Happy Labor Day Weekend! This week I thought I would gather up some of my favorite tips when it comes to looking for a job in the webdev / software engineering world.
network
The first tip that I hear all the time is to just put yourself out there! Go to meetups and events where you can meet people who are doing what you want to be doing. I've met so many people and gotten great leads on jobs just by going to a meetup or two a week.
It can feel a bit awkward at first, but I always try to get someone's contact information, usually by connecting on LinkedIn. Doing this allows you to keep the lines of communication open, and they'll be much more likely to think of you when they have an opportunity.
have an online presence
When applying for jobs, I feel like it's very important to have a good presence online. Writing a weekly blog is a great way to get your name out there and employers love to see that you're engaged in the community. Similarly, Twitter has become a wonderful place to interact with other devs and get advice from people all over the world.
Check out my previous blog post about perfecting your online presence!
follow up
The hardest part about looking for a job is when you don't hear back about a job application or connection. But I've learned to embrace the awkward and just follow up! People are busy, and we all get so many emails that it can be easy to miss things.
Following up can lead to opportunities! Sending a kind 'great to meet you' message will remind them of who you are and the (hopefully) great conversation you had. People love to be thought of and in turn will think of you.
code every day
My final tip is to work on some code every single day. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the other aspects of the job search, and forget to keep working on your skills. I started the 100 Days of Code challenge on twitter and it's been a great way to keep myself accountable for coding a little bit each day.
Don't forget to commit your changes to your GitHub, as employers definitely look! As for what to work on, I like doing LeetCode problems, or here's another blog post I wrote about project ideas!
Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you next week!
Top comments (6)
What would you do if you applied to a large company (like Disney for example) where you're not even sure who to follow up with?
That's tough, and the reason why I haven't applied at many large companies. It's always better if you know or meet someone who can refer you or get you more information, and that's why networking is so important! Otherwise, I would try reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn or email if you can find it.
Thanks! I'll see if LinkedIn can help.
Awesome tips Claire! :)
thanks :)
Great tips, thanks for sharing :)