No Dollar, No Client?
What's your process for finding a job? If you're like most people, you've got an interview and then a phone call, then maybe some emails back and forth. You suspect that it's going to be hard to find something that fits your skill set, so after doing all this pre-work, you hit up craigslist or Reddit. You search for hours…and still don't find anything close to what you want. This happens all the time in the job market, which is why I'm breaking down how it works from my perspective as a job board marketing director at 99Designs.
If you are in the market for a software engineer, chances are you will be posting your resume online. The internet is like a job board for everything except software engineers. Software engineers have their own jobs board. It's called Stack Overflow. If you're not a web developer, it's time to get on the internet bandwagon and start learning how to code…on Stack Overflow. If you end up there and see that your skill set interests the questioners but they don't give out the interviews directly, I'm here to help you find them:
I'm going to keep this brief (because I wrote it!). My current employer is 99Designs . Over the past three years, I've been involved in our marketing efforts, which means approaching and cold contacting designers to help us as we seek partnerships with them. You may be thinking, "But I don't design anything and I don't want to design anything."
You're welcome to use our job board for any sort of graphic design work, even if you have no experience in that field. You're welcome to use our job board for your web development needs. We will find you clients that are looking for those services even if you have no experience in that field.
In order to do that, you are going to need a killer portfolio. I'm talking about a killer personal portfolio. Think about it: if you're going to find yourself with clients that don't trust your skills because they aren't established in the field, then how would you convince them other than showing them what you've done? As a former software engineer with limited experience, I had no problem convincing people of my skills when I could show them my code and screenshots of my projects.
For the record, if you want more information on anything related to this post, just ask me in the comments here (though I'll probably provide answers via email).
POSTING YOUR RESUME
Do you know what a resume is? I didn't know what a resume was when I started to find a job. It's not like the regular job profile that you write before you go in for an interview. Yeah, it has your name, your current title, and your contact information, but that's about it. People don't usually read those anyway and they usually aren't all that important. The real value of having a resume is to get more people to read you (i.e., employers).
You need to post your resume online. That's where people look for job candidates. If you want to be found, you need to find a job board that is used by people who are looking for engineers. Here are some examples:
Stack Overflow is the first place that employer recruiters will look to find someone who can code or solve their problems with code. That's why I mentioned Stack Overflow above as a first step in getting more information from employers: link your resume on Stack Overflow and it will help you get more attention from recruiters (who are constantly scanning the forums for new talent).
If you want to get the attention of Internet employers (like me), then you'll need to post your resume somewhere that people like me can reach you. The trouble is, most job boards won't accept a resume without experience. If you've never worked as a software engineer before, there's nothing I can do to help you out because I can't tell my boss that I found a job for someone who hasn't been doing this for more than three years. Others may be able to help, but you'll have more luck if your resume is on Stack Overflow.
That said, here are some places I'll be looking at when I'm recruiting:
Places like How To Get A Programming Job are sort of strange. I don't know where I would go if I was looking for a job, but nothing on their page looks appealing.
I suggest you look for a place that's specifically for web developers. These job boards are aimed at people who are looking for work: Link your resume to these and you'll be seen (and read) by the people who want engineers.
There is one exception to this rule: if you want to do something other than web development (like database query, accounting, or any other field outside of "computer science"), then those will be okay too. Try not to focus on just the field of web development. If you post your resume as an engineer, then keep in mind that people will be looking for someone who knows how to write code.
SOLUTIONS FOR THE DIFFICULT JOB SEARCH
So, you're a web developer and you're looking for a job. What now? You've got a lot of options thanks to the internet and your new-found connection with software engineers:
If your resume doesn't already have the following information, use this tool. It will add it for you. You must enter the title of the position (such as Software Engineer) and a brief description of what it is (like "I'm looking to work on something that would use my skills").
The "Get Confidence" tool is useful for any job search. You can edit the text as you see fit. This is a good one to get started with because it will help you understand how to word your own resume when you start working on it.
You can also connect with recruiters and employers on LinkedIn. The value of this tool is in the profile information: once you have a stellar profile here, employers will be more likely to look at your resume when they find it on Stack Overflow.
The Ultimate Guide to Job Search (for software engineers) walks you through building out your resume and cover letter, finding the right words to use in the job application process, and more.
Conclusion
The internet is your friend, especially when it comes to job search. Be sure to leverage your network and reach out to people who can help you be seen. Post on the job boards I mentioned above and link your resume on Stack Overflow. Use companies' job boards for their specific needs (like those of employers looking for developers). The point is to get yourself in front of the right people who can offer you work quickly (and without having done a lot of legwork) since they are in demand.