Everyone has their reasons behind learning how to code. Some want to launch a career in a thriving and exciting industry, some have an idea they want to bring to life, some want a steady side gig…the lists of reasons fueling the decision to take that first step is unique for each person. But what if you are completely satisfied with your current career? What happens if coding is completely opposite from your other hobbies? What may appear on the surface as a dead-end on your decision tree, may actually be the very thing that will allow learning how to code be an incredible option for you! The power of code in 2022 allows complete freedom and creativity in what you can use it for. Merging your passions with code may be exactly what you need and you may not even know it yet. In this blog post, let’s discuss a few key ways you can utilize an ability to code with your current career and interests.
How Coding Can Merge with Your Current Interests
Automate your task
Leaning into code to simplify your daily tasks is something full-time developers often rely on. Using programming languages such as Python gives them the ability to have tasks such as error and duplication scanning running in the background so they can focus on higher priority things. This “autopilot mentality” not only allows them to skip mundane steps in the process, but it also gives them back time during the day to use on more important duties.
But you don’t need to be a full-time developer to automate your tasks. Most jobs have time-consuming aspects that distract from the focus you need to spend elsewhere. Introducing automation into your day can allow you to get back that needed time and focus.
Ideas on how you can automate your daily tasks:
- Quickly sort emails based on importance
- Pull data from databases
- Monitor keywords and trends
- Digital calendar management
- Set up triggers to link duties and tasks together
Build an application
Web and mobile applications can have a wide use across many industries. From file sharing to PTO requests, companies have been using applications to help manage the work lives of employees for many years. Having to download a few apps on your first day of work has become standard and expected regardless of what role you may have.
Building an application to make work easier for yourself or other employees is a great reason to learn how to code (and also a great reason for your fellow team members to regularly bring you breakfast as a token of appreciation, so that may also be a good enough reason alone.) Sure, there may be plenty of options available to use right now. But the majority of these services require monthly fees or yearly contracts to use. If you need something a bit more specific, having an app built from the ground up is also normally very costly and time consuming.
Learning how to code to build a web or mobile application for your company to use will likely save a large amount of money and can also position yourself as a more valuable employee. It’s a win-win situation.
Help build your niche hobby or market
A “niche” is described as an interest or product that is focused on only one thing. In most cases, niches are so specific that the overall general public may not even be aware there’s a product or community dedicated to it.
If you have niche interest or your current company is a part of a niche market, having a long list of services to use for it may be a tough challenge. And if there are things out there already, there’s a possibility that the quality may not meet your personal or professional standards. This is where your coding talents can come in!
You can play a large role in helping expand your niche market, building out the niche community for a hobby or interest, or building out an application or website that is specific to your needs and quality standards.
Continue to enjoy your passions as a full-time developer
Technology is used in many ways in most industries today from 100% online eCommerce marketplaces to mom-and-pop stores that manage inventory shipping. It’s safe to say that regardless of the size or focus, technology is used somewhere on a daily basis for most companies. You may be in a position where you want to pursue coding as a career, but love your current industry too much to walk away from it. Well, the best news is, you most likely don’t have to.
Recent devCodeCamp graduate Audrey Schmidt had a passion for the health industry and originally started her career as a pharmacist before realizing it wasn’t what she imagined. She decided to learn how to code online through devCodeCamp’s online coding bootcamp and launched a career as a developer in the medical field. She realized even if being a pharmacist wasn’t exactly for her, she still had an interest in the industry. She was able to successfully merge that passion with code and allow her the long-term career happiness she originally searched for.
If you are someone who is ready to get the skills needed to launch a career in code or someone who simply just wants to leverage code for their current lives, devCodeCamp can get you there! Our online coding bootcamp takes individuals from all walks of life and gives them the ability to learn how to code. Our graduates can be found in major tech companies such as Facebook, Amazon, HubSpot, IBM, Deloitte, and many more. Reach out now to learn how to get started!