It has been 9 months i been struggling to get a job, i get a lot of interview, even some which recruiters but me forward but i don’t have much experience with. I am getting a constant rejection, reason include
He doesn’t have much knowledge of abc technology
He doesn’t have much commercial experience with abc technology
He doesn’t have a impressive or much portfolio
and list goes on, yes i might be a mid level developer or might have be a junior level, might not have 100% knowledge of PHP or frameworks knowledge such as NodeJS etc. But it seem like i am getting a constant rejection. I did got lucky in between and got hired for a permp job, but lost in 2 weeks as i was still understanding the technologies and what they do but they needed someone more fast. 9 months is a long long time to be unemployed. I have a cv that says 6 years in I.T. e.g web development so i am not even landing a job at a service station, or any local store. But now i have really really depressed and run try of my saving. What should i do, any tips or how can i make my portfolio strong enough without any roadmap of any new projects as i don’t have none, or apply for jobs which has 4-5 commercial experience needed, but i only got freelance experience and my sites in my CV are old and some of them are dead link.
I am a active learner of online library such as Lynda, Treehouse. But nothing seem to work. Even if i want to showcase my new portfolio or project, what should i work on and what project. I have released i am not a 100% expert on something but i can do what is given to me.
I understand your predicament. I have been there. It can be very discouraging.
First and foremost DO NOT GIVE UP. You must be patient and continue to have faith in yourself.
One idea that can be very helpful in overcoming your lack of an demonstrable projects (which is a big detriment), is to become active in Open Source software. You mentioned that you can “do what is given”. Find a project, a software tool you like or you use, read all the “issues” and find one you think you can fix.
At the very least, engage in a meaningful dialog with others working on the project - through the ‘issues’.
Before you have any projects of your own, it is impressive to employers if you can show you have been working on software projects and interacting (in a positive, productive way) with other developers. These are EXACTLY the attributes an employer wants in a worker.
Secondly, you may find value in getting some feedback on your CV. Reach out to people whom you respect - even if they are currently strangers - and ask for advice. It would be rare for anyone refuse your sincere plea for some constructive feedback.
Finally, participating in discussions here is quite valuable. You can honestly demonstrate to a prospective employer you are willing to help others - another trait valuable in an employee.
Keep us updated on your progress. Keep your chin up. Never, never lose faith.
Yes, I was thinking the same. If you’ve been waiting 9 months, that’s 9 months in which you could be devoting a few hours a day to working on projects of interest to you and producing something people could look at. Probably just picking things that you’re most passionate about would be the ideal. Produce things that showcase what you’re good at. If you can’t think of ideas of your own, as @ParkinT says, there are lots of open-source projects out there that you could help with or fork and improve.
I wonder what i do wrong or why i don’t know or struggling with OOP, NodeJS etc. It is like i don’t know anything. 28 interviews and just made it to 1, that too went away at last moment.
Well, maybe part of your problem is that you don’t listen. You’ve had some helpful suggestions already, but seem to have ignored them. Perhaps you’re also not listening to what employers are telling you.
The problem lies in not having much portfolio. How am i supposed to do stuff which i am not even invited to, like making new website, for whom and what? One thing that i get is i got short portfolio.
Others have suggested getting involved with open source projects. If you want websites for your portfolio, then you could donate your services to build one for a local non-profit group. The advantage of building a real site like this, rather than just creating imaginary examples, is that it also demonstrates your ability to works with clients; to listen to and interpret instructions, discuss, advise - a whole range of skills.
As a developer I have nearly 8 years experience and don’t really have much in my portfolio either. I have a lot of websites I’ve maintained but only really two that I can say I built from scratch. One of those is an intranet site which I can’t show to employers – not even screenshots. However, I have not had many issues finding work.
Therefore, I would find it hard to believe that with six years experience working in web development that your “portfolio” is cause of current situation. Especially if you you got to the interview stages. If you got to the interview stages than its something you are doing or saying.
Perhaps identify some things that have you said in interviews in the past that could reflect negatively on you and just don’t do them. Even if that means bending the truth some.
I have worked 5 years as a production employee with no actual coding experience beside self learning.
Now I looked how to get a job as a developer and approached an agency to help me find work.
While I got a reply from the agency I went to somebody who could help me write my CV.
Why ? because I make a lot of errors while writing which makes it seem as if I do not care about quality.
So I sat down with my sister who talked me trough it and asked me a lot of question of what I wanted to accomplish.
After a few days my CV was done with as only job on my CV : production employee.
Gave it to the agency and he looked at it to and corrected a few words to.
Within a week I had 3 changes to have a interview. ( 3 of which failed )
Then some time went by and he sent me another interview request by a company.
Went there talked to everybody and got the main questions that I have gotten before.
Now what I noticed is that the boss was always asking why I wanted that job and how I could benefit them.
My reaction was honest and bold :
I want to get better at what I do.
At this moment there is a big change that the only thing I am good for is corrections in current scripts and creating blank ones.
After 2 weeks I got and invitation to join them for 2 days which I took.
In the end they decided to take me on because I wanted to become better at what I love to do.
This indirectly means I do not step back at challanges that they give me,
It just means When I need some help they will give it in such way that I can only grow.
Reason why it is a long story is because it does not matter how much time and experience you have.
You just need to be willing to learn again and again and show it to them.
