My Journey as a Software Developer

Introduction

• Presenter: Justin, a 23-year-old software developer at Accenture in Rome, Italy
• Purpose: Share experiences and journey as a software developer
• Topics Covered:
  1. Educational Background
  2. How I Learned to Code
  3. Projects and Experience
  4. Job Search and Career Transition
  5. Working as a Software Developer
  6. Personal Advice and Lessons Learned

Educational Background

• High School: No college degree, only a high school diploma
• Programming Exposure: Initial aversion to programming; learned basics of C++
• Post-High School: Faced a crossroads—considered filmmaking or a degree in software engineering/computer science
• Decision: Felt lost but eventually found passion in software development

How I Learned to Code

• Initial Steps: Started with HTML and CSS
• Resources: First two books on HTML and CSS
• Boot Camp: Enrolled in a boot camp in Rome, learned Java, and transitioned to web development (back-end and front-end)
• Learning Front-End Development: Focused on JavaScript, TypeScript, and Angular
• Self-Discovery: Realized software development as a lifetime goal
• Further Studies: Enrolled in an online computer science university, but paused due to time management issues
• Key Resources: YouTube, Free Code Camp, Zero to Mastery, Udemy, AlgoExpert, Documentation

Projects and Experience

• Languages: Go-to languages are JavaScript and TypeScript, with some Java and Python
• Notable Projects: Few but impactful projects that solidified programming foundation
• Job Search and Career Transition:
  • First Job: Landed through a mix of knowledge and soft skills
  • Challenges: Low salaries for junior developers in Italy
  • Current Position: Front-end team lead at Accenture
  • Day-to-Day: Leading a team, client interactions, working on e-commerce project in the automotive industry

Personal Advice and Lessons Learned

• Curiosity: Stay curious, remain updated
• Junior Developer Mindset: Always more to learn
• Saying Yes or No: Balance and knowing limits are key
• Value of Time: Spend time wisely, cherish moments with loved ones
• Passion: Must be genuinely interested in software development to succeed

Conclusion

• Advice: Pursue dreams with passion, learn and network continuously, enjoy the journey
• Final Words: Thank you for watching; success wishes for viewers chasing their dreams; don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe