How do you not get discouraged?

How do you not get discouraged?
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#61

A few questions:

  1. Are you on LinkedIn? Have you filled everything out for it and let everyone know you are looking?

  2. Do you have any coding projects on GitHub?

  3. Are you going to any programming user groups? E.g., go to MeetUp.com and search for things like Javascript, Python, Perl, etc, and see what user groups near where you live. Join them and start going to their meetings. Make connections.

  4. Do you have your own personal business cards? You need to make some for when you talk to people at the user group meetings because you can’t just hand out resumes without it being awkward.

  5. Do you have an account on Fiverr or UpWork? You could start offering your services there for cheap and put it on your resume as freelance work.

  6. Are you posting to places like Reddit, especially their job sub-reddits?

https://old.reddit.com/r/forhire/

Just some ideas to get you started. People networking is what you need to do at this point.

#62

I really wonder how useful these are or would be. I have a small stack of them but they’re likely wasted now ever since I completed bootcamp and moving more towards web dev if I can even though mainframe jobs are still possible. Seems that most people will just take the card, look at it once, toss it in their briefcase, backpack, purse, desk drawer, pocket etc and forget about it. Or it goes into File 13* . There are some still I’m sure that will remember and/or find the card days or months later.

But… me… I pick up cards- many eventually wound up in File 13 or in recycling… or some are sitting in my dresser drawer lol.

*File 13 === trash bin.

#63

I often wondered about the usefulness of cards myself. I think (at least in my personal experience) that memorable encounter + card = stronger connection. I feel like you can’t just throw out your card to everyone you meet, the card should be icing on a already great/memorable conversation. Like a “Hey remember that awesome encounter you had with that person you met? Well here’s some contact info so you can keep having awesome encounters”. Basically if you play your cards right (pun totally intended) you should make them want your card. Even better, is if they personally ask for it.

A good friend of mine runs a youtube channel where he does comic book reviews, now he’s a natural at having an engaging conversation so I’ve able to observe this tactic firsthand. But it’s all about the delivery, tact, and finesse. You learn to gauge when it’s a good opportunity to pull the card. Granted, there’s no guarantee they’ll actually use it, but at least you’ve set yourself up with the best chances that they will.

#64

Having business cards has always been useful to me. I trade business card, look them up on LinkedIn, and then connect with them. LinkedIn has been great in helping me find jobs over the years. And again, it’s easier to hand out a business card than it is a resume. My business cards tell people what I can do immediately.

#65

Right here.

Look, there has been a lot of great advice given to you. I’m going to go a step further. Nothing, is a waste.

You are shooting yourself in the foot by not doing anything and only coming with excuses. You don’t want to pay for more learning, fine. Then make friends at these events. Get to know people. Build up your portfolio. You’re not even getting to the stage where they test your knowledge because by your portfolio and resume it looks like you don’t. If you actually have those skills LIST them. It’s not a lie to know all of those things. Then build projects using the ones you like working with.

And if you don’t like working with any of them…maybe you need a different career.

References: No one cares what line of work your references are in, only that you have them and they are at a manager level. SO USE THAT ONE YOU HAVE.

You are assuming a lot with out doing the work. I promise you, if you follow the advice others have given you here you will succeed but it is work.