I’m looking to go into programming/developer jobs after developing a GitHub portfolio of projects.
I’ve looked for entry level, junior Java, JavaScript jobs in my local city centre and there is only 2 junior Java developer jobs and 1 junior JavaScript jobs available in my local city centre. Which is hardly anything.
It doesn’t matter what search terms I use. Still only one entry level/junior JavaScript job in my local city centre.
Java, JavaScript, C#, Python, PHP, node, react etc. The same applies for other programming languages, only 3 junior python developer jobs advertised in my local city centre no matter what search terms I use.
What can I do here? I wonder why the limited prospects for junior roles. I remember back in 2016 their were around 11 entry level/junior java developer jobs in my local city centre alone in a month of 2016.
Some people say certain jobs are not advertised on the job sites.
People say networking, so I go to network events and someone may offer me a position which is not advertised? There is a python and JavaScript meet up in my local city centre.
Search for any Python or JavaScript events in your city. Talk to the event organisers about looking for job opportunities.
Networking is first and foremost about developing connections and relationships. This could eventually lead to job prospects. But if you don’t give time for people to get to know you, you may miss out on opportunities.
Talk to the human resource departments of organisations that interest you about any internship programmes they offer.
The definition of junior developer roles has changed a lot in the last ten years. Now it requires a few years of experience. The focus has moved from writing boilerplate to workflows and shipping features.
Expanding your search radius is usually the first practical step, especially looking at commutable towns or hybrid roles across the region rather than sticking strictly to one city centre.
For networking, definitely go to that local meetup. You don’t have to show up expecting someone to hand you an unadvertised role right away. Most of the value comes from talking to people who work at local agencies or companies you might not find on major job boards. Ask them what their teams are building and what the local market looks like. Over time, being a familiar face makes it much easier to hear about openings before they are posted publicly.
Also check company careers pages directly. Many smaller software shops and local businesses hire through word of mouth or direct applications without listing on every aggregator.
I think only a few jobs are advertised publicly. Most of the time people get referrals from those already inside the organisation or networks. Its called the “hidden job market”.
What happened to all these entry level developer jobs? I searched the same thing in 2016 and there were a lot of java, c#, python entry level developer jobs in my local city centre and hardly any now.
Would I be able to be get a job through linkedin? not through applying through linkedin, but someone searching for me?
The bar went up. Back in the day organisations were willing to train people on the job. Now they are expected to know that stuff from day one. In those days you hired locally. Now you can source talent from anywhere in the world.
It may be possible to gain work through LinkedIn, however the chances are better if you have experience or have connections. For entry level you are competing against a lot of people.
Try talking to talent or job agencies in your area.
Usually networking doesn’t work that way. Think of it more like building out a “network” that you can leverage later in time.
For example, go to a networking event, talk to people about where they work and if it sounds interesting, or they are interested in what you are doing, or whatever, then connect on linkedin. Then pay attention to their companies job boards for a position that aligns with your skills, at which point then leverage your network to get a referral for that job.
Its a lot of work to build out a network, there’s multiple ways to do it (in person, or online/through open source) but it takes time and effort, you don’t show up and get the job so to speak.
Interesting question, in your opinion, there is four universities near my city centre, three in it and one on the outskirts.
What happens to all these computer science grads and masters in computer science grads?
Sure, there will be AI, data science, data engineering, machine learning, a few cloud computing jobs. I’ve noticed A LOT of graduate AI jobs.
But hardly any entry level computer programming jobs for software developer, software engineer, full stack, back end, programming name job, application developer, multimedia developer, mobile app developer, few game developer jobs. Only really one or two of these entry level programming jobs.
They could apply to those software companies, large firms in the city centre that don’t traditionally advertise their graduate jobs on the jobs boards.
A few practical things to consider when local listings look dry:
First, look beyond listings that explicitly have “junior” or “entry level” in the title. Many companies just advertise for a “Web Developer” or “JavaScript Developer” with requirements that realistically fit someone starting out (like 0 to 2 years of experience or a solid portfolio). If you filter strictly by “junior”, you filter out a lot of these roles.
Second, consider expanding your commute radius if public transit permits. In England, nearby towns or cities might have local agencies or internal IT teams that require only one or two days a week on site.
Third, look directly at local digital agencies, software houses, and council or NHS IT departments in your county. Smaller firms often avoid expensive job boards and post vacancies only on their own websites or LinkedIn.
Regarding networking, people rarely offer jobs on the spot at meetups. The main value is finding out which local companies actually employ web developers and what tech stacks they use, so you know where to send speculative inquiries.