I have no personal projects. My current employer only wanted to know what professional projects I had worked at in my previous positions. It was very hard for me to get a job right out of college but once I did, it was far easier with professional experience.

I came to this conclusion myself. The modern “learn to code” movement is ran by people who are KZfaqrs, not software developers. They are selling people a view of the field from 10 years ago, back when knowing how to code alone as a much more peculiar skill. The modern influencers focus on things that ANYONE can do because it gets them viewers. Once you start talking about networking, many are not willing to go through all that. Especially after spending years toiling a way building stupid toy projects. Most Software KZfaqrs are modern Snake Oil Salesmen.

You should ALWAYS have a project page/portfolio. The most important thing when you lack experience, is being able to prove you can do the job. That's all they are for. Don't mistake recruiters not being technical for not caring if you have all those things. Many know just enough to understand if you meet qualifications. Someone technical will review it. It's why the hiring manager isn't the only person to interview you. Especially if that's all you have. Also, don't go for FAANG jobs. The medium tier job and smaller are better, when you lack experience. Someplace where there's not a lot of competition.

I recently saw a video where a software developer gives us a step-by-step process for getting a job. 15 minutes in, he briefly mentions his first dev role was at his dad’s company. Never clicked away from a video so fast, what a waste of time.

This guy is speaking more real and practical stuffs.. You deserve much recognition 👍

I got my first job as a software developer with a good portfolio of projects and no formal education apart from online courses. Recently got a new job and pay raise from the experience gained in that first job. I think it's about finding the right opportunity and willing to work your way up like in any field.

Ha! I've struggled with this as well. I've written and sold full up commercial applications for my own consultancy, yet at job interviews no one was interested in looking at them. On the other side of the desk, I have interviewed scores of people for software dev jobs and my first question was always "have you done anything on your own, can we see it?" Never had a bite at that. The real issue here is that it's fiendishly hard to evaluate someone's ability to do this work. The default is to rely on credentials, which often produces a mediocre result but it's "safe" for the hiring authority so... there you go. It goes without saying that if you want to work for a large company, the credential is critical. Bare minimum a 4 year Bachelors, preferably a Masters. Were I to do it all again, I'd go to the cheapest school I could find for the 4 year B, then apply to one of the name brand schools for the Masters.

Absolutely right, the only personal project I have ever heard an interviewer discuss is a Bot that I created to play Starcraft 2. Everything else I have ever done was ignored. I don't even submit a link to my portfolio anymore when applying for jobs. The functional purpose for personal projects is to teach yourself something new. I am taking up C++ currently and will build things to help myself learn, but companies don't care about them.

Getting job Being a self taught without degree or without any experience is really really hard .... Getting a degree is vital because the easy tech jobs like frontend and ui are drying up due to the economy and ai... Roles that are super technical needs higher degrees with experience and projects... Projects are still important to get noticed ... It shouldn't be a rip off project but quite unique that is trying to solve a problem

6:00 Networking is extremely underrated. I knew people who got into top tier companies just because they knew that one person from school or a club. I wish I had known this earlier. They were mediocre in tech stuff but can sell themselves to the top. Social skill is an extremely important skill And as someone who has that skill issue, it's hard. Looking back, I would've focused less on courses and more on building connections.

It's all about timing. 2023-2024 is going to be brutal. Tech companies got massive loans during the COVID pandemic at extremely low interest rates so they could splurge on hiring. Now that interest rates are being hiked and their revenues are stagnant, they're trying to stay afloat the only way they can - freezing hiring and letting go of developers on non-critical projects. It's going to get worse before its going to get better.

Yeah I noticed this a while back. Every once in a while I'll hear someone say the portfolio got them hired or was at least looked at, but most of the time no one cares. What I did was create a SaaS and list that as experience under my own company, but listed myself as an employee rather than founder. In reality the SaaS is just a more developed project that has the potential to make money. If you can make money though that's awesome, so it's a win win. Sometimes in an interview you might have to do a project walkthrough but you can use this too. I also got some freelance contracts. Unfortunately I still don't have a job but I made this change recently and hiring is supposed to pick back up so we'll see what happens. Networking is the key though in the end anyways.

