Junior Devs Can Outcompete Experienced Devs with These Secret Weapons | Ep #30

**Show notes below**

 👋👋👋 Connect With Me! 👋👋👋 

💥 Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/zubinpratap 💥 Be personally coached for 12 months by Brian Jenney and me: https://www.parsity.io/inner-circle 💥 Career Change to Code - FREE Webinar at https://matchfitmastery.com 💥 Before You Learn To Code -- Where to start? What to do? https://matchfitmastery.com/lifesaver 💥 Podcasts:, Blogs and Resources https://linktr.ee/zubinpratap 💥 Twitter: http://twitter.com/zubinpratap 💥 https://www.instagram.com/zubinpratap/ Most of the people who ask me for help in becoming professional coders spend way too much time learning too many things rather than getting deep skills in a few things.

SHOW NOTES

Actually getting hired as a coder when I was a 37yo lawyer was hard AF - even though I was good at code.

But once I figured out the structure of the hiring market I was able to get 4 offers in a few weeks and less than a year later joined Google as a software engineer.

Here are my key takeaways on how to outcompete experienced software engineers as a career changer:

Leverage Your Unique Background

• Craft a compelling "Why Tech?" story that demonstrates authentic passion and commercial value

• Use domain expertise from your previous career to stand out in relevant tech sectors

Demonstrate Enhanced Soft Skills

• Excel at clear communication and explaining complex concepts to non-technical audiences

• Show strong problem-solving abilities beyond just coding - focus on solving real business challenges

• Highlight adaptability and resilience gained through your career transition

Build a Strategic Portfolio

• Focus on 1-3 high-quality projects that tell a personal story, rather than many basic projects

• Create projects that solve real problems you've encountered, not just tutorial clones

• Ensure your work demonstrates problem-solving abilities and technical depth

Network Strategically

• Build genuine relationships with both developers and recruiters over time

• Earn the right to informational interviews through meaningful connection-building

• Focus on quality over quantity in your networking efforts

Accept the Reality

The reality is that competing against experienced engineers requires a systematic, long-term approach. It's not about being better than CS graduates, but rather demonstrating your unique value proposition to hiring managers.

Remember: Just like a startup entering a crowded market, you need to identify your niche and showcase how you can satisfy customer needs better than the competition. This requires careful strategy, persistence, and a growth mindset.

Action Points:

• Identify your commercially valuable differentiators

• Focus on strategic continuous learning rather than trying to learn everything

• Build credibility before applying for roles

• Never repeat the same mistake twice

• Target roles where your unique background adds specific value

• Plan for a 40-52 week systematic career transition journey

Let me know if you'd like me to expand on any of these points. Success in changing careers to tech requires dedication, strategy and patience - but it's absolutely achievable with the right approach.