It’s a common journey: you start down one career path only to realize it’s not your true calling. Many find themselves years into a profession, yearning for something more fulfilling. If you’re feeling this pull, know that you’re not alone, and a career change is absolutely within reach. More and more individuals are successfully transitioning from diverse backgrounds into the world of programming, discovering not just well-paying jobs but also the genuine satisfaction of creation through code. Forget the outdated notion that you need a computer science degree to excel in tech. Today, passion and the right learning approach are your strongest assets.
If you’re seeking a career that’s intellectually stimulating, personally rewarding, and financially secure, software development might be the perfect fit. To illustrate this possibility, we’re sharing the inspiring stories of seven individuals who successfully made the leap into coding. Their experiences offer invaluable advice for anyone considering a Second Career In Coding.
Shawn Wang: Double Down on Learning for a Tech Career Transition
Shawn Wang’s initial career was the envy of many finance professionals. He thrived in the high-pressure world of Wall Street banking, trading everything from bonds to complex currency derivatives, and managing substantial global hedge funds. Yet, despite his financial success, Wang felt a profound disconnect from his work. He knew this wasn’t the path he wanted for his life.
On New Year’s Day 2017, Wang made a decisive commitment: he would forge a new career in coding. He began his learning journey with free online resources, building a foundational understanding before enrolling in Fullstack Academy, a leading coding bootcamp renowned for its intensive programs. Coding bootcamps offer an accelerated learning environment, condensing years of university curriculum into focused weeks, teaching essential frameworks, languages, and development strategies. While the rapid pace is demanding, Wang credits his success to a strategy of “doing everything twice.” His preliminary self-study provided a crucial base in coding principles, allowing him to grasp the more advanced concepts taught at the bootcamp with greater ease and depth.
Wang’s dedication extended beyond the bootcamp curriculum. He actively reinforced his learning through multiple avenues. He committed to daily blogging about his coding journey, solidifying his understanding and building a public portfolio. He launched a podcast to share his experiences and insights with others. He even took the initiative to run workshops on in-demand technologies like React and Passport JS.
This unwavering commitment to immersive learning and repetition proved transformative. Within a year of deciding on a second career in coding, and just two months after graduating from Fullstack Academy, Wang received a six-figure job offer. Remarkably, this came after he had already declined a previous offer exceeding $120,000, demonstrating the high demand and earning potential achievable through a coding bootcamp education.
Sophia Ciocca: Networking Quality Over Quantity in Your Tech Job Search
Sophia Ciocca’s path to software development was sparked by unexpected circumstances. Health issues forced her to step away from the Peace Corps, a role she had aspired to since the age of 14. This turning point led her to explore new possibilities, and she found herself drawn to the world of coding.
After self-teaching coding fundamentals, Ciocca enrolled in Fullstack Academy’s Grace Hopper program, specifically designed to empower women in tech. This immersive program equipped her with the crucial technical skills, essential career coaching, and a professional portfolio needed to launch her software development career.
When it came to the job search, Ciocca adopted a strategic approach that prioritized quality over quantity. Instead of broadly applying to every available position, she focused her efforts on targeted networking. Recognizing networking as an area she wanted to strengthen, she developed a focused strategy.
Her method involved identifying companies she genuinely wanted to work for, diligently researching and obtaining contact information for employees within those organizations, and then reaching out to request informational interviews, often over coffee or a phone call.
This focused networking strategy yielded impressive results. Ciocca successfully converted over half of these initial chats into formal phone screenings, a third of those screenings into onsite interviews, and an astonishing 80 percent of the onsite interviews into job offers. In just seven weeks, by engaging with fewer than 50 companies through targeted networking, Sophia secured four job offers and ultimately accepted a coveted position at The New York Times.
Stephanie Manwaring: Finding the Right Bootcamp for Your Coding Goals
Stephanie Manwaring’s journey demonstrates that a computer science degree is not a prerequisite for a successful career in software development. Remarkably, before considering a coding bootcamp, she had never written a single line of code.
Manwaring’s career pivot stemmed from a realization that her successful marketing career, while outwardly impressive, lacked the personal fulfillment and excitement she craved. While she knew she needed a change, the direction wasn’t immediately clear. Over time, coding emerged as a compelling new path.
Initially sparked by observing numerous developer job openings at companies she admired, her interest was further ignited by an introduction to JavaScript through her developer husband. Finally, a New York Times article highlighting successful career transitions into coding solidified her decision.
Her mind was set: a second career in coding was her goal. The next step was acquiring the necessary skills. However, a traditional two-year computer science master’s program felt unappealing. While coding bootcamps seemed promising, they also appeared “too good to be true,” she recalls. Extensive research became essential.
Manwaring diligently attended information sessions hosted by various bootcamps. Crucially, she proactively reached out to bootcamp alumni, seeking candid feedback on their post-graduation job search experiences, the fulfillment of bootcamp promises, the expertise of instructors, and how bootcamp graduates perceived their preparedness compared to CS degree holders.
Her thorough research convinced her that coding bootcamps could indeed deliver on their promises, and that Fullstack Academy was the ideal choice for her. She describes quitting her marketing job and enrolling in Fullstack Academy as “the best career decision I have made,” and has since secured a rewarding position as an engineer at Squarespace.