Ive been trying to learn programming for well over a year now and i am struggling big time to get connected with the right people, to build projects that truly stand out, and to maintain motivation. I really dont have the time or financial resources to pursue a computer science degree, so if I'm gonna get a software development job, it has to be through the self taught route

Thanks a lot man! Uncertainity is what keeps me from doing a lot of things sometimes

I had 10 months experience as a sysadmin and a bachelors degree in business plus a portfolio with projects before I landed my first software engineer job. Unfortunately that job only lasted 8 months but it was a super valuable experience nonetheless, I’ve been able to sell my experience on my resume and people are still impressed to see it. Now I’m starting as a Data Analyst soon thanks to that experience

I faced a lot of rejection at the start of my journey. I will say that my first job people wanted to see projects and portfolios. Now that I have a little experience I never get asked about it.

Thanks for talking about your experience

Some key takeaways A related degree (Engineering, IT, Cybersecurity, CIS, Information Systems etc.) can help you pass the recruiting filters. Some companies may even prefer an engineering degree over a CS degree at times. In this case, building a project and portfolio could be a strong move. If you have no experience or education, becoming a freelance dev is way stronger move than building useless projects or a portfolio. Networking is still more important, make sure to do freelance work and network. Projects and portfolios are supplements and not replacements for a degree and experience. Discord: discord.gg/Ewq8e4cw8Z

as a self taught developer who does this professionally, it really is all networking. I by chance networked through the entirety of my teen years and was landing jobs at projects above my level. that goes to show as someone with little experience or skill, you're able to open gateways just by talking good.

thanks for keeping it real brother appreciate you 💯

You provide valuable information to The IT WORLD thanks bro

It depends on what portfolio you created. It should be a system that have login, reports and access database. The typical stuff we do in job. Your fancy personal enjoyable programs such as games or algorithms won't cut it.

Thank you so much man!

Fully agree with the first statement, however you then have those who broke into the industry over a decade ago, who are now making the hiring decisions at their company. It's definitely a good thing to listen to those!

I did a Wordpress template for a lady at an accelerator for 350 dolllars. Later on she told me a startup was looking for a software engineer, I met them and got hired for 50 an hr with no cs degree or experience off that

Truth bro, thanks will learn to "network", stay blessed.

Good talk man I agree with all that you said. Instant sub

I can't speak from a programmer POV, but I can speak from a Technical Artist POV Not having projects in general is suicide. I see a lot of applicants who have NONE. And its surprising to me. That's all i got... Hang in there people

great content! keep it up!

I am about to start a SWE internship soon. I will work myself to the bone for a recommendation letter as well as to buff up my resume with projects that I get paid to complete and execute with excellence. I believe that is the only way I can stand out and get hired in this market.

i really enjoy ur videos man. A lot of other people just say the same thing over and over that dont do anything and it makes it feel almost as if its impossible to break in. keep up the good work, speak the truth my man

I have 6 years experience as an electrician but no degree. I just finished a bootcamp through my local university is it worth talking about my electrical experience in my resume or in interviews? I’ve found that a lot of the skills I’ve learned as an electrician actually translate to programming (troubleshooting, being detail oriented etc)

This is actually somewhat reassuring since I haven't had time for personal projects since I got a job. RIP to all the noobies though, I was in the same position once and it was brutal even though I have an advanced degree and only managed to get out of it via networks.

I have a friend in the tech industry. I'm thinking that I can go to him and ask if he can outsource some of his work to me and that way I'll be building my experience. You think that could work?

Blood is thicker than water. So many people easily get into big tech companies simply because their friend or cousin work there

Another banger bro, thanks for not gate keeping!

