Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be an artist. I was always coloring, drawing, painting, etc. Growing up my family, friends, and teachers would always say that's what I would be. I was 99.9% sure that I was going to be an artist or designer as I graduated high school and was off to college.
So... it's weird to think that a while ago (before all this COVID-19 stuff) I was standing in front of a group of high school students describing my job as a web developer and how much I actually enjoy it. I know right? I never would have thought that this is what I would be doing, but here I am, and I'm so glad.
As I was answering their questions, I realized that I did some things that helped get my foot in the door, which can be the hardest/scariest part, especially if you're making the switch to tech. Below are those things in the context of the questions I was asked during that Q and A, along with things I wish I did. So if you're thinking about making the career change or ways to get that first job, let's dive in.
"How did you know this is what you wanted to do?"
Story time. When I was in college taking my design classes, something just didn't ever feel quite right. I always felt guilty for feeling that way, especially when I kept being told by my professors things like "You have talent, keep doing what you're doing." I felt even worse knowing that I took the spot of someone that really wanted to be there. The more I kept going, the more I was realizing that this wasn't for me.
I dropped out of the program. I was devastated, but at the same time, relieved. Even though there was this relief, a part of me still felt like I was betraying myself. Like, my whole life my heart was set on this. However:
"Thankfully, dreams can change. If we'd all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses." - Stephen Colbert
My professors were kind enough to give me a year in case I changed my mind and wanted to come back. So I took that time to self-reflect and figure things out. This is what I ended up doing during that time.
Make a list of what I wanted in a job 📝
I listed things that were important to me in a job and began to research jobs that met that list. Doing this helped me see why I was unhappy in the program and what was actually important to me.
Here's what my list looked like:
- Something that wasn't too subjective (why I was unhappy)
- Something based on logic (what I needed)
- Always learning something new (big one for me)
- Allowed me to work from home (I wanted kids and needed that flexibility)
- Reasonable salary (for survival)
As I was Googling "work from home jobs", etc, Web Developer would keep coming up. Reading the job description was intimidating at first, like, you need to know what what? At the same time that marked off "Always learning something new," and the job met the other criteria. But how would I know if I would even like this?
Take a class or two 📚
I enrolled in some Computer Science classes at the community college that were part of their program, in case I liked it and wanted to continue. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it! I was hooked. I loved learning about how programs work and "think", and seeing my first "Hello World!" in the console made me feel like I could do anything. I knew I wanted to keep learning.
What I wish I did
- Used more of the FREE online resources. There are so many out there like Codecademy, freeCodeCamp, Youtube, etc. I wasn't really aware of them and I was in the mindset of "you need a degree" which isn't the case. They have projects you can build and you can do it on your own time, at your own pace. And...it's free 😛. Udemy is another good resource although you have to pay. Just make sure you buy when they are on sale (they seem to always have "sales").
"How did you get your job?"
These were some of the skills that I was learning that I think were helpful in getting a job:
- Basic HTML, CSS, and Javascript (how a webpage looks and acts)
- Basic SQL (getting data from databases)
- Object oriented programming(OOP) (working with objects and manipulating them).
Note on OOP: I learned Java in my classes but Ruby is another object oriented programming language that in my opinion is more readable. I've also heard Python is pretty easy to read so either one of those might be better to start with.
What I wish I did
- Learn git and create a GitHub account asap. This is life.
- Start a side project. This is probably my biggest regret. I was focused on my classes, work, etc, that I really didn't get into doing a project that I liked. I wish that I at least started something because your free time starts to shrink when you are working full-time and other life events come up.
Besides learning those skills, I also did the things listed below that helped in the job search.
Look at job descriptions of your dream job at companies you would like to work for 📄
Doing this helped a lot. It gave me an idea of what they were using and what they were looking for. Do they need a Front-End, Backend, or Full-stack developer? Do they use Ruby on Rails? React? If there are things on their list you don't know, look up tutorials to get familiar. Doing this can help you tailor your resume and go in a lot more prepared.
Attend conferences and Meetups in your area 🤝
Networking can be your best friend. Yes a lot of us dread it and find it scary, but it helps I promise! Plus you get to learn cool things and get free swag so win win. I found a local conference that seemed interesting to me (Front) and luckily they had a discount for students. I was able to meet really awesome people, make connections, and found out about job openings and companies that I wasn't even aware of. It's also a great way to bypass any automated resume screening since you get to directly talk to the people that work at those companies, attaching a face to your resume should you apply.
What I wish I did
- Actually joined some Meetup groups. By joining a Meetup group you receive notifications for upcoming events, keeping you in the loop. I'm the type that needs notifications or it just slips through the cracks and I miss it.
Look for paid internships or entry level positions 🔍
Whether it's a part-time job, temporary job, or paid internship (never work for free), it's a great way to get experience and get your foot in the door. Tech Support or Quality Assurance(QA) jobs are also great starting points. I originally started as a QA intern at the company I currently work at. I'm personally glad that I started in QA because it helped me get familiar with our codebase and how it worked. And I also got better at debugging (so much debugging 🕵️♀️).
I was also lucky enough to have had a professor that would let us know about new opportunities. That's actually how I got my first tech-related job. During class he mentioned the school was hiring temporary part-time web technicians to help update the website, which leads to my next point of:
Just apply even while you're learning 👩💻
I was so nervous to apply for the job. I felt like I didn't know enough and I was still learning. There's no way I would get hired. But when do you ever finish learning? Exactly. So I just applied, thinking I wouldn't get it. But then I got an interview, making me excited but also even more nervous 🤢. I got the job. My point is worst case scenario, they say "no" and you get some interview/resume practice. You win either way so just do it.
"What did you like about design?"
You're probably wondering why I would end with this question or even include it but I just want to make a point here. After I dropped out of the design program I thought for the longest time “well so much for that, I just wasted all that time." But ironically, that's what helped me get that job at the community college. It gave me an edge. I began to realize that it was a good thing, especially as I was working more and more with interfaces that users interact with. It wasn't a waste. Any skill, even if it is outside of tech, can potentially be useful for your job at one point. Even basket weaving? Yes, even basket weaving. Never feel that your knowledge in other areas is useless. ❤️
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