TL;DR: Landing a junior web developer job is absolutely doable — even if you’re new to tech. You don’t need a computer science degree or years of experience. You need a strong portfolio, the right skills, and a consistent job search strategy. This guide walks you through 12 steps to get there, plus what to expect from a junior web developer salary.

Considering the lucrative, flexible jobs that have been reported in tech (side note: many of these tech jobs don’t require a computer science degree), and growing opportunities to have a tech career outside of tech companies, you might ask yourself: How hard is it to get into software development and become a programmer? Is it hard to get a junior developer job? And what should I do to get a web developer job?

One of the most popular positions for tech beginners to apply for is that of a junior web developer (sometimes listed as an entry-level front-end developer). If you’re wondering whether it’s hard to get a junior developer job, the answer is: it won’t be a total walk in the park if you’re new to tech, but if you’re willing to work hard, it’s definitely doable if you follow the steps below.

If you’re here because you’re wondering how to become a junior web developer — or how much you can expect to make from a junior web developer salary — good news: you don’t need to go back to school to get a bachelor’s degree and start developing websites as an entry-level web developer for serious money.

Why? Because you can learn web development skills and land a junior web developer position without ever setting foot in a college classroom again. We’ve rounded up a list of 12 essential steps to take on the way to changing your career path and landing junior web developer jobs.

As an added bonus, you’ll also find some details on other common questions (like “how much is a junior web developer salary?”) and some of the starting skills web developer jobs require, so you can start building up your resume.

Table of Contents

• How To Become A Junior Web Developer: 12 Steps To Land A Junior Developer Job
• What Is A Good Salary For A Junior Web Developer?
• Junior Web Developer Skills You Can Start With
• Frequently Asked Questions About Junior Web Developer Jobs

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How To Become A Junior Web Developer: 12 Steps To Land A Junior Developer Job

1. Build A Portfolio Site Full Of Relevant Work

Your portfolio is the first thing potential employers will look at when considering you for a junior web developer job, so your site needs to be a real reflection of your skills and personal brand — particularly if you’re interested in front-end development.

Before you can load up your portfolio, you need to code it (you can make a website using HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript), launch it, and make sure it stands out from other websites.

Once you’ve got your portfolio site built, it’s time to load it up with some core portfolio projects for tech beginners. You’ll want to include any work you’ve done for companies or clients (with their permission) that you feel particularly good about, and remember to include projects that show your range as a designer and developer.

What’s important here is that you’re uploading strong, clean work that is indicative of both your skill level and brand.

2. Do Freelance Projects

A great way to get some work for your new junior web developer portfolio — if you feel like it needs some beefing up — is to seek out freelance clients. Taking on projects as a freelancer will help you build business skills like negotiating, establish trustworthiness as a developer, and get you some up-to-date recommendations to show potential employers.

It’ll also give you the chance to gain experience for full-time entry-level web developer jobs (if that’s your goal) while building up your bank balance.

The projects don’t have to be huge ones. You can offer, for example, to re-do the navigation for a local restaurant’s website or to create a newsletter for a charity organization (using HTML5). Both are great portfolio pieces for your shiny new website.

You also might consider doing some charity work yourself — in the form of pro bono projects. You won’t be bringing home any bacon from them, but they’ll beef up your portfolio, give you a way to network, and you can actually make unpaid projects pay off for you in lots of ways that will boost your job search and career.

3. Put Your Code On GitHub

GitHub is the industry standard for version control, and many companies want to know that you have hands-on experience before extending an offer. You can prove that — and show off your best code — by creating your own GitHub account and using it as a repository for your projects and web applications.

After you get an account set up, make regular contributions to GitHub. This shows potential employers that you’re consistently working on your junior web developer skills, even if they’re only for imaginary projects. Keep your code clean and organized and include concise README documentation so that employers know you’ll be able to jump right in to collaboratively coding on their teams.

4. Contribute To An Open Source Project

If most of your coding so far has been for classes, mock projects, or solo gigs, you can also increase your teamwork cred by getting involved in an open source project.

Open source is the term for source code that’s publicly available and can be modified by anyone. There’s an incredible range of open source projects out there, including famous ones like Ruby on Rails, Python, Linux, MySQL, and loads of JavaScript frameworks.