The video raises an interesting point about the validity of projects and portfolios for developers in today's tech industry. While the creator argues that projects and portfolios are becoming less relevant, I believe that they still hold value, although they may not be the ultimate deciding factor in landing a job. Firstly, I agree with the creator's point that projects and portfolios are supplements to a computer science degree or experience. Having a degree or relevant experience in the field definitely gives a candidate an advantage in the job market, as it shows that they have a strong foundation in the field and can apply their knowledge in a practical setting. However, this does not mean that projects and portfolios are irrelevant. I believe that a well-developed portfolio and impressive projects can still set a candidate apart from the rest, especially in a field that is competitive and constantly evolving like tech. A strong portfolio can also showcase a candidate's specific interests and strengths in different areas of development, making them a more well-rounded candidate. Additionally, I agree with the creator's point that recruiters are the gatekeepers of the tech industry. As someone who has gone through the job hunting process as a self-taught developer, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to even get noticed by recruiters without a degree or relevant experience. However, this does not mean that projects and portfolios should be disregarded. While recruiters may not see them as real experience, they can still serve as a way for a candidate to prove their skills and showcase their projects to potential hiring managers or development teams. In this way, projects and portfolios serve as a way to supplement a candidate's application and potentially catch the eye of someone who can give them a chance. Furthermore, networking is definitely important for breaking into the tech industry, especially as a self-taught developer. However, I do not believe that it is fair to say that the creators of Tech KZfaqrs who broke into the industry through networking are leaving out crucial details. Networking is a necessary skill in any industry, and it is ultimately up to the individual to put in the effort and build connections in their field. While it may be discouraging to hear that networking is a crucial aspect of breaking into the industry, I believe that it is still a valuable tool that can lead to opportunities and experiences that would otherwise not be available. In conclusion, while projects and portfolios may not be the only factor in landing a job in the tech industry, I believe that they still hold value and should not be disregarded. They can serve as a way for a candidate to showcase their skills and prove their worth to potential employers. However, it is also important to recognize that networking is also an important aspect of breaking into the industry, and it is ultimately up to the individual to put in the effort to build connections and seek opportunities. Part 2: Including certifications in the field is also an important aspect to consider. While projects and portfolios may not be the sole determining factor in landing a job, certifications can serve as a valuable supplement to a candidate's knowledge and skills. Certifications show that the candidate has taken the time to study and pass a specific exam or course, and can demonstrate their expertise in a particular area of development. Some certifications, such as those offered by companies like Google, Microsoft, or Amazon, can hold significant weight in the tech industry. They can show that a candidate has a strong understanding of specific tools, languages, or platforms that are commonly used in the field. Additionally, certifications can also demonstrate a candidate's commitment to continuous learning and improvement, which can be highly valued in the constantly evolving tech industry. However, it should also be noted that not all certifications hold the same weight and may not be recognized or valued by all employers. In some cases, certifications may even be seen as a substitute for hands-on experience, which may be considered more valuable by some companies. It is important for candidates to carefully research and choose the certifications that are most relevant and respected in their desired industry and field of work. Overall, certifications can serve as a valuable supplement to a candidate's skills and knowledge in the tech industry. While they may not always be necessary, they can definitely give a candidate a competitive edge and showcase their dedication and aptitude for the field. However, it is important for candidates to carefully choose and prioritize their certifications, and not rely solely on them as a means to break into the industry.

A lot of smaller companies have the team lead do the hiring, and team leads are those 4-10 year devs that will give that chance. Unfortunately, this is a really hard time. Most companies are looking to drop weight, not gain it right now.

Appreciate you

Best practical advise

Hey Dude Great videos, wanted to know if you needed a video editor/thumbnail designer for the channel?

If I have a 4 year degree in a non related field (business economics), but I also have a software engineering bootcamp certificate, is that going to help if I have a good portfolio/projects? Compared to someone who has no degree and no certificate?

Nice vide man :)

With no doubt your expreience as a self-taught developer breaking into the industry is valuable. I only have two issues with what you said: 1. You concluded the wrong lessons from your experience as a self-taught developers. 2. Starting the video by putting down on existing people whose are sharing their opinion (just like you), is not that good. --- As side note for all developers (including self-taughts): 1. Try to have a blog to show your skills and give other people to know you more and to learn better. 2. Contibute to open-source: this is extremely valuable. Imagin putting on your resume, that your contrputed for a the project "x" for a whole year!! 3. Be extremely good at what you are doing. 4. Trust God

Substantial projects make a difference. Loved on Product Hunt? 2k stars on Github? Significant capability (Transformer model with especially interesting attention mechanism, hyper-fast VM that reduces cloud infrastructure cost by an order of magnitude)? Projects are typically used for "compensation", to make up for a lack of experience. And of course, YOE is king. But I'll add that projects can be a great way to learn -- machine learning, functional programming, mobile apps. Everyone needs practice. For a project to count and to compensate for YOE, the only way to mimic working in production is to genuinely build something production quality.

appreciate the advice bro.. going to for sure take that networking thing more serious, still finishing up my portfolio with MERN, and Nextjs/typescript projects as self taught.. will be about 2 years this june, started from 0 and learning python on codecademy lol. keep it coming w the help tho my g this really helped and i for sure wrote some things down from this!

Truth bombs. Had to subscribe. I like when people aren't afraid to speak the truth.

Is it worth getting a masters in cs if i got a degree in a nonrelated field?

