I became a SOFTWARE ENGINEER at 30 • fresh start at microsoft

Let's talk about starting a career in your late 20s, early 30s. It was a whole lot of emotions and challenges but, from the other side of that transition now I can tell you that: 1. despite your fears, it's NOT too late, and 2. it is SO worth it 🕊✨
Today we are talking about becoming a software engineer later in life. I switched careers by going back to college but there are many different pathways. This is simply my story.i never thought I would work in tech having dreamt about art and design my whole life. But dreams change, we get to know ourselves better, and we discover new goals and dreams along the way. If you've been thinking of switching careers to tech, I hope you find my story as a little beacon to show that it is possible.
The website I used in 2020 for my practice interview is: www.pramp.com
A day as an intern at Microsoft: • VLOG: a day as a Micro...
Everything that is on my desk setup: www.amazon.com/shop/thatcodin...
Get my 2024 digital planner: impactdriven.co/products/the-...
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - intro
02:40 - how and why I switched from fashion design to tech
05:13 - discovering programming and teaching myself to code
08:37 - declaring Computer Science as my major in community college
10:03 - the start to my Computer Science Bachelor's degree
11:04 - studying for technical interviews
14:28 - my interview with microsoft
16:16 - footage from the vault (the day before my technical interview)
19:32 - i got the offer! - my first internship
21:07 - my second internship (in person ✨)
23:20 - the full time offer (at 30 ✨)
24:25 - thank you for watching
ABOUT ME:
I am Anto, a recent Computer Science grad and software engineer. I was previously a fashion designer, branding strategist, and illustrator.
shop my amazon storefront: www.amazon.com/shop/thatcodin...
SOCIALS:
☏ insta: / antonella.swe
☏ tiktok: / antonella.swe
For business inquiries only: [e-mail]
topics:
university, senior year, life transitions, software engineer, college student, seattle, washington, faang, maang, software engineering, tech, day in the life, routine, work, productive, productivity, work day in the life, week vlog, women in tech, programming, coding

[@sergion3584]

hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that in my new college hire group, it was me (recently graduated), a 26 year old, and a 31 year old. The 31 Y.O had less than a year of experience, and managed to become a dev lead a few weeks ago. Never too late to start, he has learned an incredible amount of information in a year.

[@antonellamar]

It warms my heart to read that. Thank you so much for sharing 🥹🤍

[@yash33888]

@antonellamar I'm thirty now and I just started to learn coding. I choosed web development to begin my career as a decent entry level position in SDE. Moving forward I will enhance the skill and scale up in industry.

[@GaborGubicza]

@@yash33888 Good luck! LFG!

[@PitPRG]

im be near 40 when i was started my carrier in java programming without degree in russia.

[@rafae5902]

dev "lead"

[@J3sslca]

I’m 30 and just starting my career as a software engineer, this makes me feel seen

[@antonellamar]

It made making this whole video worth it then 🤍

[@isekaiinme]

What are your preparation? What kind of programming language you focus on? I am on my 30’s rn and trying to become software engineer too. I hope you can give me some advice. Thanks

[@zoubawithsiba6597]

Same here 😊

[@FoAMDFun]

I started/changed at 42. Never too late.

[@antonellamar]

Absolutely! Congratulations for taking that leap 💖

[@mm1234bb]

Hey how’s your journey so far if you don’t mind sharing?!

[@FoAMDFun]

​@@mm1234bbEverything is going well. I've been in the industry for 18 months now, and this is my second job. Although I'm primarily focused on frontend development, both of my jobs have been in backend roles. My previous job was .NET-focused, but now I work with Java and Javascript. I started receiving offers from other companies after just 8 months in my first job. So, I wasn't laid off or anything like that; I simply changed jobs for a better working environment and higher salary. I can confidently say that I plan to stay in IT for the rest of my life

[@chuckfaber7521]

I was a middle school teacher until I was about 29 years old when I went back to school to become a computer engineer. I graduated early 2022 at age 33 and have been working as a computer engineer for about a year and a half so far. I had never learned to code until that first term of engineering school and graduated with a master’s degree and had an internship with NASA. I’m loving my job now and the salary compared to a teacher’s salary is *chef’s kiss*. Go for it at any age! I wasn’t even the oldest one in my classes.

