It’s time for another Dev Diary, and this one’s about my latest 61-day coding adventure. I haven’t kept up with Rust because my focus has shifted due to the job market—more on that soon.
For the last few months, I’ve been working with Hyperskill (not sponsored) to complete their Java Backend Developer (Spring Boot) certification. It’s a long journey, and I’m still months away, but it’s been incredibly rewarding so far!
My pivot back to Java (after learning it in college) is driven by the tech job market in Germany and Europe. The US market for entry/junior developers seems tough right now, and it’s no different here. Despite certifications and learning Python and JavaScript, my job search at the beginning of 2024 yielded nothing but rejections.
It turns out the market is flooded with Front-End, Python, and JavaScript developers. After exploring online communities, I discovered that Europe heavily relies on Java. Experienced Java developers seem to have no trouble finding work. I realized I’d spent time on languages with less demand here.
To rectify this, I sought a course to refresh my Java skills. I tried Coursera, Udemy, and even Zero To Mastery, but Hyperskill was the perfect fit. It offers a well-structured course without videos or lectures. Instead, each lesson presents theory, followed by coding practice and related questions. Once you’ve learned enough, you tackle projects that apply those concepts.
Each project is divided into stages. You begin with a basic implementation and progressively add new features. This approach reinforces learning and builds complexity over time.
Three months in and I love Hyperskill. It’s elevated my coding, and I feel much more confident. The platform encourages daily practice, which is essential for improvement.
The practice problems are varied—multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, sorting, and coding challenges at different difficulty levels. They even have a FizzBuzz challenge!
Hyperskill provides exactly what I need to become a proficient Java developer. Soon, I’ll be diving into Spring Boot. After certification, I hope to find a Java developer role here in Europe.
I’ll keep you all updated!
