The first thing you should remember is that just because you are self-taught does not mean that you cannot find a job. Many programmers get a job as self-taught, moreover, without a higher education. However, it’s not easy, and you’re unlikely to be welcomed with open arms at the first (or even second) firm you come across.
Even developers with a lot of experience usually receive an average of 1 offer out of 5 vacancies for which they came to interviews. In some cases you don’t quite match the stack, in others you don’t converge on soft skills.
Verify your skills
When you write a CV, you need proof of all the skills you list. Wrote that you know Java or C#? Confirm it.
How can one confirm knowledge of a programming language if there is no experience in it? Completed courses in this language (whether paid or free):
- Made projects as C# developer
- Usually the first and second goes together. Because projects are a key block in a beginner’s resume.
If you don’t have a single project, from the point of view of a recruiter and a technical interviewer, you don’t have this knowledge. If there are at least courses, this is better than nothing, but it’s not a fact that you will be called for an interview – people who have projects will compete with you.
Adding projects is best on GitHub. This is actually a good checkpoint for the self-taught newbie: if things are really bad for you on GitHub, are you sure that you are already ready to look for a job?
What else to add to your CV
In principle, the CV to look software engineer jobs is not too different from the CV of any other specialist. Need to add:
- knowledge of English;
- knowledge of related technologies (for a backender, this is at least knowledge of how to work with Unix-like systems; for a frontender, it would be nice to clarify the knowledge of layout).
Use LinkedIn and Jobs sities
Label yourself as a person who is looking for a job. To do this, you just need to check the box in the settings.
Write in the description of the position you want to find. That is, not “unemployed” or “waiter” (if you are now a waiter), but a “programmer”. You can add Junior, but you can not specify. Add all your training courses, certificates and more. Even if you were trained on your own, try to present it in the form of an experience.
Submit your resume to job sites such as Indeed, Glasdoor, and Crossover. Be patient and persistent, you are competing with a lot of people, so constantly update your knowledge and increase your attractiveness to a potential employer.
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