[AnarchistOwl]

I am not a hacker. I could probably figure some stuff out but I want to state that right off. I would more accurately be described as a Web Developer, Alarm Technician and very experienced video editor. (I can do anything from rotoscoping to lightsabers to believable deepfakes.)

I have been dabbling with code for years but as of a year ago I put in the effort and got a bunch of certifications thru a University as a Front-End Developer, Full-Stack Developer, and Server Side Developer.

Code

// Which effectively means my journey is just starting...

React js, React Native, JS, HTML, CSS, Node.js, .Net, SQL, Git, C++, C#, ASP.NET, ADO.Net, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premier Pro, Final Cut Pro. (I have infomercial experience as well. I worked on the Procera AVH infomercials as well as Omega XL and BlueBlockers. )

I made 3 attempts to get into the program before actually getting accepted. That means 3 previous iterations of the program occurred.
While in school I spent 8 hours a day straight coding, and then the rest of the day working my regular job as a Lead Alarm Technician. Because the job is commission based I often didn't finish my workday until 2 am the following day. I would sleep for 6 hours and be up for class the next day. I only got Sunday's off which I would usually use to catch up on sleep or code projects. I finally finished school and started applying to jobs.

Fast forward to the present. All of the other students in my class have jobs in the field. I don't have an official degree but I understand what I am doing. I have applied to 1200+ companies on LinkedIn, Robert Half, Indeed, various local postings and so on. No one is willing to take the risk on a entry level developer who doesn't have the coveted degree next to their name. I have 3 interviews. My email is filled with automated responses saying; "We are sorry but have decided to move forward with another candidate. We will keep you in our pool for the future." I have been scammed several times into do doing free coding work for people chasing a job that ghosts me as soon as the work is complete. I don't give up but, I am discouraged.

I fear returning to work as an Alarm Technician again. I hate the lifestyle. I get stuck in some random state in some random hotel for weeks at a time before getting transplanted to another state. I am responsible for my transportation and the alarm systems I put in while I am there. They money is not as good as it once was years ago. I don't have any semblance of a life and am expected to job to do an install or a service in someone's house or a business whenever my phone texts me. It is not hourly. There is no room for advancement in the company. The level above me is VP. I got into development because I thought it would be my escape from crawling under houses to run a wire or thru attics, (where the temperature is +15 degrees to the exterior temp, or upon rooftops where there is no OSHA.

I like building stuff and would happily devote the same amount of resources and time to a company that lets me live in one place and have a life outside of the job. I would even be willing to move it if it still afforded me the chance to just live in one place normally and keep my stuff there. I know what it means to bust my ass for someone. I have been doing it for years for a company and a lifestyle I hate. Imagine what I could do for something I actually like doing. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to get out of this hole?

[based‌]

So just so I understand this correctly.

You want to find a job as a developer?
In my country - It's very rarely that they would hire someone with no job history as a developer.

You would start in a "lower" position and work your way up, showing your worth.

[AnarchistOwl]

So just so I understand this correctly.

You want to find a job as a developer?
In my country - It's very rarely that they would hire someone with no job history as a developer.

You would start in a "lower" position and work your way up, showing your worth.

I have 3 certifications from an American technical college. Front End Development, Full Stack Development and Server Side Development. All my the other graduates from the same program got jobs months ago. Some of them have less education than I do.

[based‌]

I have 3 certifications from an American technical college. Front End Development, Full Stack Development and Server Side Development. All my the other graduates from the same program got jobs months ago. Some of them have less education than I do.

Hmm.. thats bizarre.

My simple advice would be, keep trying.
You will succeed if you try hard enough, you seem like a friendly and experienced guy.

[.eXe]

Are you in the UK? The job market is absolutely awful at the minute. I'm genuinely not surprised. I had the same trouble, it took me months to get a job despite having some genuinely good experience under my belt. All of the recruiters I have spoken to have also said that it's an employers market at the minute.

[Giga]

Don't give up dude! Just keep being proactive about it. It's a really competitive and saturated market now unfortunately. If you received online certificates through Coursera or something in that vein, I wouldn't include them on your resume if they aren't specific to the job. I don't think employers will care too much about those and it may even hurt you (unless they are more specific to the job you are applying for).

