mdolla: 9 Hacks That Will Help You Land a Job as a Web Developer [Infographic]

Job hunting is a roller coaster ride. It can be exciting, inspiring, and frightening all at the same time. As an aspiring web developer, you need to keep up with the latest trends in order to have an updated and employable resume.

Zeolearn has created an infographic that will help you get a clearer view of the industry in 2017:

The good news is, there’s a high employment rate in the web development job market right now. Statistics show that it’s set to grow 27% from 2014 to 2024 – much faster than the average profession.^[1]

But if you want to snag the most rewarding positions from the best companies, you need to show that you’re better than the rest of the pack. Below are nine hacks that can help you do this:

1. Help Out with an Open Source Project

Becoming a web developer means dedicating yourself to a lifetime of learning. Contributing to open source projects will not only sharpen your skills, but it will also let you experience working with other developers.

One of the best places to look for open source projects would be Explore GitHub. Here, you can find a range of options – from personal projects to large-scale projects by established companies. Whatever you choose, it’s always good to show potential employers that you’ve been out there and actually accomplished something productive with your skills.

2. Participate in GitHub

In addition to looking for open source projects, you can also use GitHub to post your own codes and receive the input of the online development community. This is a simple way to show off your capabilities as a developer. But more importantly, it is a great way to leverage the knowledge of the online community to improve your skills.

3. Build a Professional LinkedIn Account

In today’s world, having a LinkedIn account is like a rite of passage for future professionals. However, having a poorly-optimized LinkedIn profile could be hurting your credibility.^[2]

First of all, be sure to check your profile for any grammatical and spelling errors. Also, make sure you stay up-to-date with LinkedIn’s latest features, include your featured skills, and share your most recent accomplishments.

4. Setup an Online Web Design Portfolio

What better way to demonstrate your web development skills than to showcase your own online web development portfolio? To get started, you can use a CMS (Content Management System), like WordPress, to build your portfolio site within a few hours. Here are some examples from Creative Bloq for inspiration.

5. Do Freelance Work

Doing freelance work is a great way to fill your online portfolio while earning money on the side. It will also help you learn new skills along the way.

To look for freelance work, you can refer to marketplaces like Upwork and Freelancer. These sites list job opportunities based on the required skills, estimated budget, and date posted. The only downside is that you’ll have to compete with other freelancers by bidding for your chosen project.

6. Attend Real Life Meet-Ups

To gain a foothold as a web developer, you need to expand your network and get acquainted with other people in the industry. You can use a service like Meetup.com to browse between thousands of meet-ups across the world. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet a future co-worker or employer at one of these events.

7. Identify the In-Demand Skills

The in-demand skills in the tech industry change over time, and it’s your job to have a relevant skill set if you ever want to be employed. A good strategy is to refer to online job listings and read what companies are looking for. Other than freelancing marketplaces like Upwork, you can also refer to job search platforms like Indeed and online listings on Craigslist.

8. Seek Online Certification

In relation to the previous hack, you can sign up for online certification programs to improve your employability and diversify your skill set. You can easily search Google for online certification programs that can help with specific skills such as PHP 7, autocomplete systems, virtual cloud servers, and AngularJS 2.0. For better learning, consider signing up for live mentorship platforms, like Zeolearn, so you’ll be job-ready by the end of the course.

9. Tune In to the Industry News

While being proficient in relevant skills is important, you should also follow industry news to have more meaningful conversations with peers and interviewers. Resources like Lifehacker have its own section for web design and development articles, so start there.

Final Words

Finally, if you think you’re ready for your first job interview, then you probably are. The next steps include scouring online job listings, learning a bit more about specific roles, and surprising interviewers by showing them how much you know. You can refer to this post for a list of resources that can help you look for your first job online.

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Image Credits:

Infographic Source: Courtesy of Zeolearn

Featured photo credit: https://pixabay.com via pixabay.com