“I’m sitting in a café in the heart of Madrid, coffee in hand, tapping away at my laptop as the rain falls outside. In a few moments, I’ll walk into my first day as a front-end developer. Just 10 months ago, I was an English teacher in Granada, knowing nothing about programming. Now, here I am. How did this coding career change happen?”
These were my excited thoughts as I prepared for my first day in my new role. Join me as I share the story of my coding career change, a journey that led me from the classroom to the world of front-end development.
Debunking the “Special” Myth in Tech Career Changes
When I first considered a career change to development, I would read articles about others making the leap with a degree of skepticism. I’d search for that elusive “special something” in their backgrounds, a pre-existing trait that seemed to pave their path to coding success. Something I felt I lacked.
However, I’ve come to realize that this notion of needing to be “special” to become a developer is simply not true. It’s not an easy path, but the requirements for a coding career change are accessible to almost anyone. What you truly need is a willingness to work diligently, commit to continuous learning, and maintain consistency. You must cultivate persistence, especially when facing the inevitable challenges and moments of self-doubt that whisper you’re not “cut out” for this. Overcoming these hurdles is key, and it’s a skill anyone can develop with practice and determination on their coding career change journey.
My starting point was from scratch. No relevant educational background, a tight budget for expensive courses, a schedule already filled with full-time work, and the added factor of being closer to middle age than my youth. Everyone’s circumstances are unique, but my experience proves that with focused effort and a determined mindset, a coding career change is within reach.
My Unconventional Background Before the Coding Career Change
On the day I wrote my first line of code, my programming experience was zero. My professional history was varied: early years in the restaurant industry, followed by a Music Technology degree, and then a decade teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in Spain. I wasn’t even particularly tech-savvy in the traditional sense. However, I was always intrigued by technological advancements and held programmers in high regard, almost like modern-day heroes.
The idea of becoming a developer myself never seriously crossed my mind. I believed coding was an exclusive domain, reserved for exceptionally gifted individuals who graduated from prestigious (and costly) universities. While such individuals certainly exist, the reality is that most developers don’t fit this Hollywood “hacker” stereotype. The world of development is far more accessible and welcoming than I initially imagined, making a coding career change a realistic aspiration for many.
The Spark for a Tech Career Change: An Origin Story
My coding career change journey began with an insightful conversation with my partner. She was researching the reasons behind the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, particularly in tech. Deciding to take action, she resolved to learn programming herself, aiming to become a role model for younger girls in our family. And just like that, she started her coding journey.
Her initiative ignited my own interest. We discovered a wealth of accessible online resources, realizing that programming wasn’t some arcane art, but a learnable skill. This revelation made a coding career change seem increasingly possible for both of us.
Spoiler alert: she also successfully transitioned her career from HR and secured a developer job a month before I did!
One day, in a science museum, we stumbled upon a children’s book about programming. Returning home, we opened Notepad, typed <h1>Hello World</h1>, opened it in a browser, and then changed the text color to red. We were absolutely thrilled! It felt like magic!
From that moment, I was hooked. I wanted to create things with code, to command computers to perform actions at my will. This marked the true beginning of my coding career change.
Leaving a Job I Loved for a Coding Career Change
At that point, I had dedicated eight years to teaching children. This isn’t a story of escaping a dreaded, dead-end job. In fact, I genuinely loved my teaching position. I enjoyed working with kids and felt comfortable and fulfilled in my role. It was rewarding and pleasant work.
However, even when you are passionate about something, there can be an inner voice signaling it’s time for a change. I was entering a new phase of life with fresh perspectives and ambitions. Above all, I craved a new challenge, something that would push me far beyond my comfort zone. This desire for growth and challenge was the driving force behind my coding career change.
Dispelling the Myth of “One True Path” in a Coding Career Change
There’s no single guaranteed formula for a successful coding career change. Three of us embarked on this journey around the same time: my partner, a close friend, and myself. Remarkably, all three of us now work in the tech field, yet our approaches were quite diverse. Each of us tailored our learning methods and resources to suit our individual needs and preferences. If there’s a common thread in our success stories, it’s simple: unwavering determination and persistence. We all invested significant effort and refused to give up, proving that multiple paths can lead to a successful coding career change.
Therefore, instead of presenting a “one true path,” I’ll share my personal journey. It’s not the only way, nor necessarily the best, but it’s what worked for me and might offer valuable insights for your own coding career change.
Getting Started on My Coding Career Change
My initial step was information gathering. I delved into articles and YouTube videos about programming to understand where to begin. Then, I started experimenting with HTML and CSS. Following online tutorials, I coded along to build basic web pages. This hands-on experience solidified my desire to pursue a coding career change more seriously.
Setting Clear Objectives for My Coding Career Change
Seeking guidance, I reached out to two friends working in the development field. Their early encouragement and advice were crucial in setting me on the right path and focusing my efforts on a clear goal for my coding career change.
It took time to evaluate the various options and set realistic objectives that aligned with my circumstances. I needed a relatively quick career transition as I didn’t have alternative income sources, meaning I needed to maintain my teaching job until I could make the switch to a coding career.
I decided to concentrate on front-end development as it seemed the most accessible and in-demand area. I further narrowed my focus to the skills needed for a job in a startup environment, rather than pursuing freelance opportunities initially.
Then, I set a firm deadline. I didn’t want this aspiration to become another item on a perpetually postponed to-do list. It was spring 2017, and I made a commitment that the upcoming school year would be my last as a teacher. By September 2018, just over a year later, my goal was to be employed in the tech field. This deadline was crucial for keeping my coding career change on track.
