ( during my young days ) I use to think only brillent, super intelligent engineers get to work in US and was feeling bad my myself ( this totally wrong for mental health and confidence as well ). But I was totally wrong that time.
Getting job in US needs proper network, connections, persistence, perseverance and a small bit of luck as well.