How to get a Job as a Front End Developer

by Mike WilcoxNovember 2010

How to get a Job as a Front End DeveloperHow to get a Job as a Front End DeveloperFor career changers or general job searchers who have

experience Developers in general can benefit

OverviewSkills and subsets needed to be hirable

How and where to learn FED Skills

Job search preparation

Where to find job openings

How to write a resume

How to be a good interview

Front End Developer SkillsFront End Developer Skills

Or FED for short!

Minimum SkillsPhotoshopHTML Markup

CSS

JavaScript

Marketable SkillsHTML5

CSS3 / Advanced CSS knowledge

Flash / Flex / AS3

Usability

Design

SEO

etc, etc.

Note that Photoshop was the only software mentioned by nameNot too many ads for someone who knows GIMP and nobody cares that you know DVD Ripper Extreme

Why are these extra skills important? See the Club AJAX blog:Why Your Company Needs A Front End Developer

Experience

You need 'evidence' more than you need experience

Language and problem solving skills

Communication skills

Motivation and interests.

Demonstrate Drive and AttitudeGet yourself known

Be "pesky"

Be that guy they take a chance on

How do I get a job with no experience

Test Your KnowledgeTest Your KnowledgePotential questions interviewers may ask to get insight into your understanding of

these basic languages

Photoshop / DesignDifference between a JPG and a GIF?

Difference between a vector and a bitmap?

What is an image sprite?

HTML MarkupWhen is a closing tag is needed? <div></div> <div />

Does a script tag support both text and a source? Which? <script src=”file.js”>foo = bar;</script>

Why is the use of Frames discouraged?

CSSBox model - does border affect width?

Difference between block, inline, and inline-block?

How many different ways can you hide an element?

JavaScriptWhat are reserved words?

Your code works in all browsers but IE6 - why?

In IE, what causes: Stack “Overflow line zero”?

JavaScript Coding QuestionsHow fast can you code a FuzzBuzz?

Write a script that reverses a string

Flash Terminology

Flash / Flash BuilderMost work done in the IDE; little code

Flex / Flex builderMXML markup used as an HTML-like markup language to render ActionScript objects (still creates a SWF)

AS3Java-like code-heavy development

The rumor of its demise is greatly exaggerated

Note that most recruiters won't even understand these termsIn Dallas anyway, there are more jobs for Flex than there are for AJAX Because of iOS, this could be changing as we speak

AS3 vs JavaScript (AJAX)Which should you learn, or which should you learn first

JavaScript has easier learning curve

AS3 is pretty hard unless you already know JavaBut AS3 tends to be design-driven

Flash has many perplexing nuisances:Attaching code to library items

Figuring out where the hell the root "node" is

Loading parameters

HTML vs FlexHTML is much easier

Flex pays much betterBut Flex is a lot like jQuery - you may not know what level of knowledge the job really requires

I'd still recommend learning HTML and CSS first, so you can understand the environment in which you are working.

Flash vs PhotoshopTrick question - a designer should know both

Flash is actually darn good as a design tool

How to learn Front End Development

How to learn Front End Development

On the JobDon't expect teaching, training, placement or help

The initiative must be yours

Take on simple tasks and learn how to do themVery effective if it takes the load off of a colleague who would then also help you along the way

Peer ReviewBuddy Code (Agile)

Have code reviewNeeds to be relatively simple code

Look at other codePreferably complicated code, not snippets

Personal ProjectEnormously effective for self-motivation

Does not have to be brilliant or original

Can simply be useful - even just to you

Open SourceUse it, doc it, patch it, contribute, commit

High Quality Open Source - Dojo good, jQuery not as good

Working with open source is the opportunity to see other people's code

Something FEDs don't get to often do

Community CollegeCurrently a college degree is not the best place to learn FED

Exception: community college that happens to offer relevant courses

A Bachelors in CS is certainly nice, and will open up a few more doors in large companies.

College pricing should be factored into this decisionBut CS will also mess you up by teaching you too much Java :)

BooksBooks alone won't do it, but can provide the foundation. Highly recommended method for this field.

Start with books on HTML and CSSNeed at least an above average mastery of CSS

For HTML, find one that also teaches some server basics, so you can run Apache on your computer, and push files up to an inexpensive (or free) web server

A lot of JS books are bad, so you have to be careful here.

The best book is David Flanagan's JavaScript the Definitive Guide.

Anything by Douglas Crockford is good.

ABL! – Always Be Learnin'Bookmark everything!

Carefully archive your test files

Read Tech Books

Read Blogs - keep up on technology

The Job SearchBeing PreparedThe Job SearchBeing Prepared

Long Term PrepOnline blog

This is why you don't want to be swearing on it like an asshole

FacebookYeah. They check there now. Happy birthday by the way.

LinkedInVery important

Open Source workAllow a lot of time to ease your way into the community

Short Term PrepResume

High quality (parchment) printer paper

Nice folder to hold multiple resumes and cover letters

ReferencesFrom colleagues of former employers

Use LinkedIn

Online portfolioNeeds to be good, clean, up to date, and working

Reiterate: online. Not on a CD. FED right?

Cover letter templateTemplate for each style of job you are capable of doing

Edit each one to fit opportunity

The ResumeThe Resume

Look at your resume from the POV of someone looking to fill a position and

has 50 resumes on their desk.

Look at your resume from the POV of someone looking to fill a position and

has 50 resumes on their desk.

Resume Review StagesKeyword search

Mostly to online resumes like Monster

Spot check for maniacsIntern filters out irrelevant resumes

Due to lack of experience, too much experience, or just plain spam

Expertise Filtering (not filtered by an expert)Either a peer or HR looks for qualified resumes

HR may not be qualified

This is why startups are better

Resume Review Stages c’ntSoftware filtering

List every single professional app you know in small print

Subjective filtering

When the resumes actually gets read

Language knowledge

Few companies will retrain

Amount and relevance of experience

Distance to work

Stand OutLeave behind the stuff you learned in college

No "Objective"

Two pages is okay!!

What does the applicant do? WHO ARE YOU? I shouldn't have to guess!

Should look nice electronically or printed

Printed should not be not black text on white paper, go for dark colors that match the resume paper - usually dark brown on beige parchment

Resume TipsHave someone else proofread it

Have someone else proofread it - again.

Resume ExamplesResume ExamplesClub AJAX Resume examples

The InterviewThe Interview

Nervousness

Research the company

Research the position

Schedule least-wanted jobs first, for practice

Be ready when asked “Tell me about yourself”

Be Prepared

What is Expected of You?

The quintessential blog on the subject: The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing

by Joel Spolskyhttp://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/GuerrillaInterviewing3.html

What is Expected of You?

They are smart

They get things done

They are likable

A good interviewer looks for three things in a computer programmer:

Be SmartKnow your shit.

Make sure you know what the requirements are and be ready to sound authoritative on your field (even if you are not – but don't lie)

If you don't know the answer, explain how you would find out

Get Things DoneRefer to projects with this in mind

"I did X in X time."

Keeping the interview moving along. Time wasters babble and ramble

If the interview starts to lull - say "next question!"

Be LikableDo what your mama taught you

Be polite

Don't interrupt

Remember everybody's name

Be on time

Dress appropriatelyWhen in doubt: business casual

Be excited about the project / position / company

Be PreparedKnow your price range

Don’t be afraid to negotiate

Know before hand how much you’ll accept in “stock”

Ask for benefits details

Vacation days