LearnHow Do You Prepare for Your First Job in Tech?

Searching for a job is a skill that can be learned, just like we can learn to create apps or design a website’s layout. That’s why we decided to create job search content for the Techdegree. Starting soon, the Techdegree program will incorporate videos that provide key strategies to help you identify and attain jobs in the tech industry. With these new courses, we’ll guide you through the key job search steps – like identifying companies and collecting references – all while you’re learning to code to ensure you’re well on your way to a new career. By the time you complete your Techdegree, you will feel confident and ready to interview for your first job in tech.

The courses will include detailed information on all the steps students should take to make their job search successful. We’ve just added our first course to the Techdegree, which covers the important topic of how to write your resume. Following courses will explore interview preparation, take a deep dive into networking strategies and ways to get involved in the tech community, and what big things to consider when you receive a job offer.

Here are a few of my top tips to get you started:

• Set up professional usernames and email addresses for all of your public facing accounts. Don’t get caught with an embarrassing username that will stop an employer from ever looking at your resume.
• Get involved with your local tech community! Connect with fellow developers who may very well let you know about job openings at their companies before they are posted publicly.
• The old adage that searching for a job is a full-time job itself doesn’t have to be true. Set aside an amount of time each day for your job search that is realistic for YOUR schedule.
• Follow ALL of the directions when applying for jobs. If an employer asks for a portfolio or a code sample and you don’t provide one, they may send your application to the bottom of the pile.
• Consider more than just salary when determining whether to accept a job offer. Factor in the growth and learning opportunities, scheduling flexibility, benefits, and perks.

I had a great time working on these courses over the past few months. I have spent most of my career working in human resources in various industries, including several tech start-ups. So, it will be a joy to share job search skills with a new kind of audience – Treehouse students! Along the way, I also got to peek into what it is like to be a teacher here at Treehouse and received some great advice from our teaching and studio teams about things I’d never considered.

Overall, my favorite part of this process was that it gave me an amazing opportunity to interact with different teams at work. I’ve grown an even greater appreciation for the skills and talent it takes to create and produce courses for our students. I’m excited to have been a part of that process, and I can’t wait to share more courses with you in the future. But for now, be sure to check out the Building Your Resume course!

Start learning to code today with your free trial on Treehouse.

https://blog.teamtreehouse.com/chris-dabatos-self-taught-developer

• first job
• resume
• resume building
• tech job
• tech recruitment
• techdegree