9:19
Forget Coding Projects: This is How You Get Hired
Iman Musa
Focus on gaining real-world experience through virtual internships, freelancing, or building a startup to get hired in tech.
Executive Summary
In the video 'Forget Coding Projects: This is How You Get Hired,' the speaker emphasizes that traditional coding projects are not the most effective way for career changers to secure tech jobs. Instead, he proposes three strategies: engaging in virtual internships to gain real-world experience, freelancing by offering free services to acquaintances and local businesses, and creating a startup to demonstrate initiative and skills. These approaches not only provide legitimate experience but also enhance credibility in job applications, ultimately increasing the chances of landing a tech position.
Key Takeaways
- Search for virtual internship programs online to gain real-world experience and earn certificates from reputable companies like JP Morgan Chase or EA Games.
- Offer to build websites for friends, family, and local businesses for free to gain freelance experience and add it to your resume.
- Create a simple startup project that solves a real problem, ensuring it looks professional with a domain, logo, and social media presence.
- Utilize resources like product hunt or winning hackathon projects to inspire your startup ideas and understand what makes them successful.
Key Insights
- Focusing solely on coding projects can mislead career changers; real-world experience is paramount for hiring, as employers prioritize proven skills over theoretical knowledge.
- Virtual internships provide a legitimate way to gain experience and credibility, allowing candidates to showcase their skills from reputable companies on their resumes.
- Freelancing through personal networks can yield practical experience, enabling aspiring developers to build real projects while establishing a portfolio that impresses potential employers.
Summary Points
- The tech job market is challenging for career changers, with many roles requiring prior experience.
- Focusing solely on coding projects is ineffective; real-world experience is crucial for job applications.
- Virtual internships, freelancing, and building a startup are effective strategies to gain legitimate experience.
- Virtual internships provide certificates from reputable companies, enhancing credibility on resumes.
- Freelancing involves offering free services to friends or local businesses to build a portfolio.
Detailed Summary
- The tech job market is challenging, especially for career changers, with many entry-level positions requiring years of experience, making it difficult to stand out among applicants.
- The video argues against the notion that coding projects are the key to getting hired, emphasizing that while projects are beneficial for learning, they do not equate to real-world experience needed by employers.
- An analogy is presented comparing coding experience to medical training, highlighting that theoretical knowledge or simulations are insufficient for high-stakes roles, similar to how companies prefer candidates with real-world coding experience.
- The speaker shares three effective strategies for gaining relevant experience without formal employment: virtual internships, freelancing, and building a startup, which can help career changers transition into tech roles.
- Virtual internships are described as free programs offered by major companies, allowing participants to complete tasks and earn certificates, which can enhance resumes and provide credibility during job applications.
- Freelancing is recommended as a way to gain practical experience by offering to build websites for friends, family, or local businesses for free, thereby establishing a portfolio and real client references.
- Building a startup is suggested as a way to create a legitimate project that can be showcased to potential employers, emphasizing the importance of professionalism in branding and online presence.
- The video concludes by encouraging viewers to take action on these strategies, asserting that genuine experiences will not only lead to interviews but also increase the likelihood of receiving job offers.
What is the main argument presented in the video regarding coding projects?
What analogy does the speaker use to explain the importance of real experience?
What is a virtual internship according to the video?
Which companies are mentioned as offering virtual internship programs?
What strategy does the speaker suggest for gaining experience through freelancing?
What is the purpose of making a startup look professional?
What type of projects does the speaker suggest for a startup?
What is the primary goal of the strategies discussed in the video?
How does the speaker suggest one can find startup ideas?
What does the speaker imply about the relationship between real experience and job offers?
What is the main issue for career changers in tech?
Career changers often face tough job markets with job descriptions requiring years of experience, even for entry-level roles.
Why are coding projects not enough to get hired?
While coding projects help in learning and skill-building, companies prefer candidates with real-world experience and production code, not just simulated projects.
What analogy is used to explain the importance of real experience?
The analogy compares hiring a developer with hiring a doctor; just as you wouldn't trust a doctor with only simulation experience, companies seek developers with real-world experience.