[@antonellamar]

OH MY GOD your story is amazing!!! You're such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing it!

[@TheSunshinefee]

do you get a lot of math and is it difficult

[@chuckfaber7521]

@@TheSunshinefee You do get a lot of math, and yeah it is difficult but it is very much worth doing. It was during this degree that math transitioned from something that was hard and inscrutable to something that I am actually quite fascinated with and enjoy now. I highly recommend reading “A Mind for Numbers” by Barbara Oakley. She herself was someone who never felt like she was a “math person” and initially studied linguistics but ended up a Doctor of Electrical Engineering.

[@stu4932]

On my 3rd year of a cs degree at 36. Decided to hit the restart button on my direction during covid

[@antonellamar]

That's amazing! Congratulations on that restart. And you're almost there! 👏

[@GaborGubicza]

Thanks for sharing your story Antonella! I'm a 35 years old Electronics and hardware engineer, I decided a few weeks ago to switch over to software engineering, or at least to dive deeper into software.

[@antonellamar]

Thats awesome! I love hearing these stories. Theres so much to learn 🤩

[@lerrz8969]

Worked in construction and restaurants till I was 29, now I'm 31 and working as a SOC Analyst.

[@lerrz8969]

Learn networking. Do SEC+ and Net+ and get your foot in the door. I started as IT Helpdesk and got certs to move into security@@BleyBlair

[@antonellamar]

That’s such an amazing switch!

[@lerrz8969]

@@antonellamar thank you! If you want something bad enough you can do it. Anyone can learn this stuff if they really apply themselves.

[@antonellamar]

@@lerrz8969 exactly! 👏

[@lerrz8969]

@BleyBlair haha sorry. I went to community college got a AA in networking. Then got an apprenticeship as an IT engineer got my A+ and CCNA and then got a job as an engineer then got ISC CC and CySA and landed a SOC position at the same company. Find a help desk position and apply, and call them a couple times a week to show how much you want it. Sometimes determination beats experience

[@mengyuanli3931]

Thank you for sharing the story! I'm 30 now and I started my first software devloper job at 29, went through exactly the sam path as yours except that I got tons of rejection from big and small tech companies:( I spent a whole year to find my current job with a totally burn-out mental health. Sometimes I thought maybe I am not smart enough to do this job since I feel challenging and frustrating not only from tech side but also from communication side ( I can't catch others' meaning immediately due to language limit that makes me frastrated). From time to time, I also think that I may quit this career at some point cuz it's so demanding and wish I can be as smart as those who passed interviews. Your video warms me as I'm not the only one.

[@antonellamar]

You are absolutely not the only one! I feel that way in my current job sometimes too. And I can assure you that all those people that you saw pass interviews also had their own rejections or insecurities. You had everything against you (being older, a language barrier, etc) and yet you still made it happen against all those odds to get to the position that so many want to be in. That's not a setback, but a testament to how much you are capable of and your hard work. We won't ever know it all and we will feel insecure in a new space a lot of the times, but think of how much you have grown through that discomfort! You had to work a lot harder that many others to get to this point. You should be incredibly proud of yourself for that!

[@mengyuanli3931]

@@antonellamar Your touching words makes me almost crying😭 Really really appreciate it! Everytime I feel that I cannot get through barriers I will definetely back to check this comment!

[@mishph]

Did u go back to school for a bachelor or go through the bootcamp route?

[@mengyuanli3931]

@@mishph I did back to school cuz I needed the CS bachelor degree.

[@IncorrectTarget.]

