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Ask HN: Any front-end/UX roles that DON'T require React?

4 points by NetOpWibby ↗ HN
I am aware that React is the resident darling of web industry but boy is it frustrating applying for roles where you tick all the boxes save for "2 years experience with React" or a similar stipulation. I still apply for these roles, of course, but when the interviews go well I end up getting passed over for someone who does have extensive React experience.

At this point I feel it's too late for me to try and gain that experience because I'll still be lacking, compared to my peers.

I wonder, is anyone else here in the same situation? My experience with SPA frameworks is Mithril and Svelte but no one's asking for that quite yet.

7 comments

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codegeek
There are plenty of roles which don't require React. In fact, this is the problem with the web dev industry at the moment. Everyone is looking for React or Vue or whatever developers. Have companies stopped looking for Developers who have solid grip of Javascript who can pick up any framework ? I would hope No. I personally use VueJS and love it but if I am hiring for a front end role, I would like to first understand if you can write Javascript. I don't care which framework or library.
tcbasche
I think though with any framework, there is a base amount of knowledge of the best practices, how things work etc. that just being able to write JS wouldn't really help you with
BjoernKW
> Everyone is looking for React or Vue or whatever developers. Have companies stopped looking for Developers who have solid grip of Javascript who can pick up any framework?

That's just a symptom of the commoditisation that developers themselves have been so happily furthering for quite some time by identifying as a set of TLAs rather than as business / automation / efficiency problem solvers.

"React", "Vue", "Whatever developer" in that case is just a further specialisation from "JavaScript developer". It's not fundamentally different, though.

sophiebits
I managed the React team at Facebook. Neither Facebook nor my current (React-based) company require any prior React knowledge for frontend candidates, nor is it a significant factor when evaluating people.

If you’ve been successful with the tools you used in the past, we know you can learn whatever tools we use. I know not everyone hires like this, but in my experience it’s not rare either.

thepaulstella
Any company that requires a programmer to have X years with a framework(!) and will not hire you otherwise is a company not worth working for. If you have an impressive portfolio of experience, language or framework shouldn’t particularly matter if you can show that you can ramp your skills to their requirements.