5 Career Hacks to Landing a Job in Software Development

The job-hunting process of a software developer is a lot different from finding a job in other professions like sales or customer advocacy. The hiring process is usually a mixture of hard and soft skills with most of the weight placed on the hard skills like languages, frameworks and your ability to write quality code. These skills are usually tested through a coding challenge which you have to pass to get to another stage in the hiring process.

Soft skills are also not left out of the mix. They are equally important. Soft skills like being a team player, the ability to communicate problems and progress projects effectively are also a plus when employers are out to get software developers.

To top it all, your ability to show your past and outstanding projects, be it personal or professional makes you irresistible to employers. At Borderless, we value looking through your LinkedIn and Github profiles and capturing your entire essence to pair you with a role that best suits your talents.

Here are some tips on do’s and don’ts as a software developer and how software developers can take full advantage of the tools presented to them to lead an effective job hunt.

1. Prepare

I mean who wants to get something done without putting in any work or getting prepared for it? Not software developers, at least not the ones that are looking to get hired. The first step of your preparation would be to have a top-notch resume. 

Resumes serve as the first point of contact to a recruiter. It provides most of the information needed before a recruiter decides to deem you fit for a role. To be fully prepared, your resume needs to contain personal information like your name, email address and phone number. This will enable your recruiter to be able to reach you. 

Another very important part of your resume would be your past and current work experiences. You have to list out the places you’ve added value to as a developer and how many years you spent there. A list of the stacks you’re proficient in and the number of years you have been using them is also very important.

2. Make a Portfolio of your Standout Projects  

Are you looking to get hired as a developer? If yes, then you need to compile all your standout projects and showcase them via your LinkedIn profile or on Github. Doing this enables your recruiter to see your projects and accomplishments. Your LinkedIn profile can also serve as the first point of contact for your recruiters. But when you want to create one, bear in mind that a good LinkedIn profile will attract recruiters to you. 

Recruiters get to meet you virtually because it provides you with the platform to showcase yourself as a software developer, it is also a platform specially created so that recruiters can make contact and pair you with a suitable role. 

At Borderless, we love to see your previous projects and what you have accomplished so far. It enables us to have an idea of what you are capable of and what role you will best fit into.

3. Define the Kind of Role you Want

Are you a front-end developer, DevOps engineer, back-end developer or a full stack developer? Your field of expertise as a developer should be properly indicated in your resume or LinkedIn profile. You don’t want to leave your recruiter confused when they go through your resume. Stating your proficiency in any of these fields will help your recruiter be able to assess your skills accordingly and match you with a suitable role. 

4. Prepare for Your Technical Interview

This goes without saying. In most recruitment processes, the technical interview is usually the last stage. It means that this is the point where your recruiters decide if they will be moving ahead with you or not. Preparing for this stage is very crucial, your Github might be pulled out and you might be asked to explain your code with your interviewers. If you didn’t prepare or look through your code, you might not impress your interviewers.

As a developer, your greatest asset in the job search is your code. The ability to write readable and interesting code can grab the attention of your hiring managers. If you’ve challenged yourself with a unique project, it allows them to more easily consider you a standout candidate. 

5. Engage in Networking

This might seem like an odd thing to do when you want to get hired as a software developer, but networking helps. You get to know other people in your field and even be part of a community. 

Also, your networking should be both offline and online. Your colleagues may be your future hires, co-founders, or partners. Your managers may be your vendors or clients. People you meet at conferences may vouch for your commitment and trustworthiness. Grow your network and regularly interact with your peers whenever possible. 

The following are the things you should avoid when trying to get hired as a developer:

1. Don't leave out a Meaningful Cover Letter

It might look like your resume and years of experience are enough to seal the deal but it wouldn't hurt to also add a meaningfully written cover letter to your application. A cover letter enables your employers to have a better understanding of your skills and abilities. And also gives you the ability to explain to your employer why you are best suited for the role. Writing a cover letter might also be what will stand you out in a sea of applications.

2. Don't Settle for Less

Do not go for a job that is beneath your skills. Don’t settle for less! You might also be asked to state your rate for the role you are applying for. This is the point where you ask for compensation that best suits the role. You can look up salary estimates for developers with years of experience in your city.

3. Do not Hide your Core Values

Flaunt your core values! Employers also check if your values align with that of their organization before considering you for a role. This is the stage where you highlight the values that might be essential to the role.

4. Do not Stop Building

Just because you are looking to transition into a bigger role or you are yet to land a job as a software developer does not mean that you have to stop coding. Taking a coding challenge as one of the requirements in landing a developer role is not new in hiring developers. This is why you need to continue practicing.

5. Don’t Forget to Research!

When applying to companies, you must do a lot of research before you submit your application. Knowing what they stand for and if the company culture is what you can fit into will make you know if you want to be a part of the organization or not. In-depth research is also necessary before an interview with your employer. 

To do proper research, you have to read through their website, follow their social media pages and maybe even subscribe to their newsletters to get content and grasp what the company does. This way, you can fully understand the company’s mission and how you can contribute. 

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