Hello everyone,
I've been trying to learn development for the past three years with conventional schools, coding boot camp and hopefully will get my degree next year. Just started to apply for jobs but it seems most places want 3 to 5 years experience for a junior position or lots of skills in different areas, and yes I've been told those requirements may not be as solid as some may think so I'm still applying but now I'm looking into internships as well.
Just a bit of background I retired as a personnel chief from the Marines in 2017 decided to learn a new career and I have been trying to learn since retirement. I've been applying to jobs but not very confident I will get calls back. So I'm looking into internships to get my foot in the door but not exactly sure how to find these. Any developers or IT individuals with experience on this.
I also want to mention that besides development I started getting certifications, I recently got my CompTIA Security+, and will get my CEH, Splunk Core user by the end of June.
Talking to some people they have suggested getting into any IT support job like helpdesk might be a way in and grow from there.
Right now I'm in the DMV area but looking to possibly move to Southern California so I'm focusing in these two areas.
And of course I would love to connect with people and chat to learn and just connect.
My Linkedin is
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruben-rivera/
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you
Answers
Ruben -
Like Joe said, finishing your degree is very important. It's also important to have a portfolio of your code to show hiring managers. I recommend getting a free account on github.com and creating code repositories. You can make private ones for work that's not ready yet, and public ones to add to your linkedin.com profile that the developers interviewing you should see. Your school projects can go in there.
For languages, I recommend python and go (golang). There are endless free resources for both, and you can do almost anything with either. They're both easy to read and learn.
After you finish the degree, you can start to build your portfolio by doing the classes at freecodecamp.com, or just making things.
Best of luck
-Paul
Hello Ruben:
You seem to have a variety of IT interests...security, support, development, front end, etc.
For general software development, I suggest learning C++, CSharp, and Java, if you haven't already. Many software development positions require at least one of these.
These days companies only follow up with applicants when they are interested. Don't get discouraged, just keep moving forward! Take a look at your resume, and compare it with similar examples you can find online. Make sure you have a good resume! (I created a document for building a resume, specifically for military people transitioning to civilian, that I would be happy to send you. Just message me.)
Finish your developer schooling next summer. That degree will open many doors. It sounds like you are being flexible, right now, in being willing to take any reasonable position to get some experience. I think that is a good idea, because when you finish your schooling, you should be worth a much larger pay check, so you will likely be changing positions again!
As far as internships, frequently colleges/universities collaborate with local businesses to provide the businesses with intern students. Your school should be able to give you some guidance related to internships.
Now is a great time to be looking, as businesses are hiring again (post covid). Double down on your efforts now. Also, I agree with the advice you were given "requirements may not be as solid as some may think". Particularly when hiring demand is high!
Thanks for your service Ruben.
Joe
Hi Ruben,
Thank you for your question. I encourage you to utilize our Community feature to reach out to ACP advisors with IT experience. You can search by location, experience, and expertise, and reach out to as many advisors as you would like.
I hope this helps!
Best,
Isabel
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