Brief Summary
This video tells the story of how the author, Tim Kim, learned to code in four months and landed a job as a developer. He shares his journey from working dead-end sales jobs to becoming a full-stack developer, highlighting the resources he used, the challenges he faced, and the strategies he employed to succeed. Key takeaways include the importance of focused effort, learning how to learn effectively, and building real-world projects to gain practical experience.
- Tim learned to code using FreeCodeCamp, focusing on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- He emphasizes the importance of building real-world projects to solidify understanding and gain practical experience.
- He landed a job by offering to work for free, showcasing his skills and dedication, and eventually secured a full-time position with a salary of $65,000 per year.
Learning to Code in 4 Months
Tim shares his background, explaining that he was working dead-end sales jobs after dropping out of community college. He was unhappy with his career path and wanted something with more growth potential. He was drawn to the tech industry because of its high salaries and the opportunity to build something from scratch.
Learning the Basics
Tim started learning to code by searching "how to code" on Google and discovered FreeCodeCamp. He learned the basics of web development, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. However, he realized that he was learning how to write code but not how to program, meaning he couldn't apply his knowledge to build real-world projects.
The Importance of Building Projects
Tim emphasizes the importance of building projects to solidify understanding and gain practical experience. He struggled with the front-end projects on FreeCodeCamp until he found a YouTube channel where a developer built projects line by line. By copying and recreating these projects, Tim gained the confidence to build his own. He also recommends watchandcode.com as a valuable resource for learning by following along with others.
Full Stack Development
Tim felt like an imposter because he hadn't built anything full-stack before. He decided to build his first full-stack project, a Pinterest clone, with the help of a YouTube developer named Stephen. They used Jira for project management, GitHub for version control, and pair programming sessions to simulate a real-world development environment.
Learning from Mistakes
Stephen acted as a mentor, pushing Tim to meet deadlines, question his decisions, and learn to debug his code independently. He also introduced Tim to the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle, emphasizing the importance of writing reusable code. Tim supplemented his learning with Udemy courses on React and Node, the frameworks he chose to build his Pinterest clone.
Landing a Job
After completing his full-stack project, Tim was ready to find a job. He defined his ideal job, focusing on remote work and a small to medium-sized company. He used websites like weworkremotly.com and remoteok.io to find potential opportunities. Instead of simply applying, he reached out to hiring managers and developers directly, introducing himself, showcasing his skills, and offering to work for free.
The Power of Persistence
Tim's persistence paid off. He received six responses, four interviews, and three job offers. Despite offering to work for free, his skills impressed employers, and he was offered a full-time position with a salary of $65,000 per year. He chose the company that offered the best learning opportunities and compensation package.
Final Thoughts
Tim emphasizes that his journey was about focused effort and persistence, not luck. He learned enough to land a job, but most of his development skills came from on-the-job experience. He concludes by stating that credentials don't matter as much as problem-solving skills and the ability to persist until finding solutions.
