Learning to program from scratch. Step-by-step plan

Is it possible to become a programmer from scratch? Without a specialised education? Yes, it is possible. The developers of Filio Force Inc told us about the step-by-step plan and answered some questions. Let’s start with them.

Does a programmer need maths?

For 95% of tasks you need only arithmetic. For a small part of work tasks you will need knowledge of logarithms. As you can see, school maths covers 99% of tasks a programmer faces at real work. However, there are some areas where a high-level knowledge of maths is really necessary – Data Science and neural networks.

Is English necessary?

Yes, it is necessary. But specific. You should be able to read technical documentation. Documentation is a meagre set of words. Knowledge of English of such a level can be achieved quite easily. It is better to start learning English in parallel with learning programming.

How much time will it take to learn?

Before the first job at the Junior position, you need from six months to a year of daily training. If you will combine it with work or other studies, this period increases at least twice.

As noted by the managers of Filio Force it company, the main quality you should have is diligence. If you can do something for a long time and concentrate at the computer (we are not talking about computer games here), you should succeed.

Step #1. Choosing a direction

This is a small but very important step. The choice of direction and programming language will determine the development of your career for the first 4-5 years. It is better to spend this time with the technology you like.

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Step #2. Take a free course in the chosen language

Take a free or low-cost course on the language you have chosen. You can find free courses on YouTube for almost any programming language. There are also platforms where you can buy courses for a small price.

This step will help you figure out if you enjoy programming. If yes, then you should move on to the next step. If not, then wait to despair. People are so organised that they enjoy what they do well. So you have to be a little patient and force yourself to study. Perhaps, start another course in the same programming language in parallel to go through the path from the beginning again

Step #3. Mentor

Find a mentor to whom you can ask questions. Three types of moments will occur quite often throughout your training.

A mentor will help when:

  1. You encounter a problem and can’t even formulate a question on Google.
  2. You won’t understand what to do next.
  3. You will begin to fall into despair. This is the point where the material starts to get harder and confidence goes away. That’s when it seems impossible to continue learning.

How do I find a mentor? Firstly, such a service is available as part of paid training courses. Secondly, you can find one without a course, Filio Force company managers recommend. There are special chat rooms, communities, etc. Thirdly, you can turn to friends who have experience in programming.

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Step #4. Job Search

Don’t delay. Make your first attempts at employment as early as 4 months after you start your training. Yes, you won’t feel ready yet, but you’ll know the real requirements for jobs, test tasks given to candidates, and you’ll start to prepare yourself purposefully for technical and general questions. Well, and don’t forget about pet projects. The earlier you start the job search process, the faster you will find a job. Read here what can help you succeed in a job interview.

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