How To Build Your Resume, Portfolio & Experience When You're Learning To Code
Hey, what's up, everyone? I'm Dorian, and today, I'm diving into a common dilemma for self-taught developers: the need for experience to land your first dev job, but the catch-22 of needing a job to gain experience. It's a frustrating loop, but I'm here to share how I broke through it, and so can you.
Build For Those You Know
One of the first steps I took was to create projects for people I knew. I built websites for my father-in-law, a friend's sister who was a hairdresser, and even a buddy who was a rapper. Not only did this give me real-world projects to add to my portfolio, but it also helped me learn a lot in the process. Sure, these were free projects, but they were invaluable learning experiences and portfolio builders.
Volunteer Your Skills
Next, I found a volunteer job on Craigslist. Although it was unpaid, it provided me with a chance to work on a real codebase and learn from a senior developer. This experience was crucial; it gave me a solid reference for my first job and boosted my confidence significantly.
Freelancing
Then, I ventured into freelancing on sites like Upwork. While these platforms can be competitive and not always lucrative for beginners, they offered me practical experience in web development. I quickly learned that specializing and focusing on the skills I wanted to be hired for was crucial, rather than getting stuck doing tasks I wasn't passionate about.
Focus On Building Personal Projects
After a while, I shifted my focus to building personal projects. This was a turning point for me. I dove deep into learning JavaScript and later, React. Creating my own projects from scratch allowed me to demonstrate my skills in a more profound way. It showed potential employers that I could take initiative and complete projects on my own.
Helping Nonprofits
Looking for opportunities to help nonprofits or local organizations can also be a great way to gain experience. Whether it's updating their website or adding new features, it's a win-win. You get to add another project to your portfolio and help a good cause at the same time.
Consider Open Source Contribution
Although I didn't do this early in my journey, contributing to open-source projects is something I wish I had explored. It's a fantastic way to gain experience, learn from the community, and contribute to projects you care about. Don't let intimidation hold you back; the open-source community is incredibly welcoming to newcomers.
To wrap it up, breaking into the tech industry as a self-taught developer without experience might seem daunting at first. However, by building a strong portfolio through personal projects, volunteering, and freelancing, you can demonstrate your capabilities and passion for coding. Remember, every developer starts somewhere, and with persistence, you can make your mark too. If you've found this video helpful, please like, subscribe, and share your journey or tips in the comments below. Let's keep the conversation going. See you in the next video!