I'm a 19-year-old, self-taught programmer (C/C++, Ruby/Rails and PHP, mostly). I'm in the middle of a transitional year between high school and college and I know that I'd like to pursue a career as a web programmer. I've gotten a few programming jobs here and there, but nothing really substantial. If I could find a full-time job, I'd consider postponing college, but I haven't had much luck so far. Regardless, I'd really like to pay my way through college (opposed to parents/loans). Does anyone have some advice for finding regular web programming work?
Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
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Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#2If you're good, make a name for yourself. That means, have a good website, write some really useful open source library or something, blog and give talks at conferences/... (easier than it sounds). Once you have a name, it's easier to find jobs.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#3I was your age in the late nineties, so I got that kind of job by volunteering to build web sites for my high school (sophomore year) and local government. That led to me giving the city's web hosting company configuration instructions, which led to a summer job offer that turned into weekends-and-summers employment throughout college. I also got some referrals from the math department head.
These days, everyone has a web site. But most are not very good. So, I suggest volunteering to build web applications for your neighborhood or city. This might lead you to a product idea for your own web service, it will serve as resume fodder, and it will increase the likelihood that someone will ask you to work for them.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#4Where are you from? I don't think its hard to find some web work getting paid 20 bucks or so an hour. Getting paid a decent salary with benefits might be a little more challenging, until you've built up your resume though.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#5Develop your own website which will be your portfolio to show everyone.
Generally not having a degree will hurt you a lot and will generally lower the amount you can require for developing a website. There are websites such as 99designs.com which you can offer your designs to people that post how much money they are offering. This can help get your designs and name out there.
The best bet IMO is to go to Uni next year and during your first few years build that portfolio, if you are going to a mid to large school you can sometimes get grants from certain schools if you offer to develop a website for them (I know someone who got half of his masters degree paid doing this).
However in todays world the degree really does help.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#6Don't put off college. Go now, while you will get the most out of the experience. Even in the hypothetical situation where you learned nothing that you couldn't have taught yourself, that piece of paper will be incredibly important to your future. There is also something to be said for the life experience of being around professors, other students and the environment and energy of campus.
Find a part time job through your University. Apply for work-study, check out bulletin boards, talk to your school's career center.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#7Where are you from? I don't think its hard to find some web work getting paid 20 bucks or so an hour. Getting paid a decent salary with benefits might be a little more challenging, until you've built up your resume though.
I live near Seattle.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#8Don't forget the best part of going to college: meeting girls.
- PSU Junior working on his own startup.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#9Where are you from? I don't think its hard to find some web work getting paid 20 bucks or so an hour. Getting paid a decent salary with benefits might be a little more challenging, until you've built up your resume though.
I live near Seattle.
If "near" means "close enough to work in", feel free to contact me with some examples of what you've worked on; we've got space that you might fit. Email in profile.
Re: Ask HN: How can a 19-year-old find web programming work?
#10Go do college. Get internships and co-op jobs while in college.
You will be able to find them, you will make enough to keep the loans down to something sane.