How I landed my first programming job

How I landed my first programming job

Back in summer 2008 I was still a student kicking about my Master degree. I was 26, after army service and previous unsuccessful study attempt.

I had no job, though occasionally worked as paper-seller etc. And I did not want to continue such career!

So I created my CV (or resume) at local head-hunting website and started storming junior programmer positions…

There was a problem, however - I was mostly acquainted with C language - and there were almost no positions for it. They wanted C++ or C# or PHP or Java…

I visited one interview, then another… I answered algorithmic questions well, but OOP tricks of C++ were my Waterloo. I tried my luck with Java position - but it was similar - people wanted server-side JavaEE and I only had vague knowledge of JavaME for mobiles…

The fourth interview I was invited to - it was a small company of few young people who were designing electronics for wending machines. I sent resume to them just out of fun and despair.

I played a bit with electronics before - as a hobby - and even have small acquaintance with Atmel controllers. Below is the sample of my “handmade” in this field (a kind of magnetometer):

People here meet me in the office consisting of single 400 square feet room. There were some tables, large shelves with components and devices - and several disassembled electric massage chairs (that is what they were working with currently).

They gave me some whimsical test in 5 sheets of paper - about basics of electronics, general programming and C language - and even about technical English (since it is not our native language, while most of technical documentation is usually written in it, of course).

Interviewers were pleased with my answers and in a few days called me with an offer. I spend 1.5 years with them (it was a good time) completing about 6 curious projects. I learned RFID and made contactless cards readers here, coin-selling machines and even some medical device - radio-photoplethysmograph - below you can see the picture of its prototype, for which I designed PCBs, carved plastic clips, programmed radio-communication protocol, digital filters and almost everything except the base acquisition module:

It was a happy time, I should confess!

Later I switched to C programming for POS-terminals and eventually (with much efforts) to JavaEE, raising my salary several times - though it is another story…

Funny to say - but I was also invited bit later to job where I was interviewed for Java - people liked my general programming / algorithmic skills. However it was bit late… I was already employed.

Conclusion

So that is what I’d say about finding your first programming job:

• try to determine what are your best skills (currently) - I had poor knowledge of contemporary programming language, but I had competitive skills in electronics, as it appeared;
• and if you represent some skills - you should be confident with them - I knew well only C, but I really knew it well! and of course, do not lie about your skills, this will only make things worse;
• do not despair even if you will be declined many times - it is quite often, especially when searching the job with no experience;
• be ready to pass tests and answer many questions - it is the only way to prove your skills (since you have no previous experience);
• even if you fail another interview - try to learn something from it - recollect the questions you were asked, try to learn something regarding technologies you was told about etc.;
• if you get any offer - agree at once, even if you do not like salary and it is far from your home etc. - you will be able to leave this job even after several months - but you will already have much more experience which will help you in finding your next job!