I'm building a community over at GetAJobIn.Tech for self-taught developers & bootcamp students looking for their first job. This is the first email my students receive on my newsletter.
One of the things that self-taught folks or bootcamp students struggle with is that constant struggle of wondering, "Can I really do this? Can I really switch to tech and get someone to pay me money to write code?" I've been there.
See if you can relate to this: you've been learning to code for several months (maybe years!). You're ready for that first job. You perfect your resume, upload it everywhere you can think of, apply to a bunch of jobs, and wait. Only to hear...crickets. And then come the rejection letters. "Why are they rejecting me from a junior developer job for not having experience!? That makes zero sense!" Ugh. It's so discouraging!
You're not alone. You see, junior developers are stuck with The Experience Paradox: a lot of jobs require experience, but how do you get experience without a job? It turns out there's a way to crack this, and I'm going to teach you that as best as I can over these emails and blog articles.
The thing to remember about finding a job in tech, whether it's your first one or just a better one, is that it's a system, not a straight line. Getting your first job isn't a linear process like this:
- Learn to code somewhere (freeCodeCamp, bootcamps, wherever)
- Apply to a zillion jobs.
- Get awesome job.
- Live happily ever after.
It's more like washing your hair: lather, rinse, repeat. There are a handful of things you can be doing repeatedly over time to build up your skills, your network, and your personal portfolio to make you more and more attractive as a candidate. You see, learning to code is only one part of the process (I call it sharpening your skills). So is applying to jobs (I call this taking more swings). The problem is that not many people talk about all the other things you need to do to land that first job. That's why you're here!
As we get to know each other, I'll be sending you more resources on each of these parts of the system. In the meantime, though, I want you to know that the answer to the question "Can I really do this?" is a resounding YES! You totally have what it takes. If you enjoy programming, that means you're cut out to be a programmer. Plain and simple. Doesn't matter who you are, where you live, or what you look like. That's what's so amazing about programming!
Next time, I'll teach you the second piece of this system.
If you're curious about the rest of this series, head over to GetAJobIn.Tech and sign up for the newsletter. I'll send you a series on the 3 Surprising Keys of Getting a Job in Tech to get you started, as well as the continuation of the series above (and no spam, ever). Feel free to write me back and tell me how you're doing and what you're working on. You got this! đź’Ş
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