(Disclaimer: I am not a developer but I did drop out of university and ended up getting work doing web design and network/sys-admin work.) Firstly, freelance i

(Disclaimer: I am not a developer but I did drop out of university and ended up getting work doing web design and network/sys-admin work.) Firstly, freelance is not your only shot. It's entirely possible that there is a company out there looking for a junior web developer, so don't discount that possibility. Secondly, try to find some more experienced web developers to advise/mentor you. Where are you located? There may be an appropriate location (e.g. Hacker Dojo in Mountain View, the Noisebridge Hackspace in San Francisco) or a meetup (check meetup.com for Meetups aimed at Ruby, JS or web developers in your vicinity). Having someone who can advise you face-to-face will be better than relying purely on our advice here on HN, and there's the possibility that they'll be able to point you in the direction of potential clients/employers. Thirdly, think about what sort of work you want, then create a showcase web site/app to demonstrate the fact that you have the skills necessary to do that work. Put all the source code on Git so people can review it if they want to, then approach potential employers and clients with the following approach: Potential employers: "Hi, I'm a self-taught programmer. I'm looking for an opportunity to use my Ruby/JS/web skills. Here's an example of the sort of work I can do. Could I come in to meet with you to discuss whether there might be a position for me with your company?" Potential clients: "Hi, I'm a freelance website designers. I think I could design a great website for your business. Here's an example of the kind of work I can do. Could we arrange a meeting to discuss?" Fourthly, expand your skillset by learning how to do more stuff that will improve your chances of getting hired. For example, if you don't know anything about databases, then learn how to set up MySQL and use it to store data as part of a webapp. Finally, don't worry. All web developers were self-taught until comparatively recently. There's plenty of scope for a young, enthusiastic, self-taught developer to build a career without having finished school! Feel free to contact me directly (e.g. via http://jackgavigan.com/contact/ http://jackgavigan.com/contact/) if you'd like to discuss your situation in more details without posting personal information publicly.