What is a virtual internship?
A virtual internship simulates real-world developer work, providing tasks to complete. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate, which can enhance their resume.
How can virtual internships benefit job applicants?
Completing a virtual internship from a reputable company adds credibility to a resume, making candidates more attractive to employers.
What is the second strategy to gain experience?
Freelancing is the second strategy, where individuals offer to build websites for free to friends, family, or local businesses to gain practical experience.
How can freelancing help in job applications?
By completing freelance projects, candidates can list legitimate experience on their resumes, providing proof of their skills to potential employers.
What does building a startup involve?
Building a startup means creating a project that could be useful, focusing on making it look professional with branding, a website, and social media presence.
Why is it important for a startup to look professional?
A professional appearance for a startup increases the chances of getting interviews, as recruiters are more likely to take candidates seriously.
What resources can help generate startup ideas?
Websites like thhunt.com and winning hackathon projects from universities can provide inspiration for simple and effective startup ideas.
What is the overall goal of the strategies discussed?
The strategies aim to help individuals gain legitimate experience that can lead to job interviews and offers in the tech industry.
What should candidates do if they feel overwhelmed by transitioning to tech?
Candidates can seek structured guidance, such as enrolling in a coding boot camp, to receive step-by-step support in breaking into the tech industry.
How can candidates prove their freelance experience during interviews?
Candidates can provide real proof of their freelance work, such as client testimonials or completed projects, to validate their experience in interviews.
What is the significance of the 'experience paradox' in tech hiring?
The 'experience paradox' refers to the challenge of gaining required experience for jobs while needing a job to gain that experience, creating a cycle for job seekers.
Study Notes
The video opens by addressing the current challenges in the tech job market, particularly for career changers. It highlights the frustration of encountering job descriptions that demand extensive experience even for entry-level positions. The speaker emphasizes the need for differentiation in a competitive landscape and sets the stage for discussing alternative strategies to gain relevant experience without traditional projects.
The speaker critiques the common belief that completing coding projects is the key to getting hired in tech. They argue that while projects are beneficial for learning and skill development, they do not equate to real-world experience that employers seek. An analogy is drawn comparing coding projects to a medical student performing simulated surgeries, underscoring the importance of actual experience in a professional environment.
The speaker introduces the concept of the 'experience paradox,' where companies desire candidates with experience, yet entry-level roles are often the starting point for gaining that experience. This paradox creates a barrier for newcomers to the tech industry. The speaker promises to provide three actionable strategies to overcome this issue and gain legitimate experience without formal employment.
The first strategy discussed is engaging in virtual internships. The speaker explains that these internships simulate real-world developer roles and are offered by reputable companies like JP Morgan Chase and EA Games. Participants complete tasks and receive certificates upon completion, which can be added to resumes. This approach not only provides valuable experience but also enhances credibility when applying for jobs.
The second strategy is to pursue freelancing, but with a twist. Instead of using platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, the speaker suggests reaching out to family, friends, and local businesses to offer free website development services. This hands-on experience allows individuals to build a portfolio and gain real client interactions, which can be highlighted on resumes to demonstrate practical skills and experience to potential employers.
The final strategy involves creating a personal startup. The speaker reassures viewers that a startup does not need to be groundbreaking; it can be a simple application that addresses a common need. The focus should be on making the startup appear professional, with a polished website and social media presence. This strategy allows individuals to claim the title of 'founding software engineer' on their resumes, showcasing entrepreneurial spirit and initiative.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of the experiences gained through the aforementioned strategies. They highlight that these experiences are legitimate and can withstand scrutiny during interviews. By being able to provide real proof of work and client interactions, candidates can confidently present their backgrounds to potential employers, increasing their chances of landing interviews and job offers.
In the conclusion, the speaker reiterates that taking action on the strategies discussed can significantly improve the likelihood of getting hired in the tech industry. They encourage viewers to engage with the content by liking and subscribing, and they promote a coding boot camp for those seeking structured guidance in their transition to tech. This call to action reinforces the video's purpose of empowering career changers to take proactive steps toward their goals.
