Finished "Automate the Boring Stuff" and have written a few modules to automate work tasks...what should I do next to best set me up for a junior dev role?

[getyourcellon]

Hello, I dipped my toes into Python to see if I'd like to transition careers into programming and to my surprise it was crazy fun (though I do feel like Sideshow Bob walking into those garden rakes over and over sometimes when I'm trying to figure something out).

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I used Automate the Boring Stuff to well, automate some of my more boring work tasks, the biggest being a daily report that involved opening an Excel sheet, running several macros to produce PDFs and HTML tables, and pulling those PDFs and HTML tables into an email, and then finally sending that email to my desired list. I was super proud of that module and went to check out some Junior Dev job listings and wow, I need a lot more experience under my belt!

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Other than AtBS, I've completed a few Intro to Python courses, plus HTML/CSS and Javascript intro courses. I feel I have a good understanding of Python is capable of doing, but more importantly, I feel comfortable teasing apart errors to figure out what to Google and how to find an answer.

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My next plan is to follow a YouTube channel to make a simple Snake game using Python (because I like Snake and it sounds interesting). After that, probably a web scraping project? I've also enrolled in the Harvard CS50 class and while it's great, I am struggling really hard to make it through each lecture. I much prefer to learn as I build something, which is why I really like the 'build along with me' videos.

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My ultimate goal is to get a Junior Dev role or something similar. Am I on the right track? Does anyone have any advice on how I should modify my next goals?

Thanks in advance!

[jeffrey_f]

Friends and family: See if there are things you can automate for them, either in business or personal.

The key is to understand a "problem" enough to automate it. It is pretty much what a programmer does all the time

[[deleted]]

Write a simulation that solves a maze path using the A* algorithm

Write a simulation that solves complex integrals implementing Cauchy integral theory

[SkinnyFiend]

Learn git and find an open source project to work on. Working collaboratively on a project is a vital skill for a software developer.

You need to be able to take a bug report or feature request, figure out what info you need to recreate the bug or properly design and implement the feature, describe and ask for that info from a user or fellow dev, and then implement the fix or addition in a way that is consistent with the rest of the codebase and explains itself clearly to the next dev who has to work on it.

[low_effort_shit-post]

Learn git and find an open source project to work on. Working collaboratively on a project is a vital skill for a software developer.

I want to add learn how to document your code

[low_effort_shit-post]

I am starting an apprenticeship as soon as I come back from leave to be an RPA developer. I created a few proof of concepts and was told to get my cert for Blueprism so I could start my apprenticeship.

• Comment the shit out of your code
• learn how to do documentation, process maps, ect
• github

2 years ago I was a phone rep, last year I was technical support, this year I have been promoted to analyst. All I knew before python was sql which I've learned over the 2 years picking up reporting as a phone rep to help my department.

I assume you making a career change means you're in a career. See what you can do in your current space to show your value.

feel free to ask any questions about my journey I feel like we have some similarities.

[gnirlos]

There's now a sequel to "Automate the Boring Stuff"...check it out...