Pursuing a job takes discipline and focus and Drake provided valuable insight into how to be as efficient and effective as possible to land that dream job at the conclusion of the bootcamp. His success and that of VACO speak for themselves with over 32 locations across the country while working with over 200 companies in the Orange County market alone. Drake has been recruiting in the IT market for over 6 years with 5 of those in the OC. He has placed over 500 IT professionals in that span of time so he certainly knows the process and what it take to land a position. With that in mind, the market is definitely hot as the need for developers is off the charts for both senior as well as junior developers. In fact the overall unemployment rate in Orange County is 4.4% while the unemployment rate in IT (including web developers) overall is a little over 2%. From an economic point of view that is by definition under employment! Additionally, the average salaries for developers is strong and rising with pay increases substantial once gaining entrance into the professional world of web development.

Statistics and trends aside, Drake offered insight into pursuing employment as a developer. Though some companies still require a CS degree, their numbers are dwindling and in the minority as the need far outstrips the supply. When perusing job boards and other suggested sites Drake offered insight into the importance of applying for positions that are of interest as long as at a minimum candidates possess 50% or more of the skills described in the posting regardless of the number of years of experience. Though a candidate may not meet the stated requirements of a particular position employers may consider a more Jr. Level candidate out of sheer need or because they have many of the skills, are trainable and a good fit for the culture. Candidates should also leave no stone unturned and utilize multiple platforms to search for positions such as Indeed, Dice, LinkedIn, Angel List and even Craigslist. In addition, Drake suggested visiting the local college alumni boards as a great source of potential positions.

Obviously, getting in the door is key to gaining the opportunity show how a candidate can meet the needs of the organization. It is critical to be able to demonstrate code and completed projects as employers ultimately want to see what a candidate can do not just what they say they can do. It is important to have a solid, well-constructed resume but resumes can be embellished so completed projects are key from the employers perspective!

Once an interview is secured with a particular company, Drake shared 9 keys to conducting a successful interview:

1. Do your research
2. Establish presence (demonstrate confidence)
3. Be proactive
4. Provide examples
5. Be aware of your audience
6. Ask questions
7. Hold your hand reasonably close to your chest
8. Know your resume
9. Close strong but respectfully

Thanks to Drake and VACO for coming to the LearningFuze facility and sharing his expertise on how to effectively search and land a web development position!