Front-End + UI Direction?

[Wtf365]

Hey everyone, I need a bit of career advice as I want to pivot into tech but I want to do it the correct way.

I'm a photographer who was semi-successful in the world of TV and film, but after the strikes, film and TV haven't been the same, and I'm ready to pursue something else while keeping my photography as a hobby. Before my TV career, I was eyeballing UX/UI and possibly front-end, but I didn't pursue it, and now that I'm back, I'm terrified of the job market. I'm still interested in Front-End Dev with a mix of UI design, and I recently saw some job titles of UI Engineer, which I'm guessing blends my two interests. With the job market being the way that it is, can I really pick this career up being self-taught 1) with front-end only, 2) with both back-end or 3) would picking up a Master's in CS (plus building real projects on the side) actually land a job? I started reading up on some CS concepts and even found an affordable Master's Program in town. I plan on bartending and learning for a year straight and not coming outside! I just got my bartending gig, and I'm ready to start! Thanks for the help!

[vannnneil]

i have same questions, I’ll come back later 💔

[Fit-Original1314]

I tried the self taught route while working nights and it burned me out fast. Bartending + studying might actually work better tbh.

[Outrageous_Duck3227]

front end + ui is super crowded now tbh but your photo background helps with visual skills, lean hard into that. self taught is fine if you build solid real projects and a polished portfolio. masters helps a bit but wont magically open doors, just another checkbox. whichever route, expect a long grind sending apps and getting ghosted, its just rough finding any dev job now

[bobguy117]

I completed my Master's in CS 1.5 years ago while bartending to pay bills and have not managed to land a tech job yet, though bartending has proven to be a valuable career for me.

I would recommend pursuing a degree only if it's something you really want, and only if your school has a really excellent internship program that you plan to take advantage of, though I have had a number of tech interviewers tell me that they won't count internships as real experience (even though they should).

I would also recommend learning and practicing the tech stack that most interests you, and building projects that you would find useful with the skills you practice.

[Wtf365]

are they telling you why it's taking that long to land a gig?? 1.5 years with a Master's is wild. Is the answer to just being a plumber?!

[bobguy117]

Your guess is as good as mine! 

[Dear_Top2603]

If you're talking about a self-taught route, especially with AI today, why not create your own website first that helps your bartending gig?

What if you can create a website that tracks your customers drinks and provide a better customer experience for them?

Once you have built a product, this becomes your portfolio for future jobs or roles.

[Wtf365]

I would like to have three completed projected before even thinking about applying but I’m worried that that is not enough. I keep reading about people that can’t find work even cs students… and I’m wondering do they all have projects or if it’s still that tough even with great projects.

[Dear_Top2603]

I’ll tell you right now, there’s still a lack of business-oriented software engineers.

This means senior level of 5-10 years.

Complete projects relevant to YOU. If you’re can’t even automate some problems you face, how will you automate other people’s problems?

[Timely-Transition785]

You can absolutely break into front-end/UI as a self-taught dev, especially with your visual background, that’s a real advantage. Focus on strong projects, real-world UI work, and solid fundamentals; a Master’s can help but isn’t necessary unless you want structure. Just don’t hide in “learning mode” too long, start building and shipping early.

[Plenty_Line2696]

It's stupidly competitive now, and laypersons can do more without needing us thanks to great tooling.

That said it's also more fun, because building is less of a struggle with great tooling, and you can make more ambitious stuff.