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Ask HN: Need advice on Programming

8 pointsshire9 comments

So right now in my life I work at a shitty job that pays $13hr and long hours in the freezer warehouse.

I'm 25 and I want something better for myself as far as money goes and the work is less stressful than standing for 10 hours a day and doesn't pay well.

Is programming the way out? I like web development and I've practice JS and Python but not a professional.

Can programming set me free? Where do I go to get started and how long will it take to get a job working as I am right now.

What if I want to program from home is that possible?

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I don't know if programming will set you free, but I can try to offer a bit of advice (no guarantee that it's good advice :) )

Firstly, it's great that you've learned some Python and JS. Rather than trying to learn two languages, I recommend you focus on JS, because I think you're more likely to break into the industry as a front-end dev than a back-end one (and, once you're good at JS, you can always use Node for back-end stuff if you want to).

"Javascript: The Good Parts" is probably a good book to read.

Don't just learn JS. Try to learn HTML and CSS too. The better you can get at this trio the easier it'll be for you to pick up some small jobs where people need a jack-of-all-trades to help them with their site. If you don't have any contacts, or don't live in a big tech area, then you should take a look at one of the freelancing sites like odesk. You'll have to start off at the bottom, and you'll be competing for bids against people who live in places with a much lower cost of living, so you may not make much at first, but you'll get some real world experience. If you can learn and persist you should be able to build up your reputation and skills to increase your rate, or to switch into a full-time role.

Hope this helps - good luck!

I make $13 and hour right now. Is the bids and freelancing better or less?

I'd very strongly recommend against starting with freelancing jobs. You don't have experience dealing with clients nor building software. Find a stable job as a junior dev at some company and don't be afraid to ask questions. The first year or two will get you some perspective about the industry and you will gain some experience. After that, you can try freelancing or getting a better job.

It sure is possible.

When I got out of the army I had no degree, no professional experience, just what I had taught myself and learned in a few classes that I had taken along the way.

I went to work at a software sweatshop that had low pay and long hours but after about a year I was able to get another position just based on that experience... eventually I got a CS degree from an online school just to get the HR people to shut up, but you don't need it, and frankly if you can teach yourself effectively it is a waste of money.

I would recommend trying to get some small freelance gigs that you can easily handle and do those in your off hours. I know you are working a lot already but it is only for a short time. If those jobs work out and you can replace some of your income, consider cutting back on the warehouse hours if you can, and focus on landing a full time job or being a full time freelancer.

If you want a great learning experience, consider getting involved with an open source project ... find one you like, get on the dev mailing list, tell them what your skill level and goals are, and tell them that you want to be involved. Unless the project is run by a bunch of assholes they'll have something appropriate for you to contribute and will help you learn amazing things.

Stay cool, stay humble, and you'll do great. And BTW read this if you haven't already: http://catb.org/~esr/writings/taoup/

Good luck!

Watch this video to give you a good idea of what it takes to be a Front end developer now days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXqs6X0lzKI

Build tons of websites with just basic HTML/CSS then when you can drop code on demand and build a website without looking everything up learn javascript inside out like your life depends on it. Do not learn JQuery yet. Wait till you are a guru at Javascript before moving on to frameworks. Yes you have to learn the javascript frameworks. My suggestion would be to learn backbone.js , require.js, then when you get really good at the MVC give angular.js a shot.

This link will take you to a roadmap to learning javascript the proper way.

http://javascriptissexy.com/how-to-learn-javascript-properly...

Yeah it is man. I did the same thing and I used to work in restaurants. It was always a hobby and then it became a job. Yes, I even worked from home too.

I would actually recommend against working at home though. It's a catalyst for laziness, loneliness, and fatness.

The world never did, and still does not, take place in your own home. It's out there. Outside.

Key thing is you must be dedicated to what you're doing and not quit... You'll find tons of instructions on the specifics but the key thing is to always find time to code. I used to get home from work at 2-3AM. After that I would shower and pound some coffee or red bull then code until dawn. That is the kind of dedication you will need to break out of your routine.

Honestly it will be easy to find a job if you build some impressive projects for your portfolio... Worry less about what they are and more about the quality level and how they look.

I guess I get lazy when it comes to programming I think to myself this will take way to long to learn and quit.

It does take a long time. If the only reason you want to do it, is money, then you're going to have a difficult time.

If you love it, then you're good.

I've done this myself - I've been programming as a hobby since around 5th grade, but never did anything serious with it. I'm now 27, and am in my 3rd year at my first "professional" development job. My career before that was as a Paramedic ($14/hr).

Some quick advice, in no particular order:

1. Get on GitHub. Look at the source code for libraries/programs that you like and use. This'll show you how other people do things. Look at the "issues" tab and help fix some projects or add new features. Also, most places use Git for version control. It can be a beast to wrap your head around at first, but it's not that difficult once you start using it.

2. Look on employment sites and see what kind of requirements they have. Do you want to be a JavaScript developer? You'll probably want to know Angular, Knockout, etc. Want to work as a Python developer? You'll probably need to be familiar with Django framework. Then, there's all the other stuff for build automation and testing - grunt, composer, bower, phing, nose, etc.

3. Stay away from frameworks and IDE's while learning. Use a text editor, not Dreamweaver, NetBeans or Eclipse. Notepad++, Sublime text, emacs and vim are all common favorites. Learn the frameworks, but don't rely on them. It's easy to gloss over the details and just use the framework "as-is", but you really need to understand what's going on under the hood.

4. Learn Linux, if you don't know it already. Most developers I know are responsible for server administration stuff, too (to some degree anyway). Know how to tail an error log, configure the webserver of your choice, create a MySQL user, SSH to a machine, WGET a file, etc. DigitalOcean, Koding, and many others offer you a very affordable linux box to play with ($5-$10/month or less). (With virtual machines, you can screw up all you want, then just revert to a snapshot)

5. Learn how the internet works. This should go without saying, but it'll keep you from banging your head off the wall when your AJAX application isn't working because you didn't know CORS was a thing.

6. Look into "fizzbuzz" tests. They're short, simple programs that an employer may ask you to solve. These are good at weeding out people who know how to rearrange framework functions, but don't know how to program. http://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/

You don't have to be a pro to get paid. Apply to jobs at small to medium-sized companies that don't have an HR department to throw away your degreeless resume. Check craigslist, freelance sites, etc. Build a portfolio.

As far as working from home, I'm still waiting on that opportunity myself. There are plenty of jobs out there that allow it (google is your friend), so just apply and see what happens.

Good luck!

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