Tips & Tricks on How to Get Your First Job In Tech

So you finished reading "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python", completed a university degree, graduated PyLadies course, or got certificates from a dozen online courses? In any way, congratulations! But what next? Where to find entry-level jobs? How do you know you're ready to start applying? How can you prepare? If these are the questions that won't let you sleep, listen to this talk!

Honza Javorek is a software engineer and an author of junior.guru, a Czech guide for people who want to start coding or seek their first job in tech. In 2011 he founded the Python meetup in Brno and since then he's been involved in growing the Czech Python community.

Transcript

1. Tips & Tricks
   How to Get Your
   First Job In Tech
   Honza Javorek - 26th November 2020
   

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2. honzajavorek.cz junior.guru
   

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3. You
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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4. You
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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5. What next?
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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6. 1. learn
   2. practice
   3. get a job
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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7. requirements
   1. Programming language
   2. Project(s) to show off
   3. Ability to break down
   assignments to tasks
   min()
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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8. requirements
   4. English!
   5. Basics of Git
   6. Basics of command
   line (Bash)
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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9. Job Market in Tech
   Many companies seek SENIOR developers.
   They'll spend tons of time and money to
   find them. They'll want to spend zero on
   teaching you. Food chain:
   juniors < companies < seniors
   https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
   

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10. nobody likes you
    everybody hates you
    you're gonna lose
    

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11. Be Like Bruce Willis
    1. Prepare for the worst
    2. Suffer, but persist
    3. Win anyway
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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12. passion
    projects
    hard skills soft skills
    * =
    Explain why they
    should invest in you
    time for learning
    your salary
    time of colleagues

    their salaries
    you are here
    ?
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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13. Projects
    Don't push hard to impress! Show that:
    - You can build things
    - You finish things
    - You can apply knowledge
    Give them a realistic idea about
    what they need to teach you.
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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15. Passion
    Give them an idea about how easy
    it is to teach you.
    Give them an idea about the direction
    in which your learning will be the easiest.
    Show more projects, community activities,
    blog articles, extra education, ideas,
    interests, hobby side projects, passions.
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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17. what you
    already know
    Your CV should describe
    your "career vector"
    who you
    want to become
    things that prove that the journey
    is doable in a fast and efficient way
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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19. Who You Want to Become
    Let other people explain their roles to you
    Peek into fields if they seem to be interesting
    Testers, sys admins, tech support - detour?
    If you want to code, make sure you'll code
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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20. Where to Find Jobs
    Job boards, profiles, recruiters.
    Only 26% of jobs marked 'entry-level' on
    LinkedIn are actually entry-level. Filtering
    doesn't work. Recruiters' provision is higher
    when they work on seniors, and it raises your
    cost for companies.
    junior.guru/jobs
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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21. Leetcode
    = theoretical puzzles tested at whiteboard
    (time complexity, binary trees, sorting algorithms, recursion, hashtables...)
    Not so prevalent in the Czech Republic (?), but
    in some other countries it's almost the only
    way companies test applicants.
    Train! BaseCS, Codewars, HackerRank, YouTube
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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23. Reverse Interview
    Have questions you'll be asking the company:
    - Will there be someone dedicated to help me?
    - Can you give specific examples of the work
    I'm about to do?
    Have your limits. If it's shady, don't accept the
    job. Watch out for red flags! It's like Tinder -
    rejecting early saves time for both of you.
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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24. Stand Out
    - Cold e-mailing
    - Networking
    - Volunteering
    - Community work
    - Blogging
    - Portfolio
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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25. junior
    .guru
    https://bit.ly/pyvo-juniorguru
    

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