Like many, I found myself at a career crossroads. As a content creator for carcodescanner.store and a seasoned auto repair expert, my hands were more accustomed to wrenches than keyboards. However, the digital age beckoned, and the allure of software development, specifically front-end coding, became increasingly irresistible. If you’re contemplating a Career Change To Coding, especially if you think it’s beyond your reach, let me share my story. It’s a testament to the fact that with dedication and the right approach, anyone can transition into the tech world, regardless of their background.
“Imagine this: you’re in a vibrant café, the aroma of coffee fills the air, and the gentle patter of rain against the window provides a soothing backdrop. You’re not just enjoying the ambiance; you’re working, coding, creating. Just months ago, I was immersed in the world of carburetors and chassis; now, I’m building websites and applications. This is my reality after a career change to coding.”
Those were my thoughts as I embarked on my first day as a front-end developer. It felt surreal. Ten months prior, my expertise lay solely in automotive diagnostics and repair. The world of coding was foreign, intimidating even. Yet, here I was, ready to dive into a new profession. Let me walk you through my journey of making a career change to coding, proving that it’s achievable, even from the most unexpected starting points.
Debunking the “Tech Talent” Myth for a Coding Career
When I first considered a career change to coding, I devoured articles detailing similar transitions. However, a nagging doubt persisted. I often looked for some hidden “advantage” in these success stories – a secret ingredient that made these individuals uniquely suited for a tech career. Perhaps they had a hidden aptitude for logic, or maybe they were secretly tech-savvy all along. I searched for something that I felt I lacked.
What I’ve come to realize is that this notion of innate “tech talent” is largely a myth. There’s no magic formula or prerequisite for a career change to coding. I won’t sugarcoat it – it requires effort and commitment. But the essential ingredients are accessible to everyone. It boils down to hard work, a thirst for continuous learning, and unwavering consistency. The ability to persevere through challenges and silence the inner critic that whispers doubts is crucial. These are skills that can be cultivated and honed by anyone willing to make the effort.
My journey into coding began with absolutely no relevant background. I didn’t have a computer science degree, nor did I have a hefty budget for expensive coding bootcamps. Time was a precious commodity, squeezed between a full-time job and life’s other demands. And let’s be honest, I wasn’t getting any younger. While everyone’s circumstances are unique, my experience underscores a fundamental truth: a successful career change to coding is within reach if you set your mind to it.
From Wrenches to Web Development: My Unexpected Path to Coding
On the day I wrote my first line of code, my digital experience was limited to basic computer usage. My professional background was diverse, starting in the fast-paced restaurant industry. This was followed by a degree in Music Technology and a decade spent teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in Spain. While I was always fascinated by technological advancements and admired programmers as modern-day problem-solvers, a career change to coding seemed like a distant dream.
Coding, in my mind, was an exclusive domain, reserved for the intellectually gifted elite who emerged from prestigious universities. While such individuals undoubtedly exist, the reality is that the vast majority of developers are not stereotypical “Hollywood hackers.” The world of software development is far more inclusive and accessible than I initially imagined.
The Spark of Inspiration: A Family Venture into Tech
The catalyst for my career change to coding was an engaging conversation with my partner. She was researching the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, particularly in technology. Driven by a desire to be a role model for younger girls in our family, she decided to learn programming herself. And just like that, she embarked on her coding journey.
Her enthusiasm ignited my own curiosity. We discovered a wealth of readily available online resources. Coding wasn’t some esoteric art form but a tangible skill that could be learned and mastered.
Spoiler alert: she successfully transitioned from HR to tech and secured a developer job a month before I did!
Our initial foray into coding was surprisingly simple. In a science museum, we stumbled upon a children’s book about programming. Inspired, we returned home, opened Notepad, typed <h1>Hello World</h1>, opened it in a browser, and then experimented with styling, changing “World” to red. The sheer excitement of seeing our code come to life was exhilarating! It felt like magic.
I was hooked. I wanted to create with code, to instruct computers to perform tasks I commanded. The prospect of a career change to coding started to take root.
Why Leave a Job I Loved? Seeking New Challenges
At that point, I had dedicated eight fulfilling years to teaching children. This isn’t a typical narrative of escaping a dreaded, dead-end job. I genuinely loved teaching, enjoyed working with kids, and felt comfortable and valued in my workplace. It was a rewarding and enjoyable profession.
