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Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

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Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#101

Post by _drimzy »

playingchanges wrote: post #43

One more angle since I haven’t seen anyone mention it. Instructions on how to bootstrap a software portfolio: Pick a language (sounds like you chose JS which would be my pick as well), buy a copy of cracking the coding interview, make a leetcode.com account, make a codepen.io account, and get to work. If you’re smart and dedicated you can teach yourself this stuff and these are the best tools to help you in my opinio…

> buy a copy of cracking the coding interview, make a leetcode.com account

In my opinion this is a pretty bad advice and I see a lot of entry level programmers struggling for a long time because of this. A basic algorithms and data struture book (something like Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen, and Data Structures by Mark A Weiss) is a must before jumping into leetcode/cracking the coding interview. One needs to have a foundation before diving straight to interview problems.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#102

Post by mkoryak »

leesalminen wrote: post #52

Just an anecdote for you- in 2009, I wanted to drop out of college because I preferred partying. I obviously needed income and was dissatisfied with the jobs I’d had in the past (fast food, waiting tables and hotel customer service). Like you, I had always been a tech “nerd” and had built websites and recycled computers for my church/charities in the past. One day I came across a job post for a small SEO firm that wa…

But were you able to keep partying? And for how long and how hard?

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#103

Post by leesalminen »

mkoryak wrote: post #102
leesalminen wrote: post #52

Just an anecdote for you- in 2009, I wanted to drop out of college because I preferred partying. I obviously needed income and was dissatisfied with the jobs I’d had in the past (fast food, waiting tables and hotel customer service). Like you, I had always been a tech “nerd” and had built websites and recycled computers for my church/charities in the past. One day I came across a job post for a small SEO firm that wa…

But were you able to keep partying? And for how long and how hard?

Hahahah, the most important question! I was a fairly prolific partier until about 2014, right when I started building Gingr. I actually started building the app while on partying-related probation. The inability to party hard was what drove me to code after-hours. Today, I’m pretty lame at least according to my wife and son. Thanks for asking ;).

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#105

Post by beezechurger »

_drimzy wrote: post #101
playingchanges wrote: post #43

One more angle since I haven’t seen anyone mention it. Instructions on how to bootstrap a software portfolio: Pick a language (sounds like you chose JS which would be my pick as well), buy a copy of cracking the coding interview, make a leetcode.com account, make a codepen.io account, and get to work. If you’re smart and dedicated you can teach yourself this stuff and these are the best tools to help you in my opinio…

> buy a copy of cracking the coding interview, make a leetcode.com account In my opinion this is a pretty bad advice and I see a lot of entry level programmers struggling for a long time because of this. A basic algorithms and data struture book (something like Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen, and Data Structures by Mark A Weiss) is a must before jumping into leetcode/cracking the coding interview. One needs to…

why cant ctci be supplemented by youtube videos? perfection is our enemy and many non faang jobs dont do LC interviews

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#107

Post by gabereiser »

playingchanges wrote: post #43

One more angle since I haven’t seen anyone mention it. Instructions on how to bootstrap a software portfolio: Pick a language (sounds like you chose JS which would be my pick as well), buy a copy of cracking the coding interview, make a leetcode.com account, make a codepen.io account, and get to work. If you’re smart and dedicated you can teach yourself this stuff and these are the best tools to help you in my opinio…

This is the best advice. It's 1000x easier to learn this stuff remotely than it was when I was starting out in the late 90s. Back then it was all black magic or institutional knowledge or higher-education backed.

Learning JS would be my pick too. In fact, there are coding schools/bootcamps that also make this their #1 pick.

Learn JS, HTML, CSS. Play on codepen, make things. Once you've got that down then you're ready to tackle cracking the coding interview and get that job.

It's hard for us vets too you know. With ever increasing requirements, frameworks, tools to learn. We also practice this make stuff in order to stay relevant. Coding is a life-time of learning (new frameworks, new languages, new ways of doing things) and is very rewarding. Graphic Design is as well in the right brain category of work. Web needs both. Right brained people, left brained people, new coders to grow teams, old coders to mentor and lead those teams.

Either way, either path you choose - Backend or Frontend, there's never been a better time to learn this from online resources in the comfort of your PJs.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#108

Post by throwaway939333 »

saagarjha wrote: post #79
throwaway939333 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you read my comment? I am the citation. Wouldn't expect a snot from HN to know better.

A personal anecdote isn’t enough to back the claim you made with the strength that you made it with. And, FWIW, personal attacks are not welcome on Hacker News.

Isn't this comment just the epitome of HN.

A person shares their personal experience with the hope that someone avoids the same mistakes.

Citation needed.

Let me guess, FAANG boy, good mom and dad? Somehow you have the right to ask for a citation?

GTFOH

Re: Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job?

#109

Post by _drimzy »

beezechurger wrote: post #105
_drimzy wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> buy a copy of cracking the coding interview, make a leetcode.com account In my opinion this is a pretty bad advice and I see a lot of entry level programmers struggling for a long time because of this. A basic algorithms and data struture book (something like Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen, and Data Structures by Mark A Weiss) is a must before jumping into leetcode/cracking the coding interview. One needs to…

why cant ctci be supplemented by youtube videos? perfection is our enemy and many non faang jobs dont do LC interviews

Because ctci is a terrible book to start learning basics from. I agree with let perfect not be the enemy of the good, but CTCI/LC are not good, they are terrible and overwhelming for someone with no background in algorithms.
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