how to get interviews in software development

pomelox

Hi,
I’m looking for advice on how to get into software development. In terms of profile, I’ve graduated last year, have excellent grades and I have completed one short internship with a small start up, who are happy to give me a reference. I’ve followed advice in terms of continuing on with my own projects, I’m comfortable with git etc, I go to developer meet ups, and I’ve had my CV and LinkedIn profile reviewed by a few difference careers people. I have CVs with all the major career websites too. Obviously, I’m applying to the occasional internship when they crop up, though, most applications are for jobs requiring two years experience. But despite all that I'm just not getting to interview stage.
Can anyone offer some suggestions in terms of how to get my foot in the door?
Thank you!

seamus

"2 years experience" just means that they don't want to have to spend the first six months teaching someone on operational basics like using source control, running local builds, writing good error messages, etc.

As a grad always apply for anything looking for two years experience or less.

If you get the interview then you can talk your way around it.

pomelox

Thanks, yeah, I’ve been applying anything tagged 3 years or less, I'll keep at it I guess.

BrokenArrows

pomelox wrote: »

Thanks, yeah, I’ve been applying anything tagged 3 years or less, I'll keep at it I guess.

Somehow make it clear in your application that you dont need to be baby sat.
You said you are comfortable with GIT. Do you have a github account which some projects? Add that link to your CV which can prove that you understand how to use it and some projects to demonstrate your not a graduate who doesnt understand the basics.

pomelox

I do have a github account and I have a link to it on my CV. Top of my CV is a short explanation that I worked on a team during my internship using git and gitlab. But it’s a good suggestion, I’ll emphasise those things a bit more on the back of your comment. Thank you.

14ned

pomelox wrote: »

Can anyone offer some suggestions in terms of how to get my foot in the door?

Does the first paragraph of your CV tell them unambiguously how much value hiring you will add?

Here is the first line of my CV after my name and address (all one line):

• My GitHub page (contains about 50k+ lines of my open source contributions over the past ten years)
• My posts to technical mailing lists (many thousand over the past ten years)
• My Stack Overflow Careers 2.0 IT Profile (links many of my contributions across the web onto one page)

If they click on any of them, they get taken to a page proving it, so for example the second link is to a precanned Google search.

Niall

pomelox

That sound amazing. And no, I’d say it probably fails in that respect, though I do try to gear each CV towards the job I’m applying to. Thank you!