Sean McBride: Leveraging Leadership Skills for Career Advancement in Tech
Sean McBride’s career path took a unique trajectory. After graduating from West Point and serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, an injury led him to transition into IT infrastructure. This experience reignited his earlier passion for software development, prompting him to engage with Operation Code, a non-profit supporting veterans in tech, and to enroll in Fullstack Academy’s Remote Immersive program. Less than a month after graduating, McBride secured a developer role at tech startup Decipher Technology Studios.
A common concern for those pursuing a second career in coding is whether they will have the same opportunities for career growth as computer science graduates. McBride’s experience directly addresses this concern. Within just a year of joining Decipher, he progressed from being the sole full-time developer on the team to a leadership position, hiring and managing several new developers.
Currently, in addition to overseeing the team’s agile development process, McBride is responsible for code review through pull requests and mentors junior developers. This leadership role is an ideal fit for his skills and aspirations. “It’s such an amazing feeling to enjoy what I do, be good at what I do, and pay the bills,” McBride reflects, highlighting the holistic satisfaction he’s found in his tech career.
Seema Ullal: Persistence and Feedback are Key to Landing Your First Tech Role
Seema Ullal’s initial career path led her to Teach for America after college, where she taught 9th-grade algebra in New Jersey. Driven by a desire to make a difference in underserved communities, she soon realized that teaching was not her true passion.
Through introspection, Ullal identified a consistent source of intellectual engagement: the computer science courses she had taken in college. This realization sparked a significant career shift. She first pursued a master’s degree in computer science, building a strong academic foundation, and then enrolled at Fullstack Academy to gain practical, industry-relevant skills.
However, Ullal emphasizes that even with advanced education and bootcamp training, landing a developer role at a major tech company was not automatic.
The job search, as Ullal candidly describes, “can be exhausting, frustrating, and deflating at times.” Rejection is a common part of the process, making persistence crucial. Ullal recounts instances where she challenged rejections, advocating for her qualifications and suitability for specific roles.
She also proactively sought feedback at every opportunity. She found that interviewers were often willing to provide constructive criticism, alongside positive feedback, which served as valuable learning opportunities and much-needed confidence boosters during a challenging job search.
Ultimately, her persistent and proactive approach paid off. After just a month of focused job searching, Ullal secured a software development role at Gusto in the fall of 2015, a company where she continues to thrive today.
Adam Barcan: Total Immersion for Bootcamp Success in a Second Career
Adam Barcan initially pursued a career path that many would consider highly desirable. After earning a master’s degree in economics from Columbia University, Barcan worked as an economist at the U.S. Treasury Department before transitioning to a business analyst role at a global law firm.
However, a brief encounter with JavaScript sparked a profound career change. Barcan decided to leave his established office job and fully immerse himself in coding by enrolling in Fullstack Academy.
He openly acknowledges the intensity of the bootcamp experience. “Fullstack was the most challenging and satisfying professional experience of my life,” Barcan states. “Seriously. It was harder than grad school and much more fulfilling than any job I’ve ever had.”
Based on his experience, Barcan strongly recommends complete commitment and immersion in the bootcamp experience. For him, this meant actively engaging in side projects, participating in hackathons, building a freelance portfolio, and attending industry seminars. He made a conscious decision to prioritize coding above all else during the bootcamp, dedicating his full attention to mastering the curriculum and expanding his skillset.
This rigorous approach, while demanding, proved highly effective. Six months after graduating from Fullstack Academy, Barcan secured a position at software company Greenhouse, a role he has held for nearly four years, demonstrating the long-term career prospects attainable through dedicated bootcamp training.
Stella Chung: Conquering Imposter Syndrome in Your Tech Career Transition
Stella Chung has always possessed a strong analytical mind. Her initial career was in database and CRM management within the non-profit sector. This background provided a solid foundation when she decided to transition to a second career in coding, starting with free online courses and later enrolling in Fullstack Academy’s Grace Hopper program.
Surprisingly, despite her experience in database management and over 700 hours of coding bootcamp training, Chung candidly admits to experiencing imposter syndrome, even today. This feeling of inadequacy is surprisingly common, particularly among individuals pursuing second careers as developers.
Imposter syndrome is a widespread phenomenon in the tech industry. Chung found comfort and strength in recognizing that she was not alone in these feelings. As Chung notes, “Nearly everyone could relate to imposter syndrome, and readily shared words of encouragement.”
Chung’s story is a powerful example of how it’s possible to thrive professionally despite grappling with imposter syndrome. During her bootcamp, she successfully built a 2D platformer game using Phaser.Js in a single weekend and mastered programming in Elm over another weekend. It’s therefore unsurprising that upon graduating from the Grace Hopper Program, Chung quickly secured a software engineer role at tech startup Niche.
These seven developers’ stories collectively demonstrate that a second career in coding is genuinely attainable for anyone. Regardless of your current profession or location, with dedication, focused effort, and the right learning resources, a fulfilling and successful second career in coding is within your reach.
These graduates experienced firsthand how Fullstack Academy provides the programming training and career development support necessary to enter the tech industry. Explore their programs and discover how they compare here.
