As with any other job, there are certain things that you need to do regarding how to get your first coding job. And since this is your first post on the subject, we’ll be focusing on tips for newbies trying to get into the field. If you’re already familiar with these aspects, feel free to skip ahead.

1. Learn how to problem-solve.

Learning how to problem-solve is arguably the most important part of coding. As a web developer, you will be expected to solve problems. And don’t think for one second that your solution has to be perfect the first time. You might have a fantastic idea for how something should work, but it turns out there was a better way. Always keep an open mind and mindset! Learning how to problem-solve is arguably the most important part of coding. As a web developer, you will be expected to solve problems. And don’t think for one second that your solution has to be perfect the first time. You might have a fantastic idea for how something should work, but it turns out there was a better way. Always keep an open mind and mindset!

You can also practice problem-solving by watching YouTube videos on coding or by trying out tutorials online. These types of activities are great ways to practice problem-solving while learning new skills or languages as well. Make sure you understand what you’re doing, though, because if you don’t understand what you’re typing into your code editor then chances are it won’t work!

Also remember: Don’t be afraid of failure! It’s all part of the process :)

2. Get comfortable with Googling.

The number of times that you end up Googling “How can I do X with Y?” will surprise you. If your first reaction to this statement is skepticism, let me explain.

When you get started doing any kind of programming, the number of questions that come up when working on a project is truly staggering. Whether it’s something as simple as trying to figure out which version of Python you’re using or something a little more complicated like figuring out why your program keeps throwing errors at compile-time, it all adds up.

Even if you read every book on the language and every coding blog available, at some point in time you’re going to have a question that needs an answer right now and only Google can provide one for you.

I’ll give one example from my own experience. I once had a boss who was insistent upon not using the command line on Unix systems unless necessary (which was rarely). So whenever we had any sort of problem or issue with our server system he would send me over there and tell me to deal with it (most often because he didn’t feel like dealing with it himself). This meant that I spent more than enough time getting comfortable with how things worked under the hood so as not to be completely useless when asked for help in resolving problems … including things that were way above my pay grade at the time!

3. Hone in on a specialty.

When you’re just starting as a coder, you might be tempted to try and do it all: HTML, CSS, JavaScript. Soon you’re learning PHP, Ruby on Rails, and Python. You’re getting good at all of them and your skills are improving. The problem is so are the skills of every other newbie developer.

The best way to stand out from the hundreds of other people competing for those junior dev positions is to specialize in one area of coding. An article in Forbes magazine about the top tech jobs for 2016 cited software developers as #1 for median base salary and a projected job growth rate of 17%. But what kind of software developer?

There are two main ways that businesses hire developers: either as part of a team that can handle every aspect of building a website from scratch or by hiring consultants who specialize in different areas such as UX/UI design or front-end development (HTML5, JavaScript).

4. Know how to sell yourself.

Landing an interview begins with knowing how to sell yourself. This means you need a solid resume, a good cover letter, and a portfolio that reflects your skills and experience.

You should have a narrative about how you started coding; this will help when they ask you why you decided to become a developer.

Finally—and this is key—you need to be able to communicate your ideas effectively. If you can’t get your point across clearly during an interview, that’s enough of an excuse for most hiring managers to look elsewhere.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

• Seek out help from mentors. Mentors are developers who have a lot of experience in their field and who have dedicated themselves to helping newbies learn the ropes and get where they need to go. The best thing you can do is find someone like this and ask them questions. If you’re lucky, they’ll take you under their wing and be your guide through the confusing world of code.
• Ask for help from your peers. These people are just like you: recent graduates of coding boot camps, looking for their first job, but with some extra experience under their belts. These are people that can probably relate most to what you’re going through—and who better than to ask for advice on how to get established in the industry?
• Don’t be afraid to keep asking until you get the help you need. When it comes to seeking out advice about something as important as your future career, it’s critical not to settle for less than what will move you forward. While it may seem rude or needy at first, speaking up and insisting on being given the tools that will put you where you want to be is courageous. And remember, everyone was a beginner at one point! Most developers will be able to look back with empathy on when they were just starting, so don’t worry about coming across as annoying or entitled; chances are good that other developers will appreciate how driven and serious about success in tech that makes them look like all-stars themselves!

