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 Petko Georgiev, a 29-year-old Implementation Engineer at DXC living in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. Read more stories from Codecademy learners here — and be sure to share your story here.
Why I chose to learn to code
“Three of my best friends work in the IT area; one is a Linux support engineer, the other is programming games, and the third is in Dev Ops at Poker Stars. They told me to try it, and I decided I’d give it a shot. But I didn’t know where to start. I did a little research online and decided to start with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — the holy three. Everything from there is the same, so I think this is where everyone should start.”
How I made time to learn
“I stole time where I could. Sometimes, I woke up as early as 5a.m. to get three hours of coding in before work. I also used my lunch hour to get some coding in.”
How I saved up enough money to switch careers
“I was still working as a manager at the plastics company while I studied coding.”
How long it took me to find a job
“Two years from when I started learning.”
How I got in the door
“I sent like seven or eight CVs, and nobody would call me back or I’d get a rejection. One of my friends that works at Poker Stars advised me to check my CV again and add some competencies. I think that helped a lot. The new CV got me an interview.”
How I nailed the interview
“I expected more technical questions, but actually there were very few. Basically nothing hard. The most important thing was a positive attitude! Even if they ask something you don’t know, you’ve gotta show a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.”
How I evaluated the offer
“My company DXC is based in the capital of Bulgaria, and the salaries there are much higher than where I live (outside the capital). The salary DXC offered for a junior position was equivalent to the manager level position in my town. The benefits were incredible. Life insurance for me and my family, additional coverage for health insurance, and a work-from-home policy. They provided everything: desks, laptops, monitors, docking stations, chairs… everything. It was incredible!”
How day one & beyond went
“It started hard. They had some issues with the platform, and I couldn’t set up my laptop and my working station. But it was a global problem, and support did really well and fixed the problem. By the end of the work day, I was already home with my laptop.”
What I wish I knew before I started learning
“My biggest challenge was me. When I started, I was super motivated: I’d learn in the mornings, in the afternoons, while my kid was asleep, and on weekends. After about two weeks, I relaxed. And then it was hard to get back into the habit. Motivation flies away faster than you expect. I really had to discipline myself to get up, study, and follow my goals.”
Learn like Petko
See the courses and languages that helped them most.
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.