Getting involved in open source projects en route to becoming a junior web developer will strengthen your front-end or back-end development skills, get you hands-on experience working on teams and projects, and help you meet and network with other developers.

You can look for open source projects of all kinds and sizes on Explore GitHub. Once you find a project you’re interested in, don’t be afraid to jump in and help! Some easy first steps are reporting bugs, helping prioritize issues, beta testing, working on the project’s website, or improving documentation.

5. Participate In A Hackathon

You can’t turn around nowadays without bumping into a hackathon! They’re a fun and exciting way to get to know tech people who share your interests, help tackle relevant problems, test your coding skills, learn from others, and maybe win prizes.

At a hackathon, you’ll end up coding on a team — and if you’ve been learning to code on your own, proving you can work with a team of coders makes you a lot more appealing to hiring managers at web development agencies.

To find hackathons near you or online, try searching sites like AngelHack, Devpost, and MLH (Major League Hacking). And remember to keep your eye out at the event for sponsors and recruiters. Many a web developer has gotten noticed at a hackathon and offered a job right on the spot!

6. Network With Other Web Developers Online And IRL

Hopefully you’ll gain contacts at hackathons, but don’t let the networking stop there. Keep reaching out to the people you meet, and learn more about the web development industry by talking online and in person.

The easiest way to do this is through tech meetup groups. Almost every city has them, and if yours doesn’t, you can set up your own. Just pick the focus, find a place (even a coffee shop or local park will do!), and spread the word on social media, email, or in person.

If you’re not in a location that lets you get together with other techies, look for communities online. Answer questions on Stack Overflow, join developer Discord servers, or participate in communities like r/webdev on Reddit. LinkedIn is also a great place to connect with developers and follow hiring managers in your area.

Whether you meet in person or online, you’ll be expanding your horizons and getting to know people who could turn out to be your future co-workers — or who know someone with a junior web developer job that’s just right for you.

7. Follow Industry News

Make a point to keep up with what’s happening in tech — this is critical for both your first web developer job interview and all the small-talk you’ll be making with new tech friends.

You don’t need to be an expert on every story or topic out there; just get to know what’s hot and what’s happening. You can read blogs or tech news sites over breakfast, listen to podcasts when you’re walking your dog, or scan newsletters while you’re waiting in line at the store.

8. Learn New, Relevant Skills Regularly

Besides keeping up on the news, you should also keep up with new skills and tools of the trade. As an entry-level web developer, knowing these will make you that much more in demand. A few that are most requested are CSS preprocessors like Sass, frameworks like React, Vue.js, Angular, or Node.js, and a CMS (Content Management System) like WordPress.

You can try Skillcrush’s WordPress Developer classes, included in our Break Into Tech course package, to learn the world’s most popular CMS.

9. Refine Your Resume

Even though your portfolio is where you’ll show off your skills as a junior web developer, most companies still ask for resumes and use them to weed out candidates. That means yours needs to be as polished and professional as your portfolio. Make sure you highlight your core skills, play up any tech-related experience, and give specific details to prove your achievements and strengths.

Take the time to choose a clean, easy-to-read template (or design your own!). There are lots of resume templates floating around the internet for free, and your future employer will thank you for having all your experience outlined in a clear, visually pleasing way.

10. Start Your Job Hunt For Junior Developer Jobs

Now that you’ve made the extra effort with networking and skill polishing, it’s time to dig into some actual entry-level web developer job listings. Start by simply searching for “junior web developer” on sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed, and don’t worry about the company or the location at first. The idea is for you to see what employers are looking for and what kind of options are available in general.

Keep in mind that job descriptions tend to list more requirements and technical skills than are really expected from candidates. Don’t let this discourage you. Many hiring managers make their decision based on your ability to learn on the job — nobody is going to know everything coming into a new position, and you’ll get some on-the-job training, even at startups.

Once you’ve gotten a feel for what’s out there, send out your resume for the jobs you’re really interested in. Be realistic, but don’t be shy. Nobody’s going to come knocking on your door with a web dev position in hand. You have to put yourself out there.

