Venturing Into Tech: The Beginning
Several years ago, the reality of being stuck in a repetitive sales job with unfavorable working hours and accumulating debt was daunting. The urgency to break free and explore a path with more opportunities for growth led to learning how to code. This transformation occurred without formal education in computer science or attending a coding bootcamp. This article narrates the steps taken to self-learn coding and secure a tech job within a short span of time.
Discovering Coding Without a Background in IT
The initial plunge into the world of coding started with minimal knowledge. The tech industry's promising environment motivated the author to delve into programming. Starting from ground zero, a Google search led to FreeCodeCamp, which provided a foundation in web development. Through it, one could grasp the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, insights which numerous companies like Uber and Airbnb utilize due to JavaScript's high demand.
From Basics to Building Skills
Familiarity with basic concepts such as variables, loops, objects, and functions emerged from tutorials. However, there remained a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, prompting deeper exploration into programming. This spawned a love for problem-solving which seemed sustainable as a career.
Committing Full-time to Learning
To dedicate to learning, a change in lifestyle was necessary. Moving abroad to reduce living expenses and focusing entirely on coding was a strategic decision. Encountering the 'Learning How to Learn' course by Barbara Oakley provided methods like Pomodoros and the significance of structured learning spaces. Joining a coworking space facilitated better focus and productivity.
graph TD A["Dead-End Sales Job"] --> B["Initial Coding Exploration"] B --> C["FreeCodeCamp Classes"] C --> D["Learning how to Code"] D --> E["Pursuing Coding Full-Time"] E --> F["Joining a Coworking Space"] F --> G["Getting a Job"] linkStyle default stroke:#ffffff,stroke-width:2px style A fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff style B fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff style C fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff style D fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff style E fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff style F fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff style G fill:transparent,stroke:#ffffff,color:#ffffff
Pursuing Projects and Facing Challenges
The next phase was daunting—undertaking more challenging projects requiring HTML, CSS, and JavaScript initiated a journey from just understanding concepts to building complete front-end projects. Following tutorials and streams from platforms like YouTube, as well as resources like Watch and Code, fortified practical skills.
Building a Full-Stack Application
Desiring to create something credible led to creating a full-stack application, paving the way to professional development. Engagement with knowledgeable mentors led to understanding CRUD operations and simulating actual development environments using tools like Jira and GitHub. Through stringent self-discipline and learning to collaborate effectively, an entire web application was eventually launched.
Job Search Strategy and Results
With skills refined, the job search began. The target was small to medium remote companies as they offered a conducive work environment. Personalized communication with hiring managers and demonstrating capabilities via GitHub contributed to landing interviews and eventually job offers. The strategy to initially work for free opened several doors, leading to multiple job offers, ultimately securing a position with a promising salary and benefits.
Conclusion
This journey highlights that credentials alone lack significance in tech; problem-solving abilities and persistence dominate success in this field. Through sheer determination and focused learning, transitioning into tech proves feasible and rewarding.