Malta’s ICT sector is on a winning streak and the demand for IT professionals in this Mediterranean island has never been greater so if you’re currently on a lookout for great IT jobs, you’re in great luck. Full-stack web developers specifically, are in very high demand due to the versatility of their skills.
If you’re interested in a career as a full stack developer but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. The following is a short but concise guide on the steps that you should follow to land a full stack developer job anywhere in the world, including Malta.
Starting Out
Ideally, you should start positioning yourself for a position in your dream job during the last 2 years in college. This will significantly improve your chances of getting employed as a web developer right after graduation.
Don’t be shy to get extra practice by designing websites for people in your circle or even for yourself. You’ll learn more by actually applying the skills you learn in class than by studying alone. In the beginning you’ll probably build websites using mainly Shopify and WordPress.
Get a Job While in College
Startups are more open to hiring graduates and students. While they don’t pay well, you’ll learn a lot from helping a business consulting startup to build websites for their clients.
Be Proactive
If your college has an IT society or organization then you should definitely join in so that you can learn skills like team work and communication. Both of these skills will serve you well when it comes to collaborating with clients on future projects.
Learn New Skills
One of the best ways to position yourself in order to get a job as a developer is to constantly improve your skill set. This means constantly learning about new techniques and putting in time to practice what you learn. Luckily, there’s a wealth of free information on the internet that you can use to increase your skills. You’re also spoilt for choice when it comes to the learning medium. If you’re not into reading then you can skip the blogs and go straight for video tutorials or audio books.
Here are some important skills that you need in order to become successful at your job as a full stack developer and also to attract full stack developer jobs in companies that you actually like:
HTML/ CSS:
If you don’t already know how to code in HTML/ CSS you need to learn this valuable skill. These two coding languages are the foundation upon which the whole web is built. HTML is what enables you to populate websites with content, while CSS enables you to style that content.
Javascript:
When it comes to full stack web development, JavaScript language is an indispensible tool. It’s versatile enough to run on the browser organically and it can also be utilized as a server side-language.
Back-end Language:
After you’ve mastered JavaScript and HTML/CSS you should look into learning a back-end language. This will come in handy when you want to perform tasks like creating user authentication applications, understanding application logic and database operations.
There are numerous back-end languages available and they all serve the same purpose so it doesn’t really matter which one you pick. The most popular thus far is Node.js which is an off-shoot of JavaScript. Coming in at second and third place are Ruby and Express, which are great at developing web applications. Meanwhile, frameworks like Flask and Django are ideal for when you want to develop in Python.
Data Storage:
As you start building web applications, you’ll notice that there’s a need to store data so that you can refer to it later. That’s why you should make yourself familiar with concepts like how to store relational data in SQL, as well as nonSQL databases such as MongoDB.
Once you’ve gained an understanding of all of these web storage facilities you can then take your pick based on your preferences. What we can tell you is that each of them works for different scenarios so you’ll probably end up using a combination of them.
In the meantime, continue searching for that dream job as a full stack developer. As you increase your skills you’ll also improve your chances of landing a lucrative position at an organization that you’ll actually enjoy working in. Send applications every day and be patient. Patience is key to finding work and succeeding in the IT sector.
Getting Called for an Interview
When you get called for interviews remember to be yourself and put your best foot forward. While you don’t have to wear a suit and tie, you should at least go for a smart-casual look. Even if the interview is taking place via Skype make sure that you have an uncluttered background and are dressed moderately well.
Most companies will ask that you do a coding challenge. Make sure to take your time with this and get a knowledgeable friend to check your work to make sure that you don’t blow the challenge.
You may also get requests to do a follow-up interview to make sure that you’re a good fit for the organization. If things get to this stage, then the company is probably really serious about hiring you.
Full stack developers are the most in-demand profession in the development community at present so finding a job shouldn’t take you longer than six months after graduating college.
