Learning Html Changed My Life
When I starting going to college, I knew I needed a job. Operating under the guise that I would find a job as a janitor, or at the university store, I went down to the job fair on the first weekend of school. There were plenty of booths for different shops on canvas but there was one booth that stood out.
Spectral Fusion Designs
It was a company that worked under the university, building websites for the College of Arts & Sciences. And I knew right then, THAT, was the job I wanted while I was in school. I picked up an application and chatted with the student who was at the booth. He said that sometimes they hire students with no experience but if I had experience with HTML that would improve my chances. If I knew javascript the job was pretty much guaranteed.
I didn’t KNOW html. Not really. I knew what it was, and that it was used to make websites. But as I filled out the application I knew two things:
- This is the job I wanted
- I’d rather try and fail then not try at all
I marked on my application that I knew HTML, I knew CSS, and I knew some javascript. And then I went back to my dorm room to google: “How to Learn Html”
That night I spent a few hours going over w3Schools lessons on HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Then I spent another hour building a simple webpage that had a quiz in javascript. The website would ask a question about the university and would tell you wether you got the answer wrong or right.
I got a call from the company the next day. I interviewed the following afternoon. When I got there I promptly showed them the webpage I had built with Html, CSS, and Javascript and told them I was a beginner but I was really excited to learn. They offered me the job.
Because of Programming
I was easily employable when I got out of college, despite having an English degree.
I was able to purchase a home when I was 25.
I have had the opportunity to travel the world
And all it took was a big initial effort to learn just a little before that first interview
It Has Gotten Harder
There is more to know these days, even when you are just starting out. What once was a world of Html, CSS, and Javascript has turned into dozens of frameworks for the Front-End and Back-End. There are more people becoming developers everyday with the advent of bootcamps and more students graduating with degrees in computer science.
But I believe if you have the desire you can still be a self taught programmer and start a wonderful career in web development.
Which is why I am writing my book “Zero to Developer”. Because I believe that with a little guidance on: what to learn, what to build, and how to land the first job. Anyone can become a web developer.
