Ask HN: Can't Figure Out Where to Go Next Career Wise
A Little Background About Me:
I'm a software developer from Iraq, after getting my BSc in CS, I started looking for local jobs, but failed to find any developer jobs in my current city. I applied to openings in other cities, but the the number of openings were so little compared to the number of applicants so the competition was crazy, I couldn't get a job for about a year.
Afterwards, I found a role as a teacher, so, I started teaching programming fundamentals and web development, I kept this job for 2 years, during which I tried applying to as much software development jobs as possible on LinkedIn and everywhere else, mainly looking for fully remote roles in the US or elsewhere.
Then, I found a role at a startup as a paid intern, gotten through the interview and started work as a contractor.
My initial contract was for 6 months, after that was over I signed a different contract for another 6 months, this time as a Jr. Software Developer. After this contract ended, they renewed it again as a Jr. Software Developer, but this time for 4 months, because the startup was failing. So, in total I worked as fully remote contractor for 1 year and 4 months.
Then, I was jobless, I started looking for jobs again for about 6 months, then out of nowhere, the same employer from before got in touch with me and recommended me to a different startup looking for contractors. I happily accepted the offer and started work, the problem is, I wasn't even assigned a title in this new startup, I was a software developer, but I didn't know whether Jr, Mid? However, based on my own evaluation I still considered myself Jr.
I was the only developer on the frontend team for this new startup, I was responsible of taking a full Figma design from scratch and implement it with React, I have to be honest I had to use a component library to get the job done, because the deadline was very close and everything was fast paced, there was no room for code refactoring, code quality, TBF I didn't even write tests! But, I ended up delivering in time, and after a couple of rounds of bug fixing, the client was happy.
However, after about 8 months, I lost this job because the startup failed to secure funding again.
Now, I feel a bit lost on where to move on from here. Getting a job for a US-based employer is very difficult, especially once they learn that I am based in Iraq.
I have a couple of questions:
1. Am I a dead cause? Is there still hope? I mean I am still a Jr.
2. How should I structure my resume? I have no past projects other than the work I've put for my past 2 employers?