Journey to 100k per year as a Front end developer.

[domv]

Hello fellow Blackhaters!

Over the past 4 years I've been building websites as an independent contractor and working with agencies. I was building websites mainly with pagebuilders like (Elementor and Oxygen). From code languages I only knew HTML and CSS.

On 2020 during a job my employee asked me to integrate an API in his website, because I didn't know almost anything about JavaScript I looked all over the internet to teach myself how to do it. I couldn't understand anything so I passed. Later on I heard that my employee paid an external developer 2k for the integration. I was SHOKED! 2k only for an API where as my payment for the website was 1k.

I was really bothered but at the same time interested because I saw a new opportunity. I felt like I wasn't a real developer and I kept it in my mind while I was picking up new projects.

After few months a coworker asked me to help him with his hotel listing website. He wanted to get an API integrated and create listings with it in his website. That was it, straight up I told him that I am sorry and that I can't help him. Which made me feel like a total unacknowledged noob .

These two occurrences cleared my mind, I knew exactly what I had to do....Learn to Code!

So I started looking deeper about APIs, it seemed like a whole new world to me. I won't describe programming languages because I will get too excited.

Later that month when I finished the website I was working on, I googled: What's the best programming language, and the results showed: Python, Angular, React, Vue etc...(not in a specific order).

I picked React as my goal language (infinite worldwide job opportunities with high salaries), ah! and also Facebook created it . But the problem was that I had to know JavaScript, HTML and CSS to be able to understand React. So I picked the best JavaScript course in Udemy and I started to learn, while watching YouTube videos about these languages.

My goal was to take my time and learn as much as I can, so I can have a great understanding before advancing in React. I set a timeline for my self, that by the start of the next yearn I will be building React web apps with ease.

One year later.......

I build web apps with React, Gatsby, Tailwind, SASS, framer-motion etc...And most importantly I finally know how to work with APIs. (the concept of APIs was kind of my biggest adversary, it scared me) Now? I loooove builds with APIs, there are so many opportunities and ideas.

In the past 2 months I've built my portfolio with the stacks I mentioned above. I have finished the website and today I will be uploading my case studies to my projects archive. Tomorrow I will be ready to start my journey as a Front end Developer.

The plan is to send 1000 applications each week.

What I need:

1) Remote.
2) Any salary is acceptable.
3) No need for a degree.
4) International is not a problem as long they only need English.

I feel anxious about me not getting accepted by any position.

What do you think? Do I have a chance? Any suggestions?

 

[khalidos17]

Web dev Can be tricky, When i start learning it you feel like you know everything, till u figure out you know nothing .. the moment you have someone asking you to do something related to api, maybe special app ingeration you feel like you just waste time hahha, for me when i reach that point i took a step back, learning python and than i go back to web, python for me was so much fun than web, the way it's integrated stuff with everything, it's just amazing, you can use it also in web dev .. the thing is in programming you can learn a lot of stuff in one packet so do not just focus in one thing, i know a lof of gurus expert told you you should take one thing to be a master of it, but for me it's work the way around, know i can mix python with html css js vue js , basically i can mix everything up like a bad MasterChef in the kitchen haha.

 

[razorsharp]

Super awesome! Coding will always be in high demand. I think 100k is no problem once you've built yourself a solid portfolio. I'm also thinking about learning to code.

As a rough guess, how many hours did you spend learning to code? Can you talk more about the process? Really interesting!

 

[flprocess]

I Believe that if I had the knowledge you have, I would be making anywhere between 5000$ to 15000$ easy.

Start looking in LinkedIn, You will get a job in no time.

Good luck!

 

[leodesigner21]

That's great How many hours did you spend learning to code? I'll be try to do it but it's to hard

 

[domv]

Web dev Can be tricky, When i start learning it you feel like you know everything, till u figure out you know nothing .. the moment you have someone asking you to do something related to api, maybe special app ingeration you feel like you just waste time hahha, for me when i reach that point i took a step back, learning python and than i go back to web, python for me was so much fun than web, the way it's integrated stuff with everything, it's just amazing, you can use it also in web dev .. the thing is in programming you can learn a lot of stuff in one packet so do not just focus in one thing, i know a lof of gurus expert told you you should take one thing to be a master of it, but for me it's work the way around, know i can mix python with html css js vue js , basically i can mix everything up like a bad MasterChef in the kitchen haha.

I totally agree with you on learning different stacks and not just one, but it would be overwhelming to me in the beginning. Python certainly sounds very interesting but I don't know if it's really helpful with simple web apps where it needs just simple javascript, maybe it's for more complex applications.

 

[Zera Api]

1000 applications each week

How will you send those

 

[domv]

Super awesome! Coding will always be in high demand. I think 100k is no problem once you've built yourself a solid portfolio. I'm also thinking about learning to code.

As a rough guess, how many hours did you spend learning to code? Can you talk more about the process? Really interesting!

Yes for sure, coding will not go away.

