Re:Looking to get my foot in the door as a Python developer
by giantg2 on Monday January 04, 2021 @09:48PM
(#25641438)
I agree with this.
Also, if you have some experience and side projects already, I think it's mostly a credential issue. You're probably being screened out on criteria like work history, or degree, etc. I think if you can get an interview with someone who will listen, then you probably have a shot at entry level. I honestly don't see many entry level jobs out there though - everyone wants seniors.
However, I can shine some light on the below:
> I would love to make myself useful for free
When I was trying to get my foot in the door, I made this offer and was always shot down. I couldn't understand why (free work is free -- is everyone insane?).
After a bit of experience (and receiving this offer regularly) I realized why my offer was always declined. The process of onboarding a dev is long and takes a toll on the existing teams productivity (it's often a worthwhile toll). The process to onboard an intern/free worker is roughly the same as a "normal" employed dev (unless the dev you're employing has identical past experience, which is very rare).
From the employer's perspective, it's often not beneficial to onboard someone that's explicitly looking for a full-time role elsewhere.