How to Get Your First Web Developer Job?

How to Get Your First Web Developer Job?

How to Get Your First Web Developer Job

Finding your first web developer job might be challenging when you're a new coder, regardless of whether you're self-taught, a bootcamp graduate, or you have a college degree.

How to Get Your First Web Developer Job

You are aware that you possess the necessary abilities. The issue is how to explain that to hiring managers. How can you seem well in an interview? How do you ensure that you even have a chance at an interview?

How to Get Your First Web Developer Job

We'll explain how to land a job as a web developer in this tutorial.

1. Where should I look for web development jobs?

Web development is an extremely broad field, and there are so many different avenues you can pursue. Before you start browsing for jobs, you need to consider what you’re looking for and use this to streamline your search.

Tailoring your job search

Your job search should be tailored to both your existing skills and your goals for the future. If you want to focus on frontend development, it makes sense to apply for frontend roles. 

Tailoring your job search

However, if you have plans to branch out into backend development later on, check for roles that might accommodate this.

Web development job titles

We’ve already seen that the world of coding is absolutely filled with its own buzzwords to learn. Unfortunately this doesn’t stop at the different tools and technologies you’ll be using—there’s a wide variety of job titles in the field as well.

Web development job titles

To help you out with decoding some of these, we’ve collected a few of the more common ones and what they generally mean.

Frontend developer

Also known as client-side development, these developers focus on what the users interact with on websites. If you’re interested in this path, created an article with all the steps you need to become a frontend developer.

Frontend developer

Because a lot of their work is to do with building style elements for webpages and apps, frontend developers commonly find themselves working with UX designers. You can learn more about it in this guide to the UX-web dev relationship.

Backend developer

Otherwise known as server-side development, backend developers work more with the organizing and storing of information in databases.

Backend developer

If you want to learn more about how the two disciplines differ, we’ve illustrated the difference between frontend and backend development using…well…dog treats.

Full-stack developer

The final piece of the puzzle, these are developers who are expected to be able to carry out front- and backend development. Because of the wide range of expertise required, full-stack developer salaries are often quite a bit higher than their counterparts.

Software engineer

While these terms originally denoted different roles, they are used so interchangeably of late that it’s always worth checking out the rest of the job ad to see what skills and tools they are looking for.

Programmer

Don’t worry, a programmer and a developer are essentially one and the same. However, programming vs coding can sometimes be different, depending on the context.

iOS / Android Developer

These are programmers who are skilled in working in Mobile App development, either Apple’s iOS system or the Android system common on the majority of smartphones and tablets.

2. Is it possible to get a web developer job without professional experience?

It’s that classic conundrum that many jobseekers and career-changers face. Lots of employers want you to have experience, but how do you get experience without a job?

2. Is it possible to get a web developer job without professional experience?

The great news is that web developers are at a particular advantage here. Because coding has so many applications and there’s so much demand for these skills, there are a whole host of projects and ways that you can build up your experience.

3. How can I gain valuable experience that will help me land a job?

Fortunately for web developers, there are plenty of ways to put your in-demand skills to good use. Here’s how you can get hands-on with programming before you’re officially hired:

3. How can I gain valuable experience that will help me land a job?

Volunteering is a great way to gain real-world experience and add some interesting projects to your portfolio. Not only will you be gaining valuable experience; you’ll also be giving something back to the community. Win-win!

3. How can I gain valuable experience that will help me land a job?

When you’re trying to establish yourself as a bonafide developer, freelance gigs will help you to build credibility. Check sites like Upwork and fiverr for ad-hoc projects. 

3. How can I gain valuable experience that will help me land a job?

Open-source projects consist of publicly available source code that anyone can modify—and they’re great for new developers. As well as putting your skills into practice, open source projects give you the opportunity to work collaboratively with other developers. 

3. How can I gain valuable experience that will help me land a job?

When it comes to convincing employers that you’re job-ready, it’s all about getting hands-on and putting your skills into action. It’s therefore really important to keep learning and building. 

3. How can I gain valuable experience that will help me land a job?

The more projects you work on—be they open source, volunteer or freelance—the more you will have to talk about in the interview room.

4. How can I make sure my application stands out?

The next challenge in landing your first web development job is to secure an interview. While it’s not uncommon for experienced developers to be headhunted (programmers are in high demand, after all!), 

4. How can I make sure my application stands out?

those new to the industry have some convincing to do. So how can you stand out from dozens, possibly hundreds, of other applicants? Let’s take a look at some key strategies.

Tailor your resumé and cover letter

Job hunting is extremely time-consuming, and we’re all guilty of firing off loads of generic applications at once. However, recruiters will spot this a mile away, and this one-size-fits-all approach rarely pays off.

Tailor your resumé and cover letter

If you are serious about landing a web developer role, you must tailor your resumé and cover letter to each job you apply for.

Optimize your online profiles

When it comes to finding a job, your online presence can make or break your chances of success.

Optimize your online profiles

Start by optimizing your professional profiles on sites like LinkedIn and AngelList. Make sure all the information about your skills, experience and qualifications is up-to-date, and upload a professional photo (not a selfie).

Polish your portfolio

A crucial part of your application package is your web developer portfolio. Your portfolio is a personal website that should:

Polish your portfolio

– Introduce you to potential employers, clients and contacts – Summarize your skills and areas of expertise – Showcase projects you’ve worked on – Provide contact details – Share links to your GitHub projects and social media accounts

Polish your portfolio

Before applying for jobs, get your portfolio up-to-date with all your latest (and best) projects together with the right contact details.

5. How can I grow my network and meet new people in the industry?

For anyone looking to break into the web development industry, networking is key. It’s not just about finding job opportunities, either; for both new and experienced developers alike, 

5. How can I grow my network and meet new people in the industry?

networking can be a great source of support, mentorship and knowledge exchange. Focus on building a solid community around you and you’ll naturally open up more professional doors.

Take part in a hackathon

Hackathons provide the perfect opportunity to practice your skills and meet new people. A hackathon is basically a design sprint for programmers, bringing lots of developers together to collaborate on various projects. 

Attend tech meetups

If the idea of a hackathon seems too intense, try attending tech meetups instead. Meetup.com has something for everyone, ranging from casual beginners’ groups to more formal workshops. 

Attend tech meetups

You don’t need to stick purely to web development groups, either; free or low-cost meetups are a great way to explore your wider interests, be it web design, virtual reality, gaming, or something else entirely.

Real-life networking: A word on mindset

Try not to fixate on the idea that you are there to sell yourself. Rather, focus on the topic at hand and use it to establish common ground with those around you. It’s not about coming away with a job offer — networking should be seen as a long-term strategy. 

Real-life networking: A word on mindset

Make genuine connections with people and, over time, your network (and professional opportunities!) will grow organically.

Join online communities

Of course, there are also plenty of networking opportunities in the online world, with StackOverflow, WebDeveloper.com, GitHub, CodeProject, and Bytes among the most popular hangouts for developers. 

Join online communities

Engage in discussions, share your work and keep up with the latest industry news while making valuable contacts along the way.

Final thoughts

There you have it—the complete startup kit for getting hired for your first web development position. Now that you know where you need to go and how to get there, maybe you'll feel a lot better.

More

Read

10 New Job Fields for Women in 2022

10 Steps to a Resume That Will Get You Hired

10 Important Career Tips for Women

See More