So I have less than one year experience with Python, and have no portfolio.
However, I was really good at programming (achieving the highest Mark in class for the programming module at university).
Is it possible for me to get a job a tech related job, or apprenticeship? If not, are there any other career paths I could take?
You should build a portfolio! Don’t worry about building projects for others or for pay at first, just make some projects that you’d enjoy making. Some very common (maybe cliché?) examples are building a Twitter clone and making a tip calculator. Throw it all up on github. Make a personal website (it doesn’t have to be super-beautiful) that can showcase your work. This is an example from a Codecademy software engineer (who was himself self-taught): https://jonsamp.dev/
You need to be able to show what you’ve built with code and speak as to how you’ve built it in order to be able to make progress in your career. Certificates and things can help, but ultimately employers only care about what you’ve built and how.
It’s a long journey, but making that portfolio of projects is an inevitable step in your journey if you want to pursue this track seriously.
Thank you! I do have a few projects, I just haven’t uploaded them anywhere yet. I did create a website a while ago which I have not done anything with - so I guess I could upload my projects there.
The problem I am having right now is that I have no job, which is a bit of an issue. It will take a while for me to build up a proper portfolio, so I am not entirely sure what I should be doing right now to make some money.
Moving to a developer career track takes time, and given that you don’t have a job right now I’m sure that time is of the essence. It will also take time for you to build your skills and experience up to the point where freelance development work is enough to pay the bills.
You could aim to move into a developer-adjacent role, something like QA or another type of IT role for example, which are A) a perfectly good career path in its own right B) a path with relatively fewer barriers to entry at the lowest levels C) a really good way to build up experience with code if a developer job is your final objective.
Thanks for the advice!
I recently applied to an IT job with RBS, spent weeks going through all the tests, and then completely failed the numeracy test despite days and days of practice. Confidence is at an all time low right now.
Are there IT companies/roles that wouldn’t require a numeracy test?
I got my first software engineer job just after I graduated from my university. I accepted that role following teaching myself to code using freecodecamp. I progressed well and became the manager in a top reputed company over that time. I earned well and got good benefits. It made me think much more, where I decided to start my own business. Now I run a software company in Kansas where I can motivate many other developers. In order to cut costs and focus more on the business development and expansion I’m mostly dependent on IT Outsourcing practice. I have hired a software development outsourcing team to outsource my development tasks.
I was very well prepared for all the hurdles as I had a passion of coding and running a business of my own. I feel that if you genuinely want to be a software developer, or anything for that matter, only hard work and the dedication to do it will help you to achieve it.
I would seriously consider outsourcing if possible. Here are the benefits of hiring a software development outsourcing team. First, you’re hiring a specialist for their forte. They know the software and can do it all from coming up with development ideas to coding it on the computer, writing clear instructions that others can follow, creating prototypes and testing them. Second, you’re cutting down on costs because oftentimes they work out cheaper than using an in-house team or freelancer who is only capable of doing one specific task such as writing HTML code or designing logos. Third, most people find workers overseas more agreeable because they usually work hours most Westerners prefer (late mornings through evening).