Applying to jobs

Getting a job is the goal of most people working through The Odin Project, so it would feel foolish to not talk about applying for jobs. Applying for jobs tends to take a lot of time; it’s best to do it strategically.

Avoid freelancing

Freelancing is often described as an easy way to break into the programming field. The problem with this mindset is based on a surface level understanding of web development. Wordpress, for example, makes it easy to get a basic brochure site live and visible. This is what makes people generalize about freelancing being easy. Don't mistake that simplicity for what is brought to you by TOP. Freelancing using the tools The Odin Project helps you learn requires much more knowledge and experience. The tools introduced bring more potential for difficult situations that can make freelancing a negative experience for all parties involved. Without the mentorship of experts, you may not be able to ship software that is scalable and safe for your clients. Certain practices can really only be learned at a company or through failure, and failure during freelancing could mean a lost revenue stream, or worse, a lawsuit. Freelancing also means you have the burden of becoming the marketer, the CEO, the financial department, and all of the other business development representatives at once. This can cut deeply into your time, and that time could be better spent becoming a stronger developer hired into a full time role.

Don’t apply too early

Applying too early wastes valuable time that could be spent moving the needle away from “luck” and towards “likely”, by gaining more skills. Generally, you should apply around the midpoint of Rails, or near the end of Node. Don’t rush yourself. If your strategy is to be “lucky”, consider that employers that are willing to hire someone with underdeveloped skills may be predatory and may not have devices available to help you grow as a developer. Foundations, and even the React sections, are not enough for you to be a strong programmer in most cases. More general programming concepts are introduced later in the curriculum that you will need on the job.

Check out the getting-hired section when you’re ready

After you’ve hit a place where you should be applying, make sure you go over the getting-hired section of the curriculum. Also check out the pins in the getting-hired section of the Discord.

Look at already reviewed resumes

Get in the Discord, in the getting-hired channel, and look for a pin that teaches you how to find resumes that have been reviewed. (In case it disappears: use the search and search for images in the getting-hired channel.). Base your resume on those: read all the feedback they’ve gotten and apply it to your own. Pay close attention to verb tenses, summaries, and what resume builders are being used.

Ask for a resume review

After looking at, and following the advice found in the getting-hired course and Discord channel, post your resume for review (make sure to use a screenshot of your resume; do not upload a PDF; do block out your address and phone number.). Expect some strong and terse feedback, but do not take it personally; everyone is there to help you succeed. Carefully select those you will listen to. Generally the Maintainers have strong advice. Once you’ve gotten feedback, post the updated resume and gather more feedback. Building and refining a resume is an iterative process.

Next up, Strategically building your portfolio. Then, the conclusion!