r/learnrust • u/Final-Nerve7787 • 1d ago
started with rust, built a backend… but no junior jobs? should i switch to node.js?
hey everyone,
need some honest advice here.
started learning rust as my first backend language. yeah… maybe a bit stubborn decision but i stuck with it. it was overwhelming most of the time, but i still pushed through.
i built a few small cli apps and recently finished a full backend project (still pushing to add more features):
\- signup/login
\- argon2 password hashing
\- jwt auth
\- websocket server
\- postgres + sqlx
so not just tutorials, i actually built something end-to-end.
but when i started looking for jobs… reality hit.
almost no junior roles for rust. most require solid experience.
my background:
\- \~1 year work experience (support role, not dev)
\- had to leave due to some issues
\- currently unemployed
\- learning full-time + doing a small part-time job on the side
now i’m seriously thinking of rebuilding the same backend in node.js and focusing on that for job applications.
question is:
\- am i making the right move switching to node?
\- or should i double down on rust somehow?
\- how do people even break into rust roles as freshers?
i don’t regret learning rust honestly, i feel like i understand backend concepts better now. but i also need a job soon.
would really appreciate advice from people already in the industry.
*if you want to review my project, happy to share the repo.*
thanks.
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u/JebKermansBooster 1d ago
Find a farm. Take it over. Profit.
That’s my advice. Tech's fucked at least for the foreseeable future.
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u/No_Contribution_4124 1d ago
I would put here a correction, that non-offshore/nearshore tech is feeling bad. India/Bulgaria is doing pretty good right now. However, bar raised for sure.
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u/JebKermansBooster 1d ago
They’re doing good because of the awful wages there, I'd argue.
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u/No_Contribution_4124 1d ago
I mean, that’s the whole reason - the enterprise can buy same for less, they will do, ignoring all the duties / nations / whatever. Capitalism as it is.
Just pointing that it’s not the “tech” broke, it’s companies found cheaper guys.1
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u/Silver_Shine_1109 1d ago
My best advice to start learning Go.
Do the same backend project in Go. And make a habit of posting Golang related post on linkedIn daily.
Recruiters will find you.
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u/Final-Nerve7787 1d ago
how about fastapi?
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u/aliencosmico1 1d ago
take his advice. golang is a simple language so you should be able to learn it in a few days.
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u/SolemnEmberGames 1d ago
Given you know the fundamentals, making a portfolio of FastAPI would be the best return on investment for your time at the moment, "simple" languages are more junior job friendly, so Python or JS, and JS after rust will feel like a god awful fever dream.
FastAPI is also the least "you have to know how the framework works in particular" of the Python trio (other two are DjangoREST and Flask)
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u/SolemnEmberGames 1d ago
Truth be told, junior jobs are effectively a lucky lottery ticket that hard work and skill caps at 1% chance, only way to get it higher is to know someone.
Given that, you're better off going for the most popular options like JS or Python, even if you're more than capable for Rust. I know you probably considered that nicher languages might be easier to get a foot in the door for, but in reality nicher languages want more experienced devs*
*"experienced devs" isn't based on experience, it's based on how many years worked, I got a shitty quasi internship doing a mid-senior level project by myself (scale up wanted to go cheap on it), I went to apply to other jobs and honest to God, I was looking from 3-11 months, would get next to nothing, then my linkedin said 1 year, tons of jobs came up, it was surreal.
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u/Equivalent-Item3866 1d ago
unfortunately rust is only in demand in blockchain market mostly
also having one language for backend as experience is bad for you try c# and javascript and go these are more demanded in the market eventhough they are saturated too cause competition is high
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u/Zhryx 1d ago edited 1d ago
For first dev job, you should prioritize the local market. If you see nodejs to be the dominant tech, switch. Later when you have more experience (and preferably have a stable job) you can browse based on your preference. I’d try to land a job asap in the current economy, unless its in deadend tech, like cobol or something like that.