Web developer with a non CS degree

Mastikola

Hi,

I would like to ask the web developers here (full-stack, front-end or back-end) and the recruiters in the field, if a self taught web developer with a non CS degree would be considered by any company for a junior position as a full-stack developer, front-end or back-end developer in Ireland?

My situation is the following:
I’m a French with a degree in general engineering, specialized in process improvement and project management. I worked in France for 1 year and half as a junior project manager for a car manufacturer. I’ve also 3 more years of experience as an apprentice project manager.

In some way I knew I would never feel fulfilled with this job. After a long reflection (a few months if not a year), I ended up thinking that the web development would be the perfect match for a career conversion.
Indeed I'm really curious and I've always been interested to know how things works, this is why I had already tried different programming languages and followed some online courses about networks, etc. before I made this decision. Also I love to resolve problems, I enjoy everything that is related to mind games and I feel the need to always keep learning new things.

Therefore, about 2-3 months ago I decided to take a job that wouldn't take too much of my time and my mind so I could focus on learning web development. I took some free courses online with Openclassroom, freeCodeCamp, CS50... I'm completely dedicated to it, I've even put my personal life aside.
I know that I'm still on the beginning of my learning process and I still have a lot to learn and practice. I know that I'll have to work on projects, build a portfolio, etc. and that it won't be easy.

So, just to know how hard the things are going to be, please could you tell me what do you think of a profil like mine? Would you consider to look further into my skills if you saw my resume? Would my degree have any impact on finding a job? Should I start looking for a job as front-end or starting as a full-stack could be possible? Or even should I consider any other position in order to get a foot in the door?

Thank you.
M.

awec

Definitely possible.

You'll be ahead of people with no degree at all. You're degree is also in engineering, which is at least in the right ball park. It will involve some skills that are pretty transferable to a software engineering role. The project management stuff is pretty generic, so again that will help.

Build a portfolio. Build up your interview skills.

beauf

Portfolio of experience.

Some places won't hire someone without a CS degree. So ignore them.

s7ryf3925pivug

Yes you can. Yes you can start as full stack. No don't take a different role to get your foot in. You'll be boxed in as that.

Mastikola

Thank you for you answers, this reassure me that I'm doing the right thing!

experiMental

Why Ireland? Why not Netherlands, Sweden or Germany or even Quebec in Canada? 

There's a lot of competition for tech jobs in Ireland, and there are now a lot of Computer Science graduates. 

If you want to increase your chances of getting a job, you should set up a Github profile and try to contribute to some open source projects, if you have time. Then you will have a portfolio of work that you can show to any prospective employer.

s7ryf3925pivug

The only competition I see is between companies trying to hire people. If you're having trouble getting a job it means you're not demonstrating you can do the work.

pauliebdub

You have an engineering degree so many of the skills needed for development can be transferred. It will really help you if you have an impressive portfolio of work that you can show prospective employers. They're more interested in what you can do.

zig

having read your post fully just realised you are only in the early stages of learning? So its a bit more risky to be making such a career plan.

But overall, truth be told, if you do have enough passion for it you will make good projects that you can show off. But try get a few real gigs too when you're a bit more experienced. Nothing like dealing with clients to really know what the game is like and to talk about in an interview. Its far different to doing things for your own pleasure, but the same from a technical point of view.

Seeing as its early days for you, once you know you're getting more serious about it I would try get some courses under your belt, not necessarily for the knowledge but for the qualifications.

An Engineering degree + proven work experience in general + lots of decent coding projects + some courses you did after the degree should be enough for you to be taken seriously as a decent candidate in my opinion.