6. Watch out for imposter syndrome.

• What is imposter syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments while attributing their successes to luck. To those dealing with imposter syndrome, it may feel that they don’t fully deserve the accomplishments they have achieved and that they are merely being permitted to pass as competent.

• How does it manifest?

For me, impostor syndrome manifests itself as a feeling of “everyone else is smarter than I am.” This can cause stress about being found out for not knowing what you are doing or feeling like you are out of your depth. It can also cause undue amounts of stress on yourself when it comes to your work feeling like you must do everything perfectly the first time around.

• Examples from my life:

I got my first job as a programmer after about 5 months of learning how to code at Code Fellows (shameless plug). I had taken some computer science classes in college but never showed much aptitude for coding so it was always off my radar as something I could ever do professionally. When I finally decided to pursue coding, despite having no formal background in computer science or programming at all, this seemed like a pipe dream that would never work out because I didn’t have enough time or skill (or whatever) to compete with all the other coders who went through years and years of schooling on this stuff. Even once I started working as a programmer, there were moments when even though my coworkers trusted me enough to give me tasks within the project team and even though my manager thought enough of me to promote me within 6 months of being hired I still felt like they were all bound to discover at any moment that I had no idea what was going on and wasn’t qualified for the job at all. Thankfully those feelings didn’t last long and eventually gave way to feeling more in line with self-confidence!

7. Volunteer (and take other side gigs).

Volunteer work and other side jobs can be extremely valuable when you’re trying to break into the industry. It gives you a chance to get your foot in the door at companies you are interested in, can add to your portfolio, and will help you figure out what you like and don’t like. Plus it’s a great way of getting familiar with the hiring process, as more often than not, companies will treat their volunteers just like they treat their employees. A lot of people end up being hired full-time after volunteering at a place they enjoyed and wanted to be part of permanently. Taking on side gigs is also an excellent way to learn valuable skills that employers look for when hiring new developers.

8. Ask questions, and ask them often.

Volunteer work and other side jobs can be extremely valuable when you’re trying to break into the industry. It gives you a chance to get your foot in the door at companies you are interested in, can add to your portfolio, and will help you figure out what you like and don’t like. Plus it’s a great way of getting familiar with the hiring process, as more often than not, companies will treat their volunteers just like they treat their employees. A lot of people end up being hired full-time after volunteering at a place they enjoyed and wanted to be part of permanently. Taking on side gigs is also an excellent way to learn valuable skills that employers look for when hiring new developers.

9. Build a personal website.

You’ll need a personal website to showcase what you can do.

Put your best projects on your website, and make sure to put them front and center where recruiters will see them right away. A good programmer’s website should include:

• Your name is prominently displayed at the top of the page. Even better if it includes your picture, but too many pictures of yourself could make you seem self-absorbed or narcissistic, so try to find a happy medium.
• Links to your code samples, blog posts about coding for newbies (like this one!), or anything else that demonstrates how good you are at programming. If you don’t have any code samples yet because you’re just starting in coding, link to the blog posts that you’ve written about learning how to code! It shows that you’re dedicated even though there’s not much tangible evidence of it yet.
• An “About” section with information about who you are and what kinds of things interest and excite you as a programmer! Employers love it when they think they know who they’re hiring before they hire them; this helps them learn more about your personality so they can decide if it’s compatible with their company culture!

Getting familiar with the job market and building up the skills you need will help you keep your sanity while looking for that first job.

A lot about starting a career in coding for newbies is about building skills and learning how to market yourself. So what does one do first?

Start where you are. If you have skills but you’re not quite sure what sort of position or company would be the best fit for you, start by taking a class or two at a local community college. They’re usually fairly inexpensive, and they give you the chance to practice your problem-solving with real-world scenarios that aren’t as intimidating as, say, writing an algorithm to compute the derivative of pi (that’s tough). Take one or two classes, and then hop on over to places like Gopher Academy and Code Reset so you can brush up on your programming language skills. Don’t know how to code? Get started with learning Python, which is pretty versatile and easy to pick up if you don’t already know another language. They also have free tutorials online. After that’s out of the way, check out some job boards like Dice Career Builder or Indeed just so you can get comfortable with how recruiters look at resumes these days—ways they’re different from when I was growing up—and learn how to properly format them so it looks good to potential employers.

If you don’t know where to start, contact Singapore Coding Club and request a tutor for free!