Would love to hear from anyone from this Academy who found a programming job with no prior coding experience

BLOCKCHAIN and SOCIETY Blockchain Career
#1

Hi everyone, I am having doubts whether I should pursue the Academy or focus on Web Development first and then get into Blockchain Development as the current market advertising for Blockchain Developers jobs is low – and for the jobs that you see, all require professional programming experience.

In yesterday’s Q&A, Ivan and Filip alluded to the fact that it would be totally possible to break into the field as a JavaScript dev or QA Tester. However, when I look at job postings around the world, most of the Javascript jobs require much more than what Ivan’s courses covers – asking for a broader knowledge of web development: CSS/React.js/Node.js/Git/Unix Command Line/CDD/REST API/Databases/CI/CD/and more…

What I am trying to find out is does anyone know more people who have succeeded in securing any developer job other than the 3 that are listed on the homepage? And with no prior programming experience other than the Academy’s courses?

I would highly appreciate your advice/testimonials, as I am facing a bit of uncertainty at the moment even though I absolutely love the Academy’s content, and way of teaching. Thank you for clarifying!

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#2

Hi @SJWylleman

I am no expert in what you ask but I understand your concerns.

The way I see it is that having the knowledge and skills that this academy provides in your toolbox so to speak would, I imagine, put you in a different league to your average javascript dev or any dev for that matter.

The only issue with this idea is time and money I guess. Can you afford and learn both at the same time without burning yourself out. If you think you could then I definitely would.

Just to confirm, I am a student here just like you not a salesman.

Cheers

Bill

#3

Hi Bill, I appreciate your response, found it quite insightful.

The fact of the matter is that my goal is to find employment as quickly as possible, hence why I believe that finding a web2 dev job would boost my chances.

Having said that, my ultimate goal is to work in Blockchain – but with current limited opportunities in the job-market, I reckon that I should aim to get my foot in the door as early as possible, and then use my free time to learn on the side. After that, I should feel fairly comfortable in making the transition into Blockchain with professional development experience under my belt.

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#4

First: You should ask your personal student counsellor (basically that’s exactly what they are ment to help you with). I think this is the best first step you can do. The biggest hurdle is not technology or knowledge, it’s your own psychology you need to deal with, and that’s not easy at all.

So here just my personal opinions on this (and it’s not that relevant at all):

Just think about this yourself:
“Would you give a job to anybody that has no experience ?”

There are lots of companies out there, all with a different opinion on this topic,
but nobody gives anything for free. It’s always a question of “Return of investment”.
Either they buy knowledge and experience when they hire somebody, or they are willing to invest and also hire people with no experience. If they need to invest in somebody there is always a tradeoff in salary, since they still have to invest further.

BUT…
The academy is a good starting point to build up knowledge (for a small price).

If you decide to focus on web development ( and this is still a very wide field) you will need to compete against the big horde of javascrip web developers out there, So i don’t think this is a good strategy.
Thats why the focus here in the academy is not javascript or web development (they are just side-tracks), it’s blockchain & DeFi, and the opportunity for you is that most of the people out there have no clue about these topics.

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#5

Having already spoken with my student counsellor @ivga80, he hasn’t given me much advice about this, which is why I am turning to all my peers in this forum. I have 2 more days left in the trial period of the Academy – this isn’t an easy decision to make by all means.

You make some valid points @matren about how someone would hire in this industry, and it ultimately comes down to if you can convince someone that you are worth investing in.

The trade off as I see it, is between finding a development job as quickly as possible, to have an income and experience. Or I would have to be more patient, and hopefully land a job in the Blockchain space later on as full time jobs in this field are limited.

Yes, the web development market is crowded, but as you can see on job forums, there are far more opportunities out there at the moment and as much as I would love to see Blockchain mass adoption, I personally believe that the tech industry isn’t ready yet to make that commitment.

It’s a hard choice to make.

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#6

I think if your priority is to get a job as quickly as possible, focus on what you already know. Get the job and learn about blockchain/smart contract development on the side.

Chances are, to land a job in the blockchain space, you’ll have to get involved with the community first to gain credibility. Here is a great summary by @aenhsaihan of what it takes to land a job in the blockchain space: https://forumtest.ivanontech.com/t/career-and-job-search-strategy/16091/3?u=faierplay

As you’ll see, it takes time and effort. So if speed is your priority, I don’t think it’s the right decision to put web development to the side. Get a job and use your free time to shift towards the blockchain space.

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#7

I reckon the best way of learning anything is to follow your curiosity. So I’d rather start learning about Blockchain development and therefore learn the web2 tech stack as I go, like Ivan’s curriculum.

@FaierPlay thanks for the link, I’ll have a look.

#8

I fully agree to what FairerPlay said.

Don’t take this as critic, just something to make you think:
I think this is the wrong mindset. Nobody hires you to teach you something.
There are lot of people out there that put this in the wrong order, thinking that they first can get a job and then learn what they need to do their job. Waiting for somebody to hire them before they start to learn something. But… nobody cares about what YOU want and how it’s fit best to your comfort.

Think of the job-market as any other marketplace.
The ones that have the best offer get the best price.
(not only the salary itself but also the other benefits like vacation, healthcare insurance, free cocktails for breakfast (ok… maybe not this one :)) )

It is not easy at all, mostly you need to work very hard to reach your targets
and to stay motivated. A clear vision of your target may help to keep you motivated.

Most of us are not like Ivan; always on steroids ( cheers to Ivan for his outstanding enthusiasm ! ).
I wish you the best and KEEP GOING !

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#9

Free cocktails and breakfast?! Who needs money, sign me up!

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#10

I feel revitalised after reading that. Thanks @matren

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