The following is a video of me giving this presentation: https://youtu.be/rqN52BzrYW8 To get a job I need experience, but I get experience from a job. This presentation covers various ways of getting software development experience outside of just landing a job.

1. Getting Experience

2. Catch-22
● I need experience for this job
● I need this job for experience

3. Options
● Formal Degree Programs
● Certifications
● Micro Degrees
● Side Projects

4. Formal Education
● Computer Science
● Software Engineering
● Information Science
● Cybersecurity
● Data Science
Dev
Sec Ops
Manage

5. Formal Education
Pros
● Near Guarantee
● Well-Rounded
Cons
● Time
● Money

6. Certifications
Dev
Sec Ops
Manage
CCNA
Network+
CISSP
CEH
CySA
CCSP
Cloud*
Language*
TOGAF

7. Certifications
Pros
● Faster
● Less Money
Cons
● Time
● Money
● Self-Study

8. Micro Degrees
Dev
Sec Ops
Manage
Bootcamp

9. Micro Degrees
Pros
● Faster
● Less Money
Cons
● Poorer Job Prospects
● Narrow Focus

10. Side Projects
● Your own idea
● Someone else’s idea
● Job Board

11. Side Projects
Pros
● No Cost
● Good Experience
Cons
● Time
● No Guarantees