Key Terms & Definitions
Transcript
There's no doubt that the tech market is. pretty tough right now, especially for. career changers trying to transition. into tech. I mean, you've probably seen. tons of job descriptions asking for. years of experience, even for. entry-level roles. So, what the hell can. you even do about it to differentiate. yourself? Well, one thing I can tell you. for sure is that the answer is not. projects. But what I also want to break. down is three better ways that any. career changer or tech beginner can. build real experience without having a. formal job. Look, as someone who broke. into tech themselves, has worked in this. industry for multiple years, and has. also helped dozens of other beginners. transition into this field, I actually. find it very annoying every time one of. those videos pop up with titles like. this one coding project will get you. hired, or build this coding project to. break into tech, because it paints. building projects as this magic ticket. to breaking into this industry and. getting hired at a tech company. And it. is honestly tempting to think that all. you have to do is keep watching these. videos and you're eventually going to. find that one magical project idea that. gets you a job. But honestly, focusing. exclusively on projects is one of the. stupidest ways to waste your time in my. opinion. Because here's the thing,. projects are great for learning. They. help you understand new concepts,. practice skills, and overall build your. skills up as a programmer. But when it. comes to getting a job, that is a whole. different story. Look, I'll make this. easier to understand for you by giving. you an analogy that everybody can. understand. Imagine you needed heart. surgery and you needed a doctor and I. come to you and I say, "Hey, I went to. medical school and I've done three. simulations of heart surgery on a. computer in a controlled environment. Let me operate on your heart." If I said. that to you, would you let me operate on. your heart? Probably not. And I. personally wouldn't too. The same. concept applies when a company is hiring. for developers. Now, obviously, coding. isn't life or death like heart surgery. But then again, there is the risk of. millions, if not billions of users being. affected if software engineers and. developers don't do their job correctly. and the software is not properly built. For example, the Yahoo data leak in 2013. where almost 3 billion user accounts had. their personal information leaked. because software was not built. correctly. So, because companies don't. want to hire junior engineers just to. see them taking down the entire product,. they usually look for people who have. experience working on real life. production code, dealing with real users. and working on real commercial projects,. not just a to-do app or a calculator app. you built for the sole purpose of. putting on your resume. But now the. question is, if building projects isn't. enough to get you hired and companies. are looking for developers who already. have experience, how the hell are you. even supposed to get that experience to. transition into this field? And that's. the whole reason why I made this video. What I want to teach you now is three. strategies I use to get past this. problem and build experience without. actually having a formal job that. allowed me to leave my dead-end. warehouse job and transition into the. tech industry in under 6 months. and. that I've also taught to dozens of my. students to help them transition into. tech in a matter of months and land six. figure roles. So, jumping straight in. here, the first way that I got past this. sort of experience paradox, if we can. call it that, is by doing what I call. virtual internships. So, if you go to. Google and you search for coding virtual. internships, you're going to find that. there is tons of companies offering. these virtual internship programs for. pretty much every field of tech you can. imagine. But what exactly is a virtual. internship? Well, a virtual internship. is basically just a program that's meant. to simulate and teach you what it's like. to work as a developer in the real. world. And how they usually work is. you're going to receive a series of. tasks that you have to complete as part. of the internship program. And then once. you complete all of the tasks of that. virtual internship, you will then. receive a certificate at the end. Now,. what makes these programs so incredibly. useful is one, they are completely free. and available to anyone. And two,. massive companies like JP Morgan Chase. and EA Games offer these virtual. internship programs. So, all you have to. do is go online, search for these. virtual internship programs, actually. take the time to complete them, and then. once you have your certificate from that. internship program, you can then put it. on your resume and say you were a. software engineering intern at EA Games. or JP Morgan Chase. So, when you apply. for jobs now, you're going to get. instant credibility from having an. internship at one of these bigname. companies on your resume. And if you get. questioned about this experience in an. interview, all you have to do is say. that you completed a virtual internship. program online and show them the. certificate. Now, before I dive into the. next strategy that I use to get past. this experience