Breaking Into IT in 2025: A Practical Guide for Beginners
Entering the IT industry in 2025 requires a realistic approach. Without a technical background or a supportive environment, the journey will be challenging, but entirely achievable. This guide draws from personal experience: starting from scratch at age 27 and rising to become a Lead Mobile Developer. The key is to ignore the skepticism of those around you and stay focused on your goals: high salaries, remote work opportunities, and a healthy professional environment.
The first few months should be dedicated to self-study using free resources like YouTube. If necessary, take out a loan for a basic laptop and commit to learning every day, regardless of doubts. The result? Those skeptics will become your biggest fans once you succeed.
Portfolio as Your Primary Argument
Theory without practice is useless. Employers often ignore course assignments—they want to see real-world business cases.
- Developers: Build a website for a local barbershop.
- Designers: Offer your services to a student startup.
Real-world experience answers the critical question: "Can this candidate generate value?" The more such projects you have, the higher your chances of receiving an offer.
Example: A junior UI/UX designer landed freelance orders and a full-time job offer after completing just one freelance project. One month of dedicated work on a pet project kickstarted their career.
Small Companies Are the Ideal Entry Point
Avoid large brands like Yandex or Sberbank initially; they typically hire experienced professionals. Beginners often get lost in a sea of rejections at these giants, leading to quick burnout.
Target small firms instead. They often face staffing shortages and are willing to train juniors internally. For instance, in 2022, a sole proprietor with hiring challenges trained beginners from scratch and successfully employed them.
Advantages:
- Less competition.
- Faster growth from Junior to Middle level.
- Real-world tasks from day one.
Don’t be afraid of unknown company names—they are often the perfect springboard for your career.
Active Job Hunting: Pitch Yourself
Passively spamming resumes on job boards like HH.ru doesn’t work. In 2025, you need to stand out through initiative.
A strategy proven effective even in 2020 (when remote jobs were scarce):
- Compile a list of contacts for all relevant companies (using Google search and spreadsheets).
- Write personalized emails offering your services.
- Expect responses: Out of 5 emails, you might get 2 replies, 1 interview, and 1 offer within 3 days.
Even if there are no open vacancies, your initiative makes an impression. In one case, a director hired a candidate despite having no existing hiring plan.
First Salary: Lower Is Better
Expecting a starting salary of 80,000–120,000 RUB is a mistake. Accepting a lower rate (such as 30,000 or even 17,000 RUB, as in the author’s case) provides a buffer for mistakes.
The Logic:
- If you cost less, management is more patient with your learning curve.
- You gain time to learn and gain experience without excessive pressure.
- As your confidence grows, so does your productivity, leading to salary increases.
The goal of your first job is not money, but skills. It is worth working for free if the experience is valuable enough.
Key Takeaways
- Ignore skepticism: Focus on daily learning rather than others' opinions.
- Build a real portfolio: Create business-focused projects, not just course homework.
- Target small companies: Look for opportunities in smaller firms for faster career growth.
- Be proactive: Reach out to companies directly instead of waiting for job postings.
- Accept a lower starting salary: Prioritize experience and confidence building over immediate income.
— Editorial Team
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