If someone told me eight years ago that I would create interfaces for apps, I would probably laugh at their face. However, I am a person who is constantly trying to learn something radically new. Once, this craving for knowledge led me to IT. Today, I am a frontend developer in the global financial ecosystem and cryptocurrency exchange Kyrrex, but before that, I worked as a sommelier for eight years. Not a bad switch, right? 🙂

In this article, I want to share with you what helped me dramatically change my career and develop technical skills. I hope my experience will be useful to those still hesitant to challenge themselves in IT. No more doubts — start acting!

My education is rather ordinary — I’ve been studying organization management. However, I’ve never worked in this field. As a student, I worked as a waitress in restaurants. In several of them, sommeliers would lecture the staff about the wine culture, traditions, and different technologies of making drinks — all this fascinated me incredibly. The focus of my attention shifted from university education to additional, non-official one.

You’re too old for IT, they said…

Having mastered some sommelier skills, I helped with compiling wine lists for restaurants and openings of wine boutiques. I even managed to work on American cruise liners. When I realized that I had worked in most of the areas available to sommeliers and there was nothing more to try in this profession, I started to reckon what else I would like to do. I wanted something drastically new. That’s when I decided to challenge myself with software development.

Not the easiest occupation to choose. There is an opinion that you need to learn programming almost from childhood. I was wondering what was so complicated there? In my view, everyone can learn anything, no matter how difficult it may be. What really matters is motivation, effort, and time.

During the transition to IT, I faced some common stereotypes. Starting from “you need a technical faculty diploma”‎ to “you’re too old for IT‎.” It was rather funny. If something similar happens to you, you need to understand who says such things and not to believe in those stereotypes. If you’re motivated, nothing will stand in your way of mastering a new occupation.

After analyzing popular IT areas, I chose backend development. Simply put, it relates to a website logic outside a user’s browser. Then I found an appropriate IT school, talked to a curator, and he persuaded me first to try the frontend and then learn how to work with the backend. Frontend development relates to a user interface and the client side of software. Basically, that is what you see and interact with on a web page or in an app.

Following the advice, I attended the full-stack course, which includes first studying the frontend, and then the backend. I remember how it was till today: the curator asked me several times if I did understand that it would be difficult and I would have to learn a lot. Such a challenge only spurred my enthusiasm. The frontend course included six months of diligent study. Then it took me about two months to write the first code in a team. I was spending all my free time on IT education. Even during breaks at work, I was reading something related to development. Six months after graduation, I got my first job as a junior frontend developer at Kyrrex.

My first job in IT — cryptocurrency exchange

An acquaintance from the courses recommended the team to hire me. A successful outcome of the interview, a trial period, and a dream offer after that. Of course, I heard about cryptocurrencies, but I never went into detail about how everything worked. However, this only kept my motivation sharp to immerse myself in new technologies.

Today, my role in the Kyrrex team is to embody customers’ ideas and our experts’ work in a cool and user-friendly interface. Marketers, designers, and developers work on the kyrrex.com site. Together we design a modern, user-friendly, and clear interface for our users, and my main task is to implement it. Knowledge of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS helps in this. I also actively use React, Express.js, Headless CMS, Next.js, and sometimes Vue.js. I also continue with learning backend development, including Java, Spring, Hibernate, and other tools.

How to go from a shifter to a pro?

First of all, clearly define whether you want and are ready for some change. When I started looking for a job as a junior frontend developer, I suddenly started receiving many offers—and attractive ones—related to my past work.

Just remember: there will always be circumstances on your new path that will distract you from your goals. The question is whether you will return to the old, familiar life or find the courage to learn new skills and become a professional in another field.

If you decide to go for IT, I’d advise you to research what areas are currently popular. If you haven’t mastered a programming language for the first time, that doesn’t mean you have to stop. You may want to try another one. Only trying will help you understand if it is the right choice. The world is constantly changing; new professions appear, and old ones are digitized. If you don’t want to be a developer, there are many specialties in the IT field that are not directly related to development. For example, product and project management, recruitment, business analysis. Perhaps your previous experience will be very useful here.

The most difficult thing in the learning process is catching on to a large amount of information in a short period. It is important not to give up and reach at least the middle of the course. It will become a little easier eventually.

It can be difficult to overcome imposter syndrome when fulfilling the first commercial orders. What I can advise is stop trying to do everything perfectly. In IT, it’s more important to understand the essence of the task and how your work is related to other parts of the project. Try to see the full picture, not just the technical aspects of what you do. Also, never be afraid to ask questions.

Will previous experience be helpful?

When you change your occupation, you have to learn a lot from scratch. However, previous professional experience will come in handy, especially in IT.

All skills and knowledge (even non-technical) can be applied here. In my case, it is the ability to absorb a lot of information and be friendly and intuitive. It is also important to understand when to be more persistent and look for a solution on your own.

Our team helps me a lot. All my colleagues have a lot of experience and always give fitting advice. Both at the beginning and now, they remain a role model for me and are very motivating to develop further.

It is no exaggeration to say that team support is a key point in a shifter adaptation. When the team has a clear plan and desire to develop the product and the company at all levels, and you are a motivated specialist—it’s a win-win situation. Suppose the management entrusts the newcomer with new tasks that may not be included in the list of their skills. In that case, it motivates them, makes them feel responsible and confident, and gives them a chance to contribute to the company’s development.

I think that if stories like mine are told more often, the IT sphere will be diversified with excellent specialists with various experiences. We all are able to create innovative products and glorify Ukrainian IT specialists and talents worldwide. Be confident in your abilities if you decide to change your professional life — and you will achieve what you want.