๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ. ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป'๐ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ ๐ป๐ผ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ธ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ.
Folks who come to me for help tend to be "Stuck Intermediates."
They've sunk months, maybe years, into learning code.
They know the basics.
They can build a shopping cart app.
But they're still not getting interviews.
They're defeated, discouraged,a nd demoralized.
I know, 'cause I went through that too.
A lawyer at 37, drowning in the same confusion.
I'd tried and failed for 5 long years.
Everything changed for me at 38.
Not by accident.
It was from understanding these marketplace truths.
What I call the Seven Sacred Stages of Career Change.
I still don't know why most people completely miss these 7 stages in sequence.
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๐ญ. ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐. ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฏ. ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐๐ฌ.
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: "I'll learn Python/JavaScript/React and see what happens." (That's like saying "I want a holiday in Africa" โ vague and useless.)
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: Get crystal clear on the specific role, industry, and exact problem you want to solve. Without a target, you'll spend years going nowhere useful.
๐ฎ. ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐๐น๐ถ๐๐๐. ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ MED ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป.
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: Jumping between whatever coding influencer is trending, falling into algorithmic bubbles.
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: Map out a custom learning sequence based on your clear goals, your existing skills, and your actual available time. No one-size-fits-all here. But you want to do what I call the MED (Minimum Effective Dose) rather than "everything" that the blogs say.
๐ฏ. Learn Fundamentals. Itโs table stakes.
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: Learn everything that's hyped and new, jump around and get distracted by shiny headlines.
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: recognise the common features and principles across ALL languages. There are patterns.
You know your fundamentals are strong when you recognise the patterns regardless of language (useful for interviews too).
4. Donโt ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฝ at ๐๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น๐. ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ถ๐น๐น๐.
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: "I can build a simple app, I'm ready to apply." (That's like learning to dribble and expecting to play against LeBron James.)
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: Cross the chasm from basic literacy to ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ง๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ-๐จ๐ณ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฌ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ด. Your competition isn't other beginners; it's experienced devs with CS degrees and runs on the board.
5. Generate ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐, before Leetcoding yourself into a headache
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: Perfecting your algorithm skills for interviews you don't even have. (That's buying expensive clothes for a party you've not been invited to.)
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: Learn how to build your credibility, apply effectively, and actively create opportunities. Failing interviews is a positive step. At least you're getting interviews!
6. Prepare for interviews youโve actually got
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: Blindly preparing for interviews youโve not got, prepare for the ones youโve got because Iโve counted 9-14 different types of interviews (and more will emerge, thanks to AI).
Learning with zero interviews is like buying more nice clothes when you don't have a date.
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: Fail a few interviews (itโs not a worry if youโve done step 5 right, right?) Learn the patterns. Prepare intelligently based on that feedback loop. And go hard on the topics that matter for THOSE interviews.
Practice ALL interview types โ behavioral, technical, system design (if they require it). LeetCode isn't the only game.
Complex DSA is generally in the big end of town as a filter. But most regular companies donโt use DSA-style interviews because they want to see you do the thing they actually DO in real life.
Which means you need to understand what they do, their stack, and engineering practices before you can prepare!!
7.๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ that align with your goals.
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ: Taking the first "yes" you get, desperate to escape your current situation.
๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐: Use Step 4 to generate multiple offers so you have the power to negotiate and pick strategically. Your first job must set you up for your next two.
Because this is about your career. Not just "getting a coding job" (remember step 1?)
๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น:
Most "Stuck Intermediates" obsess over Steps 2 & 3. That's why they're stuck.
You can't change careers by ignoring Steps 1, 4, 5, and 7. You could, but that would be dumb luck.
Remember: Your competition isn't other bootcamp grads or career changers like you.
It's seasoned professionals. You're the outsider. The odd one out.
Plan accordingly. Stop fooling yourself.
Four 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 was hired at Google, for example, I didn't know three out of the four languages I had to write every day.
If you're still wondering if coding is right for you, then I recommend:
๐ My FreeCodeCamp Course --> Before You Learn To Code (Video).
๐ Updated version (including Google and other big tech experiences)
2. Inner Circle (Free Preview Included)
Our personalized, intensive mentorship program is designed to help career changers go from zero to software developerโand get hired. Itโs not for everyone, but if youโre ready to commit, weโll walk with you every step.
๐Preview the Inner Circle Program -> free preview.
๐Apply for Inner Circle โ parsity.io/inner-circle
3. Career Change To Code Podcast
Driving? At the gym? Hiding in the bathroom? Perfect time to inject the best techniques for a career change to code directly into your brain via
๐ Follow the podcast here: YouTube | Spotify
4. Weekly Tips In Your Inbox
๐ Subscribe to this newsletter (itโs free). I try and keep it to 3 minutes or less so you can read in the elevator, waiting in lines, in the bathroom...๐
