I made a career change decision in 2013. I had been working as a lab technician at a biotech startup doing cancer and brain disorder research for 7 years, and had taken a certificate at nightschool to learn to program. Getting that first job in software development was hard, even with a certificate under my belt, so I decided to go to code school to focus on learning a web development framework. Code schools were relatively new in 2013, and what the industry lacked in organization it more than made up for in enthusiasm.
Code schools solve all kinds of challenges for the tech industry: not all problems in software require a CS degree; every industry requires software to function, driving unprecedented demand for programming skills; and career changers like myself can bypass trapdoors, which increases diversity. Getting accepted to a code school program gains you entry to a whole new world, but it can be hard to navigate without a guide.
Two years after graduating the program and working in the industry, I wrote the guide I would have liked to have had. “So, You Want to Go to Code School” includes everything I learned from the moment I decided to make the change through my first two years as a software developer. While I wrote this guide in 2015, and code schools have evolved considerably, I think there is still some value to be gleaned for early software developer careers.
One note before you dive in — the url for the book (codeschoolbook.com) is no longer mine 😀. I wish the new owners luck with their kickstarter campaign! Also, I am open to feedback — checkout my contact form or drop me an email.
Good luck on your journey!