How to get interviews as a self-taught programmer

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I am a self-taught programmer with all of my professional experience in the restaurant industry. I have been teaching myself to code for some time now and I am hoping to change careers. I have recently begun applying to positions but am not getting any responses at all.

Some things to note:

• I am probably not overreaching myself. I am only applying for entry level positions where the bar is low and my skills are not entirely rudimentary. I have held my own in conversations with professional developers who have encouraged me to believe that I'm not delusional.
• I have no degree. I studied Literature in college and never finished.
• My current career has been successful. Albeit a very different industry, the fact that I have worked my way to a Sr. Leadership position is a positive right?
• I am attempting to go the portfolio route so that I have concrete code to show what I can do. However my portfolio is very limited as I have chosen to emphasize seeing projects through to completion. After all that too is a desirable skill I'd like to convince makes me worth hiring.

I am very outgoing and personable. I am confident that my personality can help me land a job but I also feel confident that I can answer the technical side of an entry level interview (please be fizzbuzz, please be fizzbuzz) and well, if I bomb the interviews I can come back and ask another question (or find some older ones.)

My question is this:

How do I wave a proverbial banner at the people that matter, that says "Bring me in to interview"?

My resume is rather short and my online presence is limited but I've added all those. I have been using cover letters trying to sell myself. I have been careful to be confident and not apologize for my non-traditional approach. But whatever I'm saying isn't convincing people to call me and set up an interview.

Are there core skills that I should be emphasizing? Maybe I have them and just don't know to list them. If not then I will focus on learning them next.

If the answer is (and I hope it isn't):

Build a bigger portfolio. Yours is too small.

Then how big does it need to be?

For context I will add that I am in the US. I am working with C++ mostly with desktop applications. I am using source control with GitHub which is also what I am essentially using as my project portfolio.

manpreet 2 years ago

Start a meetup, teach java to people who wish to learn. Do this for free. In this way you will learn much more about java than you already know.

Go on linkedin, find the companies you wish to work for. Consider the growth the company might have, the industry the company is in, the location of the company.

Find the blog of the company, find the person manning the blog. Find the twitter handle of the marketing department for that company. Talk to them, ask them what advice they can give, ask if you can learn more about the company.

You need to start having dialogues with people, as your CV - with no degree - will be rejected constantly by HR and external recruiters. Talking to people over social media, going to their events and meetings, will get you places.

Running a meetup on teaching will show your commitment, and also enable you to learn. Don't worry if only a few people turn up, as long as you are consistent and dedicated in the meetings.

For much larger companies - banks and the like - you will need to attend general programming meetups and network with people there. This is much harder, typically these people do not go to meetups or let themselves be easily networked. It is much easier, then, to join a smaller, mid-size company and then move to a larger company (if, of course, that is even your wish).