And don’t forget the good ol’ grapevine! Let your friends, family, neighbors, and hackathon/meetup connections know that you’re actively looking. You never know who has a friend who knows just the job for you.

11. Interview For A Job — Even If You’re Not Sure You’re Ready

When that shiny happy moment happens and you’re asked to interview, go for it! Even if you don’t get that first entry-level web developer job (or second, or third), the experience you’ll gain from sitting down in person — or via video chat — with a potential employer will make you a more competitive candidate for jobs down the line.

Interviewing is hard. It just is. But the good news is that this learning curve can be overcome with experience. You have the skills, the knowledge, and the experience to impress an employer. Now you just need to be able to communicate that to them.

Skillcrush lead developer Emily Davis says that when she interviews candidates for developer positions, she looks for “a candidate’s ability to break down a problem into small pieces that can be worked through step-by-step.” That means being able to identify the root cause of an issue and work from there, rather than having no idea where to start. Anticipate questions like this — where the interviewer is asking more about how you tackle problems overall — as it gives them an idea of who you are as a professional, not just your experience with one program or language.

Dress comfortably but professionally, practice problem-solving questions with a friend or family member, and research the company beforehand so that you have questions for the employer as well.

No matter how your first interview goes, you’ll survive the experience, and that will make the next one that much easier. In no time at all, instead of just applying for junior web developer jobs, you’ll be accepting your first one!

12. Repeat The Process

The brilliant thing about junior web developer jobs — and web developer jobs in general — is that your code speaks for you more than what’s on your resume. If you don’t get a job offer from your interview, keep going. Work on projects to add to your portfolio. The more you have in your portfolio, the stronger your coding skills will look and — more importantly — be. By the next interview, you’ll be an even stronger candidate.

What Is A Good Salary For A Junior Web Developer?

While full-stack developers make the most, entry-level web developer jobs are still a lucrative jumping-off point.

According to Glassdoor, the average junior web developer salary is $84,940 per year in the United States, with a typical range of $64,704–$112,668 depending on location, company, and experience level.

For an even deeper dive on what to expect from a junior web developer salary, check out our Salary Series article, “How Much Does a Web Developer Make?”

You can start applying for entry-level web developer jobs as a junior web developer with a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery, and you can find any number of online coding schools or in-person programs and dev bootcamps to pick up these skills, depending on how much time and money you have to spend.

Junior Web Developer Skills You Can Start With

Beyond coding skills, there are some bonus features you can add to resumes for junior developer jobs — and it’s totally acceptable to get started tracking down entry-level web developer jobs while you’re still building these additional skills. Often-asked-for extras for junior developer jobs are:

• Web design/UX/Photoshop
• Version control (Git/GitHub)
• Cross-browser compatibility
• Responsive web design

If you already have the core programming languages down and are working on adding extras to your tech toolbelt, you’ve conquered the hardest part of the pre-application process for entry-level web developer jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Junior Web Developer Jobs

How long does it take to get a junior web developer job? It varies a lot depending on your starting point and how much time you can dedicate to learning. Most people who complete a structured bootcamp or self-study program are job-ready within 6–12 months. Building a strong portfolio and actively networking can shorten that timeline significantly.

Do I need a computer science degree to get a junior web developer job? No. Many junior web developers are hired based on their portfolio, demonstrated skills, and willingness to learn. Bootcamp graduates and self-taught developers land junior web developer jobs regularly. What matters most to hiring managers is what you can actually build.

What programming languages should I learn first for a junior web developer job? Start with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — these are the foundation of front-end web development and are required for virtually every junior web developer job listing. From there, pick up a framework like React, which is by far the most in-demand right now.

What’s the difference between a junior web developer and an entry-level web developer? They’re largely interchangeable terms. Both refer to developers who are early in their careers and don’t yet have several years of professional experience. Some companies use “entry-level” to indicate an open-to-all-applicants role, while “junior” sometimes implies a bit of prior project work or learning.

Is it hard to get a junior web developer job with no experience? It’s competitive, but very possible. The key is treating your portfolio projects as real experience — and presenting them that way. Freelance work, open source contributions, and hackathon projects all count. Hiring managers understand that everyone starts somewhere.

Is Tech Right For you? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals