Learning to code so that you can land a job in tech can feel daunting. That’s why we’re sharing inspiring stories from Codecademy’s community — to show how people like you (yes, you!) can embark on a learning journey and end up with a totally new career. We hope these stories serve as a reminder that there’s no single path to a more fulfilling work life.
Today’s story is from Aniket Artani, a 22-year-old Software Developer at IBM, living in Bangalore, India. Read more stories from Codecademy learners here — and be sure to share your story here.
Why I chose to learn to code
“I started my tech journey from class 11 or 12. I started learning HTML and CSS basics, because at that time it was on my course. Just before joining college, I did a Microsoft certification in Python.
I did my bachelor’s in technology in the field of computer science from Vellore Institute of Technology. Like everyone, I started learning the basic languages my first year in my college from C++, then Java, then Python. In my second year the Covid pandemic came, and we started doing our classes in the online mode.”
Learn something new for free
How I learned with Codecademy
“I joined Codecademy and there I started learning more about Java, HTML and CSS, and JavaScript. Earlier I used to [build] only the basic pages but Codecademy really helped me learn how to make responsive pages and how a program runs. If someone doesn’t know Java, C++, or anything in any programming language, I most definitely suggest Codecademy as the place where you can at least learn your basics.
There was a Codecademy club in our college, with around 200-250 people, and one of my friends was an ambassador. I joined that club and I started teaching my juniors about web development and Java. We used Codecademy as a teaching platform, so I taught students JavaScript entirely from Codecademy only. Codecademy’s learning platform is just like a playground where you can play with the languages. So, it won’t feel stressful learning a programming language, it just is like you are playing with the code.”
Did you know there are virtual and in-person Codecademy Chapters around the world?
Join a local Chapter to connect with your fellow learners and get support throughout your learning journey.
How I got in the door
“I did three or four internships between my second and third year of college. After teaching so many students in the Codecademy club, I got confidence in teaching. The first internship I did was in as an Assistant Professor or teacher at a startup. Then I moved to Software Developer Intern.
From my campus placements only, I started my journey at IBM. I had a Software Developer internship [and now I am a] full-time Software Developer. Currently I am working at IBM as a Software Developer, and I am building chatbots powered by AI. My focus is currently now on full stack in the field of AI and machine learning.”
How long it took me to land a job
“In my fourth year [of college] I stopped internships, because that’s when the [campus job] placements started coming. I just focused on my development side.”
How I nailed the interview
“I had a Codecademy account and I bought a premium of their Java course. I just prepared their coding questions and practiced some questions on HackerRank and LeetCode.”
Want to practice answering technical interview questions?
Check out our interview prep courses in key languages and topics.
How day one and beyond went
“I was so happy to join IBM. Two days before [I started work] I came for the first time to Bangalore from my hometown Lucknow. In Bangalore the weather is always especially [nice] and I went to few restaurants.
Our first day was very special. On the first day of work, we got to cut a cake because like almost 20-30 people were joining at the same time. We got goodies and we got to know more about IBM. After that, we got our laptops, we met our team, and then at the end of the day we played games.”
What I wish I knew before I started learning
“Focus on two things: One is the programming language; choose any programming language and prepare data structures and algorithms in it. Another side you should pick up is some development, which can be web development, Android app development, or data science. At the same time, you should be aware about the new technologies which are coming into the market.
If you are writing a single line of code, first learn how it is working in the back end, how machine level code is converted to the binary code, and then how our systems are processing it. If you know about that, then you will get more interested towards coding.”
Learn like Aniket
Conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Not sure where to start? Check out our personality quiz! We’ll help you find the best programming language to learn based on your strengths and interests.
Want to share your Codecademy learner story? Drop us a line here. And don’t forget to join the discussions in our community.
