My Journey to Learning How to Code and Getting a Job

Introduction

• Dropped out of college
• Worked 60 hours a week in dead-end sales jobs
• Desired career mobility and the ability to build something of my own

Discovering Coding

• Started my coding journey after searching for how to code
• Found Free Code Camp
• Learned web development basics:
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JavaScript (chosen for its demand and applications in major companies)

Realization of Learning Gaps

• Initially learned coding but not programming
• Lacked practical skills in building websites
• Gained interest in problem-solving and coding

Full-Time Learning Experience

• Quit job and moved to Korea to minimize expenses
• Found learning challenging; struggled with focus
• Discovered Learning How to Learn course by Barbara Oakley
  • Key takeaways:
    • Use Pomodoro technique for studying
    • Create a dedicated learning space

Daily Learning Schedule

• 8:00 AM: Wake up
• 8:30 AM: Head to train station
• 9:00 AM: Co-working space
• 9:15 AM: Coffee, journaling, curriculum review
• 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Study session (Pomodoros)
• 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Lunch break
• 2:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Study session (Pomodoros)
• 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Gym (3 days a week)
• 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Dinner and help with grandma

Building Projects and Gaining Skills

• Faced challenges with front-end projects on Free Code Camp
• Found a helpful YouTube channel by Steve for guided project building
• Utilized watchandcode.com for interactive learning
• Earned Free Code Camp front-end developer certificate in one month

Feeling Like an Imposter

• Desired to build a full-stack project to feel legitimate
• Collaborated with Steve to build a full-stack web app, cloning Pinterest
• Utilized Jira for project management and learned development practices

Learning Key Concepts

• Learned CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) fundamentals
• Set up projects on GitHub for version control
• Emphasized collaboration, debugging, and writing reusable code (DRY principle)

Completing the Full Stack Project

• Supplemented learning with Udemy courses on React and Node
• Built and deployed the full-stack web app after two months

Job Search Process

• Defined job preferences: remote work, small to medium-sized companies
• Searched on sites like weworkremotely.com and remoteok.io
• Reached out to hiring managers directly, offered to work for free
• Obtained responses, interviews, and ultimately three job offers

Securing the Job

• Chose the company with the best learning opportunity and compensation
• Initial salary: $50,000/year; increased to $65,000/year after probation
• Benefits included health and dental, with remote work flexibility

Conclusion

• Emphasized that credentials are less important than problem-solving and persistence
• Acknowledged progress often comes from on-the-job experience
• Encouraged others to subscribe for more learning content