Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Software Engineers
To find entry-level software engineering roles, look for "junior developer" or "junior engineer" positions; however, building a portfolio of personal projects, such as Ryan's prototype screenwriting software, provides concrete evidence of skills and significantly improves chances of securing a job, as "if you show people you can build stuff and it works...then there's really no reason they can say no".
Entry-Level Jobs, Software Development, Portfolio Building, Problem-Solving Skills, Practical Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ryan Yost
Software Engineer
Freelance/Contractor
University of Michigan
None
Spanish & Other Languages, Economics
Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Honors Student, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Junior developer positions are common entry-level roles in software engineering.
2. Building personal projects and showcasing them during interviews is a valuable way to demonstrate skills and secure a position, even without prior experience.
3. Creating a portfolio of projects, even as a spare-time activity, increases job prospects and might even lead to entrepreneurial opportunities.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
There should be many junior developer positions. That's the term you should look for: junior developer, junior engineer, or similar. Hopefully, there will be a lot of those.
Something I would suggest, and what I did, is if you don't have any experience, build things that work and are on the internet. This gives anyone interviewing you concrete evidence that you can do the job they're asking for.
For example, when I was applying to a screenwriting software company, I spent a couple of days building a prototype of screenwriting software. This showed that I understood the problems and could use technology to solve them.
It's like if you wanted to be a carpenter and had no resume, but you showed the head carpenter a chair you made. What more evidence would they need that you can do the job? That's how I approach it.
So, if entry-level positions aren't appearing, create a side project with a tangible deliverable you can showcase. At best, it could become a business or a popular website. Anything is possible.
Don't wait for an opportunity; start building. If you show people you can build things that work well, there's no reason for them to say no.