-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 42
Job Hunt Resources
Landing your first job in tech isn't easy, but we have tips and tricks to share to make the whole process a lot smoother.
You'll want to structure your resume to focus on what you want to be doing, while highlighting your transferable skills. When describing your work experience, focus on accomplishments rather than job duties, to show employers where you shine.
Writing Accomplishments Prompts
And what about cover letters--do employers even read them? It's hard to say, but you want to be ready if one is required. Just like your resume, you'll want to focus more on what you want to be doing than what you have been doing, while emphasizing your new tech skills and transferable skills.
LinkedIn is a great tool to use in your job hunt. By optimizing your profile, you'll show up in more searches by recruiters and hiring managers, positioning yourself as a star candidate. If you already have a LinkedIn profile created--that's great! Build off what you have, and use your headline, summary, skills, and projects sections to highlight why you'll be great in a tech role.
Interviewing is an intimidating process, but we have some curated advice to help you not only get through the interviewing process, but to excel at it!
Advice on Applying for Jobs and Interviewing Straight from Hired Grads and Mentors
The word "portfolio” gets thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean?
The perfect portfolio displays the skills you want to get hired for, and your GitHub profile can serve as your portfolio. Continue to make commits even after graduation; employers want to know you have a passion for tech beyond the 12-week course.
You can also make a custom website to showcase your skills and projects. If you’re more interested in a design path, be sure to have a portfolio to share of your design work.
Not every project has to be a perfect, complete piece of work, either. Employers want to know that you’re curious, a problem solver, and open to learning.
You’ll be added to our super-secret #jobs channel on Slack after you attend a Job Readiness Workshop. The channel contains job posts sent directly to us from employer partners, as well as other jobs the Code Louisville team comes across.
Networking is one of the best ways to find a job. Plan to attend tech events as part of your weekly (or monthly) routine, and start to form real relationships with others in the local tech community.
LinkedIn has a jobs portal, and you can customize your interests to receive more tailored listings.
Recruiters can serve as a great resource during the job hunt.
Sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, provide listings for thousands of jobs. You can set personalized alerts using keywords for jobs you’re interested in to help cut out some of the clutter.
We’ve seen a lot of success from graduates who follow our advice and:
- create multiple projects to showcase their skills;
- complete at least two Code Louisville courses;
- become active parts of the Louisville tech community.
Over 1/3 of grads overall have gotten new tech jobs, and nearly 50% of students who have taken two or more courses have gotten hired. Keep in mind, some students come through and decide tech is not for them, some haven’t wanted to make the change yet, and adding in ~100 new graduates skews the numbers as well. It takes work, but it’s worth it!
How to accept a job offer: When to negotiate and what to say
Interviewing for a Technical Position Doesn't Have to be Scary
How to Land Your First Development Job in 5 Simple Steps