The best i can remember is, one interviewer asked me if i knew “NodeJS” and i said no but i am keen in learning, to which he replied we don’t have time to recruiter a junior.
3 occassion, i was put through PHP test on a paper, and 1 on white board which i did and one i couldn’t as it was on paper with hard loops, their feedback, was he is not right guy…
1 interviewer simply said to me looking my CV, i think your in wrong place, as your CV give signs on designer like HTML so he cut the interview.
1 interviewer said, we are moving from laravel to M2, magento 2, whereas my cv never said M2. so he said if you can do this page and send me over i will consider you, of course i couldn’t do it because i am not a expert MVC developer.
My last interview feedback was long through a recruiter and it says the following
Muhammed - Was the strongest of the three (technically speaking) – He clearly knows his stuff in terms of coding (across a variety of platforms) – but his interview answers were far too meandering and vague for us to be able to take things forward with him. He also didn’t seem to have really engaged with what the organisation is before coming in for interview. Additionally, while we have no doubt he could perform a support role admirably as part of a technical/development team – we weren’t convinced that he could take the initiative at times – which is crucial for this role as it develops over the next 12 months. While there is a lot of strategic support/consultation within the team (hence us not advertising for a head of digital) we do need someone who can ‘join the dots’ and actually see creative ways to realise our projects. Muhammed came across as being better suited to a role where there is a clear/responsible Development Lead in charge.
Yes, i would like to add here, i am no expert in API even i don’t know what it is. I am no expert in PHP MVC, i don’t know Zend, Bower, Honeycomb etc. But no one know all. I worked a lot and knows my way around but this time it is ridiculous. I admit my mistake, while world was busy in doing MVC framework i was learning WordPress and doing freelance project but now i feel useless.
I wish i knew if i am a dev or designer, coz i get job as a full stack, like “here is the psd, we need to make this workable responsive site”.
I calculated sites i did, and i did 14, out of which 8 are mine, and 2 extra where web app which is also dead (i spend 2 yrs on that project).
I been a long learner of lynda and treehouse and always learning but i am loosing sense of it all because the job interview make me feel like crap, they are right to one extent that “showcase your new learned things”, and i don’t have a website or money to support a website to me and i really don’t have a idea to make a website out of nothing.
I have had similar experiences with obtaining employment – and I have decades of experience and a resume that is actually pretty impressive. I received many of the same responses you are mentioning.
I will give you some thoughts about it – be prepared to be offended and/or insulted, because – obtaining employment in this industry is not easy for many of us.
Your command of the English language is rather poor – this makes communication with others on any potential team difficult and it is probably a factor in your results. Technical projects require very clear communication and native English speakers are not always the best source for practicing communication in technical areas. That – is unfortunate, but – it is a factor.
You must have more than an impressive resume – you must have links that demonstrate your abilities. How can you get that? There are dozens of free hosting options out there, however – for $4.95/month, you can have an ad free site and with another $35/year – your own domain. When I got a domain and wrote an ASP.NET site – I landed a job within a short time.
Most companies do not have the resources to train their employees in the fundamentals of APIs – you must do that yourself, using whatever means is at your disposal. Here is where your resourcefulness and perseverance will serve you well.
It is simply not enough to want to work in this industry, you must be able to contribute more than the average worker in order to make an impression and land a job. What sounds like a valid reason to you probably sounds like an excuse to an interviewer.
Are you serious about that? I will buy you a year of hosting and a domain name (~$75USD) if you want a sandbox to develop on – however, you need to have a system capable of using it – do you?
Your reasons – excuse me – are really tiny little impediments that you make larger with every unsuccessful interview. That will not improve on its own.
So – if you are truly serious – I will help you all that I can.
You can’t find any jobs out there just churning out WordPress websites?
The longest I’ve been employed at one place is three years and average is about a year and half. Had I been working on a system like WordPress for just 6 years straight I think I to would find it difficult to find a job. Especially with chunk of the marketplace that MEAN has taken out of LAMP. Also I’m probably first person to say someone who uses WordPress exclusively doesn’t know anything about real development. So there’s that and I know a lot of people think the same. I don’t even help anyone out with WordPress questions anymore even if I know the answer. That is how much I hate it.
As mentioned there are many free websites available and a lot to be learnt about hosting your own site. Experience is far better than following tutorials. Many free websites offer latest languages with databases.
Surely you have at least one hobby or interest that can be applied. Other websites no doubt have your favourite topic. Your skills could be applied to innovate and make improvements to demonstrate to potential employers.
Marketing, SEO, mobile friendly, rapid rendering are only a few improvements employers will be delighted to hear about and easy to explain because you are familiar with the subject.
In fact, if you are truly serious about developing a portfolio and truly serious about improving your skills you should find local businesses, with websites, and make your own improved version. Not with the intention of showing them to anyone other than prospective employers; although you may get a contract job if you make a real improvement in a site and can convince the original site owner to pay you for it.
But having nothing to show your skills and experience only demonstrates you cannot generate effective work on your own. Employers cherish talented people who are “self-starters”. Those who spot a problem and then fix it without waiting to be told what to do.
Futhermore, during an interview if you carefully explain what you saw that needed improvement and show how you made the site(s) better, there is no employer that would not sit up and take notice - moving you to the “short list” at the very least.