Issue 13

Today’s Issue: Let’s discuss the minimum requirements to land a junior developer position.

Welcome to #13.

What Do You Need to Know

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, landing a junior developer role is tough. It’s not impossible though and having the right skill set with a solid portfolio will surely help you stand out from the crowd. So here’s what you need to know:

1. Foundational Knowledge of Programming Languages

   • I’d pick JavaScript, Python, or Java to start learning about programming concepts as these are very popular and in demand.

   • Try and gain a solid grasp of data types (strings, integers, dates..etc), data structures (arrays, lists, dictionaries…etc), operations, functions, and loops. Also, look into OOP and try and understand how this relates and is used in the programming language you chose. I have an article going over each main concept of it. You can find that here.

2. Familiarity with the Web

   • For a web development role, knowing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is required as these are the building blocks of any web application and the foundation for front-end development. Get to know these good.

   • Learn how the web works, how to build a basic web page and style it, and how the browser renders and compiles code. Look into concepts like server-side rendering, client-side rendering, and static site generation.

3. Learn about Version Control (Git)

   • If you’re a developer you’ll be using version control. Specifically, you’ll be using Git along with a platform like GitHub or Bitbucket to manage code changes, collaborate with other developers, and work on projects in a professional setting.

   • Some key points to learn in relation to this are how to pull and push code, how to make commits, how branching works, and how pull requests work.

4. Understanding Core Concepts

   • Basic knowledge of HTTP, APIs, using data, and JSON will go a long way.

   • A few project ideas you can build to help learn this:

     • Try and build a simple CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) application to show some basic data handling.

     • Connect to an external API and use that in a project.

     • Collaborate with another developer on a project using Git.

5. Experience with Frameworks and Libraries

   • Having a solid understanding and some experience with popular libraries like React.js or Node.js will help you stand out as well. Especially React.js as it’s very popular and in very high demand. I have a few blog posts about React, you can find them here.

6. Have a Portfolio

   • If you’re applying for a junior position, odds are you don’t have any real-world experience. To counter this, you must have a portfolio of some example projects to showcase your ability to do the job you’re applying to. This is a must so don’t expect to land anything if you skip out on building some projects to showcase.

7. Problem-Solving Skills

   • As a developer, your main job is to solve problems. Because of this, employers like to see how you tackle problems and how you go about finding solutions to tough challenges. In some interviews, you’ll be asked to solve technical problems or coding challenges so be prepared for this.

   • To help prepare, practice some problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank before your interviews so you’ll be ready.

8. Soft Skills

   • Being a developer isn’t all about technical skills. You’ll also need good communication skills and an ability to work well with others to do good in this role.

   • As a junior dev, you’ll often be doing a lot of learning and collaborating with others so being able to do this effectively is crucial. Also as you advance in your career you’ll be having meetings with Project Managers, Designers, and Stakeholders to help guide and understand the direction of the project.

9. Relevant Education or Certification

   • This of course is optional, but will definitely help speed up the process. Many developers have a background in Computer Science or have gone through a coding bootcamp to help them skill up faster. I myself went through a coding bootcamp after college and got a job right after graduating. A few years later I got to teach students at that very same bootcamp!

10. Eagerness to Learn and Grow

    • Employers look for junior developers who are excited and want to learn. You can help demonstrate this enthusiasm by sharing personal projects, blogging about what you’re learning, or joining communities and being active on open-source projects.

Becoming a junior developer is a life-changing experience. Not only are you going into a good industry with many companies offering good pay and benefits, but you are also getting that foot in the door which can open up many other opportunities in your future. It’s not easy and you’ll face challenges along the way, but if you follow the steps I outlined above and keep at it, you’ll soon be starting your first day as a junior dev!

Interesting Plugs

• Apple just released new MacBook Pros with their M4 chip lineup

• Good article on landing your first developer job

Job Board

• Full Stack Engineer with Jellyfish

• Full Stack Software Engineer with Databento

Till Next Time

I hope these tips have helped you figure out what you need to work on next if you’re trying to land one of these positions. If you have any questions or would like to talk about anything, reach out to me!

Have a great weekend and as always, happy coding!