paradox, if this all. feels super overwhelming and you'd. rather have a proven step-by-step system. on how you can actually break into tech. in 2025, that's exactly what I help my. students with in my coding boot camp. ASAP front end. I've helped dozens of. career changes break into the tech. industry starting from careers like. retail, warehouse, finance, education,. hospitality. So, if that sounds. interesting to you, check out the first. link in the description. But now, right. back to the video. So, the second really. easy way to get past the experience. paradox is by freelancing. But when I. say freelancing, I don't mean going onto. websites like Fiverr or Upwork. Instead,. what you'll do is approach absolutely. everyone that you know. So, that's. family, friends, mutuals, etc., and. offer to build them a website 100% free. And while you're doing that, you want to. search for local businesses in your area. on Google Maps and look for the ones. that don't have a website and make them. the same offer. After doing this for one. to two weeks, you're pretty much. guaranteed to find at least one person. who needs a website. I was personally. able to find two clients off the bat and. every single one of my students who try. this strategy are able to find at least. one person within a twoe period. And. once you've found your person who needs. a website, all you need to do is just. build it out for them. Repeat this. process for one to two more people if. you can. And now you can say you're a. legitimate freelance developer on your. resume and leverage that experience to. get you into your first tech role. And. the best part is if employers or. interviewers try to dig deeper into this. experience, you can actually back it up. with real proof and real clients. Now. the third and final way to get past the. experience paradox is by building your. own startup. Now when people hear the. word startup, they get super intimidated. and think you have to build something. groundbreaking or revolutionary. But. your startup doesn't have to be the next. Open AI or chat GPT. When I say startup,. I mean just spend two to three months. building and deploying a really decent. project that you think could genuinely. be useful to real people. And again,. that doesn't have to be anything super. complex. It could be a note-taking app. for university students, a to-do list. for busy parents, a simple habit tracker. for people who struggle with motivation. It could be anything. The actual project. itself honestly doesn't really matter. Most of the work with this strategy is. just making the startup look legit. enough to actually get you interviews. So most of the work with this strategy. is going to go into stuff like getting a. really professional logo, making sure. the UI and the landing page is really,. really modern, setting up LinkedIn pages. for the startup, setting up social media. pages for the startup, buying a. professional domain, so a.com, aio, and. then once you've done that and you make. the startup look super professional and. super real, you can then say you're the. founding software engineer at your. startup on your resume and leverage that. experience to actually get you. interviewed. Again, it's really. important that you actually make this. startup look super legit because we want. to make it so that when the recruiter or. the interviewer searches up your. startup's name, it shows up as the first. result. And then there's social media. pages, LinkedIn pages, a really. professional landing page so that again,. the startup looks professional enough to. actually get you an interview. Now, if. you're struggling to come up with. startup ideas, I recommend checking out. different startups and side projects. that people are building on this website. calledthhunt.com. And that'll make you realize how simple. and basic a lot of the successful. startups actually are. Or you can check. out winning hackathon projects from top. universities like Harvard or MIT if you. really want to push yourself and build a. more complex startup idea. Those two. resources should give you more than. enough ideas to get a startup up and. running. Now, the best part about all of. these strategies that I walk through is. they actually give you completely. legitimate and real experiences. So, if. an employer tries to dig deeper into any. of these experiences in an interview,. you can actually back it up with real. proof. And that makes sure that these. experiences not only land you. interviews, but land you job offers. And. that, my friends, is how you beat the. experience paradox and land your first. tech job. If you genuinely take action. on all the strategies that I walk. through in this video, there is pretty. much no chance that you do not get. hired. Now, if you want to learn more. about how to learn to code and break. into tech, make sure to drop a like and. subscribe to the channel. And I highly. recommend you watch the video that's. about to pop up on the screen now if you. want a full guide on everything you need. to know to land your first tech job. And. also, if you're a career changer and. you're interested in getting one-on-one. coaching to transition into the tech. industry in the next 3 to 6 months,. guaranteed, apply to join the coding. boot camp with the first link in the. description. Thank you for watching and. I'll see you in the next.
