Have you ever dreamt of swapping your current career for the exciting world of coding? Imagine yourself, not too long from now, crafting software, building websites, or developing the next groundbreaking app. It might sound like a distant fantasy, especially if you’re starting from scratch with no tech background. But the truth is, changing careers to coding is more achievable than you think, regardless of your age or previous experience. This is the story of how I transitioned into front-end development at 40, armed with nothing but determination, free online resources, and a burning desire to learn. Let me guide you through the steps and insights I gained on my journey of How To Change Career To Coding, proving that it’s possible for anyone willing to put in the work.
Debunking the “Special” Myth: Anyone Can Code
When I first considered a career change to coding, I would read success stories online with a hint of doubt. I’d often search for that elusive “special ingredient” in each author’s background – something that made them inherently suited for tech, something I felt I lacked. Perhaps they had a hidden aptitude for logic, or maybe they were secretly math geniuses.
However, I’ve come to realize that this notion of needing a “special” predisposition is simply not true. There are no secret prerequisites to becoming a developer. While I won’t sugarcoat it – it requires dedication and effort – the skills needed are within everyone’s reach. The real requirements are grit, a willingness to learn continuously, and the resilience to push through challenges. You need to be prepared to work hard, absorb a vast amount of information, and maintain consistency. Crucially, you must develop the mental toughness to overcome moments of frustration and self-doubt. These are all qualities that can be cultivated with practice.
My own starting point was completely unrelated to tech. I didn’t have a computer science degree, and I couldn’t afford expensive coding bootcamps. Time was also a constraint, as I was working full-time. Approaching middle age, I felt the pressure of time ticking. Yet, I discovered that with focused effort and the right approach, a career change to coding is absolutely attainable, no matter your circumstances.
My Unconventional Path to Tech
On the day I wrote my first line of code, my technical experience was non-existent. My professional background was diverse, starting in the restaurant industry, followed by a music technology degree, and then a decade teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in Spain. Computers were tools for daily tasks, not objects of deep understanding. However, I always felt drawn to the latest technological advancements and viewed programmers as modern-day innovators.
Coding seemed like an exclusive domain, reserved for individuals with innate talent and prestigious, costly university educations. While such individuals certainly exist in the field, I learned that the reality of software development is far more inclusive. It’s a skill accessible to anyone willing to learn, not a secret art practiced by a select few.
The Spark of Inspiration
My journey began with a conversation with my partner, exploring the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, particularly in technology. Driven by a desire to challenge this imbalance and become a role model, she decided to learn programming herself. Her initiative sparked my own curiosity and ambition.
We soon discovered the wealth of freely available learning resources. Coding wasn’t an arcane mystery, but a practical skill that could be acquired and mastered. In fact, she successfully transitioned into a developer role a month before I did, which further fueled my motivation.
One day, in a science museum, we stumbled upon a children’s book about programming. We returned home, opened a simple text editor, wrote <h1>Hello World</h1>, and opened it in a browser. Then, we experimented with styling: <h1 style="color:red;">Hello World</h1>. The sheer excitement of seeing our code come to life was infectious. I was hooked. I wanted to build things with code, to command computers to execute my ideas.
Leaving a Job I Loved
At that time, I had been teaching children for eight fulfilling years. This isn’t a typical story of escaping a dreaded job. I genuinely enjoyed teaching, valued my interactions with students, and felt comfortable in my profession. It was rewarding and satisfying.
Yet, sometimes even when you love something, you sense 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 beyond my comfort zone and stimulate intellectual growth.
Finding Your Path: There’s No Single “Right” Way
There’s no magic formula or single “true path” to career change success. Three of us – my partner, a close friend, and myself – embarked on this coding journey around the same time, all aiming for a career shift. Today, all three of us are working in the tech industry, yet our learning approaches were vastly different. Each of us tailored our methods and resources to suit our individual learning styles and circumstances. If there’s a common thread, it’s unwavering persistence and relentless hard work. We simply refused to give up.
So, instead of presenting a definitive “right way,” I’ll share my personal journey. It’s not the only way, nor necessarily the best, but it’s what worked for me in learning how to change career to coding.
Getting Started and Setting Objectives
My initial step was to immerse myself in information. I read articles and watched YouTube videos about programming to grasp the landscape and identify a starting point. I then began experimenting with HTML and CSS, following online tutorials and coding along to create basic web pages. This hands-on experience solidified my interest and confirmed that this was a path I genuinely wanted to pursue.
Seeking guidance, I reached out to friends working in the tech field for advice and insights. Their early encouragement and direction were crucial in propelling me forward and focusing my efforts on a clear, attainable goal.
Defining realistic objectives tailored to my situation was essential. I needed a relatively quick career transition as I didn’t have alternative income sources, meaning I had to maintain my teaching job until I could switch.
I decided to focus on front-end development, recognizing it as an accessible and highly in-demand area. I further refined my focus to align with the skill sets sought by startups, rather than pursuing freelance work initially.
Crucially, I set a firm deadline. I didn’t want this aspiration to become another unchecked item 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 tech role by September 2018 – a little over a year away.
It would be disingenuous to claim I had absolute certainty and control at this stage. Doubt is an inherent part of any significant career change. Uncertainty lingered throughout the process. The key was to embrace persistence. Once I committed to this path, I was determined to see where it led, regardless of the obstacles.
