Landing Your First Job in Tech

Want to increase the chances to land your very first job in tech as a software developer?
Here's the entire game plan for free:

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Now, you don't have to do most of these things but each item you do helps INCREASE the potential and odds of getting your first job as a dev.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

1. Technical Ability

Should go without saying but you can't get the job if you can't perform the tasks. You need to work on your coding abilities, problem solving and make some stuff with it!

Put those fingers on that keyboard and let them dance around a little bit!

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

2. LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is without a doubt one of the most under utilized tools but it has some of the highest quality of connections you could have.

Hiring managers, recruiters and decision makers for businesses are all on there DAILY. Stand out where THEY hang out!

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Every single minute 3 people land a job on LinkedIn. That's one person every 20 seconds, I don't see a reason why YOU can't be one of them too.

Plus, there is one major benefit!
A good profile will land YOU in job searches without you having to do the leg work.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Think about it, in order to apply to 100 jobs, you would have to fill out 100 job applications just for them to know you exist.

If you need help with LinkedIn, check out the LinkedIn Series on YouTube. Link in my bio.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

3. Portfolio Site

UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS SITE IS! Your portfolio site isn't just an extra project. It isn't there to host every single project you make.

It is your way of providing the right path to your best work first. By guiding them to your strengths.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

You are setting up their expectations so if they now find other projects that you have made on your GitHub or wherever, they first say "Well I have seen their best work so I can see where they were going with this."

The flow of information is the most important thing here.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Now, your portfolio site doesn't actually have to be super technical, it just needs to look good. Why?

The average recruiter isn't technical. Their specialty is in PEOPLE not programming. They don't know the intrinsic differences between react and angular or C# and Java.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

So by having your portfolio look good, they can trust some of the abilities you are showing. Remember, they are the first line of hiring. They are vetting candidates, they are speaking and researching.

Know your audience!

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

4. Portfolio projects

This is where you showcase the skills to pay the bills! This is where you prove that you know what you say you know!

Now I don't actually care about the QUANTITY of projects, I care about the QUALITY! The quality truly matters.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Your projects should solve a problem & you can discuss your solution. Your project should not be complete in a weekend or two.

There are projects you build to learn things from & there are projects you use for landing jobs and speaking about in interviews
These are NOT the same.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Now a project by itself won't get you a job. Maybe in a very small amount of cases will someone somehow stumble upon random code online and say "I HAVE TO HAVE THIS PERSON!"

The reality is, your project is giving you things to talk about in the interview! While networking, etc.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

If an interview is 60 minutes long and I get to spend 20 minutes talking about my technical ability in a way that I feel confident and comfortable, who do you think is winning that interview?

That's the point here.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

5. Resume

You have to have a good resume. You need to list out previous experience. Now I know the first thing you say is "Well I don't have technical experience." That's ok. Still list out your experience but don't do this HUGE mistake people always do.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

STOP LISTING YOUR JOB DUTIES AND START TALKING ABOUT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!!!

Cashier
- rang up customers
- counted money
- bagged groceries

I knew you did that
I already knew that. You did something to show someone somewhere at that job that you deserved to be there, what was it?

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Cashier
- Increased impulse purchase buying at the point of sale by using a customer first approach and rotating product categories available based on product movement
- reduce spoilage of product by implementing a system for rotation of products

See the difference?

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Your resume should prioritize one huge thing and it isn't the design, it is the ease of reading information.

The average recruiter gets THOUSANDS of resumes when a job is listed. Your focus should not be in burying the leads and vital info.

Your first point should be your best

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Make them interested in reading more.

They spend 6 to 10 seconds on average on a resume before deciding to spend more time or move on to the next one. Make your info easy to read and impactful!

10 seconds become 30
30 seconds becomes 2 minutes.
2 minutes leads to a DM.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

6. Networking

This is one of the most valuable things you can be doing.

Network online, in person, meetups, hackathons, etc. I owe my entire career to meetups and I highly recommend you going to as many as possible. Truly grow your network.

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Now I always hear this when I say meetups "Well I live in an area where there are no meetups!"

This is almost always not true but let's say it is. Do you think you are the only one that wants a meetup to go to? Be the change you want to see! Start a study group!

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023

Hope this helps and gives you actionable things that you can be doing to get closer and increase those chances!

— Danny Thompson (@DThompsonDev) April 9, 2023