My Journey as a Software Developer
HOW IT STARTED
I graduated 2015 after some ups and downs in college, it was not an easy race, but it was worth it. After graduation i went for service with a hope that after service i would finally find something to do to start a life of my own. After service i decided to move to the city were i believed there will be more opportunities. I moved to the city 2017, and a friend of mine whom i had known for a while decided to accommodate me till i find something doing.
I began my search for a job. I searched for all kinds of jobs including jobs like security, sales helper etc. but it was always one excuse or the other, either i don’t have enough experience or i am too qualified so i don’t fit in well. My friend began to ask me to contribute my quota for bills, that there is rent to pay, electricity bill to take care of and the rest. It was really very frustrating, in all of this 8 months had already gone.
THE MIRACLE
It was a very cool evening, have always been on facebook, either looking at pictures or reading how people praises celebrities. So i was doing the same thing when i came across the group https://web.facebook.com/groups/304079493515995 . I was very curious, have always been hearing of developers but know little of what they do. So i decided to send a request to be added to the group. While going through some few content that displayed i found an event for that week, which was my life changing event.
THE JOURNEY
I met an amazing developer named Ben Ogie, he was very nice and his welcoming was a legendary one i have never received before. He is the lead of Facebook developers circle Port Harcourt. He asked me what software i would love to learn, gave me materials and hooked me up with great guys that guided me through my learning. I had a laptop already so there was no time to waste. I choose mobile software development because i love mobile phones alot, i don’t think i can go a day with out my phone. I started learning with a free java course in udemy, moved to Udacity after a few months. The journey was not easy but i was determined, there was no going back for me. It was like starting my carrier allover again. Accommodation issue came up, since i could not afford a part of the bill, i had to move to another friends house were i patched.
THE CHALLENGES
Everything was completely new, i barely understand anything, was just repeating java videos over and over again. Everything was written in alphabet, numbers, symbols e.t.c. which are things i know, but putting them up together to understand the logic was a serious problem. I always needed to ask questions from time to time and developers i met were just awesome, they are always ready to explain till you get the entire concept. Accommodation issue stepped in, feeding, taking care of minor bills etc. I needed to find casual job from time to time.
THE SUCCESS
When i looked at when i started and where i am today, i would say it is worth the journey. I was scared then, if it would be possible for me to be a developer, understand the concept, write codes that solves real life problems. But today i have accomplished alot and i am really proud of myself. I am even a mentor, trying to help others grow in their tech race. I own a start-up, i have won an hackathon, i work with different people from different regions, i take care of bills without sweating, i attend events and discuss about tech with great minds, i am part of different communities and i am happy with what i do.
MY ADVICE
If you are new in tech, the journey is not going to be an easy one. Most times you will realize that something you thought you know and could implement, its just not working. You will see alot of people in different platforms posting different stuff that you will be asking yourself if this carrier is even ment for someone like you. In all of this, never give-up. Always keep pushing, keep practicing, keep trying to build. Think about little things around you that could be solved using tech, and try to solve it even if you don’t get credit for it.
Above all, join a community, i really can’t lay out enough emphasis on how community made my journey very easy. there are lots of community out their in almost all the social platforms. connect with people, chat, ask questions, dm people if need be and always update your linkedin profile.