As someone who has been in a position of trying to get the dream developer job myself and also trying to find developer talent to work with, I have seen the traditional methods of self-promotion become obsolete in recent years.
In such a competitive market for developers, around 70% of CVs are thrown away before the end of the first page, meaning applicants have less than ten seconds to make an impression. So… is having an up-to-date CV still the best tool for developers to showcase their worth to potential employers? Probably not.
Social media is a crucial shop window in promoting your worth. LinkedIn recommendations are a great tool to see instant feedback on candidates put forward for a position without the hassle of having to go through the formality of requesting references. Keep your recommendations up-to-date and don’t be afraid to ask for more. LinkedIn is also great for keeping a record of projects you have worked on. If you haven’t got time to create your own portfolio website, make sure you keep your project list current on LinkedIn.
Communities and networks specific to developers such as your GitHub profile and Stackoverflow account are great ways to exhibit that you are engaged with the developer community as well as showing off your subject matter knowledge.
During an interview, having the right attitude goes a long, long way. Of course, a great work ethic and being personable are key, but developers (specifically front-end) need to have a real appetite for all things digital.
Staying on top of the latest technology and web trends is what can set you apart from other developers. If an employer can tell that you have a real interest and passion for what you do, it makes them feel more confident that you will take great pride in your work and go the extra mile. Keeping up-to-date with all the latest front-end dev news and trends on sites such as Smashing Magazine, A List Apart, CoDrops and CSS Tricks etc shows that you are genuinely interested in what you do and that you have your finger on the web development pulse.
Finally, the best way to set yourself apart from other developers is simply to do great work. Your work is a representation of you. Set yourself the highest standards. Be ambitious. Strive to do the most challenging projects. If life is a learning curve – make it steep.
This post was written Adlib Recruitments blog and the original post can be found here:
http://www.adlib-recruitment.co.uk/news.php?id=Developer_Talent
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