Six years a go I completed my computer science degree. I started with no prior programming knowledge and ended with a love for programming.
However instead of getting a job, I decided to work on myself!
I have cerebral palsy. Whilst six years a go it wasn't stopping me from going to University and getting a good degree, it was getting in the way. It effected my walking, talking, eating and drinking. I didn't go to my graduation ceremony because I imagined there'd be a stage where they might hand the diplomas and the image of after 3 years having to be helped to get up onto the stage was demoralising to say the least.
So after the ceremony date came and gone I decided that I did not want to feel like that anymore and that I was going to take care of the problem. I decided to work on my physical no matter how long it took.
Six years later. I went from just being able to walk from one campus to the other to being able to run 10 kilometres with no problem. Eating, drinking and even cooking are now easy.
Over these years I have worked on PHP, wordpress, a bit of laravel, then found Node.js, non-sql DBs, javascript, react. Now I'm all about the node/js eco system.
I'm still a beginner, because my physical was the main focus, and as it had it's ups and downs, my motivation for programming also had it's ups and downs
I'm "scared"
I'm almost 30 years old with no work experience of any kind. I feel as though if I start applying for work, they'll just say "6 years of doing nothing? Next!" (Also my speech is not very good, so the checkbox for "excellent communication skills" scares me to death).
Is there a possibility that I could get a job?
Portfolio or blogging
Whilst I haven't yet applied or spoken to anyone in person, I have read a lot about this topic. I know that a portfolio is important. Some say you need complete projects some say simple demos would do.
Very few say blogging (without a portfolio) would help.
I do not have any complete projects, though I have quite a few demos. At some point I was "addicted" to ecommerce design so I have few ecommerce layouts build on react, vuejs, express ...
But I have no proper apps
Blogging on the other hand is something that sounds easier! For example would a tutorial blog (secretly aimed at showing off to employers) be a better way to go? I've been running a jekyll blog on my local server and been writing as if it was live. And so every time I read what a javascript developer should know, I research it, play with it, then write a tutorial for it. It's quicker and more to the point than projects. Would going to interviews with a blog and the demos produced to support the blog be better or just as good as anything else?
Sorry if I'm not keeping to the rules of dev.to with this question, but I hope you could give me some tips.
Paying it forward:
When I decided to do what I did, I was clear in what I wanted. I wanted some time to get my health were it needed to be, then I'd start contributing to the society in which ever way I can to re-pay for the state-support I got over the years. (this is neither here nor there and has nothing to do with the topic, I would have felt bad not to mention that this "plan" whilst the length of which was unknown, wasn't taken from the standpoint of "I already get state benefits, I don't need to bother")
Top comments (12)
You've already demonstrated great strength by improving your physical condition. That's not a 6 year gap, that's major in discipline. They should be begging you to come work for them!
Ok that was an impulsive reply, not really addressing your question.
Your chances to get hired as a beginner will always be better if you can show some of your code and reflect on it. If you feel like doing that by means of a blog, go for it. Perhaps you already wrote some programs for your own convenience. You could put them on github.
I also think it's not a bad idea to start applying for jobs right away. It gives you a chance to get accustomed to 'interview situation' and you get to find out what it is companies are looking for. Even if you don't get the job it can be time well spent.
Wish you best of luck :)
Thank's for your reply. It really helps.
I've started looking for jobs in indeed.com (just to see what's out there) and I think with a bit of work I can build the portfolio and polish few of my projects.
If I may ask a question. I was wondering, when I start applying should I apply through sites like indeed.com or through the agencies' website?
Going down the rabbit whole of internet searches, some are saying the only way to get a job is through knowing people in the company.
Thanks
TL;DR - there is no single approach, they all have merits
Direct approach
This is interesting for companies because it makes for a cheaper hire. Recruitment agencies ask substantial fees, like 1 to 3 times of your salary's worth. If they like your approach, you'll demonstrate being proactive and confident.
I have little experience with this route. But if I were to write a letter I'd carefully explain why I'm interested in the company and why I think it's in our mutual interest to do an interview.