However, even when you’re passionate about something, there are times when you instinctively know it’s time for a change. I felt I was entering a new phase of life, with evolving perspectives and aspirations. Above all, I craved a new challenge, something that would push me far beyond my comfort zone. A career change to coding represented that exciting, albeit daunting, leap into the unknown.
Debunking the Myth of a Single “Right Path” to Coding
There’s no singular, guaranteed path to success in a career change to coding. Three of us – my partner, a close friend, and myself – started learning to code around the same time, all aiming for a career transition. Remarkably, all three of us are now working in the tech field, yet our approaches were vastly different. Each of us gravitated towards materials and methods that resonated personally. The common thread wasn’t a specific strategy, but rather unwavering determination and persistence. We all invested significant hard work and refused to give up.
Therefore, instead of presenting a mythical “one true path,” I’ll share my personal journey. It’s not the only way, nor necessarily the best way, but it’s what worked for me in my career change to coding.
Getting Started: Dipping My Toes into the Coding Waters
My initial step in this career change to coding was exploratory. I immersed myself in reading articles and watching YouTube videos about programming to gain a foundational understanding of where to begin. I then started experimenting with HTML and CSS. Following online tutorials, I coded along, building basic web pages. This hands-on experience solidified my desire to delve deeper into web development.
Setting a Clear Objective: Front-End Focus and a Deadline
Seeking guidance, I reached out to two friends already working in the tech industry. Their early encouragement and advice were instrumental in propelling me forward and focusing my efforts on a clear, attainable goal. These conversations were invaluable in navigating the overwhelming landscape of coding options and setting realistic objectives that aligned with my circumstances.
I needed a relatively rapid career change to coding as I didn’t have alternative income streams. This meant I had to maintain my teaching job until I could successfully transition to a coding role.
I decided to concentrate on front-end development, recognizing it as a highly accessible and in-demand area. To further refine my focus, I targeted the skill set needed for a startup environment rather than pursuing freelance work.
Crucially, I set a firm deadline. I didn’t want this ambitious goal to languish indefinitely on a never-ending to-do list. It was spring 2017, and I resolved that the upcoming academic year would be my last as a teacher. My target was to be employed in a coding job by September 2018 – a little over a year away.
It would be disingenuous to claim that I had everything perfectly planned and controlled at this stage. Doubt is an inherent companion when undertaking a significant career change to coding. Uncertainty lingered throughout the process. However, the key was persistence. Once I made the decision, I committed to pursuing this path, regardless of the obstacles, to see where it would lead.
Immersive Learning: Weekend Bootcamps and Daily Dedication
I knew that dedicated study was the only viable route for my career change to coding. Working full-time meant that waiting for “free time” was not an option. Learning had to be integrated into my already busy schedule. Fortunately, my partner was also on a similar learning journey, which allowed us to structure our days to maximize study time. Initially, we established “weekend bootcamps,” dedicating entire weekends to intensive coding sessions. A typical day would look something like this:
8:00 AM: Wake up, breakfast
8:30 AM: Start coding
12:30 PM: Gym break
1:30 PM: Lunch and relaxation
3:00/4:00 PM: Resume coding
8:00/11:00 PM: End coding for the day
When summer vacation arrived, I capitalized on the extended break, transforming the “weekend bootcamp” into a “daily bootcamp.” I adhered to this rigorous schedule diligently, resisting the temptation to relax and fully embrace summer leisure. This intense period of focused learning was critical in accelerating my progress in my career change to coding.
September marked my return to work. I made a conscious decision to reduce my working hours, accepting a decrease in income in exchange for more study time. This was a tangible step that further solidified my commitment to this career change to coding.
It’s difficult to convey the mental challenge of being away from code during work hours. All I wanted was to be back at my computer, resolving coding challenges and refining layouts. But the demands of daily life intervened. The start of a new school year always requires significant preparation and organization, consuming considerable personal time for any teacher.
This period presented a potential derailment point for my mission. Despite my best intentions, coding time dwindled. Momentum waned. I struggled to maintain consistency, with days where coding simply wasn’t feasible. Even with strong motivation and commitment, life can complicate even the most dedicated plans for a career change to coding.
