If you think it’s too late to learn coding, think again. Jonathan started out as a 911 dispatcher to truck delivery driver, working in sales for 10+years and then learning to code.

This is an interview I had with Jonathan a while back when he mentioned that one of his plans for the future was to become a freelance developer. As of today, he made it! Congrats Jonathan!

Enjoy the tips for newbies down below.

Please introduce yourself

Hello! My name is Jonathan Sexton, I’m a father, husband, lover of tech, animals, and the outdoors. I currently live in Texas with my family and enjoy swing dancing with my wife (pre COVID) or playing the occasional video game when not busy (rarely ever lol).

Currently, I’m a Front End developer working primarily with Angular who occasionally writes SQL queries, builds API controllers in Entity Framework (.NET Core), and ProvideX scripts that interface with our enterprise resource planning software. I guess you could say I’m on the journey to becoming a full stack developer.

What was your background before learning to code?

I started out as a 911 dispatcher, went into distribution (driving a delivery truck), and then worked in sales for a little over 10 years before learning to code.

What got you interested in coding and how did you learn to code?

I had some interaction with coding because my brother loved to tinker with DOS programs and later on I dabbled in CSS with MySpace (dating myself here). It was a few years after that when I had a larger, unexpected amount of free time on my hands that I decided to learn how to code. I had always been interested in how servers/websites work and having the extra time was the jumpstart to me diving in.

How did you get your first job in tech?

I had gone through a few programs to learn how to code, read untold amounts of blogs/articles, and been working on projects for a while when I decided that I was ready. I wanted to make the leap into the tech sector and thought this was a good time in my life to do it. I applied to roughly 275 positions before getting the current job I have. It was a long road spread over about a year and a half.

How did you prepare for an interview?

I read articles, books, talked to friends, talked to people in the tech sector, browsed LinkedIn to learn more about the company I was interviewing with, and ensured I had questions for the interviewer that pertained to his or her company.

How does coding change your life?

Coding has helped in many ways but I would say it has helped my problem solving skills ten fold. I feel like my reasoning and ability to break an issue down into smaller, easier to work with pieces has also improved greatly. Aside from the technical advantages, learning to code allowed me to move into a career instead of just having a job. It was the vehicle for change in terms of my career and has catapulted my happiness to new heights.

Any obstacles that you have to overcome in learning coding?

Oh wow, too many to list. Imposter syndrome is the most glaring one that comes to mind. The technical issues, frameworks, languages, and syntax are all skills that people can pick up and learn. However, feeling like you belong - like you earned it - like you aren’t a fraud is one of the biggest obstacles. I still deal with it on a daily basis. I question myself, my skills, my abilities but it’s important to recognize my worth and my contributions. I can do this, I do deserve this job, and so do others. Never let imposter syndrome be the prevailing voice.

Tips for newbies?

Be patient, have a support system, and take breaks. You’ll hear that so often throughout your journey it will make you want to scream because you have such an appetite for knowledge. You just want to learn the one thing that will get you a job - but that’s the thing…there isn’t just one thing…there are many. But this isn’t called an overnight learning marathon that lands you a 6 figure job. It’s called a learning journey for a reason - it takes time and patience.

If you have a spouse, bring them into the mix. Ask them if it’s ok to bounce ideas off them or ask if you can just rant/complain to them. Talk to them about your journey and if you have children together you will need to plan your learning/working - this is exactly what I did and continue to do. Your spouse will be a very large and extremely important part of your journey.

Taking breaks is just as important as learning. Your body and your brian need time to process what you’re learning. Burnout is a real, and dangerous, aspect of learning. Too often our society glorifies the hustle culture and leads people to believe if you aren’t working 19 hours a day then you aren’t doing it right. Garbage - take breaks, get 7-8 hours of sleep, exercise, eat well, and go for walks!

What are your plans for the future?

I have so many! I want to go full time freelance with my web development skills - I currently have one client and actively looking for more :). I have an interesting idea to put my skills to use for charities and nonprofits, and I’m thinking about building some sweet wooden shelves in my garage but we’ll have to wait and see on that one :)