[stirno]

Ya I understand that, if you can get in the door. Those same companies are also the ones I've found more likely to automate rejections of applicants who can't check the right boxes though, making it harder to get in without experience.

[Mandatum]

This is true, I guess networking is key here - I got into that kind of company by reporting a bug on their website and explaining it over coffee with one of the tech leads. Hired the following week.