Painful yet empowering advice for graduating software developers

Finding your first job can be scary. Breaking into the industry can feel impossible. You can feel like you’re not good enough. The demands can feel way too high.

Sometimes the best way to overcome an obstacle is to attack it. Here are some painful yet empowering truths I’ve learnt from the tech industry so far. Apply them to your job search for some extra oomph!

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius

1. Become a teacher as fast as possible

I was sat recently with a mentee. He wanted to climb the ranks in our current company as fast as possible. He’d taken a career change which resulted in a pay cut.

“Become a teacher as soon as possible” — I told him.

Approach work with a mindset to help others if you want to stand out. Increasing the work output of your team is as important as increasing your own. This insight usually comes with time. Yet the earlier in your career you realise this — the better.

This mindset applies even when you’re not currently in a job. You can showcase this mindset by:

• Mentoring other students
• Write blogs on what you’re learning.
• Make Youtube videos.
• Speak at MeetUp events

It doesn’t matter so much what your medium is for giving back, as long as you are doing it.

2. Focus, focus, focus.

Warren Buffet has an intriguing prioritising system. Buffet makes a list of 25 things that he could do, then he chose 5 of them to do. Pretty straight forward, right? The real magic is yet to come. Instead of only focusing on completing these 5 things. Buffet then avoids doing the other 20. This type of self discipline is what is going to set you apart.

When you’re job seeking — find specific roles that you want. Then, focus only on this role.

Want to be a MEAN stack developer?

Learn (and master!)

• Mongo
• Angular
• Express
• Node

Add everything else to your not-to-do list. Here’s what you’re not learning:

• ES6
• Python
• Data Driven Documents

… anything else that excites you but isn’t aligned to your goals is a distraction. Master one skill before the next.

Your success might is sometimes not defined by what you do … but often by what you don’t do.

Become a craftsman.

3. Beware unreasonable expectations

I recently received a job advert that listed the following requirements:

• C++
• Java
• Python
• Javascript
• Ruby

I couldn’t stop laughing.

You too, should laugh at these job listings. They’re not real. The person who put the advert together doesn’t understand the role.

Also — what type of culture does this job advert suggest? Do you want to work 12 hour days? Do you want to work every weekend?

The expectations won’t stop at a ridiculous job advert.

Don’t fall for it.

4. Fake it till you make it

“Every company wants 2 years of experience- I’ll never get that!” many young developers exclaim.

Yet, there are ways around this obstacle.

• Go down the street and speak with local business owners. Offer to build them a website at no cost.
• Go online. Find some nearby businesses that have shabby looking websites. Offer to make these websites responsive.

This might feel like cheating: it’s not. It’s real work. You might not get paid. There’s a stakeholder, there’s requirements, there’s a build. It’s experience. It counts.

If you can’t find work, make work.

5. Pick an employer that matches your style

“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein

Not every employer matches you. Companies hire in their own image. To some culture match is more important than knowledge or skills. Skills are teachable. Culture fitting is much harder.

Don’t think you have to apply to certain jobs. Apply for employers that embrace you, your personality and your style. You’ll be more effective like this.

6. Make your work visible (Read: Portfolio)

Those who understand the rules stand a better chance of winning.

As an employee, you are a risk, a liability. This is why companies seek solace in past experience. You could become a liability rather than a good investment.

But, how do you become less risky? Showcase your work with online write ups, blogs and a portfolio.

I’ve heard many suggest that you should create a portfolio after you have enough work to go on it. Yet, the act of creating a portfolio itself has much benefit. You begin to attune your mind and start to see opportunities for showcasing your skills. Honing your brand and your message over time.

As you would take photos on a holiday to preserve the memories for all time. Take snapshots of all your projects: what they were, what you did and what you learnt.

Make your work visible and you become less of a risk.

7. Document your journey

“Document, don’t create” — Gary Vaynerchuk

Ancient stoic philosophers would write letters to themselves. They would remind themselves in these letters of the lessons they learnt. This would allow them to return to them in the future, and reread their own lessons. The stoics understood the value of journalling and capturing their learnings.

That’s why starting a blog and journalling to yourself can be so powerful. It will also give employers insight into your ethics, thoughts and your ideas.

Later in your career you can repurpose this writing for profit and influence. When getting started — use it as a journal and document your learning. The rest will follow.

8. Plan ahead.

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” — Bill Gates.

Wait until you need something can be foolish. You wouldn’t want to wait until old age to save for retirement. Nor would you want to wait until your house burns down to get insurance.

Don’t do the same with your career. Write, blog and learn as you go. When the time comes to move jobs, or to get one, you have all the evidence to showcase your working. You’ll stand a much better chance.

If you’re in your first year at university — it will pass quicker than you realise. You can front load your energy now, and begin documenting your journey and building a brand. Or, you can wait until the days before and risk not making the most out of your study time.

You may as well begin while the learning is fresh.

Conclusion

It might almost sound too easy: Build a craft, make it visible and showcase your passion. Yet most developers don’t bother to make a portfolio. In a matter of hours you could stand out in the crowd.

I’ll leave you with this quote, that I love:

Your need for acceptance can make you invisible in this world. Don’t let anything stand in the way of the light that shines through this form. Risk being seen in all of your glory. — Jim Carrey