Thank you for sharing your story. You can become a SOFTWARE ENGINEER at 69 if you want or 15. There is no wrong time and if you decide it's not what you wanted or you are fed up you can become Amazon reseller or teach cooking cookies in your next big life decision. "Too many people die at 25 and not get buried until they are 85" - I was also one of them but it is time to wake up.

[@teenytinytoons]

Thank you. I needed to hear this.

[@antonellamar]

Exactly, you only get one life. You owe it to yourself to go after your full potential. Thank you for sharing such motivational words

[@nana-santos]

I am a 40y old women studying SE and I am glad to found this video

[@antonellamar]

I am glad you found it too! So happy to hear there are more of us out there! Wishing you all of the best on your journey!

[@hannahgnichols]

Wow! This was such a motivating story, Antonella. I'm currently going through a career change in my mid 20s from dental to software engineering. I would love to see a video about why graphic design was not the right path for you and what indicators led you to shift to software engineering instead. Truly inspiring to know that there are so many people still discovering themselves and figuring out what works best for them!

[@antonellamar]

I love that idea so much! Thanks for suggesting it. Adding it to my content list right now. And your journey sounds fascinating!

[@Kill3rskull.]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. As an 11th grader, I've been really stressed and pressured about my future, but watching your video and sharing your ups and downs while trying to discover your interests and trying to survive really inspired me. Your video made me realize that I would love to become a software engineer and I can start coding now and have a chance to one day work in a big company where I can meet people who love this as much as I do. Congratulations and I'm really happy for all the things you have accomplished. Lots of love from Mexico ♥

[@antonellamar]

wow, first of all thank you so very much for sharing your perspective. It makes me so happy to hear that sharing my difficulties and fears I had when I was at that point in my life has helped you feel more at peace with your journey. I was SO stressed when I had to decide what to do with my life and was so scared that my decision was final. Turns out, everything will work out. Getting to know yourself and what you want to do for right now is a part of that journey. The best thing you can do (which I wish I had done more of back then) is meet that uncertainty with curiosity and excitement. Be so curious about the field you are considering (in this case sounds like it's software engineering 😊), be so curious about it that you absorb everything and appreciate all the wonder there is to find in this space. I actually just released a new video with a full self-taught software engineer plan. I think it would be particularly helpful for you at this stage because it can get you more exposed to a lot of the stuff you'll see in the future if you go into Computer Science. Wishing you all the very best on your journey 🤍

[@CareerPivotNow]

I'm 30 and in the process of going through a backend software engineer bootcamp. Your story is bittersweet and encouraging. It gives the reality of the journey. Idk if mine will be exactly like yours but I am expecting obstacles and difficulties along the way. Thank you for the honest truth.

[@antonellamar]

No journey will be like any other, and that is the beauty of it. Yours will look purely your own, it will have its challenges and its triumphs, and it'll all be worth it 😊

[@akosuakoranteng3327]

Beautiful story! Thanks for sharing! and thanks for the lovely energy of gratitude and kindness that you radiate!

[@antonellamar]

Thank you for your heartfelt comment! I'm so grateful that my story resonated with you! It's comments like yours that make sharing my stories worthwhile 🥹💖

[@christianngo9426]

Let's go, this is really inspiring. happy for you.

[@antonellamar]

So happy to hear that, thank you!!🥹

[@Chris-qg6kc]

I see you are just getting your channel up. I wish you the best!

[@antonellamar]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the well wishes!

[@christyxiong748]

I’ve been waiting so long for this video!! 🥺💗

[@antonellamar]

Aw, I didn't know there were people expecting it 🥹💕💕

[@yc70jade]

I needed this video. I come from a medical background & snowballed into burnout. There are so many moments of frustration & today was definitely a day of frustration.

[@antonellamar]

Im so glad that this reached you then. It's so important to take some time to take care of yourself during those moments of frustration so you can come back to it stronger and with more momentum. Wishing you all the best on your journey!

