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Nobody is born a MuleSoft Developer. Some have previous Integration experience, some have learned directly after attending a University or Bootcamp, some are self-taught. Everyone starts from somewhere. Last month I was selected as a MuleSoft Mentor and in mentor fashion I want to share with aspiring MuleSoft Developers a 6 to 12 month plan to make their dreams of becoming a MuleSoft Developer a reality! In fact, this post will be the first my "Aspiring MuleSoft Developer" series.
It took me one full year to join my past employer’s MuleSoft team and become a professional MuleSoft Developer. Reflecting on my experience, I believe MuleSoft has created top-notch training and a community that is growing at a rate I would have never imagined. Utilizing both can accelerate your journey and help you become a top MuleSoft Developer.
Before we begin, here are two disclaimers:
I cannot make the promise that this plan is a one-size fit all plan but my hope is that aspiring MuleSoft developers can use this post as a template to chart their MuleSoft career journey.
This plan was created by me and not from MuleSoft. This plan is based on my experience working with MuleSoft technologies as a customer and partner developer. MuleSoft has a developer learning path that covers multiple courses. Click here if interested.
Now, let’s get started!
Month 1: Take the Anypoint Platform Development: Fundamentals self-paced or instructor led course
There are multiple choices for training. However, I have only taken MuleSoft’s training and I personally feel they get the job done. For developers, I recommend taking the Anypoint Platform Development: Fundamentals course. Depending on your learning style and budget, you can choose between the self-pace or the instructor-led courses. Both courses have the same content and prepare you for the MuleSoft Certified Developer - Level 1 (Mule 4) Certification Exam. Use the training forum if you are having trouble getting through the course or have any lingering questions. As you are going though the coursework, complete all the DIY exercises and quizzes, making sure to take notes and review all troublesome areas.
Month 2: Work on a practice project & Add code to your Public Code Repository
Since you do not have experience yet as a professional MuleSoft Developer, this is your time to shine. Show your skills by designing and implementing a practice project. Since APIs are common integrations, I recommend you create an API Led Connectivity project with at least 1 experience, process, and system API. If you do not know where to start, click here for some ideas. Create a public repository. I use GitHub and Bitbucket. Choose one that fits your needs. If you choose GitHub and do not have a personal website, I would recommend creating a static GitHub page. Commit and push your code as you finish an iteration.
Month 3: Continue to study & Pass the Certification Exam
Everyone studies differently. However, here are some steps that I took to prepare. Start with taking the practice exam. Then review any missed concepts. Lastly, retake the practice exam until you get at least a 90%. I have found the practice exam to be easier than the actual exam, so getting a 90% - 100% is a good sign you may know the material. If you are scoring below that range, I would recommend spending an additional 2 - 4 days trying to make sure you learn the concepts. For an idea of the testable concepts, be sure to download the datasheet.
Month 4: Start attending MuleSoft Meetups & consuming MuleSoft Community material
The MuleSoft community is very near and dear to my heart. Aside from the coursework, I get most of my knowledge from the MuleSoft Community. I have found introductions to a topic and precious gems of knowledge from attending meetups and reviewing topics. Here are my go-to resources:
MuleSoft Meetups
Online Group - English - Virtual Meetup group in English with various topics. Missed a meeting, checkout the recorded version on YouTube.
Women Who Mule - Worldwide - Virtual Meetup group targeted towards women who use MuleSoft products, support teams who do, or want to know more. Missed a meeting, checkout the recorded version on YouTube.
My Go-to Blog Sites
jerney.io - The best DataWeave content by a Muley out there. :)
MuleSoft Blog - Continuous content from MuleSoft, its partners and the community.
ProstDev.com - Has an array of tech-focused posts including MuleSoft.
My Go-to Videos
TechLightning - Best deep dive MuleSoft videos out there.
whitneyakinola_io - Guess what? I have a companion YouTube channel.
Note: There are so many good resources that I did not include. You find so much more from Googling questions.
Month 5: Contribute Content and/or Speak at MuleSoft Meetups
Now that you have your sea legs. It is time to start contributing. Contributing may seem like a daunting task at first but contributing does 4 things for your career.
Here are some ways you can contribute content to the MuleSoft Community:
Share tips: When you learn something new, write a short post about it and share it on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram. I have found these very effective in helping others and building your brand. muleSoft_community_academy on Instagram does this very well.
Blog Posts (3 Posts) : If you enjoy writing, then I recommend try writing a blog post. You don't have to create top ranked post but create a post that teaches other a topic you just learned. My first MuleSoft blog post was on formatting data into CSV.
Videos (2 Posts): Creating videos are harder, but if you enjoy being in front of the camera or speaking to slides, why not give it a try.
Become a Meetup speaker: Research a topic thoroughly and speak about it. This is a quick way to build your reputation and get free MuleSoft training and certification exam vouchers.
Month 6: Build your LinkedIn & Start Applying to Jobs
Now its time to showcase all your hard work. The best place I have found to do that is to setup a LinkedIn profile and then link all content. Here are a few tips:
Make sure to add MuleSoft Developer in your tagline. Some examples include: "MuleSoft Developer", "Aspiring MuleSoft Developer" , "Certified MuleSoft Developer", "Actively looking for a MuleSoft Developer role".
Set the "Open to" button to finding a new job.
Include your certifications, projects and public repositories
Search on LinkedIn and apply to companies that interests you
Update your resume
Apply
Do not be afraid to reach out to recruiters directly
Conclusion
These are simply ideas. I cannot guarantee that everything listed will fit your scenario or your timeline but I wanted to provide you with a starting point. Let me know how I did. Did you like this post?
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