I posted two dev jobs and got 215 applications - here's what surprised me

I recently posted two jobs on a Facebook group for developers seeking one backend and one frontend developer, both of which were entry level positions. From this experience, I drew some interesting observations.

Out of the 215 applications I received in two days, 80% were for the frontend position that required knowledge of React and Nextjs. Out of the 20% applications for the backend position, most of them were "MERN" stack developers with very minimal experience with Node/Express.

The vast deviation between the applications for frontend and backend roles are most likely because of all the development courses and schools mushrooming everywhere in Bangladesh, where every student builds the same project.

Going through the resumes, I noticed many candidates having the same "asset management system" or "library management system" project in their resume, and what's more surprising is the fact that they all had the same URL linked! Granted they were group projects, but if a candidate's list of projects is the same as 15 other candidates, that candidate is automatically a hard reject, unless there is something else that is extraordinary enough to attract attention.

These bootcamps just help you get your foot in the door, but if your resume is filled with only these cookie-cutter team projects, you are not unique. My suggestion would be to work on something individually. Maybe a small game or a complex animation. If you must include a project from a bootcamp or course, try to put your own spin on it. At least fork the repository so it's not the same link used by all your teammates. Add new features, refactor parts of it, or improve the UI. Better yet, build something that solves a real problem you’ve encountered. It doesn’t have to be massive or something with a shiny UI. Use ChatGPT to write a descriptive readme file.

Another thing I noticed is the lack of attention to detail. A missed puntuation, an extra space after a comma, a typo—these sort of things do not set a good first impression. For a developer, more so for a frontend developer because their work is more "tangible" for lack of a better word, attention to detail is crucial. Usually what I have noticed is that this lack of attention to detail transcends over to their work as well, where most of their projects lack small details that could have been made much better if they tried a little.

Using Chat GPT is fine in a lot of cases, but if your resume and the cover letter are entirely AI-generated, it shows the lack of effort and makes a resume bound for the rejection pile. A cover letter is not necessary, unless stated otherwise, so if you're emailing in a job application, just one or two lines are enough.

There’s also a clear overemphasis on frameworks and libraries without a strong grasp of fundamentals. Many applicants could list a dozen tools on their resume but struggled to explain how basic things like REST APIs, state management, or authentication actually work. It’s tempting to chase shiny tools, but without core understanding, you’re building on shaky ground.

I also want to mention communication. I got a lot of messages that were either completely blank or just said “CV attached.” No greeting, no context, nothing. On the other hand, a few applicants wrote short but thoughtful messages that were professional and personal. Those immediately got my attention. You don’t have to be a poet, just show that you care enough to write something human.

All in all, this experience gave me a solid window into the current state of entry-level dev applicants. There’s a lot of enthusiasm, but a huge need for more individuality, better attention to detail, and stronger fundamentals. If you're just getting started, my advice would be to slow down, pick one thing, and get really good at it. Don’t try to learn everything at once. And when you're applying, show care in the little things. They matter more than you think.