It would be misleading to suggest I had complete clarity and control at this stage. Doubt is inherent in any significant career change, especially one as risky as this. Uncertainty lingered throughout the process. The key was persistence. Once I made the decision to pursue a coding career change, I committed to seeing it through, regardless of the challenges.
My Learning Strategy for a Coding Career Change
I understood that dedicated study was the only way forward for my coding career change. With full-time employment, waiting for “free time” was not an option. I had to learn while working, or not at all. Fortunately, my partner was also learning to code, which provided invaluable support. We structured our days to maximize learning time. Initially, we implemented “weekend boot camps,” dedicating entire weekends to coding. A typical day during these boot camps looked like this:
8:00 am: Wake up, breakfast
8:30 am: Start coding
12:30 pm: Gym
1:30 pm: Lunch and break
3:00/4:00 pm: Continue coding
8:00/11:00 pm: End for the day
When summer vacation arrived, I intensified my efforts, transforming the “weekend boot camp” into a “daily boot camp.” I adhered to this rigorous schedule, resisting the temptation to relax and enjoy the summer break. This intensive period significantly accelerated my progress in my coding career change.
September brought the return to work. I made a conscious decision to reduce my working hours, accepting a decrease in income for more study time. This was another deliberate step to solidify my commitment to the coding career change.
It’s hard to convey how frustrating it was to be away from code during work hours. All I wanted was to be back at my computer, solving problems and refining layouts. But real life intervened. The start of a school year is always demanding, requiring extensive preparation and organization. As any teacher knows, it also encroaches significantly on personal time.
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 some days offering no time for coding at all. Even with strong motivation, life can complicate even the most dedicated coding career change plans.
My GitHub activity showing a dip in October
However, as my GitHub activity illustrates, I persevered. I continued to dedicate time, even if it was just an hour or reading an article. I did everything possible to avoid losing motivation entirely. Prolonged breaks make it increasingly difficult to resume learning, each day further diminishing momentum for a coding career change.
As December approached, the looming new year and my approaching deadline spurred me to regroup and reorganize. I pushed forward, dedicating hours despite fatigue and limited time. Sometimes I coded early mornings, sometimes late nights. This renewed dedication was crucial for my coding career change.
My life essentially narrowed to my income-generating job and studying. Little else factored in. I maintained this rhythm until the day I packed for Madrid in spring 2018, several months before my deadline. This intense focus was key to realizing my coding career change.
Essential Tools and Resources for a Coding Career Change
During the 10 months leading to my job offer, I immersed myself in all things code-related. The most frequent question I receive on Twitter is about the resources I utilized. I’ve detailed these in another article. However, here’s a concise list of the most impactful tools and resources for anyone considering a coding career change:
Courses for a Coding Career Change
- freeCodeCamp.org
- Cassidy Williams and Colt Steele’s Udemy courses
- Wes Bos’ JavaScript 30 and other courses
- YouTube channels: Traversy Media, LevelUpTuts
- Christina Truong’s Lynda.com courses (now LinkedIn Learning)
- Udacity Front-End Nanodegree (a paid course, for which I received a Google scholarship)
While courses provide a structured foundation, I supplemented my learning with other tools crucial for both skill development and job acquisition in my coding career change.
- Twitter: A vital platform, especially the supportive #100DaysOfCode community.
- GitHub: Essential for version control and showcasing projects. It’s often the first place employers review your work.
- Portfolio: Building my portfolio and other self-initiated projects was where I gained the most critical development skills for my coding career change.
You can also explore My Learning Tracker GitHub repository. It contains a comprehensive list of resources and learning paths I used during those initial ten months of my coding career change.
Landing the Job: The Culmination of My Coding Career Change
Surprisingly, the job search phase wasn’t overly complicated for me. I didn’t send out countless resumes or spend excessive hours job hunting. Instead, I opted for a selective and focused approach for my coding career change.
Ultimately, I went through five interview processes. I was rejected by one company and didn’t complete the take-home challenge for another. I completed three processes and received three job offers. One offer was significantly less appealing. The other two, arriving almost simultaneously, were both very attractive. One of these became my current job, marking the successful end of my coding career change.
I don’t want to sound casual about this – it was an intense period. I was still uncertain if my skills were truly employable. I entered interviews unsure if my limited experience would be a disadvantage. It was a nerve-wracking yet exciting and hopeful time. Receiving two excellent job offers was exhilarating and almost unbelievable, validating my coding career change efforts.
I will always be deeply grateful to those who made hiring decisions and gave me a chance to prove myself, allowing my coding career change to materialize.
The interview processes at the two companies were distinct. One involved a series of video calls with various team members at a small, established company building a new front-end development team. After a few weeks, they extended my first official offer.
The other was a young, rapidly growing startup. After a phone interview, I received a technical challenge to complete within a few days. It involved building a component, making API calls, and displaying data correctly. This was followed by a video chat to discuss my code. Then, I was invited for an informal meeting with the tech team to assess team fit. Subsequently, I received an offer to join as a junior front-end developer, completing my coding career change.
In the end, I had to choose – a fortunate position to be in. I selected the startup based primarily on their clear emphasis on mentorship and providing guidance for growth. This focus on learning and development was key. It proved to be the right decision for my coding career change.
And so, on that rainy day in Madrid, after my coffee, I walked into an office in the business district, introduced myself as the new front-end developer, and began my new coding career. My coding career change was finally complete.
I hope you found my story inspiring. If you did, please consider giving it some claps and sharing it to help others realize that a coding career change is possible for them too. I plan to write more about this journey, so if you have specific aspects you’d like me to cover, let me know on Twitter @Syknapse
Read my article detailing all the resources I used to land this job.
