The IT sector in Poland is developing very dynamically, the number of employees is still growing and currently the number of Polish employees in the IT industry is nearly 530,000. Entering such a thriving world of technology can be quite a challenge, especially when we don't have any professional experience. However, experience itself has a neutral value, what matters is what you do with it. Therefore, another quality is more important at the start - determination. If you dream of a programmer job and feel that this is your path, check out how to start a career in IT in a few steps. Self-study, instructional videos and preparation courses are not everything!
1. Education and self-education
Continuous learning is the key. It is important to expand skills not only in programming, new technologies, IT as a broadly understood specialist industry, but also in other IT areas, such as project management or user experience.
You can learn theoretical issues using free or inexpensive online resources: courses, e.g. on the udemy.com platform, bootcamps, numerous tutorials, e.g. those published on YouTube, original vlogs, official websites such as the React library on GitHub or pl. legacy.reactjs.org or classic blogs and forums. There are also many organizations in Poland that prepare candidates for work in a given industry. An example is Mate academy, which organizes daily coding courses for free until you are hired.
2. Obtain industry certifications
Industry certificates allow you to confirm your own skills and interests in a specific IT area. They can be obtained from various fields, e.g. network management, programming or security. Obtaining a specific certificate is not only a confirmation of completing a given course or training, but also a real acquisition of knowledge and experience.
3. Design practice
Practical experience can come from projects on your own, teamwork or participation in open sources. It is worth making a portfolio of projects and publishing them on your account, e.g. on github.com, so that you can present them to potential employers later.
4. Internships and apprenticeships
Internship programs or internships in IT companies will bring you closer to gaining valuable experience before a full-time job. Many offers in the IT industry concern internships - it is important not to close yourself off to this form of employment, it gives an almost sure start to work in the profession. You can find internship offers, for example, on the nofluffjobs.com/pl/ or bulldogjob.pl platforms dedicated to job offers in IT.
5. Build a network of contacts
Participation in meetings, workshops, conferences, meetups and other industry events allows you to establish contacts with industry professionals. In addition, if you ask questions and show commitment to a given topic, you can be noticed by people looking for employees for their teams, which brings you closer to getting your dream job.
6. Prepare your CV and cover letter
A well-thought-out CV, in which we emphasize our skills, acquired knowledge and projects we have worked on, is the basis. For people with no experience, motivation is key, so it's a good idea to include your commitment to learning new skills in your cover letter. On the other hand, it is worth including a link to your LinkedIn profile and your own projects on GitHub or GitLab in your CV.
7. Starting positions
Positions related to technical service, user support, software testing or as a developer assistant are a valuable start and valuable experience. Starting with the position "around development", you will learn the industry nomenclature and gain contacts, which in the future may be a gateway to employment as a programmer.
8. Learn from the experts, it really helps!
Programming is a very wide field, you can always learn something new in it, so when you find a job, try to learn from experienced colleagues, do not close yourself to knowledge and be open to suggestions and hints. This will help you develop your professional skills faster. Good luck!