9 Years of a JavaScript Developer's Career: A Journey Through Code, Creativity, and a Dash of Chaos.
It all began nine years ago when I sold my first website. The website was built using Adobe Dreamweaver, a software that I used to learn HTML and CSS. I recall the hours I spent on that website and the picky client I had, but in the end, I was proud to have sold it for $200. That's when I caught the bug for coding and knew I wanted to be a programmer.
Over the next few years, I experimented with animation, video editing, and motion graphics, but nothing gave me the same satisfaction as writing code. I then moved to California and started a printing company where I built my company's website using some basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript had learned from Dreamweaver holding my hand. My skills with Photoshop and Illustrator came in handy in the printing business, as I was responsible for designing logos and other tasks such as burning screens for printing and ensuring the print area was correct for clients. People started to take notice of my website-building skills, and before I knew it, I had more website jobs than printing jobs. This was a clear sign that printing signs was not my calling, and I decided to move back to Florida and attend a coding boot camp at Lambda School.
The nine-month boot camp was intense, but it taught me React.js, Node.js, and Express.js, along with computer science fundamentals. I also picked up flex-box and grid, as well as a bit of Python, and by the time I graduated, I finally had the confidence to make it as a professional developer. It wasn't long before I received my first offer letter, and I moved to Tampa to start as a full-time developer at a logistics company.
At first, I was in charge of the EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) department, and I mainly worked on Linux servers. I learned a lot about VIM and how FTP and SSH worked, and before I knew it, I had automated myself out of that department and was promoted to the main code base. My main job was to complete tickets, fix bugs, and do integrations to the company's software. I also helped re-write the code base from backbone.js to modern React using hooks. Our team grew, and I became the point of contact for our remote team in Colombia, and I even trained a junior developer.
I had a great run at that company, but I felt like there was more I could do, so I took a position at a laboratory as the only JavaScript developer. My task was to develop and design a client portal for their customers and connect it to their internal LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System). I used Next.js, AWS Lambda functions, S3 buckets, and other AWS tools, and I completed the project in three months. I then updated the company's main website, and after completing that project, my contract was already two weeks past, so I moved back to my hometown of Ocala, Florida.
Since then, the tech industry has seen lots of layoffs, and the economy has been weird, to say the least. I've been keeping myself busy by picking up occasional freelance projects and working on my own projects. This blog you're reading, for instance, was built using Next.js and Kontent.ai. I am currently applying for software engineering positions and hope to get back to full-time development work soon.
The journey continues, and I am just as excited today as I was the day I sold my first website. If there are any aspiring programmers out there, don't give up. It's a tough road sometimes.
In conclusion, my journey as a developer has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs but it has taught me one important lesson, to never give up on your dreams. Building websites and writing code has always been my passion and I'm grateful for every opportunity I've had to learn and grow in this field.
From selling my first website, with a bold can-do attitude with only HTML and CSS, to working for different companies and on freelance projects, my journey has been a continuous process of learning and improvement. I'm proud of the projects I've completed and the skills I've acquired along the way.
In the current economic climate, finding a full-time job as a developer might be challenging, but I'm optimistic and I believe that the next big opportunity is just around the corner. To anyone who's just starting their journey as a programmer, my advice would be to never give up, to keep learning, and to always be open to new opportunities.
I hope this blog post has inspired you and has given you a glimpse into the journey of becoming a developer. I'll keep you updated on my next move and I look forward to sharing my future adventures with you. Thank you for reading and until next time!
