It is enough for becoming a junior developer

[raluka rlk]

Hello Internet java friends!

It is enough for becoming a junior developer?

I'm 30 year old woman, finish chemistry and physics, now living in Germany and I try to get a job as a junior developer in java programming language.
So, for the last few months, actually five, I've start learn java and programming in general.
I've start with python, did some udemy course. Finish, did all the exercises
Took a course for java, last 2 months for java SE, and some adobe Photoshop courses(first I've saw myself as a designer )
Then I bought some java books:

java head first

thinking in java

head first design patterns

java a beginner's guide

Learned all this books, did all the exercises, then I realized that i did not have a solid knowledge of data structures and algorithms, so I've learned about stack, queues, linked list, hash table, tree, heap.
Took a udemy course for MySQL database and relation database
I've done all the exercises from codingbat and approximately all the books' problems
So, to cut a long story short:
- I know some python
- good oop
- good java SE
- some design pattern(eg: mvc, facade, adapter, observer)
- some data structure
- some sorting algorithms(quick search, selection search, insertion search, binary search, linear search, bubble search)
- learn to work with eclipse(I HATE IT)
- learn to use and work with IntelliJ (love it )
- learn to use git
So, I don't know what to do
1. Should I learn other stuff? If YES, what??
2. Should I do more practice and take some project, or create a project? Here I have a problem, I do not have any idea
3. Should I try to apply as a junior or intern?
4. Any good sites? I use indeed.de
5. Should I try to take scjp(I have katie sierra book scjp6)

Hope this will not bored the crap :P

thanks,

raluk rlk

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

You need some evidence you can program. The SCJP is good for that. You also need a project. It could be an internship or a website or open source or exhibiting what you did on github. But you'll need something like that since the people you are competing with have it.

You are definitely off to a fine start though!

[Kj Reddy]

I guess you gained good knowledge to start as a Junior Developer. But to increase your confidence level as well to showcase your skills to your future employer, suggest you to take certifications like SCJP. Also if you could do some project it will teach how to apply your knowledge in Java in practical.

All the best.

[raluka rlk]

Hello, and thanks all for the kind replies.
As for SCJP, I've done some practice test and is clear for me, I need to learn more and more. So, SCJP, is pospone for this winter.

As for the projects, I don' have any clue what to do

How big should a project be?
Can I develop myself a project and show to employer?
Have you know any website where I can create some projects? (Take some idea prom github, clone/fork the project and add improvments?

thanks,

raluka