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I just finished an IT bootcamp focusong on JS and React. I feel like i dont have enough skills and knowledge to land a junior role. Any advice?

- a nurse looking for a career change

Comments
  • 3
    Join any kind of projects that related to skills you like to improve. Even from completing a small project can teach you more than any bootcamp. IMHO , CMIIW
  • 4
    FreeCodeCamp teaches some hardcore JS skills. You could take a look.
  • 0
    Thanks guys! Maybe its a confidence thing as well? Being a developer has different mindset to being a nurse. #fml
  • 9
    Don't trap yourself in the junior role. Don't sell yourself short. Don't try to become a developer. Once you code you are one. The biggest difference to “senior” developers is that they have more experience. You will get there eventually. Apply for jobs even when you don't fit all the requirements. When it doesn't work you get more experience with interviews. And when it works you grow with the task. Failure is normal. Asking for help is normal. (Invest time into find a solution yourself before asking. Yet if you're stuck, sound the alarm.) Make sure the company has review processes in place (code review, sprint retrospectives). Look for mentors that push you forward and projects you care about. Demand and welcome feedback.
  • 0
    @k0pernikus thanks mate! This really helped! :)
  • 4
    And familiarize yourself with the imposter syndrome. And don't let it guide you. Humility is a virtue, thinking you are a fake and don't belong is a vice. Even worse are people that make you feel you don't belong. Don't let them decide how you want to live your life.
  • 0
    @k0pernikus i think in every profession theres people like that. I think just as long as I am doing my job properly and be a good team member I think the haters wont really have bullets to attack me with.
  • 2
    If you love to code you will make a great career in tech. Just learn a little bit more every day. Yes, I agree do the personal and side projects. Great way to learn and good as part of your portfolio.

    Have confidence. No one expects you to know everything. None of us do. Hey, as a nurse you saw people with real challenges. Put it in perspective.

    Getting your job is a numbers game - 99 employers say 'no' and 1 says 'you got the job' and welcome to being a professional dev. Imagine. 1 yes and 99 no's and you win!

    Do you have a resume that is all about the value you will bring each employer and demonstrates your passion to succeed. Do you have a great resume and custom cover letter for each job that matches their pain points? If so, your next step is to apply and get 99 no's. I am betting you do not get even close to 99 before getting interviews and possibly offers.

    If you want it - go after it! You can do it!
  • 1
    Don't do javascript. Try backend. Js mutated into a framework hell. Next year all your react skills become useless because some new framework emerged. Look at what happened to angular
  • 2
    @Data-Bound For backend, there's nodejs. I do agree that JavaScript has an overambundance of libraries. In the end, one should learn programming, and not be limited by a choice of language, framework or library.
  • 0
    @Jumpshot44 thank you sooo much for this. This gave me more confidence with how to get my first job. Cheers mate!
  • 0
    @Data-Bound i havent dabbled with backend as much. Just simple CRUD scipts using nodeJS.
  • 0
    Arr..on the pragmatic side of things...if you can write common application functions (e.g token auth with a backend framework, REST APIs, simple form validations, DOM manipulation, NoSQL database queries etc) on your own, go ahead and ask for a job.

    Be able to demonstrate those skills and you should be successful. If you can't, go learn then try again.

    It helps to look at jobs ads before deciding what to learn (i.e React/Angular dev wanted).
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