I’m a software engineer who started off my journey with fcc. I’ve been asked many questions about how exactly to get that first coding job, and while I don’t have an end-all answer, I have one highly recommended task that I believe is the logical first step.
Find an expert and ask questions!
If you are serious about pivoting into programming, seek a current, active developer in your area who’s done many interviews and landed multiple jobs Don’t assume that your cousin’s sister’s dad who used to code in the 70s has info that’s relevant to you. There are a million resources out there and blindly doing all of them is not an efficient way forward. Even within a great platform like fcc, you should ideally be clear on what role you want to go for, and customize your own set of lessons from within the entire curriculum set.
Seeking an appropriate mentor is no easy task, but I believe it will be the single most effective way to progress. Full time devs are busy people, so don’t expect anybody to just volunteer their time for your sake. Make it worthwhile to them - offer to pay for coffee / lunch during meetings, barter services, etc… It will be worth it!
Good luck!
PS - if you are based in the US, and have tried but can’t find any mentors, feel free to DM me.
First I want to say thank you for sharing this. I am a self taught and use FCC and other platforms to learn. Looking for my first job once I’m comfortable has been on my mind a lot lately. I hope you don’t mind me asking these additional questions. I also understand if you don’t answer them.
Would you also recommend participating in seminars and conferences whether online or in person? Do you think it’s better to reach out to an expert through social media, GitHub, or email directly?
I think it depends on the type of seminar/conference but my personal feeling is… probably not. You want somebody who can review your code line by line, review your resume/linkedin profile, practice phone interviews, technical communication, etc… so it is a commitment on both sides. I think at most conferences people are there to connect on a more casual level.
Yeah I would go through social media and see if any friends or friends of friends are willing to help you out!
I found my first job in a meetup event in person. Agencies & HR did not give a shi* about my profile, best opportunities is to speak with startup founders/staff, show your projects & passion to them. What was working for me is to focus on my person and portoflio, rather than linkedin/resume, and meet people in person.
Yes, I think it’s possible to get the best of both worlds! There are founders who prefer to hire in person at events, but there are still many companies that rely on sources like Linkedin to get talent, so not having a great resume online will be cutting off a large portion of potential job offers.