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Rushal Verma
Rushal Verma

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How to be a junior software developer? Tips for students to grab a good job, what was your story?

I am right now a student entering in my last year of engineering in computer science from India. I'll be glad to know some responses in order to grab a good job in the field of junior software development. I am right now learning about Docker and would like to know more about it too and if possible a job reference will be great :D

Top comments (9)

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lizaewilde profile image
Liza Wilde

The best advice I can give to someone looking for a junior dev position is to focus more on your portfolio and Github accounts than your resume. In my experience (as someone who was hired, and as someone who now does the hiring) I look more at your project experience and what you've been able to create, than what is on your resume sheet.

So if you don't have a decent number of items in your portfolio at the moment, I'd suggest working on a few side projects to add in. They don't have to be big or crazy, just show what you can do and what you're interested in doing. It's always nice to see that an applicant has interests in growing outside of work as well as within the position.

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Ben Halpern

I agree. I think a good resumé might be thought of a lagging indicator of a great portfolio. Good projects say a lot about yourself. I'll also add that regardless of your area of software development, basic design skills go a long way and anybody can learn them. Even if it doesn't ultimately matter, if your projects provide a good experience, the evaluators will favor them more.

We're humans who don't always approach things "logically", so even if you're going to be working really low-level, consciously or not, I think people will evaluate the makers of well-designed projects more favorably.

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lizaewilde profile image
Liza Wilde

+1

So true. Thanks for adding that in Ben!

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rusrushal13 profile image
Rushal Verma

Ohh that's cool. Something small could have so much impact on one's profile. I don't know that.
Thanks :)

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binaryforgeltd profile image
Bart Karalus • Edited

I have never been to any kind of placement or practices. I have got my first full time job as a result of two things: Small mobile game in Play Store and two short term jobs as a "Web-and-everything-else guy" in local companies, because of having my degree as a priority at the time. Interestingly, I do not think the degree has ever helped me getting any job! It seems to be just a decoration to my CV.

TL;DR; Do stuff and show stuff, that is the most reasonable way!

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Andy Zhao (he/him)

In case you didn't see it, there's a similar discussion going on about finding a job. I just posted a comment there, and others have some great responses that might be helpful.

Good luck in your search! Really cool that you're learning Docker. :)

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rusrushal13 profile image
Rushal Verma

Thanks Andy for letting me know :)

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sforce profile image
sforce

My resume was not good at all. I didn't graduate at those well known universities. But I had a good foundation for my dev skills (not an expert though), attitude and zeal. If you enjoy software development and have a good learner attitude, it will show during interviews and I think that's what's gotten me into my first job :) Best of luck!

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Pratik Ambani

Learn and understand thoroughly each and every technical jargon you hear from seniors/code/manager like there is no tomorrow.