Recommendation
If you know someone in the company that will recommend you for an interview the chances are that you're a good fit because one of their employees trusts you. Some companies even pay a bonus for bringing on a new hire. It's still cheaper that the recruitment agency's fee :) While it's an attractive option for the company, saying it's the only way is an overstatement IMO.
Recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies may have their benefits too. They know a lot of companies, so they can make an educated guess of where you would fit in. They may also have long term relationships with some companies making their recommendations more valued.
Another benefit is that they can help you with the whole process. They can give you some advice for improving your CV. If you do an interview they'll get in touch with the company shortly after and they'll call you back providing some feedback. It also works the other way around, companies may like to hear how your felt about the interview and if you're enthused.
Ofcourse there are many recruitment agencies and they all vary. A good recruiter will take time to learn more about you. That should be on the technical side as well as the cultural side.
Recruiters can be very persuasive. Don't go with any agency that approaches you. Ask them about how they go about their mediation. Listen to your gut feeling.
Some may ask you to exclusively work with them. There is a benefit to that for both parties. Some agencies have overlapping networks. They don't like to fight about who came first when they land a hire. Your benefit should be that working with several agencies at the same time is overwhelming -- that is if they're good agencies. I usually agree or even propose the exclusivity for a short period of time. If they don't have something for you within a couple of weeks move on.
Addendum
The whole job hunt can be regarded as an actual job for all the work you put in.
If you apply for a job, make sure to do your research about the company. Make sure you have some questions to ask them. Even if you're a junior it's reasonable to have some things to wish for. This is easier to realize after you've done a number of interviews.
I should add what I say is based on my experience. I live in the Netherlands where the market is pretty big and there are agencies a plenty. Your mileage may vary.
To conclude I'd like to recommend this fine article by @ice_lenor : Do I Want To Work In This Company, or What Questions To Ask On An Interview
Edit / Addition: check this out as well culture queries @ keyvalues
Good luck!
Aw, thanks for featuring my article:). I'm happpy you find it useful!
And by your comment I learned about Ermal's amazing achievements. Great life story of a strong and determined person.
@ben does your brother and people like your brother have transferable skills from their other career? I do not have any of that, does that matter. I read a lot how dev jobs aren't just about just writing code
If I'm not too curious, I would like to get some projects. I've starting programming alone 4 years ago, just from the internet, managed to win some national and regional competitive programming contests, and gathered few money from simple websites and apps(not more than 100$ overall). I feel like I'm stuck now. I don't know where to go ahead, what to do more, but when I try to get on websites like Freelancer or Upwork, everything seems too hard for me. What should I do? I got not portfolio, by the way...
This is very encouraging.
Does it matter that I have no other work experience. Your brother would have had plenty transferable skills. Or is it really all about one's coding ability and the other stuff are just must haves?
Yes I am in need of project ideas, would love to hear your suggestions.
It's hard to suggest something since I don't know what you're interested in.
One way to get started is to contribute to an existing project that you like. I just read this article which prompted me to post it here:
Unconventional way of learning a new programming language
Hi Ermal,
I just wanted to say how inspiring your story is. To be able to fight such a disease and win (!!) is such an amazing achievement. I'm very happy for you!
I wish you the best of luck in your job hunting. I'm sure you will find a good job soon, with all your patience and determination.
Yes on the demos. I think this helps show that you have the necessary skills. This is something I've noticed a lot of women getting back into programming after taking several years off for raising kids are doing.
Make sure you highlight any freelance work you've done. You might also find some volunteer work that would show off your skills and knowledge plus your ability to see projects through.
On the "excellent communication skills" thing, I think this is one of those HR mandates on a lot of listings. That's because it's often used as a legal way to reject applicants who are too old, too female, too minority/foreign, too physically or mentally different or just too different in any other way. It is what it is so those of us who don't fit the standard "brogrammer" mold have to work harder at finding a job. Just don't let it get your discouraged. You'll find something even if it takes longer.