My thinking process while changing my career into a developer

 

I had my background in business. After a few years working as a marketer, I decided to become a programmer. There are many reasons that have led to this decision. Honestly, it is not a simple decision. My friends sometimes ask me about my journey of turning to a developer. I guest it is maybe your concern at the moment:

• Is it hard?

• Is it better in terms of job opportunity in Finland?

• How long does it take to become a developer?

• Is it worthy to become a developer?

So for this post, I would like to wrap up my journey so far and hopefully can answer some of your questions.

Being a developer is tough but rewarding at the same time

If you ask me how it is like to be a developer, I would say it is a tough journey. Really, especially in my case when I started my programming from -5. I studied some online materials, then joined an intensive course on web development at Integrify. After that I worked on my personal projects for about 2 months before landing my first job. During that time, I was working day and night, no weekend, no vacation. There were many days that I walked home feeling like a loser. It is not an easy feeling when you did not have a clue what people are talking about. The code you wrote does not run, you went through tutorials but did not manage to get your code work, your friend tried to explain things to you but you did not understand, or you did not even know what to search on Google,…I just to name a few scenarios that I have been through. But as I said, it is rewarding at the same time. For example, you could spend a whole week working on something, then your code starts working like a charm, or at midnight when you are about to quit and want to try for the very last time and your code starts running like magic. Yeah, those moments are the sparking light that keeps you moving forward.

There are more open jobs for developers and of course the competition is high

I think it is no surprise that finding jobs as developers gives you a better chance, in Finland for example. Even during the pandemic, while other industries are facing many challenges, the tech field continues to grow. When I applied for jobs as a marketer, I sent 2–3 applications per week. On average, I received 1 invitation for an interview every two months. Back then, I had a master degree and 3 years of working experience. This time, when I applied for jobs as a developer, with the same amount of applications, I received 4 invitations for an interview within 1 month. It is one of the reasons that many have turned to learn programming because of better job opportunities in Finland.

You may hear stories of those who find a job after 6 months of learning programming. In fact, the process from start off to learning still getting the first job may last longer. When I started my intensive programming course, some of my classmates had been learning programming for a year or more and still struggling finding jobs. The competition is tough. Companies usually prefer more senior and experienced developers. The programming itself has many technologies and knowledge need to be learnt in order to be an independent developer. You can imagine what people learn for years you have to consume within a few months.

In daily life, because triumph is made more visible than failure, you systematically overestimate your chances of succeeding" - Rolf Dobelli “The art of thinking clearly"

But of course, the competition is tough does not mean that there is no chance for a junior developer. Sometimes when I was in the interview with a technical lead, he said that for him the skills or experience does not matter. He himself started as a junior developer. He prefers the willingness to learn and ability to develop more than experience. Personally, I believe that there are chances for everybody. If you want something enough and spend time and effort for it, you can make it sooner or later.

It takes 6 months to learn basic web development, but the learning process does not end there

I have a quick survey among my friends who want to become a programmer without a technical background. On average, it takes about 6 to 8 months to learn basic web development. In my case I studied front-end development. During the first 6 months, I studied HTML, CSS, Javascripts, and React.js. I continued with doing some projects in the next 2 months before I started my first job in Smartly.

However, the journey did not end there. Since joining Smartly, I have started everything all over again. Working for a company web application is totally different from doing school assignments or personal projects. In those first days, I asked every single question. After about 3 months, right after I had grown to be a bit more confident in doing tasks, then there came new challenges. I came back to studying new tech tacks, doing exercises and asking even more questions. I think being a developer is an ever ending learning process. You experiment something, learn new things, and come back to refresh your knowledge. The web development in general keeps emerging with new technology and new frameworks which keep you busy with new things. I guess it is the nature of being a developer.

If programming is something for you, it’s worth spending your time and effort on

When I look back, it took me 6 months to learn basic web development. However, when I checked messages I sent to my friends, I started thinking about it for more than 2 years before. I did not know whether programming was something for me. I did not know if I had the ability to learn a programming language. I was thinking if it were worthy to start everything from a crash. It was a tough decision since I had already graduated and been working for a few years. At that stage, my friends had started to move up to management level. I kept thinking whether I should continue with my marketing career or switch to something brand new. I think it is totally a personal choice. If you want to try something new, there is no need to hesitate.

Once I made the decision to become a developer, I told myself that I would keep doing it. If I failed, I would do it again until I made it. Once again, I strongly believe in the growth mindset. Your brain is something that can grow and develop over time. Job opportunity is something tempting that encourages people to learn programming. But what if you have spent years learning and doing a lot of projects but you still haven’t found a job? After all of the effort and hardwork without a result, are you still motivated? If the answer is yes, I believe at that stage you clearly have the answer whether you want to become a developer or not.

To sum up about switching careers to a developer. From my experience, I can say that:

• Being a developer is tough but rewarding at the same time.

• There are more open jobs for developers and of course the competition is high.

• It takes 6 months to learn basic web development, but the learning process does not end there.

• If programming is something for you, it’s worth spending your time and effort.

I would say that it is never too late to start anything. If something really matters to you, why not give it a try. Becoming a developer is challenging but it is something that you can learn and improve over time. Lastly, there is never a shortcut. To master something demands hard work and a lot of effort. I wish you all the best with your decision to become a developer or become anything that you aim for.

I would love to hear your thought and experience. Or if you have any question, feel free to comment or send me email through hongngoc.ftu2011@gmail.com. Happy to connect!