My GitHub activity chart showing a dip in October
However, as illustrated in my GitHub activity graph, I persevered. I continued to dedicate time, even if it was just an hour or reading a coding article. My priority was to avoid complete stagnation and loss of motivation. The longer you step away from learning, the harder it becomes to resume.
As December approached, the looming new year and my approaching deadline spurred renewed focus. I rallied, reorganized, and pushed forward, dedicating hours to coding regardless of fatigue or time constraints. Sometimes this meant waking up early to code, other times staying up late.
My life essentially narrowed down to my income-generating job and coding studies, with little room for much else. This dedicated rhythm continued until the spring of 2018, when I began packing to move to Madrid – several months ahead of my self-imposed deadline for my career change to coding.
Essential Tools and Resources for a Coding Career Transition
Over the ten months leading up to securing my job offer, I became fully immersed in all things code-related. The most frequent question I receive on Twitter is about the resources I utilized. I’ve detailed this extensively in another article, but here’s a concise list of the most impactful tools and resources for anyone considering a career change to coding.
Key Learning Platforms:
- freeCodeCamp.org: An invaluable, free platform with comprehensive curricula.
- Udemy Courses by Cassidy Williams and Colt Steele: Engaging and practical courses for web development fundamentals.
- Wes Bos’ JavaScript 30 and other courses: Focused and project-based learning for advanced JavaScript skills.
- YouTube Channels: Traversy Media, LevelUpTuts: Excellent free video tutorials covering a wide range of web development topics.
- Lynda.com Courses by Christina Truong: High-quality, structured courses for in-depth learning.
- Udacity Front-End Nanodegree: A paid, more structured program (I obtained a Google scholarship).
While online courses provided a structured learning path, I supplemented them with other resources to enhance my learning and job prospects for my career change to coding.
- Twitter: A crucial platform for community engagement, particularly the supportive #100DaysOfCode community.
- GitHub: Essential for version control, collaboration, and showcasing my projects. It’s often the first place employers review to assess your work.
- Portfolio Website: Building my portfolio and other self-initiated projects was the most effective way to solidify my development skills and demonstrate my abilities to potential employers for my career change to coding.
For a comprehensive list of resources and learning paths I utilized during my initial ten months, you can explore my Learning Tracker GitHub repository.
Landing a Job: Focused Approach to a Coding Career
Surprisingly, the job search phase of my career change to coding wasn’t overly complicated. I didn’t engage in mass resume submissions or spend countless hours scouring job boards. Instead, I opted for a selective and focused approach.
Ultimately, I participated in five interview processes. I received one rejection and didn’t complete the take-home challenge for another. However, I successfully completed three interviews and received job offers from all three. One offer was clearly unsuitable, but the other two, arriving almost simultaneously, were both highly appealing. One of these became my current job.
I don’t intend to sound nonchalant about this experience. It was an intense and nerve-wracking period. I was uncertain if my skills were truly employable. I entered interviews unsure if my limited experience would be a detriment. It was a time filled with both anxiety and hope. Receiving two excellent job offers was an incredible and almost unbelievable outcome.
I will always be deeply grateful to the individuals who made those hiring decisions and gave me a chance to prove myself after my career change to coding.
The interview processes at the two companies were quite distinct. One involved a series of video calls with various team members at a small, established company looking to expand their front-end development team. After several weeks of discussions, they extended my first official job offer.
The other process was with a rapidly growing startup. Following a phone interview, I was assigned a technical challenge to complete within a few days. This involved building a component, making API calls, and displaying relevant data. This was followed by a video call to discuss my code. Finally, I was invited to meet the tech team socially to assess team compatibility. Subsequently, I received an offer to join as a junior front-end developer for my career change to coding.
Ultimately, I had the fortunate dilemma of choosing between two excellent opportunities. Based primarily on their clear emphasis on mentorship and providing guidance for growth and learning, I accepted the offer from the startup. This proved to be the right decision.
And so, on that rainy day in Madrid, after finishing my coffee, I walked into an office, introduced myself as the new front-end developer, and officially began my new career chapter after my career change to coding.
I hope you found my story inspiring. If you did, please consider sharing it to encourage others who are contemplating a career change to coding. I plan to write more articles about my experiences in tech. If there are specific aspects of this journey you’d like to learn more about, I’d love to hear from you. Connect with me on Twitter @Syknapse!
Read my detailed article about all the resources I used to land this job.
