What should be the next step for a junior developer like me?

My Background -
I have no experience with internships or jobs.

I have some knowledge in web development (html, css, javascript, react), android development (Kotlin) through hobby coding.

I have quite strong problem solving (Data Structures & Algorithms) skills, thanks to competitive programming on platforms like codeforces.

I also have some experience in creative coding ( p5js & processing) and machine Learning through hobby coding.

My Vision -
I wish to be good enough so that I can get a decent salaried job as soon as possible ( because of some personal reasons).

What should I focus on next ?
Should I start searching for jobs? or try getting an internship first? Or, Should I try to get better at what I already know? Or, Should I add some more skills to my portfolio?

I would love to hear some advice from you guys.

This is a great question, and it’s something that pretty much everybody struggles with.

Should I start searching for jobs? or try getting an internship first? Or, Should I try to get better at what I already know? Or, Should I add some more skills to my portfolio?

Perhaps frustratingly, my answer is: yes. Why limit yourself to doing just one of these? I think you’ll have the best luck if you do all of the above!

To try to be a little more helpful, I’d maybe start by first understanding the boundaries of your options. Specifically: I know a lot of companies require you to be enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate program to be eligible for an internship. I’m not sure if that’s every company, and it might depend on where you’re looking. Local businesses might have different rules than, say, big tech companies in California.

But other than that, I think everything you outlined is a good thing to build on, so I’d find a balance between all of the above. You don’t really lose anything by applying to jobs- the worst case scenario is that they never contact you, which doesn’t really change much for you. So I’d be casting a wide net and applying to pretty much every job that sounded remotely interesting.

One mindset I’ve seen work is treating the interviews themselves as practice. If you go into your first few interviews not really expecting to get the job, but to get practice interviewing, that takes some of the pressure off. And how you do in the interviews will give you more info about where you should focus your energy.

I’m not sure how helpful that is, but to summarize: I’d continue building out a portfolio and resume, and I’d be applying to as many places as I could find. I’d treat the interviews as practice and would use them as a way to steer what I’m studying and focusing on. Repeat that enough times, and eventually you’ll be more comfortable interviewing!

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