The current situation in the IT market isn't easy. Is it the economic crisis, wars, or AI? I'd say it's a mix of all of these. I believe many of you feel the same - it's often depressing, it seems impossible to land that first job, and the bar is set incredibly high.
I wandered on my path just like everyone else. I had periods when I studied a lot of theory, thinking I had to be absolutely ready if I got a chance for an interview. Then came that famous first interview - yes, I knew the theory, but I didn't know algorithms. Months of practicing algorithms followed, but without any interview invitations.
No, I don't regret practicing them. I think algorithms should be practiced regardless of interviews because they've greatly improved the quality of code I deliver and my way of thinking.
The Project Trap
Then I realized everyone had three projects, so I had to stand out. I kept building new projects, and when I reached five, I found myself in a situation where potential employers would say "this is good, but you don't have commercial experience."
No, it wasn't a short journey - three years had passed since writing my first line of code, and I still felt like I was at the beginning, miles away from getting a job.
The Turning Point: Building My Portfolio
One day, I decided to create a portfolio site. The plan was to make it so good it would be the hook that someone would bite. I planned it for about a month, looked at 100 others until I came up with mine from a combination of several.
No, it's not the best portfolio in the world, but it was good enough to separate me from entry-level programmers.
The Next 6 Months Changed Everything
Comparing to the year before: 2 interviews and 2 freelance jobs (one was honestly for an acquaintance), 300 connects spent on Upwork in vain without a single response. I know most of you reading this are in the same phase.
What did I change?
One high-quality website kept in my pocket - 95+ performance score, proper a11y, clean code, very attractive UI with many well-thought-out ready-made components, and belief in myself. Yes, that's what also changed. I started believing, looking at my portfolio website, that my site is production-ready and that I am ready.
An interview followed, even a discussion about price. We parted ways there, but someone wanted to pay me - even if too low, but they wanted to. Before that, I was trying even for free...
Breaking Through on Upwork
Then I read a lot about Upwork, how to bid, create a portfolio, etc. But the key thing was finding someone who cared about getting it as cheap as possible and a job where you're comfortable.
I got my first job for $15 - a few hours of debugging. But I got two very valuable things: a review and self-confidence because I solved a problem that someone else didn't know how to solve. I finally got rid of that feeling that "everyone knows what I know."
After the first came others, and I repeated the same scheme: short jobs $10-25, collecting reviews, talking to clients, gaining experience. When I reached 5 reviews, I decided to raise the bar and now apply for jobs from $50 to $150, and I've had success - I'm even increasingly getting interview invitations on Upwork.
What I Learned
Through Upwork projects, I learned that I know a lot. I perfected all my strengths, developed some skills, but also learned what I don't know, what's in demand, and what's worth learning.
Finally, I'm not wandering anymore - I have a clear next step. My knowledge is growing, the number of reviews is growing, the amount I charge is growing, and my self-confidence is growing.
About AI and the Future
Yes, sometimes I get scared that AI will replace us all, but then I continue even stronger with the belief that humans will always be the ones making decisions and managing everything. It's a sign that I just need to learn more, develop towards full-stack to withstand the race with both competition and tools that improve daily.
Final Thoughts
The steering wheel is in your hands. There are no shortcuts - you have to go slowly, humbly, and persistently. No, programming is no longer for those who want to get rich quick (if it ever was), but for marathon runners - persistent and tenacious people who don't give up.
What do you think?