Ask HN: How do I get a job as a web dev?

Posted by speedylight on Friday February 28, 2025 @06:55AM
from the ask-hn dept.

So basically I’m a self taught webdev and a CS student and I want to get an entry level job in the industry. I made a website for myself to showcase some of the work I’ve done but the problem is that most of the web apps/sites I’ve built weren’t meant to be shown off, they were tools I made to help me do things but I still learned quite a lot from those experiences.

Backend development is my element, but I’ve gotten really comfortable with front end work lately, particularly when I am using Tailwind and Sveltejs… I find that I don’t even need to use component libraries for most things because I’m good enough to design from scratch—even though that may not the most efficient solution. I still struggle here and there but nothing a quick session of Googling can’t fix.

Backend wise I’ve worked with Flask, Django, SvelteKit, and Laravel.

I will admit that my knowledge is very spread out, there isn’t any one web technology that I understand on an intuitive level but I definitely have a solid grasp of the basics.

To be honest any kind of job I can land in the tech industry will be life changing, I’ve been stuck working in retail for way longer than I should’ve been and if I can get a job in tech that pays something $20/hr as a starting point, I’ll be content with that knowing I’m advancing my career I just don’t really know where to begin.

If you were in my shoes and lived in the western United States, what would you do?

( 3 comments | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: How do I get a job as a web dev? by gregjor on Friday February 28, 2025 @07:59AM (#43205114)

Job market in the US very tough right now, especially for entry-level and junior people. You may know about the waves of large layoffs. To make matters worse companies increasingly use LLMs and no-code & low-code tools, eliminating jobs.

Recruiters won’t look at your web site, portfolio, GitHub repos, or leetcode scores unless they already have a strong interest in you. Much better to look for work through professional and personal contacts.

I have some free articles about job hunting and freelancing on my site typicalprogrammer.com. No ads, popups, or other nonsense.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How do I get a job as a web dev? by _pktm_ on Friday February 28, 2025 @07:13AM (#43204756)

Thanks for posting this. A few thoughts come to mind.

1. What have you tried so far to find such a job?

2. Do you have a degree? I don’t personally believe they should be required but many employers hold a different view.

3. Are you open to a startup or do you prefer something more corporate?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How do I get a job as a web dev? by speedylight on Friday February 28, 2025 @07:22AM (#43204828)

Hey, thanks for the reply. To answer your questions…

1. I haven’t applied to any just yet, I wanted to get my website up and running and clean up my GitHub and build a couple of projects specifically meant for a recruiter to look at — I figure that’ll give me the best chance, I also made a LeetCode account a couple of days and I’ve been working on problems since I’ve heard that tends to help. 2. I don’t have a degree but I am working towards a CS degree, though I am far away from graduation. 3. Knowing myself I would probably thrive in a start up environment but I definitely wouldn’t mind working at an established corp either. As long as it pays the bills and helps me move my career forward then I’m ok with it.

[ Parent | on HN ]