Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at my old school and give advice to the Web Development students. Which prompted me to make a list of things they could do to get noticed/hired as a Web professionals and also things that I wish I had known when I was in their shoes. These are all things that I myself have done and can attest to their efficaciousness.
Create a Portfolio
Step 1: You MUST create a portfolio. This may be a given, but many people skip this step and throw together a portfolio that has no meaning to it. Web developers have to show a working knowledge of their skills, which is reflected through your portfolio. Show examples of work that you’ve completed so that potential employers can take a look at your ability. If you don’t have any client work to show, don’t sweat it. One of my favorite practices for portfolio creation is to create sites for a fictional business or company. Create a site that you would like your potential employer (or client if you’re a freelancer) to put into production. Another practice is to recreate websites that you think are great. Think about this: how an artist will trace an inspirational piece of art to serve as practice, we can do the same with a website.
Blog about your process
This goes hand in hand with Step 1. Writing about your process helps you out in several ways; It makes you mindful of what you’re doing. This forces you to think about the ‘why” of your development process and also provides more content for your portfolio site. Not only do you have example sites to show but you also have displayed that you have writing abilities, which provides insight into how you think. This is just as important as your technical ability.
Network
Networking and meeting people is important in many areas of business and web development is no different. Go to your local meetups and follow people on social media. Get to know people in your industry and have them get to know you. Keep in mind that a lot of tech jobs are filled through word-of-mouth before they are ever posted on job sites. Being in the loop is a great way to get yourself in the door.
Find a mentor or mentors
Finding a mentor in the industry is another way to find success sooner in web development. A professional working in web can inform you of the technologies that are on the rise, as well as what you should know and who you should know. They can point you in the direction of great learning resources and are a resource of knowledge themselves. Since they are someone who is where you want to be, it is great to tap in and talk shop with a more experienced person.
Lastly a bit of advice
More important than anything, what I wish I had known is don’t get intimidated by all the new technologies. Learn HTML,CSS and Javascript. All other frameworks build off of that. Once you’ve got a firm understanding of them, then you can build your specialization. Bootstrap and Foundation are frameworks built on top of css, jQuery and React are just javascript libraries. With a firm understanding of the basics, you will always be in a position to learn whatever the newest latest technology is. One last thing: don’t get intimidated by job postings, throw your hat in the ring. Tech jobs are notorious for overreaching with job requirements. It does not hurt to apply even if you feel underqualified. If you are teachable and can demonstrate a passion for your work, you can be hired.