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Web dev jobs are in demand. Could this be the career for you?[/caption]Looking for a job in tech as a web developer with limited experience can seem like an improbable feat. We’ve broken it down into digestible bits to help any aspiring dev prepare with in order to land a great job.In part 1 of our How To Get a Web Developer Job With No Previous Experience series, we discussed taking stock of what skills and knowledge you currently have, putting together a portfolio site and filling it with examples of your work. In this post, we’ll discuss personal branding and your resume. In our final post (part 3), we'll cover finding and landing an awesome job.

Get a Web Developer Job Without Tons of Experience

Step 3 – Know Thy Self & Share it Accordingly

Chances are if you’re of age to work, you likely are online already in some fashion. Go ahead and Google yourself. See what comes up. Your online reputation says a lot about you–and potential employers, clients, and industry professionals are searching online now more than ever before. What does that mean for you?Simply, you should project the image and perception of yourself that you feel comfortable sharing with the world. The topic of online reputation management is so important we wrote an entire blog post dedicated to it. We highly recommend that you take a look at this article and the corresponding mini-assignments as it is still very applicable today. It is the advice that we provide to any new web developers seeking employment.In addition to the usual social media spots for professionals such as LinkedIn and Twitter, new developers will also benefit from participating online in other forums where fellow devs and those in a position to recruit or hire you frequent.

Online Spaces Frequented By Devs

Here are a few other online spaces that you should consider becoming active in or at the very least, register for.StackExchangeReasons why you should join:Although it’s not required you have an accounts (you can still read, answer and suggest edits anonymously) you can’t do things such as ask questions or vote. StackExchange is connected to a plethora of other dev haunts online which are excellent for learning, connecting with others in the field and getting access to helpful tools.When you register and build reputation points (by doing things such as answering questions, asking questions, etc.) you build visibility for yourself and become part of a much larger online ecosystem and community of fellow devs.GitHubReasons why you should join:If you’ve already set up a portfolio site using their tool or have examples of your code and projects you participate it on here you’re already a member. If not, consider it! GitHub not only provides a way for devs to collaborate on projects together, but also a place to purchase tools that make doing their jobs all the easier. Employers are increasingly asking to see example of your code to review. GitHub is a great place to point them.SlackReasons why you should join:If you work remote or even if you don’t this messaging app isn’t just for messaging alone. It’s a great way to join other public channels and participate in relevant communities for your field. In addition, you’re able to network and connect with like-minded people from across the globe or just across the office, which is networking without having to leave the comfort of your home.RedditReasons why you should join:You mean besides being the front page of the internet and the prime locale for all things worldly, weird and just plain cool online? Reddit has many sub-reddits dedicated to topics such as web development, programming and finding a job. This online community has users from around the globe and you never know what insights you can unearth about a particular employer, a certain skill you’re learning, or the latest cat memes. You can engage completely anonymously or use your real name if you’d like. (Most users opt to remain anonymous for privacy concerns.)QuoraReasons why you should join:Quora is an excellent platform to help build a name for yourself online. Users can answer and ask questions on a variety of topics that are indexed and searchable not just on Quora, but also through other search engines. Quora is a who’s who of people–from celebrities to the person next door all of whom are keen to help out their fellow human by imparting some of their knowledge. Furthermore, it is a great place to do research on a variety of topics that people frequently ask about as it pertains to your field and serve as inspiration of what you can write or blog about. Think of it as an advice platform without the reaction gifs of other social platforms.MediumReasons why you should join:Medium makes it easy to blog and share your stories with the world. It can help its users build their presence and credibility online by putting your writing and work in front of its network of millions of users consisting of big brands and individuals alike. Users can submit to write for selected channels giving their words an even greater reach. As a tool, Medium is very simple to use and a breeze to get started on. Something to keep in mind is that if you contribute content here, you’ll want to have a link to your own website’s blog and keep a copy of the post for yourself saved as a Google or Word doc.Even if you are just starting out, you have something to say and if sharing it with the world isn’t your thing, consider sharing what you’ve learned or are learning with a select channel. An online network or community can not only help you as you are growing professionally, but also be an invaluable resource of knowledge from those who have “been there and done that”.

Step 4 – Your Work History, Condensed

If you’re just starting out as a developer, your resume can be fairly straightforward. You’ll want to list the skills you have and feature any relevant projects you’ve done or contributed to and how. If you’re changing careers, make that clear and show a path of progression in your work history.We’ve written quite a few articles on resumes that you may find to be helpful as you create yours:◊ Resume Length – https://neteffects.com/how-long-should-a-resume-be-interview-insider/◊ Online Tools to Build Your Resume – https://neteffects.com/need-a-resume-heres-4-awesome-and-free-online-resume-tools/◊ Objective & Summary Statements – https://neteffects.com/why-you-dont-need-a-objective-statement-on-a-resume-and-what-to-put-instead/◊ Resume Refactoring (a guest blog post from a Software Engineer) –https://neteffects.com/resume-refactoring/Other Resume Development Resources:Aside from crafting your resume on your own or using an online resume builder tool (we’ve listed several in the article Online Tools to Build Your Resume listed above) you can also hire a resume writer.A search on LinkedIn will showcase hundreds of professionals. You’ll want to review their recommendations and testimonies. Many professional resume writers also hold a certification from The National Resume Writers’ Association. They should be able to provide examples of their work via a PDF or have a website and portfolio.After you have your resume ready to go, proofread it several times to ensure it is error free. We cannot stress this enough! Resumes riddled with errors often do not make it pass the initial screening and can convey that you have poor attention to detail or simply do not care. If your resume has passed your screening, give it to at least two other people to look over as well for errors. If you’ve paid a service to write a resume for you and discover errors, send it back to them for correction.With your rock-solid resume, you’ll be ready to tackle your job search. After you’ve landed in a new job, we recommend keeping track of the work you’re doing and what skills you’ve picked up. With it, you can easily keep your resume up-to-date for whatever opportunities may come your way or if you need to find a new role fast.Getting your online presence in top shape and your resume in order is essential for anyone embarking on a job search. Though it does take time to get these tasks accomplished, it will be time well spent and worth it in the end. In our next post, we will discuss effective job search techniques for today’s market and interviewing.

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