Job Search Tips for Career Changers in Tech
Everyone’s job search is different, but here is what I learned from my experience
Hi! My name is Betsy and I attended the Grace Hopper Program at Fullstack Academy from July 2020-October 2020. Upon completion of the bootcamp, I was lucky enough to stay with GH as a Teaching Fellow for the next cohort. I was determined to make my time as a fellow as purposeful as possible, so I immediately hit the ground running — I spent a week finishing my 4 day hackathon project, I built a portfolio website in a weekend, and I got myself organized for the job search. Initially, I was hesitant about applying to jobs, mostly because the fellowship contract didn’t end until mid February, and it was November. However, I read online and talked to other alum who told me the job search usually takes 3–6 months. So I figured I’d better get started!
Tip #1: Apply everywhere.
I applied to (what feels like) a million jobs. I applied everywhere, regardless of the location of the job. And if I scored a phone interview with a company in Miami, FL even though I had no intentions of moving to Florida, I took it and viewed it as an opportunity to practice my pitch and practice answering behavioral/technical questions. One company that I spoke to was looking for a founding engineer at a 2 person startup…Did I think I was qualified for that?/Did I want that job? No! But it was a great opportunity to practice interviewing and complete a take home assignment! If you’re too picky in the beginning it will take longer to gain traction with your search. There were some weeks when I’d hear from many companies and some when I didn’t hear from anyone. If you steadily apply, you’ll hear more frequently and keep up momentum.
Tip #2: Start Early (as early as possible).
You’re never going to feel ready to apply to jobs in a new field — you just gotta go for it! I began applying to jobs in November 2020, even though my commitment with the fellowship didn’t end until mid February 2021. The jobs I applied to earliest were jobs I didn’t really care about. I viewed the beginning of my job search as an experiment — Will I hear back from a cold apply? If I write a cover letter, does that increase my chances? How did my pitch sound — did I use too many filler words? Which project did I talk about? I also wrote down the most frequently asked questions in initial phone screens so I could practice my responses. Starting early helped me practice interviewing with low-stakes companies and learn from my mistakes.
Tip #3: Brand yourself!
I mentioned in the beginning that I built a portfolio site in a weekend. It’s true! To be completely transparent, my portfolio website is built off of a Gatsby template. Did I build it from the ground up by myself? No. And guess what? That didn’t matter! I learned from being a teacher that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel — you absolutely can if you have the time and want to make yours really creative (I’m currently making a new portfolio totally from scratch now that I have time), but if you’re making a portfolio just to check off a box on a hiring manager’s list, then I don’t think it matters. It does, however, set you apart from someone who didn’t make a portfolio website.
Another way I branded myself is by customizing my github and my email signature. Do I know if any of this actually made a difference? No. But I think it demonstrates that you are a serious professional in the field. It was also very fun.
Tip #4: Keep Practicing and Learning
Personally, what I like most about coding is getting to build something and be creative. Algorithms are not my strong suit yet, and I’m still working on my fluency with coding challenge problems. On my job search, I had many technical algorithmic screeners (many of which, I failed lol), and I learned from each one. I also found myself furthest along with companies that didn’t ask me algorithms, but were more interested in giving me an assignment and then for the technical interview, reviewing my work/adding to it. These were usually React or Node.js, so I found myself working more on side projects than on algorithms. I built 2 additional projects during my job search and I wrote a few tutorials on medium as well. Depending on the companies you’re applying to, you might want to be more focused on algos and less focused on projects. It just depends on you and your preferences. But you should devote a significant amount of time to one (or both!).
In terms of building stuff — Mintbean’s hackathons were really fun opportunities to experiment with new tech! I also think my initiative to build my own projects served as a valuable talking point in interviews. I was able to say “I’m highly motivated and a self-starter” and then describe the projects I was working on since I graduated.
Tip #5: Talk to people/Network!
I hate talking on the phone. There, I said it! But connecting with other engineers and people who have changed careers was a blast. I learned so much about the job search and what life is like for people in different roles. People were so helpful and supportive, and their guidance made me feel great about my progress. I think the community of career changers in tech is awesome and something to definitely take advantage of!
Overall, the job search can be long and daunting. Make sure you’re building in time for yourself, your loved ones, and your hobbies outside of work. Start feeling comfortable knowing that you’re not going to know everything and you will make mistakes in interviews. If you view everything as a learning opportunity, the entire process will be much more enjoyable :) Best of luck!
