I want to share with you my journey getting my first full-time job as a web developer. I know that the title already told you what this article is about. The goal of the three stories I’ve written (this included) is to encourage you to pursue your dream and demonstrate that to code it doesn’t matter the background, education or, age.
In order to follow my complete story up to this point, you should read the articles in this order:
First: Can you become a web developer if you are 40?
Second: How I got my first job as a junior developer at 40+ of age after 6 months?
The Start.
Like I said in my previous articles I started my development journey in February 2019 at 41. Before that, I had no idea what was development, and like those that are amazed by seeing all those small numbers and letters on a code, I thought that it was impossible for me to ever achieve something similar. Having a job where every day during 13 years (yes 13!!!) I was crawling myself from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the dream to be in tech was almost abandoned. My hobby to fix iPhones and MacBooks was a small percentage to maintain that dream alive of been in tech. I was feeling that the dream of my life in the career area was a total wreck. I was seeing my dream blurring away and I was expecting a savior. I didn’t know just yet, that the savior was me. So full of hope and enthusiasm I challenged myself to come out from self-doubting. As crazy as this is going to sound for some, in 2019 December I announced at the Olive oil Company where I was working that starting July 2020 I will cease to come. In March the pandemic happen. At the time I am writing this, my area in Spain is under Fase 1 still.
The Hunt.
There are a lot of tips on thousands of written articles, on dedicated websites for “how-to”, “where to” or “the best something” about job hunting and this is NOT one of them. This is a story of a man, in his middle age struggling to get a job in the dev tech.
After three months of having a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS, I spread the word that I am into web dev. The first job was an ugly Wordpress website that I don’t want to show it to you. After I finished what I thought was a good maintenance at that time, the client was happy. That gave me wings. So, I started job hunting. Tried to big companies like Amazon, and literally sent hundreds of Resumes. Read closely: not even one responded. In my soul, I was almost giving up. But, against all odds, against all thoughts, I persisted. My dream was bigger than me.
Overcoming Fear
Everyone has a safe place. If you don’t have one, you should make it. My safe place is my family and my convictions. When I felt that I am losing hope I spent time with my family and focus on Hope. Hope is driving me and I don’t allow myself to be fear guided. Still, I am a regular guy that was trying to make a career shifting. After six months I landed my first big project as a freelancer. An entire website. That led me to another client that knew this existing client. I knew that if I push harder, success will follow. Meanwhile, I was into my job at the Olive oil (now my ex job).
A friend that tells a friend about his web developer friend.
After the big project ended I continued to work for the same client on small tasks that he required on his website and social media. While studying I was working on my dream. A close friend said to me about an opportunity at the company where he is working. He recommended me as a web developer with an entry-level. At the beginning of May someone contacted me and we had a phone call. After few days they called me again to settle an interview. The interview took 40 minutes. After a week I received the answer that I am hired full time as a junior remote entry-level developer. That was Thursday. i.e May 28.
Closing.
This is my story about getting a job. It’s nothing fancy. It’s about fighting for my dream, pursue it and, achieved it against all odds.
Before I’ll leave you I would like to give you some advice that worked for me. Of course that these are applying according to your culture and country you live in.
Build your own stuff! Even if you copy-paste small snippets, you should know what they do. Get a basic knowledge of the technology you are applying for. I went for front-end development, and I learned HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In this order. (Learning JavaScript is a continuous adventure).
After you have the basics.
Apply! Apply! Apply to those jobs! No fear! The worst that can happen to you is a No!
Be yourself! When you take an interview don’t try to fake anything. Just be yourself. Ask questions as this is a trade (you offer services and they pay for them), not a slavery market.
No matter the result of the interview, you are valued because you are a human being. Human beings are valued for what they are not for what they do or their knowledge.
Be patient and code (or whatever field you are in)! Your opportunity is right at the corner, don’t give up.
Do not compare yourself to anyone! Every person is a universe.
Don’t focus on your negative emotions! Acknowledge them, but don’t identify with them, you are more than your emotions.
And finally Feed Hope, let the fear die!
Thank you for accompanying me on reading. If you want to follow my journey as a “just hired” Junior Web Developer, let's connect on Twitter here and if you want a mix of not always tech-related posts, let's connect on Instagram here.
Top comments (19)
Congratulations Luc. I did my Chemical Engineering 15 years back, then gone for MBA, then became a govt bank officer. After, 10 years in bank, I decided to quiet my job to pursue my dream regards to some IT projects.
Just like you, I also keep apply apply apply what I learn.
This is my story about getting a job. It’s nothing fancy. It’s about fighting for my dream, pursue it and, achieved it against all odds.
This is wonderful. You will succeed. You are awesome!
Great post! Congratulations on your new job!
Thank you.
Congratulations new job :) I'm almost in your age (38) and from more than 10 years I do websites in small local company (low tech, js, custom php cms - old school) and since 2016 I was tired all that struggle with promotion, almost zero progress, old tech, etc but I liked my comfort zone. And than my daughter was born changing everything. Now it's hard to learn new things, but I try working 8 hours, than family time and when wife and kid goes to sleep I sit and code. I do not recommend this way :) Instead think of your future ahead and F your comfort zone as it will someday kill you if you not leave it.
Hope, on my 40 I will be working as a nodejs dev (self employed or in corp.).
Cheers mate:)
Tener la valentía de reinventarte contra viento y marea, y el tesón para perseguir tus sueños, ya te hace alguien especial. Nunca pierdas eso.
Felicidades por el nuevo trabajo, Luc. Mucha suerte y disfruta del camino.
Mil gracias.
Thank you for your story. I went to school for web and graphic design in 2005-2006 and did a few sites then 2008 hit and I left my passion and am now trying to reteach myself on off time. I’m almost 40 and have been told I am wasting my time. It got me down and I stopped studying for about 4 months. I had enough self doubt that those negative comments just confirmed it. But my journey and what I want isn’t dictated by their views. So I am back at it. Thanks again and you gained a follower on Twitter!
Great past, grats on the job!
Luc, awesome!
Very inspiring story! Thanks for sharing!
Inspirational story!
your life can be whatever you want it to be, given that you persist. All the best.