Here's the problem, and what I wanted to start a discussion about: After over 300 applications, I haven't even landed a single interview. I know this is a pain that many other new grads have faced and are still facing, and I want to hear other programmers' stories, anecdotes, inputs and opinions on this, whether you're a senior dev with over 10 years' experience, or a new grad like me.
For some context, I've been using computers since as long as I can remember, my parents worked in tech my entire life, and I "started" coding around 12 years ago in highschool. I wrote "started" in quotations because it was about as much as you can learn from a highschool-level program from the year 2012-onwards on the subject of programming; I'm talking pure HTML/CSS/JS, some Java and a bit of C#.
Since then, I've continued to work on projects here and there but I never took programming seriously, that is, until about a year and a half ago. I had originally settled onto a career path I thought I wanted (Audio Engineering), but after graduating, I quickly realized that it was not a path I wanted to follow. Most of my friends are programmers, and I had previous experience with it, so I chose to go with something that had pretty much circled me my entire life: Technology, more specifically, Software Development. I applied to an intensive (1 year) AEC program, and it was during that course that I quickly found out that I love programming. I also found out that I learned the subjects very easily (who knew that learning about things you're passionate about could be so effective!) and so I started studying on my own, and working on personal projects early on in the course. I graduated with honor role in February of this year, and I now have many personal projects that I've worked on, an artistic portfolio hosted on my domain and honestly, a pretty good Github profile for a junior dev. I've gotten extremely familiar with frontend languages and frameworks, SQL databases and ORMs, and quite familiar with building computer/mobile applications (Java, Kotlin, Swift, etc). Since last year, I likely average around 8-9 hours a day coding projects, practicing on hackerrank and leetcode, or studying programming on my own time.
I feel like despite my lack of experience, I've done so much in just a year that I consider impressive, and I feel unable to express this employers because I can't seem to get a single interview. I've gone to job fairs, applied on every single website there is, and I can't seem to succeed. It feels like all those 10-14 hour coding sessions filled with passion and hope that I destroyed my mental health over in order to land a job after graduating were all for naught, and the weight of that realization is starting to feel absolutely crushing. I tell myself, "at least if I was able to land interviews, the rejections mean there's room for improvement", but since I can't land any, it means the problem is elsewhere and I just can't figure out what. Are my applications even reaching human recruiters, or is it AI rejecting me automatically? Who knows.. When I apply, it feels like I'm just hoping for a miracle that I can even reach somebody I can speak to and get to prove myself as a developer.
To any developers who have ever asked themselves "Is it the industry or is it me?", what are your thoughts on that question? If you're an established developer now, was it the industry, or your mindset, or both? What changed?
I did an incomplete thesis on a niche research subject, traveled for month, switched to the industry now and even with that not so attractive profile from an industry POV, I was able to get second calls. But I'm not a dev, so maybe dev market is saturated idk.
edit: after looking at your CV, I can confirm that you could change some things such as:
- emphasize your projects, they are less promoted than your professional experiences yet they are more important!
- missing softskills, human ressources will look at it. Even basic things like "teamwork" or "dynamic" is worth to mention.
- ideally, every skills should appear inside a project too.
- Change or remove first sentence. change "always had passion", it's not true as you saiid in your post. Trade passion for motivation in any case. Add one where you say what you are looking for in your new job. Adapt it to the company eventually.
- Jobs details could be shorter as they are not related to the actual position you're looking for. Remember, only put usefull information.
- Do you have license driving? Also add your current location and mobility (obviously not in the public version)
I hope it will help you and that you'll land your first interview soon.
A lot of the more experienced developers (mid-millennial age) entered their careers riding the wave of the invention of smartphones and social media not to mention modern web, games, advertising, etc. There was so much work and funding to do the work.
The world changed after the Obama years, funding was largely yanked out of tech, except for self-funded types and hype cycles like crypto and AI. Most of tech sort of merged with "status quo" work - it's not special anymore. Most companies don't budget that much for engineers, or any staff.
There's a chance it will bounce back - I can't imagine Netflix is going to just let us have something like:
output a Tarantino film set in a cyberpunk future starring Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman in their prime with a cameo from Ariana Grande who plays the crime lord's daughter
For now, it's self-funded egomaniac founders and boring work for low pay. There's no advice I can give you on interviewing other than it's a numbers game. Every company gets like 1000+ applicants right now, it's ridiculous. You have to know somebody.
Visit any user group from any programming language and just be present, at first maybe you won't talk to anyone, but with time you may find somebody that is older than you and could offer you an opportunity.
It isn't the lack of skills that is holding you back, it's the networking. I'm sure if you find the first opportunity you'll catch up to whatever is needed fast, all you need is that first opportunity.
In the current market there are too many folks doing like you, sending CVs and waiting. This clearly don't work.
I had a look at your CV. There's nothing there to catch tech recruiter's attention. For example you could recast your various projects in terms of what you deliver as a benefit to a potential employer. Going remote is generally only viable if you have specific valued skills to offer.
There is also a marketing problem in that everyone thinks they have to do the same thing to stand out but if you are doing the same thing as everyone else then you are doing the opposite of standing out.
At one point in my career when I was struggling to get interviews, I gave up and decided the jobs available to me are the ones my friends can help me get. You will amaze yourself with how much more effort you put into your network when you take the internet posting jobs off the table.
There is also much to be said for being able to program but doing something else besides pure software engineer.
It is funny that we think that this beginning we had it easier than the current "I've done 1 year of coding bootcamp, where is my 6 figures job" mindset.
find FOSS projects maintained by Big Tech and find ways to contribute value to those projects, this will get your foot in the door and will overcome the lack of experience and get you immediate attention from those already inside. This is a problem of visibility, not skill. The reality is that it's very difficult to get your message out when you're competing with so much other noise.
If you really like programming, sink your teeth into C and C++ and Linux and look for jobs using those. I think it's much more rewarding internally, and, externally, there's a shortage of talent in programming that isn't using the latest corporate Products--I mean languages/frameworks (Java/C#/Go/Node/React/Angular). ;p