posted 8 years ago
Hi David!
Although I can't fully respond to your question (you asked for pros' opinions), but as a junior, recently getting an entry-level position (~2 months ago), I might be able to provide something useful.
I haven't yet finished college. I'm about halfway through it, so I felt I had to be careful about applying. I didn't want to spread my CV like chickenpox just for companies to remember a few years later (when I acquire my papers) that, yeah it was this person who applied and didnt actually know anything about the profession we do here. So in short, I took the careful way.
1.) First I decided on what I actually wanted to do. I found that web developing seems interesting, and I also liked the working with server infrastructures part. I'm a real junior so, you can expect me still not having a proper grasp on what or how these thing work exactly. I only knew I wanted something like this, in development.
2.) So then I picked a language (java obviously), visited some websites and forums, purchased the Head First Java book, and vacuumed it into my head. Since I already knew what kind of thing I wanted to do, I had the motivation to extra-study in my freetime.
3.) Interview exercises are a must. If you feel like you haven't coded for a long time, chances are you would become confused on an interview, where they are watching you not only for -what- you know, but for the -how you do it- part also. Once thinking about algorithmic exercises becomes familiar again, this wont be a problem on an interview anymore. I say 3-5 of these should do it. (I personally did 9)
4.) Write an example program, and post it online. It can be a minesweeper or snake game, or a videogame shop organizing app, or anything really. It should work, and coded in a way you would be proud to read it 2 years later. But it should not be complicated. One or two complicated methods are more than enough. This program is just for you to show your future employers that you are indeed dedicated to not only getting hired, but to learning too. This will be the step that differentiates you from most of the canditates that will apply on the same position on entry-levels.
5.) The hardest part. Now you know what you want to do, you need a company that does it, and is also hiring. Once you found a promising canditate, stalk it! This is general job hunting rule, but dont move onward giving in your CV before actually shaping your CV to their exact hiring advertisement. There might be many different precise bits of info they want to know about you from your CV than what you would write in just a general CV.
I got hired in the first attempt, although I had reserve-picks in case I didn't. I'm not a dream canditate as I haven't finished school yet, and have even spoken out on the interview: I told the HR that I will only come part-time in some period of the future.
I hope that atleast some part of this helps you, and I wish you the best of luck!
Dóri