Before landing a full-time role, you need to understand and successfully navigate the hiring process. It’s a shared goal for most developers, each with their own reasons why. You want the role—and you want to know how to secure it. But acing the hiring process is only half the story.

The point is, you don’t just want to look like a good developer—you want to become one.

When you focus on being a great developer, everything else—the networking, the interviews, the opportunities—becomes a natural extension of your work. Build something so good that others want to be part of it. The catch-22 is that you learn a lot of this on the job, but it’s never too early to build these habits.

Over the years, I’ve spoken to student audiences on this topic. From these conversations, one observation stands out: students often miss the balance of questions they should be asking. Most questions focus on high-leverage activities to land an internship. While that’s valid, it’s not the full picture.

And just to be perfectly clear, this applies to developers who are only in this profession for the money too.

Let’s step back from the traditional “internship-or-bust” mindset and view the process as building and selling a product—because, in a way, you are the product.

The Product Funnel Analogy

To understand how this applies to your career, let’s break down how it works for a generic product funnel.

1. Increase Your Traffic

A product needs visibility. Companies use ads, influencers, and social media campaigns to make sure their product gets in front of the right audience. Without this initial awareness, even the best product can be overlooked.

2. Improve Your Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Once people see the product, the next step is enticing them to take interest. Whether it’s a clever ad or an irresistible feature highlight, the goal is to make them click for more.

3. Optimize Your Conversion Rate

On a website, this could mean simplifying the checkout process, offering clear benefits, and showcasing reviews or testimonials. Conversion is all about building trust and removing barriers.

Apply This to Your Career

Now, let’s translate this funnel to your career:

1. Increase Your Traffic

Just like a product, you need to make yourself visible.

• Participate in hackathons
• Attend networking events
• Share your projects online

The more places you show up, the higher your chances of being noticed.

2. Improve Your Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Your “ad” is your resume, portfolio, or GitHub. Make these shine so they grab attention.

• A portfolio showcasing thoughtful projects
• A GitHub with well-documented repositories
• A LinkedIn with genuine, relevant posts

These details make people want to learn more about you.

3. Optimize Your Conversion Rate

Conversion is about sealing the deal—acing interviews or impressing during a coding challenge.

• Practice coding problems
• Refine your problem-solving narrative
• Polish your communication skills

It’s not just about solving problems—it’s about how you explain your solutions and tell your story.

The Core Truth: The Product Is What Matters

Here’s the key: as with any successful product, everything starts with a good product.
If your product is strong, it makes everything else easier.

A strong product doesn’t need to scream for attention—it earns credibility through its story and value.

For your career, this means focusing on developing yourself into the “good product.”

How to Become a Strong Product

1. Focus on Your Craft

A great product has quality baked into its core. For you, this means constantly improving your technical and problem-solving skills.

• Build projects you care about
• Contribute to open source
• Dive into the fundamentals of software engineering

2. Let the Work Speak for Itself

Just as a strong product gains legitimacy through word-of-mouth and authentic stories, your work will gain attention if it’s impactful.

• Create projects that solve real problems
• Share them online
• Make it easy for others to engage with your work

Whether it’s a standout project or a contribution that helps your team succeed, people will notice when the quality is there.

3. Build Relationships that Enhance the Product

Even the best products are backed by strong teams and advocates.

• Build meaningful connections with peers, mentors, and colleagues
• Ask thoughtful questions
• Seek out people who push you to be better

They’ll help you grow and open doors you didn’t know existed.

4. Iterate and Improve

No product launches perfectly, and neither will your career.

• Treat each challenge or mistake as a chance to refine yourself
• Seek regular feedback
• Adjust your approach based on what works and what doesn’t

Continuous improvement is what separates good products from great ones.

Closing Ramble

The imbalance I’ve noticed among new developers—myself included—might partly stem from how career panels are framed. They’re often marketed around “how to get hired,” so naturally, that’s where the focus lands.

But I can’t shake the feeling that younger developers aren’t spending enough time genuinely leveling up their craft.

I get that this is a layered issue. Career panels might not be the best place for deep technical growth—maybe online tutorials, side projects, or mentorship are better suited.

Even so, I want to offer a different lens—a mental model to help you think about your career in a healthier, more meaningful way.