If you want to find a job as a web developer, Berlin is one of the best places to be. The tech scene in Germany is booming, and web developers are in high demand.
- A new startup is founded every 20 minutes in the capital city alone.
- The average salary for a web developer in Berlin is €48,719 per year.
- By 2023, Germany will need an extra 700,000 tech specialists.
But if you’re just starting out without any skills or experience, you probably feel like you’re years away from finding a job, right?
This guide will show you how to get your first job as a web developer in less than six months.
Let’s dive in.
6 Simple Steps to Find a Job as a Web Developer
Step 1: Learn to Code
There are a bunch of ways you can learn to code. First, you can get started with our free Introduction to web development course to learn a basic coding foundation.
Alongside online lessons, you can also find resources and ebooks to teach your different frameworks and languages. Jon Duckett’s series on web development and Steve McConnell’s Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction are two of the best resources for gaining an overview of everything web development.
Many professional developers are self-taught, but the fastest way to learn to code is through an intensive course. Here at Wild Code School’s coding bootcamp in Berlin, we run intensive training courses that teach you how to code and become a front-end web developer or full-stack web developer in just five months.
Step 2: Gain Experience
Almost every company prefers to hire candidates with experience. But how do you get experience without a job?
Well, there are lots of ways you can gain experience as a web developer and sharpen your skills.
You can find open-source projects on GitHub to develop your coding skills and gain more experience. Github is also the industry standard for version control, so gaining experience with this tool is a great way to strengthen your development skills.
Participating in hackathons can be an exciting way to test your skills, make connections, and grow your network. Here at Wild Code School, you’ll take part in hackathons as part of the curriculum. We partner with some of the biggest and most innovative tech companies worldwide for hackathons, including Fiverr, Doctolib, and Dataiku.
You can also consider volunteering to get real-world experience working on some meaningful projects that will look great in your portfolio.
Step 3: Build Your Portfolio
An eye-catching portfolio can be vital to getting your foot in the door. Your portfolio is where you showcase your previous projects to potential employers. It’s your brand as a web developer, so it should reflect your personality and skills.
Your portfolio can help you find a web developer job in Berlin and anywhere else in the world. Being a web developer allows you to work from anywhere with an internet connection.
We’ll help you to build your portfolio during your training here at Wild Code School. You’ll work on 3 main portfolio-building projects, including 2 hackathons and a 2 month project with a real company here in Berlin.
Alongside your course projects, you can include any volunteer or freelance projects you have worked on. Personal projects can be a great way to add depth to your portfolio and show potential employers you are willing to learn and experiment to grow your skill set.
Once you have created your portfolio, share it on Behance, GitHub, and your LinkedIn profile.
Step 4: Network, Network, Network
Networking can be crucial to find job opportunities. It’s also a great way to find mentors, support, and learn from web developers with more experience. When you engage with the community, you’ll find that opportunities naturally come your way.
If you’re entirely new to Berlin and the web development industry, networking can seem overwhelming at first. But there are many fun ways to meet other developers in person and online through hackathons and online communities like GitHub.
During your training at Wild Code School, you’ll get to start building your network as you grow your skills. We regularly invite guest speakers from the local and international web development community, including speakers from Ubisoft Ivory Tower, Devoteam, Capgemini Engineering, and more.
Berlin is a vibrant city with a dynamic tech scene. Tech Open Air, Startup Safari, Hub Berlin, and Techstars StartUp are just a few of the biggest events. You can also find regular tech meetups on sites like Meetup.
Step 5: Tailor Your Job Search
You need to consider what type of job you want before sending out your CV to hundreds of firms. There are lots of different ways you can make a living as a web developer.
Do you want to be a front-end developer or back-end developer? Do you want to work for a startup or an established company?
When you have a good idea of the type of job and company you want to work for, it’s easier to narrow your search and identify opportunities that match your interests and skills. Your training course at Wild Code School is about more than teaching you the skills you need to be a web developer. You’ll also learn how to launch a successful career. Our dedicated career coaching department will help you to tailor your job search to find the company that is right for you.
The first place you should look for opportunities is job portals. Companies that have put up a listing are actively looking for a developer, so your chances of getting an interview are much higher than cold outreach. You can use job portals like:
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
- Berlin Startup Jobs
- StepStone
-
GermanTechJobs.de - dedicated job board for Software
Google is also an excellent place to find potential employers. Search for software companies and creative agencies in Berlin that match your requirements and send over your resume and portfolio with a short cover letter. Ask if they have any current vacancies or if they expect to have any openings in the future, and explain your motivation for wanting to join the company. This is a great way to build your network and get your name out there.
Step 6: Prepare for the Interview
The interview is the last step of the journey to becoming a professional web developer. Preparation is vital for making the right impression and getting the job.
Before the interview, spend some time researching the company and what they do. You need to go beyond a quick scan of the “About” page on their website. Look at the types of clients they work with, the solutions they provide, and most importantly, how web development fits into that process.
Your goal is to convince the interviewer that you have the right skills for the job and the right mindset. If you are applying for a junior web developer role, your potential employer won’t expect you to know everything. Most companies want to hire someone with that genuine passion for their work and motivation to improve and develop their skills.
You may also be asked to complete a coding challenge or technical test to demonstrate your capabilities. If you’ve developed your skills, you should have no problem showing that you are comfortable with primary coding languages. Be prepared for the test and common interview questions, practice beforehand, and be confident.
To help you prepare for the job interview process, you’ll take part in mock interviews as part of your training here at Wild Code School. We also invite recruiters and talent acquisition managers from leading tech companies to provide insight into what employers are looking for and how you can stand out from other applicants. You’ll also get the opportunity to learn tips and tricks from our alumni and hear how they found their first jobs after graduating.
Conclusion: How To Find a Job as a Web Developer in Berlin?
That’s it. We’ve covered all the steps to find a web developer job in Berlin. Here’s a quick recap:
- Learn to code - Get started with our free introduction course today.
- Gain experience - Hackathons, volunteer work, and open source projects are all great ways to get experience.
- Build your portfolio - Use your newly-learned skills to get some projects under your belt that you can show to potential employers.
- Network, network, network - Attend events, online meetups, and hackathons to meet new people and get your name out there.
- Tailor your job search - It’s much easier to narrow in on the right opportunities when you know what you’re looking for.
- Prepare for the interview - Preparation is everything. Do your research and be confident in your skills and what you have to offer.
If you’re in the early stages of learning how to code, it can feel like a developer job is a long way off. But if you’re dedicated and stay positive, it’s more than possible to get a job in the fastest-growing tech hub in Europe.
Want to get there faster?
Here at Wild Code School, we offer coding bootcamps to fast-track your career in web development. You can learn how to code and become a front-end web developer or full-stack web developer in just five months. You’ll be coached on how to land your first development job and be able to leverage our network of over 1,000 partner companies and over 3,500 alumni to get your first job.
To go further...
If you want to see how quickly things can change when you take action:
- see how Office Manager Neli switched careers to become a web developer with the help of Wild Code School
- discover the Web developer syllabus to find more about the training program, the next sessions, the typical day and missions of a web developer, and much more
- and to go even further, check out our YouTube channel with all our Wilders' stories! Here, a quick look on what is a web developer:
