How to Get Your First Software Developer Job Without Experience

The hardest developer job to get is the first one. Every posting seems to want experience, and you can't get experience without a job. The good news is that companies hire juniors constantly; they just need evidence that you can do the work and will grow quickly.

This is a practical plan for producing that evidence and getting it in front of the right people.

Step 1: Pick one stack and go deep#

Beginners often spread themselves across many languages and frameworks. Employers would rather see you be genuinely useful in one area.

Choose based on the jobs you see advertised where you want to work, for example:

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, React
• Backend: one language (JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, Python, C# or Go), a framework, SQL and REST APIs
• Mobile: Kotlin for Android, Swift for iOS, or a cross-platform option like Flutter or React Native

Whatever you choose, also learn the fundamentals every job expects: Git, the command line, HTTP, basic SQL, debugging and writing tests.

Step 2: Build two or three real projects#

Projects are your experience. The best ones:

• Solve a real problem, ideally one you or someone you know actually has.
• Are deployed with a live link, not just code on your laptop.
• Show depth: authentication, a database, error handling, tests, a clean README.
• Are your own work, not copied from a tutorial step by step.

Our guide to portfolio projects that impress hiring managers has specific ideas for every level.

Step 3: Make your work visible#

• GitHub: pin your best repositories, write clear READMEs with screenshots and setup steps, and commit regularly.
• LinkedIn: a clear headline ("Junior Frontend Developer · React · TypeScript"), a short summary and links to your projects.
• CV: one page, with projects written up like jobs. Follow our developer CV guide.

Step 4: Get real-world experience any way you can#

All of these count as experience on a CV, as long as you describe them honestly:

• Internships, even short or unpaid ones (check that the work and terms are fair).
• Open-source contributions. Start with documentation fixes or issues labelled "good first issue".
• Freelance or volunteer work, such as a website for a local business, a non-profit or a university club.
• Hackathons, which also put you in a room with people who hire.

Step 5: Apply strategically#

Sending hundreds of identical applications rarely works. Instead:

• Target roles that really are junior: titles like Associate, Junior, Graduate, Trainee or Intern.
• Apply even if you meet about 60–70% of the requirements. Job posts describe an ideal candidate, not a minimum.
• Use referrals. Ask developers you know (or meet at events and online communities) whether their company is hiring juniors. A referral often gets your CV read by a person rather than filtered out.
• Write a short, specific message for each application explaining why you want that role.
• Track everything in a simple spreadsheet: company, role, date, contact, stage, next step.

Step 6: Prepare for junior interviews#

Junior interviews usually test fundamentals and potential, not years of experience. Expect:

• Questions about your projects: why you made certain choices, what was hard, what you'd do differently.
• Basic coding problems: strings, arrays, loops, objects and maps.
• Concepts in your stack: for frontend, the DOM, CSS layout and how React state works; for backend, HTTP, REST, SQL joins and authentication.
• Behavioural questions about learning, teamwork and handling mistakes.

Read what to expect at each interview stage and practise explaining your projects out loud.

Step 7: Handle rejection and keep going#

Most people get many rejections before their first offer. That is normal, not a sign you should quit.

• After a rejection, politely ask for feedback. Some companies will share it.
• Keep improving one project or skill each week while you apply.
• Treat every interview as practice. You'll get noticeably better after the first five.

Common mistakes to avoid#

• Only following tutorials and never building something on your own.
• A GitHub full of unfinished or copied projects.
• Applying only to senior-sounding roles, or only to one or two companies.
• Waiting until you "know everything" before applying. Nobody does.
• Ignoring communication skills: clear writing and explaining your thinking matter a lot.

Key takeaways#

• Go deep in one stack and learn the fundamentals every team uses.
• Build two or three deployed, real projects and present them well.
• Count internships, open source, freelance and hackathons as experience.
• Apply to genuinely junior roles, use referrals and track your applications.
• Expect rejection, learn from each interview and keep going.

Have a question about your job search? Ask the community in c/careers.

#job search#juniors

DT

Written by

devlk Team

Editorial team

The devlk team writes practical career guides for software developers: salaries, interviews, remote work and getting paid from abroad.