Is Coding a Career for Me? A Talk with Jay Wengrow, CEO of Actualize 2/23/17

I was very interested in going to this meetup because the summary listed that it was going to talk about an overview of coding for those new to the topic. I was a little hesitant since it was downtown and I have signed up for many of these but canceled last minute due to the hour commute each way (not to mention the cost of parking!). It was held at 1871 at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. I did end up going and am glad I did. I will share a little of what I learned.

There are many different positions related to coding as well as many languages to choose from.  A Software Designer creates the actual feel and presentation/color/theme of the website.  A Software Developer writes the actual code that makes the site work and function.  People who write code are often called developers, coders, or programmers.  Programmer is an outdated term and most job titles now list developer instead. Coder is more like a slang term to describe someone who writes code but would not be listed on a job search site.

There are mainly three paths people take to learn to code.  They are university taught, boot camps, and self-taught.  Universities normally provide an overall structure to learn but most do not dive into any one type of language in depth.  Boot camps are usually several months of long hours of coding on a specific type of language or area with the goal of getting a new job or advancing a current one. Self-taught programming can be the most difficult since it requires a large amount of self-discipline and little instruction or feedback.

All of these options for learning to code can be successful to getting a job coding.  Many large companies require a degree and have stable teams of coders who work together on projects. A downside to large companies is there is often a lot of red tape and approvals that need to be met before being able to implement any changes to code.  A medium size company can have the right mix of ability to have input into decisions as well as good benefits.  In a smaller company, you may be the only person on the development team. We were told a story of a small company where the developer made one small change to the code during his workday. The next day he found out no one had been able to order anything on the site of a popular company all night. Having this much responsibility can be good or bad depending on what you are looking for.

Job interviews can range anywhere from someone asking you behavioral questions only, to a combination of normal interviews and light coding, to a full intensive coding project. People newly out of boot camp have reported experiencing all of these types of interviews and you should be prepared for any combination but not intimidated. Be honest about what you know or ways you are thinking of solving a problem.

Coding currently is in demand and a stable career path.  New coders in Chicago can expect to earn about $50-$60k per year starting out. After 2yrs many make between $65-85k per year, and after 5yrs many start to near $100k per year. This is for a skilled coder who continues to learn as they go along. After 10yrs, many skilled coders go into management or decide to be entrepreneurs and work on their own.

https://www.meetup.com/Anyone-Can-Learn-To-Code-Chicago/events/237510971/