How to Become a Frontend Engineer Without a Degree — From My Experience

This blog post was originally published in my blog: https://www.codebymedu.com/blog/frontend-engineer-without-a-degree

At only 19, I managed to get a job as React Frontend Engineer without even a high-school degree. And here I will show you step by step how you can do it too.

While I don’t want to discourage you, I have to make it clear that a degree is important in getting a job (Almost any tech job) but not a must, remember everything is possible. This is a strategy how you get selected for interviews and out-perform all the other candidates with a degree.

If you have no degree or no certificates to show, then keep reading.

Tech Stack

First, by now you should have decided on a tech stack you want to work with. If not you should do it already, and practice it for a while.

I would suggest go through the documentations a little bit, check youtube tutorials, read blogs, etc.

It's very important you focus in specific technologies. Example don’t focus on VueJs and React at the same time. Remember jack of all trades, master of none.

You want to be able to tell recruiters “I Know React” not “I’m an expert I already coded in every technology you have”.

Of course it's ok to know related technologies, for example in React case, Next.js, Typescript, etc. they go well together, but not unrelated technologies, even if the company you applying for uses it.

Building Projects

Next, after you’ve learned a bit about your tech stack, you have to practice it. Create at least 3 projects you can show in your portfolio (next step).

Having some projects is extremely important to show that you can code, even if they’re not used in production, you can create a free page to show them for example in vercel.

If you don’t know what projects, I wrote 19 unique ideas here for you.

Bonus if you have someone to create a page for their business for. It can be any business. I’d suggest doing it for free if first project, and asking the owner for a testimonial only.

For my case, I created projects from devchallenges.io and frontendmentor.io, they have very cool ideas, you can check them out.

And don’t spend 6 months creating projects. Instead block 2–3 weeks where you can work hard for 1 project, next 2–3 weeks for the next project, and so on.

Make sure you choose projects that differ from each other, example 1 landing page for a business, 1 app, 1 more complex app, etc.

Creating a Portfolio

First since you’re a web developer, you should never use an already created portfolio from someone else. You always create it yourself. If you have money you can hire a designer in fiverr to create the design for you, but the coding must be done yourself.

Make sure it's unique and it fits your personality/focus. Example if you are a more serious person, create an elegant theme, if you are a funny person, create a more playful theme, and so on. You have to always keep the same public image of yourself.

Include your projects and LinkedIn in there. In a future article I will write how to use LinkedIn for getting job offers.

For the projects, I suggest putting your most complex project first since not all recruiters might look deeper to find other projects. Make sure you write what you learned from it and the tech stack you used.

For portfolio designs, you can get inspired in Dribbble.

Here’s a suggested structure for your portfolio landing page:

• Hero: 1–2 sentences about you with your name and optionally a photo of you.
• Skills: Display your skills and how much experience you have.
• Projects: Show the projects you built above.
• Contact form.

Creating a CV/Resume

For a CV, it's again best to create it yourself, but you can also use public tools for it.

For the editor I’d suggest using Canva or Photoshop, instead of some lame pdf editors. Your CV again like your portfolio reflects your image. They should look very similar in design. Same fonts, same colors, same image of you.

In the CV you include all your projects, 1–2 sentences about each, and the tech stack you used. This shows that you have some experience for the technical parts.

Other than that make sure to include your strongest skills as a separate section, and your education level (include a reason why you had to leave school only if it's less than 9 years of school).

Start Applying for Jobs

After you have a portfolio, CV, and projects, you have enough to get hired. Now it's time to apply for jobs.

You apply only at jobs with similar tech stack of yours (it's ok 1–2 technologies are different or you are not experienced in everything). Recruiters will usually only ask about stuff in your CV, and if they ask about technologies you don’t know, simply say so, don’t try to talk yourself out.

I suggest you apply at 3–6 months paid internships, or junior positions. Internships pay less, but they much easier to get, since you have only a short contract, recruiters feel less pressured while hiring.

Unless you can afford it (example living with your parents) don’t get an unpaid internship. You get experience and it looks good in the CV, but there’s easier ways.

Last thing I want to say here is that it's much easier to get a job for a local company, instead of remote. Usually you get hired for remote jobs only if you’re quite experienced.

Preparing for Interview

Before you go to the interview, you have to aim to be the most prepared candidate they ever had. Remember you’re still competing with other candidates to get hired, they probably get tens of applications.

First research a lot about the company, especially if it's the first interview. Learn what they do, read their blogs, check their social media, check the team, remember the interviewers name, etc.

Just in case, write down 2–3 points of improvements for their website if they ask.

Next practice your tech stack. Check documentation again, read your projects (yes that's right, sometimes we forget what we code), ask ChatGPT to interview you for different positions (junior, senior) even if you’re applying for an internship.

Be physically prepared, I mean stay groomed, cut your hair if you need to, if you’re a guy unless you have a good beard you should shave it. Get some fitting clothes that look professional, not many colors or anime in them. Shower same day and put a nice perfume.

I have to be honest with you, looking bad and not having a degree is a terrible combination, remember recruiters are still people, and you’ll get judged even if not intentionally.

Remember you can never be over-prepared. Hard work beats talent every day of the week.

Find a Mentor

If you want to make sure before the interview that everything is top notch, get a mentor or someone to review what you’re prepared for.

I can do mock interviews with you, and we make sure you’re properly prepared. You can contact me here about it.

During the Interview

Time has come, now you’re in the interview. Well it's not that big of a deal even if it's your first interview ever, make sure to stay relaxed and confident, meditate a bit before you go, chew a gum.

I interviewed a lot of people, and most of them were quite nervous, so you stand out just by being calm. Practice live coding or tech interviews, either with a friend, or someone experienced like me.

If you don’t know a question just say you didn’t have the chance to learn it yet, and accept you don’t know. Honesty is very important. If you try to lie and they catch you, it's game over.

You should try to make the interview more like a conversation (even if the recruiters are leading it) and not like you’re being questioned. This makes it noticeable that you’re easy to work with, and gives you more power.

Ask them questions, both about the company, and the team you’ll be working with. I’d suggest asking questions during the whole interview about what they’re talking about (don’t interrupt them randomly). And then in the end 3–4 questions that you prepared beforehand.

The same process for the second interview and so on. They usually differ from each other: Initial interview with HR -> tech interview with devs -> other getting to know each other interviews.

Getting rejected

Hopefully you’re hired by now, but even if not, it's not a big deal, the least thing you want is you get discouraged or depressed from a rejection. That’s not going to help anybody.

Take a bit to reflect on your process. What part are you not happy with, and hopefully you got feedback from the interviewers, if not ask them even afterwards for detailed feedback, they owe you that.

Try to improve your weak areas and not ignore them. It's very important.

—

Feel free to reach out to me for questions, or share your experience at contact@codebymedu.com

I’m working in a detailed course on getting hired that includes many more strategies on how to get hired. Subscribe to my newsletter to get informed for that.