When should one start looking for a job? I know the common answer is: when you feel ready.
I can develop webpages using React, have a solid understanding on HTML, CSS, and Javascript. I have been teaching basic web design and javascript for the last 4 years, and have been teaching beginner to advanced Java for the last 5 years. The main problem I have is that I find it hard to remember a lot of the syntax of React/Native and Express/Node…and think I would have to develop 20-30 apps/servers before it really sinks in. I can use documentation to get React or Node to do what I want, but if I were to sit down to a computer without the internet as a resource, I would hit a wall pretty quickly. Do employers expect you to have a memory of all the syntax?
Thanks in advance for any time/replies.
I would say, syntax, yes. Vocabulary, no.
A developer once told me that being a developer is mostly about knowing which questions to ask.
That also means knowing which questions to look up when you don’t know the answer. I don’t think remembering exact syntax in different languages is super important, as long as you know what to do and how to look it up.
You don’t, not even when you have a job.
Start applying and interviewing to gauge where you are. I haven’t encountered a situation where I need to recall a piece of code from memory, at least not for web development, but I could be lucky.
It is a bit of a red flag if you have look up every function and code samples during a live coding interview, but I’ve not encountered a situation where you are required to memorize the documentation. In fact, having some boiler plate code ready to go can be viewed as prepared, and always ask if you can have some reference if you have to code a simple front-end. Interviewers are often project managers and developers themselves. They know it’s hard to recall these thing from scratch
Syntax is completely, utterly irrelevant.
If you can make a project and you understand how the tools work, you’re ready for a job.
If you can build the FCC full stack projects to a good standard, then you are ready to work.
Remembering syntax is a bit of a tricky question. When you are working, it’s easy to look things up. Everybody does this and its normal practice. However, in interview you could be asked anything and you need to show that you have a decent grasp on the fundamentals. Google lists of interview questions on JavaScript, CSS etc and keep practicing them as you look for jobs:
https://www.toptal.com/javascript/interview-questions
Framework specific code is probably less important. But if you are going for a React job, I’d expect you to be able to write a basic React component from scratch.
I interviewed for an Angular job recently and was asked to create a project from scratch and write a component which displayed a list and allowed the user to add and remove items from the list. In this type of situation, you can google for syntax, but you still need to be able to work pretty quickly.
