October 18, 2016
Becoming a Developer has been on the rise for many new graduates. Whether you are interested in front end or back end programming, here are 3 qualities to consider before you apply for your first job.
You need specialized skills in at least 1 programming language
The industry is currently filled with a lot of good developers but lacking great developers. While many programs are offering bootcamp courses that spans across 8 weeks to cover everything from front end to back end development, companies are finding the developers to be stretched a mile wide and an inch deep. They have a good overall knowledge of programming but they are lacking a specialization in a particular language. Before you decide to go for a bootcamp program, decide what you want to do. Define whether it is front end or back end that you want to focus on and stick to it.
Portfolio vs Education
Many programmers in the industry have an educational background in Computing Science however, it all comes down to your portfolio. Can you solve problems that the client has raised? How familiar are you with a particular language? What are some of the projects that you’ve worked on? Web development school is great because it provides you with the foundation for programming and it is definitely beneficial however, employers need to know you can apply the skills you’ve learned to your job!
Show your passion for working and learning
Employers are often looking for talent who are interested in what they do prior to taking on the job. They want to see a portfolio of freelancing work (if you have them) because this demonstrates your interest in the field. Since programming requires continuous hours of problem solving, employers want to know if this is something you actually love to do. The last thing employers want is to hire someone who doesn’t enjoy their job. We can’t imagine seeing you work 8 hours a day doing something you don’t enjoy. Development is a continually changing field, and it takes a motivated person to continually love the learning that it takes to become a great web developer.
At the end of the day, remember to venture into the career path that you enjoy! If you believe and focus on what you want, you will go far.
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