Student Success Story: Coding Bootcamp Graduate Discusses Career Switch
Last Updated: January 23rd 2023
On episode #31 of Campfire, We're joined by Nucamp Graduate and Now an Associate Solutions Developer, Keith Yazdanseta.
Keith graduated from the Back End, SQL, and DevOps Developer with Python Bootcamp.
Keith and I had a "campfire" chat about Keith's journey from sales into coding.
Our conversation is full of advice and great tips for those looking to break into the tech industry.
Why did Keith decide to transition his career and become a developer?
He realized he didn't want to be in sales anymore, but Keith didn't know he would end up considering learning to code.
A few of Keith's friends are developers and suggested it was a good route for him after he expressed his interest in leaving sales behind.
Keith tested if he enjoyed coding by self-studying and completing a Udemy course.
He really enjoyed it and the idea of creating products instead of selling them was exciting.
Keith then dedicated 6 months to focus on teaching himself Python.
Through networking with others already in the tech industry, Keith recongnized he needed to get to the next level of understanding before he would land a job; this meant joining a coding bootcamp.
Keith chose Nucamp based on the positive reviews, price point, and tech stack.
Also during the interview, a viewer commented, “Keith’s path that he is explaining sounds exactly like where I am at. I am currently in sales and I am tired of being in sales. I want something more behind the scenes now.”
From this comment, I asked Keith if he had any advice for someone with a similar path from sales to tech like himself.
Keith explained that having a sales background sets you apart from the majority of people in tech roles by having the training in soft skills and networking.
Keith recommends leveraging your networking skills with those in the industry and recruiters while applying to as many jobs as you can.
"Reach out to anyone you may know that is in the industry because most people are very willing to help. Do mock interviews and practice, practice, practice."
If you have any questions you'd like to ask, make sure to tune into the next live episode of Campfire to join me in casual conversation with those in the tech industry.
Watch the full episode:
Ludo Fourrage
Founder and CEO
Ludovic (Ludo) Fourrage is an education industry veteran, named in 2017 as a Learning Technology Leader by Training Magazine. Before founding Nucamp, Ludo spent 18 years at Microsoft where he led innovation in the learning space. As the Senior Director of Digital Learning at this same company, Ludo led the development of the first of its kind 'YouTube for the Enterprise'. More recently, he delivered one of the most successful Corporate MOOC programs in partnership with top business schools and consulting organizations, i.e. INSEAD, Wharton, London Business School, and Accenture, to name a few. With the belief that the right education for everyone is an achievable goal, Ludo leads the nucamp team in the quest to make quality education accessible