My portfolio includes 7 websites, two of them are with React and the rest with page builders (but big projects, not simple landing pages). I am planning to add more react projects like: (Slack, Netflix, Facebook clones).

How many hours I spend learning and coding?
I learn all day new things, solving bugs and looking for answers in google, each day I learn something new.
For the past 15-16 months I am in vscode for roughly 8-10 hours a day, but believe I don't feel exhausted at all, I just enjoy the process.

The process?
I find trending projects and start coding. It really helps if you have a reference so you won't get stuck.
Most of the time I over engineer existing websites. I pick up the best designs and improve them.

 

[domv]

That's great How many hours did you spend learning to code? I'll be try to do it but it's to hard

I spend around 8 hours per day, sometimes more sometimes less.

 

[domv]

I Believe that if I had the knowledge you have, I would be making anywhere between 5000$ to 15000$ easy.

Start looking in LinkedIn, You will get a job in no time.

Good luck!

I don't know about LinkedIn, is there a specific process on applying to jobs? I used to send messages to people but I was always getting automated responses. How would you do it?

 

[doomer3wx]

I spend around 8 hours per day, sometimes more sometimes less.

as a bigginer where can i start from ,how long should i practice this work how to prove my skills to get employment?

 

[domv]

How will you send those

I will use Indeed and Google.

 

[khalidos17]

I totally agree with you on learning different stacks and not just one, but it would be overwhelming to me in the beginning. Python certainly sounds very interesting but I don't know if it's really helpful with simple web apps where it needs just simple javascript, maybe it's for more complex applications.

Python well help you a lot for sure, the amount of stuff you can do with it and mix it with app web is crazy, let's take the AI that used on insta or snapchat cam per example, changing faces to filters and voices and detecting the face in camera, you can do that with python, and mix it in your app, of course it's not a beginner level of skill to do that but still, just to make the point clear .

 

[domv]

as a bigginer where can i start from ,how long should i practice this work how to prove my skills to get employment?

Start by building landing pages, then move to more complex projects. The trick is to always code, writing is your best teacher. Once you have the landing pages, and the advanced projects, build yourself a portfolio showcasing them and start applying to jobs.

 

[nersande]

Invest some money and have somebody from fiver look over your cv and make it preppy.
Then setup your linkedin profile with your 'want to be hired' options and make sure your profile reflects your portfolio
add all the relevant seo like keywords to your profile.

Most recruiters are looking for people with the recruiting tool and actively reach out. Most companies are looking for devs and need to pay recruiters to find them some.
Many recruiting companies and job websites also have a "upload your CV" option - use them, even ones like stepstone and alike.
(Again, I would invest a few dollars in getting some fiver person to make your CV f.e. ATS compatible).

Look into Facebook Job Groups and post that you are a frontend dev and post that you are open for projects.
Last you can go for applications with companies who do offer services in programming - these companies always need employees as well.

 

[satyr85]

Do you have github? Some projects on github would be nice.
If you want to expand your knowledge consider fullstackopen.

 

[domv]

Invest some money and have somebody from fiver look over your cv and make it preppy.
Then setup your linkedin profile with your 'want to be hired' options and make sure your profile reflects your portfolio
add all the relevant seo like keywords to your profile.

Most recruiters are looking for people with the recruiting tool and actively reach out. Most companies are looking for devs and need to pay recruiters to find them some.
Many recruiting companies and job websites also have a "upload your CV" option - use them, even ones like stepstone and alike.
(Again, I would invest a few dollars in getting some fiver person to make your CV f.e. ATS compatible).

Look into Facebook Job Groups and post that you are a frontend dev and post that you are open for projects.
Last you can go for applications with companies who do offer services in programming - these companies always need employees as well.

Brilliant advice! Utilizing more platforms will only increase my chances on getting a job. Thanks a lot! <3

 

[nersande]

Brilliant advice! Utilizing more platforms will only increase my chances on getting a job. Thanks a lot! <3

you have something many others have not - a skill which is in high demand
they just need to find you - and you need to be in places where they are searching.

note: you may have to go a bit junior, but the demand in general is so high, that companies might be willing to hire you just because they need somebody who can learn.
It may be worth it to take on a few projects to get references from companies.

REcruiters get paid in 3x your monthly salary, so usually they are not keen on hiring people too junior - but again demand is high.
Last if you want to send applications, try out startups. A search for 'careers and startups' should yield results.
When you visit their sites, notice which hiring platforms they are using = see if you can upload your cv there (iirc the phrases are "we will match you with potential employers" - search for that as well and you should find enough websites to enter your portfolio).
Lookup job postings and check if you have the keywords they use in your profiles.

> 3) No need for a degree.
The need is so dire, they skip degrees.

4) International is not a problem as long they only need English.
most dev team are multinational anyhow.

 

[albin7]

First job is always the toughest to get

 

[flprocess]

I don't know about LinkedIn, is there a specific process on applying to jobs? I used to send messages to people but I was always getting automated responses. How would you do it?

Not really. You open up your profile, add your expertise and then use the search engine to apply for jobs, there are more than plenty in your fields.