Breaking into Tech without a CS Degree: Carlos Rymer's Story - Culture of Code Podcast - The Podcast for Indie Hackers Recap

Podcast: Culture of Code Podcast - The Podcast for Indie Hackers

Published: 2023-09-19

Duration: 28 min

Guests: Carlos Rymer

Summary

Carlos Rymer shares his journey from environmental science to becoming a Senior Engineering Manager at LinkedIn, emphasizing the accessibility and diverse opportunities in tech for those without a traditional CS background.

What Happened

Carlos Rymer, now a Senior Engineering Manager at LinkedIn, started his career in tech without a computer science degree. His initial interest in software engineering was sparked by a college entrepreneurship class where he needed to build a demo for a business idea. This led him to learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which marked the beginning of his tech journey.

Rymer emphasizes the importance of solving personal problems and projects as a way to learn and apply software engineering skills. He warns against getting stuck in 'tutorial hell' and suggests having a personal objective to drive learning. He reassures those worried about entering tech without extensive technical experience, highlighting that there are many paths and opportunities in the industry.

Carlos discusses the wide range of opportunities available in tech beyond the major companies like Amazon and Google. He advises aspiring tech professionals to focus on gaining experience and keeping an open mind about where to start, noting that almost every industry requires software engineering skills.

Carlos recounts his journey of landing his first job without a CS degree during the financial crisis. He found a role with a small e-commerce company by showcasing his projects online, which led to further opportunities. His first major role was with Univision, a well-known media company, where he started as a contractor before becoming a full-time developer.

He highlights the pros and cons of starting a tech career through contract work. While the barrier to entry is lower and the interview process less rigorous, the pay might be less, and the scope of work limited. However, it offers a chance to learn and demonstrate value, which can lead to full-time opportunities.

Carlos shares how he identified opportunities to go beyond his assigned tasks, like introducing performance monitoring at Univision, which showcased his initiative and ability to add value. He stresses the importance of looking for gaps and challenges within an organization and taking ownership of them to advance in one's career.

On the topic of career transitions, Carlos reflects on his decision to move from Amazon to Shopify, motivated by the desire for more work-life balance and new challenges. He notes that personal and professional priorities can change over time, influencing career decisions.

Key Insights

• Solving personal problems through projects is a recommended strategy for learning software engineering skills, as it helps avoid 'tutorial hell' and provides practical experience.
• Tech opportunities extend beyond major companies like Amazon and Google, with almost every industry requiring software engineering skills, allowing for diverse career paths.
• Starting a tech career through contract work can offer lower entry barriers and less rigorous interviews, though it may come with lower pay and limited work scope, but can lead to full-time roles.
• Career transitions can be influenced by changing personal and professional priorities, as seen in the move from Amazon to Shopify for better work-life balance and new challenges.