A word from Lex 😄
Yesterday, I spent the day watching a lot of resources and looking at many different examples of LinkedIn's, resume's, and cover letters. Today, instead of spending my time on absorbing more of that information (which would probably be more of the same anyways), I spent the day putting what I learned to use!
Most of us job seekers are trying to figure out: if most of us are MERN developers who are at similar experience levels, building different versions of the same apps, how do I stand out amongst hundreds of fellow applicants?
Well one of the ways is through how we communicate; more so, how we sell our skills and how we show our personality.
So, if you're curious as to how I am choosing to stand out, that's what today's blog will be covering! Stick around after the portfolio talk, because I'll also be covering how I optimize my LinkedIn to be an optimal job candidate.
Today's a long one, but as always, I want to provide as much value as I can; cheers 😄
Resources today:
Today, I used the same resources from yesterday to continue implementing the concepts I learned.
Notes today:
Firstly, I updated my portfolio.
It used to look like this:
It now looks like this:
What's the difference?
I built a custom component called Widget, which on the user interface, reveals information upon clicking on the interactive images!
As a huge React enthusiast, I absolutely love using MUI and its helpful pre-built components. In this case, I created a CustomOverlayTrigger component right there inside of my Widget component. Inside of CustomOverlayTrigger, I used MUI's OverlayTrigger component to utilize MUI's Tooltip component. Altogether, this renders the "Click me!" upon hover of the images. Without using MUI's help, I would have had to create an onHover effect for each image, which would then trigger something like a <span> or <p> tag to appear, positioned above the image. Instead, using MUI's OverlayTrigger and Tooltip components does all of that behind the scenes!
See the simple code below:
Why did I add these Widgets to my portfolio?
After the 100Devs 2022 program ended, hundreds of very capable, intelligent, hard-working developers were released into the wild! And as we all are at the same exact points of our journeys - job hunting, building more extensive projects, and learning new technologies that the current job market requires - it's hard to stand out among the masses. I wanted something that helps showcase not just my personality but my values, because outside of programming, I am an incredibly passionate person. It's all or nothing for me - the things I care for, I care deeply for, and I give my all to. I want to demonstrate that dedication that I have, because it is a big part of who I am and what I have to offer.
I also updated my LinkedIn.
Starting with the heading,
I already had this implemented, but for other developers who might not, it boosts your profile when you have keywords in your heading. It also helps to have them in your banner too! This way, visitors immediately understand your title and your skills. Pro tip: remove roles from your title if they aren't relevant to the roles you're applying for. For example, I saw a profile that had "Software Engineer | Former Writing Teacher". If you have a background in teaching, that's amazing for soft skills, but it's best to mention it in your Experiences section. Your title should have the role you're applying for, and the skills that prove your value to that role.
Another pro tip that I learned: Software Engineer is pretty vague. While yes, web developers are software engineers, it's better to target that you are a Web Developer and mention which type (Full Stack, Frontend, or Backend). While I prefer Frontend roles, I don't want to shut out any opportunities that I'm technically qualified for, so personally, I use Full Stack Web Developer.
Moving on to the about section:
Regarding the information that I learned from yesterday's resources, I added some finishing touches to my bio. The key points I used for writing mine were [Hook] [Title] [Skills] [Value].
[Hook] = Inquisitive
[Title] = full-stack MERN web developer
[Skills] = problem-solving
[Value] = being your shoulder to lean on
I then go on further in-depth about my value, "building RESTful API's...."
I end with what I'm looking for: "eager to bring my eclectic perspective (fun! shows my personality) to a larger tech company that values growth and diversity (showcasing my values here - what's important to you?).
Then I add some fun facts about myself with eye-catching emoji's (use these SPARINGLY) to showcase my personality and my background.
Pro tip: include key words in your about section. I not only sprinkle them throughout my bio, I make sure to list every technical skill at the bottom of my bio. Visitors now have a full understanding of my title, expertise/specialization, what value I provide, my background, my personality and my values, and my skills.
Another way to stand out: if you make it that far to the very end of my bio, I added some fun (but clearly not prioritized) hobbies of mine! Some would advise against this, but I like to humanize myself in any way that I can, because building authentic relationships and really getting to know someone is important to not only me but maintaining a community overall.
Next was the experiences section, which is one of the most important sections.
The main takeaway is trying to write RESULT-driven experiences instead of task-driven experiences. When I wrote mine, I tried keeping in mind the "Accomplished X as measured by Y, resulting in Z" format. Try to visualize the X,Y,Z format as you read my bullet points; does it seem to follow that format?
Not only is showing the result of your work important, but quantifying your results wherever you can is extremely beneficial. Not only is it eye-catching, but it helps show the recruiter that your work provided measurable value. Let's face it - the professional world loves talking numbers.
Instead of writing "Designed and developed web applications individually and in teams", I added the rough number of how many "modern, scalable" (keywords!) web applications I developed. Not just in teams, but in teams of 5-15 "globally distributed" (required communication and organization) developers. And then I remember to add the Z, the result of developing the apps: "Resulting in sophisticated, high-quality websites" Now this last sentence is a bit redundant for me, however, I wanted to be sure to try to follow an X,Y,Z format, so for now, I'll be leaving it - but if anyone has feedback, I'd love to hear!
Today, I learned that you can "Add Media" to each experience, providing even MORE information on the work that you produced.
See these things?
Well those are clickable, and I'll show you what happens when you click on the very last image:
The media allows you to add a link, a title, and a description. And as you'll notice, the title includes the technologies I used (keywords!), and the description is written using the result-driven method, with quantifiable results!
The last few tips I have to offer:
Get over 500+ connections, but make them meaningful connections. The way that I try to make sure the connections I'm making aren't just a click to connect is first, I attempt to send a note with every connection I extend. I usually write something along the lines of "Hey X! Fellow 100Devs alum here, trying to build my network past 500+ connections as Danny Thompson's Linkedin series suggests! Would love to connect :)"
I introduce myself and the relationship I have to the person, I'm honest about why I would like to connect, and I do it in a way where I try to offer a tip so that I'm immediately providing value (build over 500 connections as Danny Thompson suggests).
After I gain the connection, I make sure to reach out again and I usually say something along the lines of "I'm a React enthusiast and currently learning Typescript. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know!" This lets the person know where my specialty is incase they need help with something React related, and it also opens the door for conversation: maybe they also love React and we can talk about it, maybe they are learning Typescript too, maybe they've learned it and it gives them the opportunity to also extend their help.
And with the last part of my message, "If you ever need anything...", I continue to try to provide value, letting my new friend know that if they need help, I'm there for them. As an asynchronous communication enthusiast, I prefer messaging, but maybe you can even go a step further than me and offer coffee chats or schedule a time for pair programming. Lastly, I spend at least an hour keeping up with content from fellow developers - whether it be 30 minutes on twitter, 30 on LinkedIn, or the full hour on Linkedin, I reply to all of my messages, I support people's posts, and I contribute to my community.
The phrase quality over quantity sticks with me throughout this job searching process. Not only is it important for you to show your passion and strengths by showcasing yourself to the fullest, but we owe it as humans to grow and do it together. So take the time; make your connections meaningful; extend your hand, even if it's just a repost or a message checking on someone's progress. If this is the career path that you want, that you are so passionate about, then truly put in the effort and your dedication will speak for itself.
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