Example: Job requires proficiency with a framework like Angular, then include your certificate for a course that specifically covers Angular at an intermediate level.

I would stay away from general certificates such as "front-end web development".

Remember, make sure to really cater your resume to be specific to the job qualifications and expectations. Don't try to overcomplicate with too many certificates without a bachelor degree. I would say focus on discussing relevant finished projects in your CV instead. If you don't have any that are applicable then you better get to work. Good luck!

[AnarchistOwl]

Are you in the UK? The job market is absolutely awful at the minute. I'm genuinely not surprised. I had the same trouble, it took me months to get a job despite having some genuinely good experience under my belt. All of the recruiters I have spoken to have also said that it's an employers market at the minute.

I'm currently based in the United States and am open to relocating anywhere within the country, or even internationally, for the right opportunity in my field. My goal is to settle down in one location and dedicate myself fully to my work. My experience as an alarm technician has been challenging, not only due to the physical demands of the job but also because of the ongoing verbal mistreatment from a colleague over the past six years. Despite these difficulties, I've remained committed and have consistently delivered my best effort.

My passion really lies in creating and building. I have several projects, including constructing metal and plastic Iron Man suits, 3D printing a violin, and designing an Arduino Christmas light controller, that showcase my love for engineering and problem-solving. Unfortunately, the demands of my current job have limited my ability to pursue these interests further. The nature of alarm installation work, often requiring me to work in less-than-ideal conditions (crawling thru insulation, in the blistering heat, or under buildings thru fowl stenches you can only dream about,) and stay in shared accommodations while on the job, has significantly impacted my personal life and professional growth. I haven't had a girlfriend in 10 years because I never stay in one place long enough.

While the company I work for rewards its office staff with luxurious vacations, they over look the hard work and dedication of the field techs, who have shown unwavering loyalty without a single day off. After a decade without any significant opportunities for advancement or a raise, despite my contributions and sacrifices, I find myself seeking a change.

I've received an offer that guarantees a steady income, along with paid housing and vehicle rental, though it still requires me to cover some expenses upfront. While this would have been an attractive proposition a decade ago, the lack of progression in my current role has prompted me to reconsider my career path and look for opportunities that align more closely with my interests in building and problem-solving.

In short, I'm looking for a change that offers not just financial stability but also the respect and professional growth I've been striving for, along with the chance to settle down and enjoy a more balanced life.

[InspectorGadget]

Do you have any repo's on github? You need to show any experience you have. If you have none then you should be looking at apprenticeships to gain that experience.

Where I work, we are not paying a full salary for a developer with next to no real-world development experience. We will however happily pay for an apprentice to come and learn.

[AnarchistOwl]

Do you have any repo's on github? You need to show any experience you have. If you have none then you should be looking at apprenticeships to gain that experience.

Where I work, we are not paying a full salary for a developer with next to no real-world development experience. We will however happily pay for an apprentice to come and learn.

I spent 6 months going thru a coding internship thru technical school. Basically a bootcamp on steroids. I spent 8 hours a day coding and the rest of the day working. Before you tell me no company is hiring people like me; I am the only person from my class who hasn't been picked up and my buddy who finished before me is making $102,000.00 as a Level 2 automation engineer. He has the same education I do. I am more inclined to think I am advertising myself incorrectly or doing something wrong. I don't think its my lack of experience, else how do you explain the 250+ grads before and after me that all have jobs?

I have been putting stuff on github since June of 2022. I have 25 repos and 3 major projects that are public. (Several Private ones as well.)

One of my favorite repos is a dog dating app that makes fun of [BRAND NAME REMOVED]. (I have had terrible luck on [BRAND NAME REMOVED] so I thought it would be a fun little jab)

For all intents and purposes it is [BRAND NAME REMOVED] with every stereotype you can imagine in puppy form.

"All-in-one dog friend finding platform built in two consecutive week-long sprints. Users can log in and interact with their pawfile, edit the details about their pawfile and upload pictures that will then display on their page. In addition, to viewing their own profile, a dog owner can visit the swipe page where they are presented with a random dog to either like, or dislike depending attributes like interests. They can also undo a like. A user will not be able to see a match unless the corresponding profile also likes them. It uses a React front-end with a C#/.NET API and Cloudinary for image uploading."