What other example beside networking is “experience” if you have a strong portfolio and git history

really depends on the projects that are being built, my project that actually has users and is making money, is actually a really big talking point in the interviews i have done.

They don't matter at all bro. I failed as a self taught developer. I put time into projects but no success. I don't have financial resources to go to college either. They want either a degree or experience but both are hard to get when you are a beginner.

that makes sense actually, no wonder

Networking is very important - and you can make that happen. I got an entry level job by applying for a job that needed way more skills than I had at the time - they rightfully rejected me. But then I paid for myself to fly halfway around the world to attend an industry conference and bumped into my interviewer again. He then contacted me when an entry level job came up (I think he may have created it). Once you get a job the networking becomes easier as it is with all the people you work with (or meet after work). It is definitely a vital skill - always say yes to any networking opportunity.

Great video bro! I've been in the QA Engineering field for a while. I recommend people to use their projects/portfolios as talking points during the interview with a hiring manager or during the technical interview. I agree that recruiters aren't going to look at them and probably not the hiring managers either. But a strategy is to bring up something that you find really cool or impressive during the interview to make the interviewers say wow, that's pretty cool. You're definitely right though, getting past the recruiter, if they even see your resume is the toughest part and the barrier to entry. Great video! Keep up the good work!

I don't think portfolios even matter anymore because if I can remember the last place I worked at before I took a sabbatical. They asked for portfolio samples but I don't think they even looked through it, because it was not even a few days after I had my interview with the senior devs and I started working immediately after. I studied for 1.5 years of my 3 year course. I still continued to work in the industry building a 10 year career in software development. I restarted coding for the last 5 months now after a 1.5 year break to get back into the industry.

Is it possible to get in while being self-taught outside the US/Canada/Europe

hey man, what if I have a degree in chemical engineering? I am still eligible as an engineering degree, right? i am so frustrated currently cuz i don't have degree in Computer Science or related field, but i am learning DSA and web dev for sure, I still have 1 year left for completing the degree.

Nothing but facts. 💯💯💯

What do you think about freelancing? I've started doing some projects for free for a few family members. After that I'm gonna make some business cards and reach out to small businesses. Of course you also have to learn about digital marketing. If it doesnt lead to a full time job it should lead to a web dev agency

I posted projects on LinkedIn and other public forums like discord and kind people reached out to me asking if I needed a job, I still say this is the best way to go

The education will land you the job, the projects and experience will make you keep the job.

I'm no more a junior developer. But projects and open source contributions have kept being well worth it for me. I've got several interview requests (including my current employer) this year because what I've worked on and actually build. Just this year I did some low level TLS refactoring to patching libraries for OpenBSD. From my view. The issue is not projects don't work anymore. It's there's literally more the 1000 people with a todo app in React and REST APIs for random subjects. That's not unique nor impressive anymore.

When I applied for the job (without a degree), I specifically told them to get a senior to look at my resume and portfolio.

I have 0 personal projects. I instead worked through my CS studies for 10-20hrs/weekly (Werkstudent/Working Student model). Then I did my first internship at one company. Then I landed another one at certain CPU manufacturer. Then I landed a Bachelor Thesis with a company, where I did my first internship. Then I sent 4 applications for Junior positions, got 3 offers. No one ever asked me why my github isn't green, instead I talked with them about products that I contributed to during the internships or the projects we had at the University.

People were deceived by bootcamp companies and false promises of easy money. The truth is the IT market is a market like any other, it requires qualification (bootcamps, projects) and traditional qualification (AKA college degrees). I’m from Brazil and here the situation is pretty much the same, i'm studying Information Systems since August 2022, I have side projects and bootcamps and still wasn’t accepted at any internship I applied for. The only jobs i could find were shitty help desk jobs, but i'll take it as a form of job experience.

I went in as a intern once I knew their recognized my value after 2.5 months, I said I got a paid proposition from another company. So they upgraded me to paid junior. And just like that I did not have to do 6 months of internship.

to get a job, in my opinion your best chances are in these 3 categories, 1. its who you know, definitely will play a big part in getting a SE job 2. keep networking with people in the tech field (alot will lead to dead ends but you have to keep pushing through and ask for tech advise and get there point of view on the tech field) 3. contribute to Open Source and Freelance jobs and put it on your resume! then use that as your job experience! . Lastly never just click apply to job, reach out to the recruiters or someone on the team in the position your applying for.

Same thing in Belgium

👏

Of course it dose!

