Before You Chase a Web Dev Job: 5 Hard Truths

The world of web development looks incredibly appealing from the outside. You see stories of six-figure salaries, fully remote lifestyles, and the creative joy of building things on the internet. And while all of that is possible, the highlight reel you see on social media often skips the gritty, less glamorous realities of the journey.

If you're thinking about a career change or just starting your coding journey, this isn't to scare you off. It's to give you a realistic map. Knowing the terrain—the bumps, the long roads, and the steep climbs—is the best way to ensure you reach your destination. So, before you go all-in, let's talk about five hard truths of becoming a web developer.

Hard Truth #1: Your First Job is By Far the Hardest to Land

This is the great paradox of the tech industry. You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. You’ll see “entry-level” positions asking for 2-3 years of commercial experience, and it’s easy to feel like the doors are closed before you even start.

The Reality: Landing that first role is a brutal numbers game. You will face a lot of rejection. You’ll send out dozens, maybe hundreds, of applications and hear nothing back. Your bootcamp certificate or online course completion means very little on its own. It's your ability to prove you can do the work that matters.

How to Prepare:

• Build Real Projects: Move beyond tutorial clones. Find a problem you have—or one a friend has—and build a solution. A unique, deployed project with real-world functionality is worth ten to-do list apps. Document your process. Why did you choose this tech stack? What challenges did you face?
• Network Genuinely: This isn't about spamming recruiters on LinkedIn. It's about building relationships. Join local tech meetups (even virtual ones), participate in discussions, ask thoughtful questions, and connect with people. A warm introduction is infinitely more powerful than a cold application.
• Tailor Everything: Do not mass-apply with a generic resume. For every single application, read the job description carefully. Tweak your resume to highlight the relevant skills and projects. Write a short, personalized cover letter that shows you've researched the company and understand their needs.

Hard Truth #2: Coding is Only Half the Battle

Learning to write JavaScript, HTML, and CSS is the price of admission, not the whole game. In a real job, you spend a surprising amount of your time not writing new, exciting code.

The Reality: Your day-to-day will be a mix of debugging, reading documentation, attending meetings, collaborating on code reviews, and trying to understand a feature request from a non-technical stakeholder. Communication, problem-solving, and learning how to ask the right questions are just as critical as your technical skills.

How to Prepare:

• Become a Debugging Detective: Don't just `console.log()` everything. Learn to use your browser's developer tools and the debugger in your code editor. Understanding how to systematically find and fix bugs is a superpower.
• Practice Communicating: Try explaining one of your projects to a friend or family member who doesn't know how to code. This forces you to simplify complex ideas, a skill you’ll use daily with project managers, designers, and clients.
• Master Git: Don't just know `git add`, `commit`, and `push`. Learn about branching strategies, handling merge conflicts, and writing clear commit messages. This is the language of team collaboration in software.

Hard Truth #3: The Learning Never, Ever Stops

The tech landscape moves at a dizzying pace. The hot new framework you learn today could be replaced by something else in three years. If you're looking for a career where you can master a skill set and then coast, this isn't it.

The Reality: This constant change is a primary source of imposter syndrome. You will always feel like there's more to know than you currently do—because it's true. The goal isn't to know everything; it's to get comfortable with the process of learning what you need, when you need it.

How to Prepare:

• Focus on Fundamentals: Frameworks come and go, but the principles of HTTP, core JavaScript, data structures, and accessibility are timeless. A strong foundation makes it much easier to pick up new technologies.
• Cultivate a Learning Habit: Dedicate a few hours each week to learning. It doesn't have to be a formal course. It could be reading blog posts, watching a conference talk, or trying out a new library. Make it a consistent part of your routine.
• Be Strategic: Don't chase every shiny new object. Pay attention to trends, but invest your time in learning technologies that solve real problems and are relevant to the kind of work you want to do.

Hard Truth #4: You'll Maintain Old Code More Than You'll Write New Code

The dream is a blank canvas: building a brand-new application from the ground up with the latest and greatest tech. The reality, especially in your first job, is often very different.

The Reality: Most developers work on existing applications, which can be years, or even decades, old. This is called a “legacy codebase.” Your first tasks will likely involve fixing a small bug in a file with 2,000 lines of code written by someone who left the company five years ago. It can be intimidating and feel like thankless work.

How to Prepare:

• Learn to Read Code: This is a distinct skill from writing it. Spend time on GitHub exploring popular open-source projects. Try to understand how they are structured and how different parts interact.
• Embrace the Puzzle: See legacy code not as a mess, but as a puzzle. Your job is to understand a piece of it well enough to make a safe and effective change. This builds immense problem-solving skills.
• Appreciate the Business Value: That “old, messy” application is probably making the company money. Learning to work within it and improve it is an incredibly valuable skill that makes you a huge asset to the team.

Hard Truth #5: The Six-Figure Salary Doesn't Happen Overnight

Tech salaries are great, but the stories of bootcamp grads landing $150,000 jobs right out of the gate are the exception, not the rule. They make great marketing material, but they set unrealistic expectations for most newcomers.

The Reality: Junior developer salaries are good, often better than many other industries' entry points, but they are typically more modest. Your starting salary will depend heavily on your location, the size of the company, and your negotiation skills. The high six-figure salaries usually come after a few years of proven experience, specialization, and demonstrating your impact.

How to Prepare:

• Do Your Research: Use sites like Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Built In to research realistic junior developer salaries in your specific geographic area. A junior salary in San Francisco is very different from one in St. Louis.
• Focus on Experience First: The primary goal of your first job is to get your foot in the door and start learning in a professional environment. The experience you gain in that first one to two years is what will unlock significant salary growth later.
• Learn to Negotiate: Even for your first role, you should always negotiate your offer. But base your negotiation on your research and be realistic. A 5-10% increase on an initial offer is a huge win.

Don't Be Discouraged—Be Prepared

Reading this might feel a bit daunting, but it shouldn't. Web development is a fantastic, challenging, and deeply rewarding career. The point of these truths isn't to deter you, but to arm you with a realistic perspective.

By understanding the challenges ahead, you can strategize, prepare, and build the resilience you need to succeed. The journey is long, but for those who embrace the challenges, it's absolutely worth it. Good luck.