Immersive Learning and Time Management
I understood that dedicated study was the only way forward. With a full-time job, waiting for “free time” was not an option. Learning had to be integrated into my existing schedule, or it wouldn’t happen at all. Fortunately, my partner was also learning to code, which allowed us to structure our days to maximize study time. We initiated “weekend bootcamps,” dedicating entire weekends to coding. A typical day during these bootcamps 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
During summer vacation, I intensified my efforts, transforming the “weekend bootcamp” into a “daily bootcamp.” I adhered to this rigorous schedule diligently, resisting the temptation to relax and enjoy the summer break.
When September arrived and I resumed teaching, I made a conscious decision to reduce my working hours. I accepted a lower income in exchange for more study time. This was another step to solidify my commitment to this career transition and prioritize my learning.
It’s difficult to convey how challenging it was to be away from coding during work hours. All I wanted was to be back at my computer, resolving coding problems and refining layouts. But real life intervened. The start of a new school year always demands significant time for preparation and organization, extending beyond work hours.
This period presented a potential derailment point for my mission. Despite my best intentions, coding time dwindled. Momentum began to wane. I struggled to maintain consistency and there were days when time simply vanished. Even with strong motivation, life can complicate even the best-laid plans.
My GitHub activity showing the dip in October
However, as my GitHub activity illustrates, I persevered. I continued to dedicate time, even if it was just an hour, even if it was just reading a tech article. I consciously fought against losing all momentum. Prolonged breaks make it increasingly difficult to resume learning with each passing day.
As December approached, the looming new year and my approaching deadline reignited my focus. I rallied and reorganized. I pushed harder, dedicating hours regardless of fatigue or time constraints. Sometimes, I woke up early to code; other times, I stayed up late.
My life became largely confined to my income-generating job and coding studies, with little else in between. I sustained this rhythm until the spring of 2018, several months before my self-imposed deadline, when I began preparations to move to Madrid for my new job.
Essential Tools and Resources for Aspiring Coders
Over the ten months leading to my job offer, I completely immersed myself in the world of code. The most frequent question I receive on Twitter is about the resources I utilized. I’ve detailed these in another article, but here’s a concise list of the most impactful tools and platforms for anyone learning how to change career to coding:
Top-Tier Courses and Platforms:
- freeCodeCamp.org: A free, comprehensive platform with a vast curriculum covering web development and more.
- Udemy Courses: Specifically, courses by Cassidy Williams and Colt Steele, offering practical and engaging learning experiences.
- Wes Bos’ JavaScript 30: An excellent free course for mastering JavaScript fundamentals through hands-on projects, along with his other paid courses.
- YouTube Channels: Traversy Media and LevelUpTuts, providing valuable tutorials and insights into web development topics.
- Lynda.com (LinkedIn Learning) Courses by Christina Truong: Offering structured learning paths and in-depth explorations of various technologies.
- Udacity Front-End Nanodegree: A more structured, paid program (I received a Google scholarship), providing a deeper dive into front-end development.
Courses are a great starting point, but practical application and community engagement are equally vital. I supplemented my learning with these resources:
- Twitter: A cornerstone of my learning experience, especially the incredibly supportive and motivating #100DaysOfCode community.
- GitHub: An essential tool for version control, collaboration, and showcasing projects. It’s often the first place potential employers look to evaluate your work. I hosted all my projects on GitHub for free.
- Portfolio: Building a personal portfolio website was one of the most effective ways to solidify my skills and demonstrate my abilities to potential employers. Self-initiated projects were invaluable for learning and skill development.
For a complete list of resources and learning paths I used in those initial ten months, you can explore my Learning Tracker GitHub repository.
Landing the Job: Focused and Selective Approach
Surprisingly, the job search phase was less daunting than anticipated. I didn’t send out countless applications or spend endless hours job hunting. Instead, I adopted a selective and focused approach.
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 full processes and received offers from all three. One offer was clearly unsuitable, while the other two, arriving almost simultaneously, were both highly appealing. I accepted one of these, which became my current job.
This isn’t meant to sound nonchalant. It was an intense period filled with uncertainty. I still questioned whether my skills were truly employable. I entered interviews unsure if my limited experience would be a disadvantage. It was nerve-wracking, but also exciting and filled with hope. Receiving two excellent job offers was an unbelievable and exhilarating outcome.
I am eternally grateful to the individuals who made those hiring decisions and took a chance on me.
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 seeking to build a new front-end development team. After several weeks, they extended my first job offer.
The other was with a rapidly growing startup. Following a phone interview, I received a technical challenge to complete within a few days. This involved building a component, making API calls, and displaying data correctly. Next was a video call to discuss my code. Finally, I was invited for an informal meeting with the tech team to assess team fit. Following this, I received an offer to join as a junior front-end developer.
Faced with two great options, I had the fortunate dilemma of choosing. I opted for the startup based primarily on their clear emphasis on mentorship and providing guidance for growth and continuous learning. This proved to be the deciding factor and undoubtedly the right choice.
And so, on that rainy Madrid day, after my coffee, I walked into an office, introduced myself as the new front-end developer, and began my new career journey.
I hope my story has been helpful and inspiring as you consider how to change career to coding. If you found it valuable, please share it with others who might be contemplating a similar path. If there are specific aspects of this process you’d like to learn more about, I’d love to hear from you. Connect with me on Twitter @Syknapse.
Explore my comprehensive guide to the resources I used to land my tech job.
