Last month, we hosted an “Ask Us Anything” space for JRs and  newcomers in the Software Engineering Community on X. The idea was to  address some of the recurring questions entry-level people have,  especially about the interview process, CV preparation, and standing out  in the current market. I was lucky to have the support of Robin Hallabro-Kokko, who has been involved in backend development with PHP and Golang for fifteen years, and Tim Majerus, a lifelong software developer who recently started his own consulting firm. Robin Hallabro-Kokko Tim Majerus Here are some key highlights from our discussion: Preparing for Interviews Research Understanding what you’re getting into can save you a lot of trouble and help you decide if it’s truly what you want to do. Research the Field Start by exploring your field of interest. Check what kind of work is  done, the leading companies, and the standard skills and tech stacks  needed. Familiarize yourself with their pros and cons, as well as the  latest events and trends. This will help you avoid surprises and show  your readiness in an interview. Research the Roles If you have a specific role in mind, reverse-engineer it. Look at job  descriptions and roadmaps to understand the expected skills and  technologies. Work backward to plan what you need to learn and how to do  it. Research the Company Before an interview, understand the company’s products, services, and  technologies. This will help you anticipate questions and show your  genuine interest. Also, reach out to current or former employees to  learn about the work environment and practices. Be sincere, it’s clear  you want something, so make it a meaningful connection. Resume Preparation Your CV is your main way to stand out, so it needs to be attractive  and relevant. Preparing one takes time because you need to fill it with  interesting and relevant projects, like hackathons, internships, or  advanced side projects. A couple of non-basic projects can make a big  difference. Other general advice: Don’t lie. If you get caught, you’re done with that company or recruiter.
Limit buzzwords. Use them sparingly and only where they make sense.
Keep skills current. Remove outdated ones to avoid questions you can’t answer anymore.
Address employment gaps and job-hopping. Fill gaps with related activities or be ready to explain them.
Freelancers and contractors should highlight the variety of projects and clients they’ve worked with.
Provide context for your work. Use metrics, show how much money or time was saved, number of users, growth, etc. Emphasize accomplishments that benefited the organization.
Avoid fancy templates. Use ATS-friendly formats to ensure your CV is properly parsed, and you are not discarded during step 0.
Get feedback. Have someone review your CV for clarity and effectiveness.
For those with little experience, projects will make up most of your CV. Build relevant, non-basic ones using standard industry tools. Document key decisions on a blog, GitHub, or X, explain your choices, implications, and thought process. Don’t lie. If you get caught, you’re done with that company or recruiter. Don’t lie. Limit buzzwords. Use them sparingly and only where they make sense. Limit buzzwords. Keep skills current. Remove outdated ones to avoid questions you can’t answer anymore. Keep skills current. Address employment gaps and job-hopping. Fill gaps with related activities or be ready to explain them. Address employment gaps and job-hopping. Freelancers and contractors should highlight the variety of projects and clients they’ve worked with. Freelancers and contractors Provide context for your work. Use metrics, show how much money or time was saved, number of users, growth, etc. Emphasize accomplishments that benefited the organization. Provide context for your work. Avoid fancy templates. Use ATS-friendly formats to ensure your CV is properly parsed, and you are not discarded during step 0. Avoid fancy templates. Get feedback. Have someone review your CV for clarity and effectiveness. Get feedback. For those with little experience, projects will make up most of your CV. Build relevant, non-basic ones using standard industry tools. Document key decisions on a blog, GitHub, or X, explain your choices, implications, and thought process. For those with little experience, Getting Interview Practice Interview practice is often overlooked but is actually a  game-changer. Even experiences people can mess up due to being nervous  or not having interviewed in a long time. Getting comfortable with the  process improves performance and negotiation skills, so apply, even just  for practice. Some will say that taking interviews you won’t accept wastes the  other side’s time, but companies waste candidates’ time all the time. So  I say, be selfish, focus on yourself. You can always decline an offer  later while keeping the door open, or even accept it. Who knows? Referrals Referrals can help you skip the initial screenings. The challenge is  getting them when your network is small. Build relationships in the  sector, then ask for referrals. Go to meetups, hackathons, and  collaborate with people who could later vouch for you, show them you are  a good candidate. Be authentic, focus on real connections, not just  referrals. Other General Advice Be ready to explain your past work. If asked about decisions or how something worked, at least remember the context.
When starting a job, look out for yourself. For more companies you are expendable so avoid burnouts. If you give 120% each day, the moment you dial it down, you will be seen as a slacker.
Stay marketable. Every now and then check your standing in the market. Look around to see what skills the market is looking for and stay current.
Apply even if you don’t meet all requirements. If you cover 50% of the job description, apply. Many descriptions are more of a wish-list than must-haves.
Work on open-source projects. This gives you access to peer reviews with a very high technical level, which can improve your skill. Also, looks very good in your CV.
Use the Feynman technique. Simplify complex concepts to deepen understanding and improve your capacity to explain them clearly.
Acquire relevant skills. When transitioning to a new field, focus on acquiring necessary skills and following a road map for your desired role. Be ready to explain your past work. If asked about decisions or how something worked, at least remember the context. Be ready to explain your past work. When starting a job, look out for yourself. For more companies you are expendable so avoid burnouts. If you give 120% each day, the moment you dial it down, you will be seen as a slacker. When starting a job, look out for yourself. Stay marketable. Every now and then check your standing in the market. Look around to see what skills the market is looking for and stay current. Stay marketable. Apply even if you don’t meet all requirements. If you cover 50% of the job description, apply. Many descriptions are more of a wish-list than must-haves. Apply even if you don’t meet all requirements. Work on open-source projects. This gives you access to peer reviews with a very high technical level, which can improve your skill. Also, looks very good in your CV. Work on open-source projects. Use the Feynman technique. Simplify complex concepts to deepen understanding and improve your capacity to explain them clearly. Use the Feynman technique. Acquire relevant skills. When transitioning to a new field, focus on acquiring necessary skills and following a road map for your desired role. Acquire relevant skills. If you liked this post you can find more like it in my blog or in my hackernoon profile. my blog my hackernoon profile Image by Alex Kotliarskyi in Unsplash Alex Kotliarskyi in Unsplash

The is an opinion piece based on the author’s POV and does not necessarily reflect the views of HackerNoon.

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