[Zher0]

You may have to start in tech support or a position a couple of steps below a developer. Or create a Github with scripts/projects you've worked on.

[Jamika]

Get a life, i dont mean it by rude meaning but u need to get urself friends, family, step away from your device, ur very successful in work but you have to enjoy your life before it is too late

[AnarchistOwl]

Get a life, i dont mean it by rude meaning but u need to get urself friends, family, step away from your device, ur very successful in work but you have to enjoy your life before it is too late

That's the whole point. I am successful but I hate the job because it doesn't afford me a life outside of it. At all. Its not hourly. Its commission. And I don't get a choice when I have time off.

That's why I busted my ass to be a coder and yet can't get into the industry.

[KingXorn]

I am not a hacker. I could probably figure some stuff out but I want to state that right off. I would more accurately be described as a Web Developer, Alarm Technician and very experienced video editor. (I can do anything from rotoscoping to lightsabers to believable deepfakes.)

I have been dabbling with code for years but as of a year ago I put in the effort and got a bunch of certifications thru a University as a Front-End Developer, Full-Stack Developer, and Server Side Developer.

Code

// Which effectively means my journey is just starting...

React js, React Native, JS, HTML, CSS, Node.js, .Net, SQL, Git, C++, C#, ASP.NET, ADO.Net, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premier Pro, Final Cut Pro. (I have infomercial experience as well. I worked on the Procera AVH infomercials as well as Omega XL and BlueBlockers. )

I made 3 attempts to get into the program before actually getting accepted. That means 3 previous iterations of the program occurred.
While in school I spent 8 hours a day straight coding, and then the rest of the day working my regular job as a Lead Alarm Technician. Because the job is commission based I often didn't finish my workday until 2 am the following day. I would sleep for 6 hours and be up for class the next day. I only got Sunday's off which I would usually use to catch up on sleep or code projects. I finally finished school and started applying to jobs.

Fast forward to the present. All of the other students in my class have jobs in the field. I don't have an official degree but I understand what I am doing. I have applied to 1200+ companies on LinkedIn, Robert Half, Indeed, various local postings and so on. No one is willing to take the risk on a entry level developer who doesn't have the coveted degree next to their name. I have 3 interviews. My email is filled with automated responses saying; "We are sorry but have decided to move forward with another candidate. We will keep you in our pool for the future." I have been scammed several times into do doing free coding work for people chasing a job that ghosts me as soon as the work is complete. I don't give up but, I am discouraged.

I fear returning to work as an Alarm Technician again. I hate the lifestyle. I get stuck in some random state in some random hotel for weeks at a time before getting transplanted to another state. I am responsible for my transportation and the alarm systems I put in while I am there. They money is not as good as it once was years ago. I don't have any semblance of a life and am expected to job to do an install or a service in someone's house or a business whenever my phone texts me. It is not hourly. There is no room for advancement in the company. The level above me is VP. I got into development because I thought it would be my escape from crawling under houses to run a wire or thru attics, (where the temperature is +15 degrees to the exterior temp, or upon rooftops where there is no OSHA.

I like building stuff and would happily devote the same amount of resources and time to a company that lets me live in one place and have a life outside of the job. I would even be willing to move it if it still afforded me the chance to just live in one place normally and keep my stuff there. I know what it means to bust my ass for someone. I have been doing it for years for a company and a lifestyle I hate. Imagine what I could do for something I actually like doing. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to get out of this hole?

Yeah, I'm struggling with something similar currently.

[anoncrab]

Don't give up man! Keep trying, eventually you will get a job offer that will be so worth it you will be grateful that you didn't give up.

[Jam1e]

Everyone applying for the sort of jobs you're after have qualifications coming out of their arses now.
What sets you apart from everyone else?

If you've sent of 1,500 applications via LinkedIn, that should tell you one of two things:
1) No one is interested in your qualifications. and/or
2) LinkedIn is NOT the way to go about this.

What does your portfolio site look like? Your Git Hub? Do they show that you posess a range of different skills?