Weekly Update, January 11th

Hey guys, how are you doing?

I’m finally recovering from Covid and got to stream again a couple of days ago! If you’re up for a challenge and building a VueJS full-stack JavaScript app, here’s my stream to help you out: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1254775669 .

Video Update: I am back in the swing of recording as well! Just finished up a lot of footage and working on the editing process. I think you will really enjoy some of the content I have planned for the next few months :)

Today, I want to talk about why you should plan before starting to learn how to code. I run into so many new self-taught developers who have no roadmap of how they are going to get from the starting point to their goal of landing a job. So, here are some quick tips from Chapter 3 of my book “Learn to Code. Get a Job”. I hope you can find them useful or share them with people you know.

“A big reason why people give up on the journey of learning to code is from failing to plan their pathway. ” (Gwendolyn Faraday. “Learn to Code. Get a Job.: The ultimate guide to learning and getting hired as a developer.”)

Let’s start! If you’re looking to build a career in programming, follow these planning steps:

Step 1: Find your “why’s”. Why do you want to become a developer? This is the phase where you should create your own vision board of where you want to be or which kind of professional you’d like to become.

Step 2: Industry Research. Learning how to code & getting your first job in the area takes tons of industry research. This step is all about learning and getting to know what types of jobs are available out there and what kind of skills and tech stacks they require.

Step 3: Goal Setting. Here, you should have an idea of what type of job and company you want to work for and what it takes to get there. It is fine for these goals to change over time, but they should be replaced or updated, and never forgotten about. Whenever you feel unmotivated, remind yourself of these goals.

Step 4: Choose a Stack. Now it’s time for you to choose a stack that will allow you to reach these goals. Pick languages, frameworks, and tools used in those companies and jobs that interest you and build a learning plan from it.

Of course, my book has a lot more information and a complete roadmap for you. You can check out my book on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3HOfvV4

I will be doing a new Q&A video next month, so if you have any questions or topic recommendation, let me know here or over in my Discord server.

Wishing you all a great week,

-Gwen

https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-i-landed-my-first-job-as-a-web-

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