18 best tips to get a programming job in 2024
I am struggling to get a new job as a programmer in 2024. The job market is down and it's a really tough time for programmers. So I decided to gather the best tips from professionals that should help with getting a new job in programming. These tips are just as suitable for those who already have work experience as for those looking for their first job.
1. Add keywords from job description to your CV
Big corporations often use management systems for sorting candidates, since there may be too many job applications. In most cases, such automatic systems look for keywords in the text of the resume and compare them with those required for the vacancy. Make sure you add all required hard and soft skills from the vacancy to your resume, otherwise it may never be seen by a real person.
2. Use measurable metrics to describe your work experience or projects
Instead of just describing what you’re been doing in your previous jobs - write about your
accomplishments. Company hire
people to provide value to their business. So in order to get a job you need to show that you are able
to provide that
value and did it before. Nobody would care that you’ve been “redesigning a web page”, you need to show
the result of
your work, not a process.
“Increased the average number of purchases per month by redesigning a web page” would be a much stronger
point. Also
keep in mind that without measurable metrics it’s just a couple of fancy words. You need to provide
numbers in order to
show your accomplishments. For example instead of just:
❌ “Increased the average number of purchases per month by redesigning a web page”
use
✅ “Increased the average number of purchases by 30% per month by redesigning a web page”
3. Make resume fit job opportunity
Before sending a resume carefully read the job description and change the resume to meet requirements from there. You obviously should not lie about skills if you don’t have them, but you can reorder skills listing depending on how they are listed in the job description. Also always use the same title on your resume as the position you are applying for. If you don’t have time to make a unique copy of your resume for every position - you can at least make a couple of different copies with minor changes and then for each position just send a resume that better fits.
4. Structure your resume correctly, keep it short, clear and readable
Recruiter should be able to get all necessary information about you from resume in a minimum amount of time. The person who reads your resume most likely has a bunch of resumes to check next to yours, so he(she) definitely won’t waste time on poorly written ones. Start from a short and clear summary, then place your skills, after that should come work experience or projects, education and any other info should be at the very end, because it is less important. Keep your resume short, in most cases it should fit in one page. Follow general rules for document formatting to make it easy to read. Good idea is to use templates with prepared structure and formatting. My favorite service for that is resume.io.
5. Get additional “side” skills
If you see that most positions in your field have listed a certain skill - you can get this skill, for example, by taking a short basic level course and paste it into resume. In many web developer vacancies you can now see that knowledge of cloud computing services will be a plus for the candidate. Even if you've never had such experience, you can spend a few hours taking a course on AWS, for example, and put it on your resume, which can help you get an interview. When you get a job, you can always quickly master a specific skill. Obviously, you shouldn't lie - if the skill is in main requirements, then such a trick probably will not help. To do this, you must know your field and understand which skills are critical and which are optional.
6. Check grammar in your resume
This may seem obvious - but always check the grammar on your resume and cover letter. Obvious mistakes in words tell the recruiter about your inattention and frivolous attitude, since you did not even check the mistakes before sending. Now there are AI tools for this, for example Grammarly, you just need to insert your text there and the service will automatically highlight mistakes and offer correction options.
7. Clean up your GitHub
Keep public only the best projects that can demonstrate your current skills. It is better to hide weak or unfinished projects that do not correspond to your current level. Try to write a short and clear description for each of the projects in the Readme file. Also review the code and update old projects. If you are not looking for your first job and there are no new projects on your Github that could demonstrate your skills and increase your value, it is better not to add it to your resume. Remember that Github can not only increase your chances, but also reduce them if it is poorly designed.
8. Use email that contains your name for communication
To communicate during your job search, use an email that contains your name. Avoid usage of gaming or joke emails, people will not take seriously the resume received from superminecraftplayer123@gmail.com.
9. Clean up networks that you linking in resume
You should make sure that you look professional on social media. It’s better not to leave links to social networks in your resume, where you post mainly photographs of a personal nature, for example, photos from vacations, parties, fun with friends.
10. Get quality photos in formal style for your profile
Set quality photo in formal style as profile picture for linkedin, gmail and other services you are going to use for communication during job seeking. Your profile photo has a major impact on the first impression of you. If you don’t have appropriate photos - it's a good idea to do 1 photo session with a professional and then use these photos wherever needed.
11. Fill your Linkedin profile to get job offers without applying
Place information from your resume into your Linkedin profile and in settings check that you are seeking for a job. Recruiters often seek candidates through Linkedin search by job title. So make sure that your header includes the job title. It may help you passively receive offers without submitting applications, which is always good. Your Linkedin profile should contain more general information about you as a professional, while resume should be tailored for a concrete position based on job description, where you’re applying.
12. Upload your resume to other resources where recruiters seek for employees
Getting invitations for an interview without doing nothing never hurts. You can use services like Indeed, Dice, CareerBuilder, Monster, and others to upload your resume and maybe you get lucky.
13. Try to send your resume directly to recruiter
You can try to send your resume directly to the recruiter or team manager, if you manage to find their email or Linkedin profile. Make your message personal and it actually may work better than applying through website like hundreds of other candidates.
14. Reach to people from company where you want to get a job
Try to reach employees who work in similar positions in the company you want to work for, you can introduce yourself and ask for help. Big companies often have referral bonus and you both can get profit if employee refer you. Even if not, people from inside can share some tips or get you in touch with the recruiter or team manager directly. You’ll be surprised how many people want to help if you ask them. Of course, for that, you need some communication skills, which is not that easy, but the result is worth trying.
15. Prepare for a problem solving on Leetcode
In many companies, one part of a technical interview will be solving a programming problem. You shouldn’t pay too much attention to this, but it’s a good idea to solve at least a couple of problems on the Leetcode to understand what to expect during the interview.
16. Think out loud during a technical interview
The ability to think logically and find solutions in complex situations is one of the most important skills of a developer and is valued more than just knowledge of a certain algorithm or instructions that can always be viewed on the Internet. If during an interview you don’t know how to solve a problem or don’t remember the exact answer to a question, try thinking out loud and making a guess. In most cases it’ll give you some points for question, because interviewer want to see the ability to solve problems, and not just memorized answers.
17. Prepare a good microphone and camera
The first rounds of interviews are now almost always conducted online. Make sure your audio and video are of acceptable quality. Bad sound is annoying and can subconsciously affect people's impressions of you. A good microphone and camera are cheap these days - buy and set them up before the interview. Great options from Amazon:
Quality cheap mic
Buy on Amazon
All-in-One solution
Buy on Amazon18. Prepare background and your appearance
Again - you want to make the best possible impression on the person interviewing you to increase your chances. A mess in a room in the background or dirty clothes may negatively affect this, so take care of your background and appearance before going to an online interview.