About 2 years ago, I started learning Python. I signed up for a few Udemy classes and watched some YouTube videos. The language was very approachable, and I picked up the basics pretty quickly. I started looking at more advanced features of the language such as list comprehensions, generator functions; ways to write more concise, efficient code. And then something strange happened. My Google search results page slid down, revealing an intriguing message:
You're speaking our language. Up for a challenge?
Fast forward 2 years. I now work at Google, although not in a software role. At the time, I wasn't in a position to relocate. But in a serendipitous turn of events, the company was building a data center less than an hour from where I lived. And honestly it's been the best company I've ever worked for, and provided some of the most interesting work of my career so far. But we'll save that for another post. I still didn't feel confident in my abilities to become a software engineer. Impostor syndrome is a real thing. But I started thinking: I passed a technical screen with one of the most sought after tech companies in the world, in a language I had just started learning. If I started devoting time and effort, how many more doors could it open? And due to Covid-19, working remotely is the new normal. So now my current career goal is to move into a remote software engineering role in any way I can. I initially thought going back to school would be the best path to take to reach this goal. I started taking online classes for Computer Science with a concentration in Software Engineering. The coursework wasn't especially difficult, but what I quickly realized is the time commitment was going to take at least 2 more years, given my work schedule allowed taking only a few classes at a time. There had to be a better way.
Which brings me to this post. I'm doubling down on my efforts of self-study and refusing to listen to the voice telling me "I'm not good enough". So this blog will follow my efforts as I strive to reach my goal. I'm currently evaluating some resources to aid in my journey:
I'm also open to part-time or volunteer opportunities if anyone has any tips or suggestions. Thank you!