I do not want to study! When can a junior coder start looking for a full-time job?

For everyone who begins to study programming with serious goals - to master a profession and make a living from it, sooner or later during the learning process, when the initial threshold has already been passed, some knowledge has appeared and the first positive experience has been accumulated, the question arises: is it time? Should I start looking for a job in my specialty? And answering it yourself, for obvious reasons, is not so easy. After all, if you have never worked in this field before, then, frankly, there is nowhere to find confidence in your abilities. Moreover, today the market places really serious demands on those who want to work as programmers. And, as we know , there are not so many positions for Junior developers . Therefore, let's try to understand together when it really makes sense to start looking for a job, and how to determine that this time has come.

How do you know you can look for a job?

As usual, there are different opinions on this matter. Those who gravitate towards learning through practice believe that you can start looking for a job as soon as this question arises and such a desire appears. And this approach makes sense, although it is not always justified. There are also those who believe that only those people whose experience really corresponds to this position should send their resumes to Junior developer positions: it is believed that a “junior” specialist is a person with work experience from six months to three years, on average. Let's try to find a “golden mean.” By what factors can you determine that your professional level is already good enough to bear the proud title of junior coder?

• Knowledge and understanding of the theory behind the technology you specialize in.

  In programming, the theoretical basis plays a huge role, both from the point of view of applied tasks and in the long term. Therefore, make sure that you have already mastered the theory by studying all the basic information about the technology in which you plan to specialize.

• Ability to solve programming problems, at least at a low level of complexity.

  This first of all means that you need to not only read the theory, but also understand what and how it works in practice. This is what programming tasks are for . The easiest way to gain understanding is to combine the study of theory with practice, or use training courses such as JavaRush, where each layer of theoretical knowledge is immediately supported by practical problems. Whatever approach to learning you choose, make sure that your level of training already allows you to solve at least simple problems without much difficulty.

• Meeting at least half of all requirements for the Junior Coder vacancy.

  As mentioned above, the modern market requires a very extensive set of knowledge and skills, even from Junior programmers. Often, you do not have to meet the job requirements one hundred percent, but at least 50% is very desirable. Therefore, study vacancies for juniors and make sure that you know at least half of the technologies described in them.

• Knowledge of English at least at a level sufficient for basic communication.

  It's no secret that knowledge of English is quite important for any programmer. This is especially important if you get a job in one of the outsourcing or outstaffing companies where English is needed to communicate with clients/owners. But no matter what company you are talking about, you need to have enough English for at least basic communication and understanding of oral and written discussions about everything related to the work on the project.

• Have work experience of 6 months or more.

  As we have already said, formally Junior positions are intended for specialists who already have work experience from 6 months to 3 years. Therefore, if you have already completed an internship on any project or managed to work on more or less serious tasks as a freelancer for at least six months, this is a sure indicator of your readiness for the next step in the form of employment in a full-time position.

• Ability to independently implement functions and/or simple projects.

  Of course, the best indicator of the presence of practical skills and practical knowledge will be the ability to implement any functions typical of your specialization and those projects for which a Junior developer is being sought. It’s even better if your level is already sufficient to completely implement some simple project from scratch without using manuals and constantly Googling for tips and answers to emerging questions.

• Invitations to interviews based on test results.

  And finally, here is another 100% indicator that you are ready and have every right to get a job as a full-fledged junior - the presence of invitations to interviews from companies based on the results of a completed test task. If they are, this means that the probability of receiving a job offer is already quite high.

How to adequately assess your level?

Here are some tips for those who still have difficulty assessing their own level, and therefore doubt whether it makes sense to start looking for a job.

• Ask an experienced programmer to evaluate your level.

  One of the best solutions would be to contact a senior-level programmer and ask him to adequately assess your preparation. Ideally, this should be done with several programmers to get the opinions of different people and create an objective assessment based on this data.

• Use services to prepare for coding interviews.

  Fortunately, the question of readiness to look for a full-time job regularly arises not only for you. There are special services that will help you prepare for an interview and assess your level. In particular, the free platform Pramp , which was created precisely for this purpose, is popular among English-speaking developers - to help programmers and representatives of other technical specialties prepare for real interviews with employers and adequately assess their level.

• Remember that feeling a lack of knowledge is normal for a programmer.

  As many experienced coders note, the feeling of being “underdeveloped,” that is, a lack of knowledge and the presence of required or desired skills, haunts most coders throughout their careers, and is not exclusively the prerogative of juniors. Therefore, it is better to immediately come to terms with the fact that in this profession you will always have something to learn, no matter how extensive your practical experience already is.

• Ask for feedback from potential employers.

  Another good piece of advice for beginners would be to ask, or even demand, detailed feedback (feedback, that is, an assessment of your knowledge and experience) from the companies for which you performed a test task, or with whom you conducted interviews. This will help you look at yourself through the eyes of employers and better see your weaknesses.

• Form the right psychological attitude.

  Another good piece of advice would be to immediately form the right psychological attitude: accept the fact that during the first interviews and when receiving feedback on your test tasks, you will constantly face criticism and, often, negativity. Take negativity as an inevitable test on the path to success and an incentive for self-development, without allowing it to affect your self-esteem and level of motivation.

Preparing to look for your first job: supporting materials

And finally, let’s look at our other materials, which should help prepare Junior coders for successful employment. Fortunately, we have more than enough of them.

• Brain fitness. Current tasks for upgrading programming skills

The ability to solve programming problems, and do it as quickly and efficiently as possible, will help you feel much more confident in interviews.

• How to turn from an ordinary coder into a cool developer? Learning Computer Science
• “The key to success” and “a vital skill for the 21st century.” What is computational thinking?

Spend time on the basics and a strong theoretical foundation so that you have a solid foundation for further professional growth.

• What to read in 2020? A selection of the best new books for Java developers

If possible, read as much as possible.

• Sit and learn. Services for combating procrastination and planning training

Don't forget about developing discipline and self-organization skills - they play a huge role in long-term professional success for most developers and others.

• Let mi speak from may hart. How can a programmer learn English?

Constant practice of English, even if you already have a good command of this language, in your own opinion, is also very important.

• Hire me! How a beginner programmer can make a cool resume and LinkedIn profile

Don't forget the importance of designing your resume and LinkedIn profile.

• Top 50 Java Core Interview Questions and Answers. Part 1

In the case of positions for Java developers, almost every standard question asked in technical interviews can be discussed in detail.

• Java Junior wanted: where is it easier to find a job and how to please an employer?
• Java junior at an interview: how to prepare and what to ask
• You are hired! Preparing for an interview in English

Well, some materials with tips and tricks on how to prepare for an interview and maximize your chances of a successful outcome.