I'm a WordPress developer. I started with MERN stack and got my first position as a browser extension developer. I'd say it was my luck because I got job quite easily. React is a newer and hotter toy, everyone is learning it and are expecting to earn big bucks with it. Tons of tutorials are pushing this idea, the hype is real.
Its reality it quite different though. People want to hire React developer but not junior ones. If you try to be clever, they'd say, you have too much abstraction, if you try to get the job done, they'd say why didn't you use redux instead, there is honestly no way you can dodge these because the guy that is interviewing you is probably a guy with 2 years of experience and is on a "senior" position.
My advice would be to not make React your main focus. You have no experience and nobody really wants a zero-experience React developer. Also, check jobs around you too. See what is in demand + doesn't require 6 years of experience.
EDIT: Another practical advice would be that you should focus on one thing! Become an excellent UI developer. You can do that by just building HTML and CSS projects. When you can make amazing designs, you are really good at one thing and people usually want good people even though they might not have "professional experience."
When you can make amazing designs and get into the field, trust me, you can easily transition to React or Vue depending on what your team is using. The biggest regret in my almost 2 year long career is that I jumped into full-stack development instead of being an awesome UI/front-end developer first.
I love React. But it's not the end-all, be-all for me. In other words, I don't really care as much that the role does or doesn't use React. I have enough understanding of core programming principles that I could honestly move into any tech stack.
I hear what you are saying about not having enough experience seen as a negative. And that's the point isn't it? How do you gain experience without being given the chance to gain experience?
There are a few options: build out something yourself that has real world users. PROVE that you can make something people want to use. Harder said than done. The start-up life is both difficult and a big gamble. But not impossible.
Freelance. Take on small clients and work for very little or nothing in the beginning. Make simple sites for small business etc. This is more or less what I am doing currently (although I lucked into a few paying clients right off the bat). Prove that you know how to manage clients and create value for businesses.
Get an internship or entry into a company via a non-development position. This is something I've looked into as well. MOST of these companies are looking for people with CS degrees, which I do not have. But it is still possible.
The lesson I have learned is you have to be willing and available to do and try lots of avenues to get in.
Thank you for your POV and feedback. It's tough out there and you just have to be willing to experience no after no after no after....
You make great points and I understand that it is indeed very difficult. I couldn't agree more when you said, "Build out something yourself that has real world users." I couldn't agree more because that's what you do on the job.
Have you read about the Pot Quality vs Quantity experiment? I think the best way to move forward for any developer is to just start building. Look at a website and just start replicating it from scratch in HTML and CSS and when done, move on to the next one.
This is what I did and it helped me a lot in landing the jobs I talked about. Anyways, thanks a lot and I wish you the best!
EDIT: Quick tip, if you cannot open the medium article, just open it in incognito mode.
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I'm a WordPress developer. I started with MERN stack and got my first position as a browser extension developer. I'd say it was my luck because I got job quite easily. React is a newer and hotter toy, everyone is learning it and are expecting to earn big bucks with it. Tons of tutorials are pushing this idea, the hype is real.
Its reality it quite different though. People want to hire React developer but not junior ones. If you try to be clever, they'd say, you have too much abstraction, if you try to get the job done, they'd say why didn't you use redux instead, there is honestly no way you can dodge these because the guy that is interviewing you is probably a guy with 2 years of experience and is on a "senior" position.
My advice would be to not make React your main focus. You have no experience and nobody really wants a zero-experience React developer. Also, check jobs around you too. See what is in demand + doesn't require 6 years of experience.
EDIT: Another practical advice would be that you should focus on one thing! Become an excellent UI developer. You can do that by just building HTML and CSS projects. When you can make amazing designs, you are really good at one thing and people usually want good people even though they might not have "professional experience."
When you can make amazing designs and get into the field, trust me, you can easily transition to React or Vue depending on what your team is using. The biggest regret in my almost 2 year long career is that I jumped into full-stack development instead of being an awesome UI/front-end developer first.
I love React. But it's not the end-all, be-all for me. In other words, I don't really care as much that the role does or doesn't use React. I have enough understanding of core programming principles that I could honestly move into any tech stack.
I hear what you are saying about not having enough experience seen as a negative. And that's the point isn't it? How do you gain experience without being given the chance to gain experience?
There are a few options: build out something yourself that has real world users. PROVE that you can make something people want to use. Harder said than done. The start-up life is both difficult and a big gamble. But not impossible.
Freelance. Take on small clients and work for very little or nothing in the beginning. Make simple sites for small business etc. This is more or less what I am doing currently (although I lucked into a few paying clients right off the bat). Prove that you know how to manage clients and create value for businesses.
Get an internship or entry into a company via a non-development position. This is something I've looked into as well. MOST of these companies are looking for people with CS degrees, which I do not have. But it is still possible.
The lesson I have learned is you have to be willing and available to do and try lots of avenues to get in.
Thank you for your POV and feedback. It's tough out there and you just have to be willing to experience no after no after no after....
You make great points and I understand that it is indeed very difficult. I couldn't agree more when you said, "Build out something yourself that has real world users." I couldn't agree more because that's what you do on the job.
Have you read about the Pot Quality vs Quantity experiment? I think the best way to move forward for any developer is to just start building. Look at a website and just start replicating it from scratch in HTML and CSS and when done, move on to the next one.
This is what I did and it helped me a lot in landing the jobs I talked about. Anyways, thanks a lot and I wish you the best!
EDIT: Quick tip, if you cannot open the medium article, just open it in incognito mode.