In this episode, Amy and James talk about the interview process and how to land your first job in development, covering topics like what to expect, whiteboard interviews, questions to ask, are portfolios important, and tips and tricks.SponsorsVercelVercel combines the best developer experience with an obsessive focus on end-user performance. Their platform enables frontend teams to do their best work. It is the best place to deploy any frontend app. Start by deploying with zero configuration to their global edge network. Scale dynamically to millions of pages without breaking a sweat.For more information, visit Vercel.comZEAL is hiring!ZEAL is a computer software agency that delivers “the world’s most zealous” and custom solutions. The company plans and develops web and mobile applications that consistently help clients draw in customers, foster engagement, scale technologies, and ensure delivery.ZEAL believes that a business is “only as strong as” its team and cares about culture, values, a transparent process, leveling up, giving back, and providing excellent equipment. The company has staffers distributed throughout the United States, and as it continues to grow, ZEAL looks for collaborative, object-oriented, and organized individuals to apply for open roles.For more information visit softwareresidency.com/careersDatoCMSDatoCMS is a complete and performant headless CMS built to offer the best developer experience and user-friendliness in the market. It features a rich, CDN-powered GraphQL API (with real-time updates!), a super-flexible way to handle dynamic layouts and structured content, and best-in-class image/video support, with progressive/LQIP image loading out-of-the-box."For more information, visit datocms.comShow Notes0:00 Introduction0:47 Sponsor: ZEAL4:30 Learning ResourcesWes BosScott Tolinski at Level Up TutorialsUdemyColt Steele Bootcamp9:56 Pay attention to what you enjoy mostThoughts on niching down12:52 Sponsor: DatoCMS13:45 Be active in the communityCode Connector GroupKyla Gregory on TwitterLearn Build Teach Discord Community17:50 Learning and Building in PublicEpisode 20 - Learning and Building in Public19:39 What to Expect in an InterviewBehavioral QuestionsCome up with 3 Projects or Experiences to AnswerAsk what to expect in the interview processOliver Jumpertz on TwitterAnswering "What's your greatest weakness?"Confidence within the Interview23:00 Whiteboarding26:59 Talking through how you thinkBloggingYouTube Channel29:31 Do research on the company you're interviewing withKnow the basics of what the product is or what the company does30:06 Come with questions prepared!Team Structure?Built-in support system and mentorsCareer paths and opportunities for growth within the company32:26 Grab Bag Questions32:42 "What would you like to see from a candidate?"36:50 "Are portfolios important?"James Cox40:38 Sponsor: Vercel41:52 "Am I ready for a real developer role?"Ask for feedback47:11 Picks and Plugs47:29 Amy's Pick: Collapsible Wagon49:02 Amy's Plug - SelfTeach.me on TwitchMonday through Friday, 9-10 am CST50:23 James's Pick: Fear Street on Netflix51:00 James's Plug: James Q Quick on Twitchjqqmemes.com