I actually have never had networking work for me at all, cold calling is impractical

How is the employer able to know that you are who you say you are with no showcase of what you can do. Anyone can talk but can they walk that path they can excellently interview for?

Is WGU a bad look on a resume? Im doing a Comp Sci bachelors there. Also, does a Masters Degree without any experience look good, plan to join Masters program after graduation.

I’ll keep programming as a hobby for now.

As someone who is self taught and looking for a job thats not freelance i found a lot of good info in the comments and video and basically found the answer i was looking for lol its gonna be hard af and networking is the only way 😂😢

I have both the degree and the portfolio and I'm having a hard time getting an opportunity.

Some tech youtuber still has their software jobs, and they are interview some of the applicants, that is why some can offer legit advance because they know what is the actual hiring process.

Discord invite is invalid. By default it is valid for only 1 week.

I don't understand i got a job as solidity developer only based on my portfolio zero experience i built strong projects also working on my startup project

Volunteering is the only way 😉

Projects and portfolios do matter, but you can’t be building some calculator app or a to do list and think that’s sufficient. Build a CRUD app as a project dedicate minimum of 100 hours to this project and try to focus on something that simulates a real tool or something that ppl may actually sign up to use. I’m parts of communities where ppl consistently get roles and they are all self taught. If you’re also going through a recruiter then you’re doing it wrong. NETWORK, and by network i don’t mean introduce yourself, ask ppl to talk ask about their job, build a real connection and show of your work and sooner or later one of them may open a door. Stop scaring all these ppl by telling them networking is super hard, if you want it badly you’ll work as hard as it’ll takes

Keep in mind the comment section is full of people sitting in uncertainty or already giving up. Most of the failures and successes in the field are unseen. Getting a degree at a good university really helps. My friends who do cs are all getting internships in companies like capital one and mongodb.

Another name for networking is Nepotism 😅

Accenture is always hiring bruh, entry level and jr developer should consider applying in accenture

There are exceptions, I had recruiters who contacted me and have looked throughout the portfolio.

Just lie about your experience, say you were a freelancer. It works if you are an aspiring web developer.

I did get hired on projects alone. No degree. Got my first paystub today.

how about turning a project into an LLC and hiring yourself as an intern/developer?

I disagree. I just got a Jr Software Engineer position and was asked about the projects I listed on my resume that I’ve been working on outside of work

What Shu mean by experience, isn't building side projects an experience, or isn't internships an experience

The funniest shit is that the people who lack social skills are usually the best people for the job because that lack of social skills is a price we had to pay to become amazing. If you struggle getting hired in the programming industry, my tip is that you should just outsource your networking to someone else. That's what worked for me.

He is right , i would say just get a cs degree 1st or learn enough software to get a job

What if I have an engineering degree and not a CS degree ?

Have you considered the idea that your projects are uninteresting?

I broke into tech in 2021 with no formal education. Here is my 2 cents: please don't waste your time on a project that you never plan to publish or have any sort of meaningful user base. No one cares about your portfolio either, it is as effective as an MD file with some links, so opt for that. Invest time into contributing to an open source project. You will grow as a result of more experienced developers reviewing your code. Once you've become a regular contributor to a project, you can ask to peer review PRs. If you regularly contribute to an open source project, you can put that on your resume and that's 100% experience.

i guess we're fucked!

This about it, who will you hire someone with a pro portfolio that make yoy WOW that is so cool ar someone that has nothing but a degree or some other crap saying that he is a developer?

I kinda disagree about the project stuff, slightly. I agree that they're supplemental, but recruiters, good ones, try to listen in about your projects. Technical or not, that first interview is always a soft skills check. Use the projects as something to help build your resume to link back to your skills but if you get the interview since you'll have to talk about those skills. Everything else is pretty solid. Even if you have a degree, networking is gonna be big. Especially for college students, there's a lot who don't realize how powerful their CDS offices are, what events are on campuses for coding, Global Game Jam is literally this weekend and goes to next week. The Major League Hacking season already started, on-campus career fairs start next month for a lot of universities, and depending on your university, research work, PAID RESEARCH work... Leverage your opportunities, make friends and try to pick the brains of others that you can figure out what *you want to do in the field* and then cater yourself to then networking and continuing to build on what *you want to do in the field* . And then hope your application gets picked out of the pile of apps...

I mentioned mine in every interview and no one ever bothered to look at them

Does freelancing help?