6. Gain Experience Without a Job

In today’s competitive tech job market, even entry-level roles and internships expect real-world experience. It’s not enough to have just taken the right courses—you need to show that you’ve applied your knowledge to actual projects.

But that raises a frustrating question: How do you get experience when every job already expects it?

You’ll likely need to build experience on your own time. This can feel daunting, especially if you’re still in school or just starting out. But the good news is that there are many ways to gain valuable experience without formal employment.

What Counts as "Experience"?

To actually help you get hired, the experience you gain should involve real software development, ideally aligned with the responsibilities of a full-time developer.

Here are some ways to do that:

• Personal Projects – Build something you care about. Solve a problem. Make a tool. Demonstrate your skills by creating a real application, even if it’s just for yourself.
• Open-Source Contributions – Work with other developers, learn best practices, and have your work reviewed and merged into real-world projects.
• University Clubs or Organizations – Volunteer your skills by improving internal tools, building websites, or automating tasks.
• Short-Term, Unpaid Freelance or Internship Work – In some cases, helping out a small startup or nonprofit can offer valuable mentorship and experience.
• Vicarious Learning – Learn from others by observing their work, listening to talks, and consuming educational content.