How to Actually Start a Tech Career in your 30s Without Burning Out or Giving Up
Zubin Pratap
How to Actually Start a Tech Career Mid-Life (Without Burning Out or Giving Up)
I'm going to explain how to start your tech career in your 30s or 40s in a way that's actually sustainable. And achievable.
If you’re like the other students of the Parsity Inner Circle want this because tech can offer what your old career probably stopped giving you (or never gave you!): growth, creativity, flexibility, and power over your future.
But only if you approach the journey differently than the 22-year-olds straight out of school.
Unfortunately, most career-changers chase the wrong things. They binge tutorials. They obsess over JavaScript frameworks. They try to brute-force their way in, alone, and end up exhausted, confused, and doubting themselves.
The biggest reason?
They’re trying to change skills without changing identity.
Tip: You’re not learning to code. You’re learning to be a coder.
Here are 4 other reasons people fail to make the pivot:
Reason #1: They treat learning code like as the end goal instead of the means to the end0.
Reason #2: They try to prove they know things instead of proving they can get things done.
Reason #3: They try and learn the maximum they can instead of learning the minimum necessary (I call this the MED - Minimum Effective Dose)
Reason #4: They try to do it alone when rapid momentum (progress) comes from not making the same mistakes EVERYONE else did (i.e. reinventing the learning to code wheel).
But you can get through this. Here's how:
Step 1: Build a job-backwards roadmap.
Before you even write your first line of code, figure out what type of coding job you want (I’ve counted 43 (!!) types in my 6 years of engineering(. Then reverse-engineer your learning path based on the actual skills that job requires.
When my client Sasha did this, he stopped bouncing between bootcamp videos and focused on solving real-world problems.
In 4 months, he was applying with confidence because every project he built mimicked the job he wanted and in 8 months he had 4 offers.
He was a 36 year old lawyer who’d never coded till he came to me.
Step 2: Build career capital, not just code snippets.
Most people think learning a language is enough. It’s not. You need to create visible proof that you're already thinking like a developer.
That means:
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Documenting your projects with README files that show context and decisions.
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Posting thought processes online to build signal.
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Practicing interviews before you're "ready" so you build fluency.
Step 3: Change your inputs.
If you're listening to people who don’t believe in you, consuming endless how-to videos, and constantly doubting yourself, you’ll drown.
But when you surround yourself with a system, support, and a strategy, your career shift stops being a dream and starts being an inevitability. I know, because I lived it. And I help others do it too.
You don’t have to do this alone. You just have to start smart.
👉 Follow the podcast here: YouTube | Spotify
👉 Learn more about the Inner Circle coaching program here: https://parsity.io/inner-circle
Three ways we can help you:
1. Wondering what learning to code actually means?
Becoming a coder is much more than just "learning to code" some languages. When I got hired at Google, for example, I didnt know 3 out of the 4 languages I had to write every day.
Check out
My FreeCodeCamp Course --> Before You Learn To Code (Video).
Updated version (including Google and other big tech experiences)
2. Inner Circle (Free Preview Included)
Our personalized, intensive mentorship program designed to help career changers go from zero to software developer—and actually get hired. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re ready to commit, we’ll walk with you every step.
Preview the Inner Circle Program -> free preview.
Apply for Inner Circle → parsity.io/inner-circle
3. Dev30
Want to learn the basics, but not quite ready for the Parsity Inner Circle? No problems - Try the Dev30 challenge!
It’s our 30-day JavaScript sprint focused on building real projects, learning in public, and creating a network in tech.
Join dev30 → dev30.xyz
Career Change To Tech
Career change to code? Learning to code is not enough. Not even close. Just like learning how to dribble doesn't make you a pro ball player. There are 7 steps. So you need 7 campaigns. My newsletter is your unfair advantage on each. You also get access to my Podcast and other free resources - each of which help you understand exactly how I went from 37yo lawyer to Google Engineer.
