What are your tips for getting your first programming job?

Comments

[Erika Wiedemann]

Follow up on your applications! I know a lot of people are hesitant because they don't want to be a bother, want to give due process, etc... but communication is key.

I don't suggest repeatedly sending an email 2-3 days later, but if you haven't heard anything back after a week and you're genuinely interested, let them know you're still looking forward to their response in a quick 2-3 sentence message.

One place I applied for completely lost my information. I followed up, sent a new copy of my CV, and received an interview.

[Javier Gonel]

Human errors happen and your tip is good to double check on the recruiting team.

But beware of places where they "loose candidates". Why are they loosing them? Is that an example of how the company will deal with you as an employee? Is that how they value fellow engineers?

[Ben Halpern]

Yeah, I totally agree. The candidate who follows up is going to get more attention and there is no downside even if they end up going with someone else.

[Javier Gonel]

1) Focus
You can apply to every job where you can submit your resume. Or you can target them. Both require time.

You might think that sending (and keeping track of) 100 CVs is fast, but it will take the same time or more than filtering first and then targeting your resume and cover letter. Also I believe you will get better response rates and that will motivate you more.

2) Keep track
Yes, open your applied.txt and keep track of your moves.

2) Understand that you still don't know what you enjoy doing.
I've seen it many times with first timers. They apply, they get the job, and then they realise that they don't like that kind of job. Understand that a company will set a probation period so you both can check after some time if everything is ok.

3) Relax and smile
First time in a big building. First time talking to a person that could be your colleague. Remember to be yourself, even if it is a young yourself, still student yourself. They know it is your first job, don't try to hide it.

4) It is not all about code
You see that dev there? You might spend more time speaking with that person than to your friends. Did you enjoyed the interview with your interviewers? They will ask the same question to themselves.

5) Keep doing interviews.
Remember point 1? Add some extra companies just to warm up interviews.

[Thomas Gurchiek]

Number 5) can be a daunting one. Though it is needed sometimes to get your mind in the right place to feel comfortable answering questions on the technical portions.

I would also say apply for positions that are slightly above your experience level. For instance, if you have 1-2 years of professional experience apply for the positions that are wanting 3-4. Sometimes employers will pick your brain a bit to see what you know. You would be surprised that some will make exceptions. Never hurts to let them know you are interested in advancing in your career.

[Craig S. Cottingham]

Meet ups and user groups. I've gotten more positions in the past 25 years through people I knew than applications I sent in.

Learn aggressively. Present something at a meetup; in my experience they're always looking for presentations, even if it's just a 5-minute lightning talk. Show that you're eager and able to learn.

[Evan Derby]

Make projects! As long as you can show that you've got skill, and you can show that it relates to what the company is looking for, then you might just be of value. The projects don't have to have legitimate value or purpose, they just have to help you develop your skills.

For my first programming job, I hadn't gone to college or gotten any certificates yet: I just had a whole bunch of projects that showed my (future) employer that I knew what I was doing. When they brought me in for an interview, they asked me to explain one of my projects. The same thing kept happening for the other jobs that I got, despite my having some work experience on my resume.

[Ben Halpern]

Absolutely. Projects have the bonus of being the best way to learn.

[Matt Bontrager]

Breadth and depth.

Breadth: Have a broad base of knowledge across the spectrum of computer science. Understand that your primary function as a programmer within the context of a larger organization is to solve problems; sometimes very difficult problems, the solution of which may come from any number of different technologies.

Depth: Increase your value to the organization by being an expert in one particular discipline. After previously establishing that you have many different tools in your toolbox (breadth), show your prospective employer that, when it comes to your particular specialty, there is none better.

Admittedly, to develop a genuine expertise, true depth, takes time. Since this is your first programming job, you may not have that time. The way you overcome that challenge: you have to have a genuine passion for your technology of choice. Develop projects on your own to demonstrate your passion.

[Doug R. Thomas, Esq.]

Our team is broader than straight programming, but I think the broad digital realm can get the same suggestions. A big thing for me as a the supervising manager and initial interviewer is narrative -- when you have a good story, a good "this is what got me into digital stuff," or a good "this is how I can use my past experience that isn't necessarily digital to help the team," I feel more compelled to move someone along the hiring path.

An example from me - I connected what I now know as UX to survey design in my political science background, and UX and behavioral conversion rate optimization is a big part of my wheelhouse right now. Making those connections also shows that you're capable lateral thinking - a huge skill in programming, especially in smaller and less-organized teams.

[Aaron Eiche]

My first programming job was at a small company. The thing that really pushed my boss to hire me was that I took the concepts that we'd spoken about and implemented them in a simple example application. It was probably done the wrong way, but he told me later that that had really impressed him.

Having work that you can show these days is a must. Having work that is relevant to the position you're interested in is a leg-up.

[Anurag Mathur ]

1. Relocate to the town/city/area of maximum opportunity.
2. Do not restrict yourself to a particular domain, try to be a generalist initially. Specialise later, with sufficient experience.
3. Always write a forwarding letter with your resume, which explains your intentions clearly.
4. Always follow-up after applying. Weekly follow-up is ideal.
5. During the period when you are searching for a job, keep practicing your programming, problem solving and communication skills. Most interviews are won with a combination of these three.
6. Aim at the complete spectrum of opportunities. Do not restrict yourself to a set of "hot/in-demand" companies. Landing a job in first go in such companies for inexperienced candidates is tough.

[Kyle Welch]

You have to be willing to adapt. I remember my first position was a JavaScript position at a point where I was not even sure I knew JavaScript. I was able to land the job by having the willingness to learn and the determination to become better. The position quickly changed to fit my skills and accommodate my strengths will still allowing my to grow. Many years later these are things I still look with new opportunities; the change to grow as a developer and provide value by leveraging my strengths.

[Dale Blackburn]

A few tips:

Be honest about your abilities.
Be enthusiastic to learn (and be vocal about your desire to do so).
Brush up/start to learn any prerequisit tech.
Be friendly and try to relax.

One of the most understated considerations is often team fit, and the is arguably one of the more important qualities that a team would seek. Practice your soft skills and set realistic but positive expectations into the recruitment team.

Your goal is to be enthusiastic, optimistic, and above all, someone that people would want to work with.