Title Analysis
The title uses a somewhat provocative phrase, 'Forget Coding Projects,' which may create curiosity but does not employ extreme clickbait tactics like ALL CAPS or excessive punctuation. It suggests a strong alternative to traditional coding projects without being misleading, as it hints at a more nuanced approach to getting hired in tech.
The title aligns well with the content, which discusses alternative strategies for getting hired in tech beyond just coding projects. However, it could be seen as slightly misleading because it implies a complete disregard for coding projects, while the content acknowledges their value in learning.
Content Efficiency
The video contains a substantial amount of unique and valuable information, particularly in the strategies for gaining experience without formal jobs. However, there are instances of repetition, especially in emphasizing the ineffectiveness of coding projects and the importance of real-world experience. While the core message is clear, some phrases and analogies are reiterated, which slightly detracts from the overall information density.
The pacing of the video is generally good, but there are moments where the speaker elaborates on points that could be made more succinctly. While the explanations of strategies are useful, some sections could be trimmed to improve overall time efficiency. The video could benefit from a more focused approach, reducing filler content and tangents that do not directly contribute to the main message.
Improvement Suggestions
To enhance information density, the speaker could eliminate redundant phrases and streamline analogies. For time efficiency, consider shortening explanations of each strategy and reducing the emphasis on the ineffectiveness of coding projects. Additionally, providing a quick summary of key points at the end could reinforce the message without lengthy elaboration.
Content Level & Clarity
The content is aimed at individuals transitioning into tech, particularly career changers. While it does not require extensive prior knowledge, a basic familiarity with the tech industry and coding concepts would be beneficial. This score reflects that the content is accessible to those with minimal experience but may be challenging for complete novices without any context.
The teaching clarity is relatively high, with a logical flow and coherent structure. The speaker uses relatable analogies and clear examples to convey complex ideas, making it easier for viewers to understand the strategies discussed. However, some sections could benefit from more concise explanations to enhance clarity further.
Prerequisites
Basic familiarity with the tech industry and coding concepts would be helpful, as well as an understanding of job application processes.
Suggestions to Improve Clarity
To improve clarity, the speaker could incorporate more visual aids or on-screen text to emphasize key points. Additionally, breaking down longer sections into shorter, more digestible segments could help maintain viewer engagement and understanding. Summarizing each strategy at the end of its explanation would reinforce learning.
Educational Value
The video provides strong educational value by addressing a common challenge faced by career changers entering the tech industry: the experience paradox. It offers practical strategies such as virtual internships, freelancing, and creating a startup, which are actionable and relevant for the target audience. The speaker effectively uses analogies, like comparing coding projects to medical simulations, to clarify the importance of real-world experience. The content is structured logically, facilitating knowledge retention and practical application. By emphasizing legitimate experience over mere project completion, it encourages viewers to think critically about their career paths. Overall, the video is informative and offers valuable insights for those looking to break into tech.
Target Audience
Content Type Analysis
Content Type
Format Improvement Suggestions
- Add visual aids to illustrate key points
- Include on-screen text for important strategies
- Incorporate real-life examples or case studies
- Use graphics to summarize the three strategies
- Engage with audience through Q&A segments
Language & Readability
Original Language
EnglishVery easy to read and understand. Simple language and clear explanations.
Content Longevity
Timeless Factors
- Universal themes of career transition and job searching in tech
- Fundamental principles of gaining experience without formal employment
- Timeless concepts of freelancing and virtual internships
- The importance of practical experience over theoretical knowledge
- Strategies that can be adapted to future job markets
Occasional updates recommended to maintain relevance.
Update Suggestions
- Add context about current job market trends and demands in tech
- Update examples of companies offering virtual internships or freelancing opportunities
- Reference contemporary technologies or programming languages that are in demand
- Incorporate recent success stories or testimonials from individuals who used these strategies
- Adjust any statistics or data points to reflect the current state of the tech industry