[@stevecrabtree9141]

Nice video, I am older and starting over in tech! I worked in manufacturing and was injured and needed a change! It has been a lot of fun, but still looking for that elusive role!

[@antonellamar]

I hope you've recovered from that injury! So happy to hear that you are having fun in this space!

[@Lolo518f]

I am in a similar position at the start of your coding journey. I have been in the fitness industry for 8 years and currently feeling like I need to leave it behind in the current state it is, especially the online fitness world. I am currently back in school for software engineering, learning! It’s tough but I’m determined.

[@antonellamar]

Wow, that's such an amazing story! I'm happy to hear that you chose not to hold yourself back! It can certainly get frustrating and discouraging at times but it'll be worth it when you show yourself just how much you are capable of. Remain focused and find those people that you can lean on and that will root for you along the way. You've got this!

[@AnonymousWolfx]

Our journeys are really similar! I'm a senior designer for an agency and am slowly transitioning to a developer. I'm building a whole new department at my agency. All while being back in school for computer science :) I just turned 25 this year and I'm so excited for what's next. edit: I just realized you're in Seattle! I'm at evcc for my program.

[@antonellamar]

That is amazing! All that variety and great impact you are having is going to look so good on your resume. I hope you are enjoying the journey. Wishing you all the best!

[@mallillindantejr4920]

Nice to hear that because it's not too late to become a software engineer soon and I have hope to continue that after my college graduation at age of 28 but I need to train my self about skills and knowledge about software engineer and I can do that 😊

[@antonellamar]

You absolutely can, you are just getting started 👏

[@reconnect6989]

Extremely inspiring story, I’m 23 and went back to school for CS at 21. Seeing my friends graduate while I was just starting was definitely demoralizing so I feel like I can relate to you. I’m curious as to what projects or experience you had to show to get your 2nd year internship? I’m right about at the same point and feel under qualified.

[@antonellamar]

I totally understand what you mean. I felt so behind in life when I saw so many of my peers already graduated, having been working for years, having families etc. But I can assure you that this time will propel you forward in the long run. I felt so behind for so long and then all of a sudden I got propelled to this amazing place in my life. Keep going and always remind yourself why you're doing this. I really like that idea for a video. I have added it to my list, but if you want to see it sooner I have a few videos on my instagram going over my resume from that time that you can check out

[@tinalouisechen]

Love this video! Plz keep this series coming! Go anotella! ❤

[@antonellamar]

Thank you so much Tina! Super appreciate your support 🥹❤️

[@Madmadvillain11]

Great vid just started my journey at 29!

[@antonellamar]

Amazing! So proud of you for taking the leap. I know there are so many different ways to switch, what pathway are you taking?

[@Madmadvillain11]

@@antonellamar Hi thanks! Doing the meta back end developer course now, freecode camp and Harvard CS50! Any advice?

[@yisusl2467]

I love the peace and tranquility that you radiate

[@antonellamar]

That’s such a kind comment, thank you 🫶

[@mspicazo]

This video is amazing thank you for sharing and being honest

[@antonellamar]

My pleasure! I'm so happy to hear that you found it useful

[@angrydonut6998]

Im a immigrant in Europe aswell working in finance now wanting to jump in to tech. It is so great to find your channel and not feel that alone in this journey :) thanks! Un abrazo

[@antonellamar]

Im so happy that it has made you feel less alone 🥹 Te deseo todo lo mejor en tu transición!

[@Prismcollects]

I’m 29 and deciding to pursue my career towards CS. I’d like to be a software developer and I’m excited for the outcome. I felt discouraged back then, didn’t feel smart as much, but I feel more confident in myself and always had a passion for tech. Best of luck to everyone and yes, it’s never too late to change your career. Enjoy life and make the best out of it!

[@GAMenBoy]

24:10 JAJAJAJ te amo crazy blda, no creo en las casualidades sino en las causalidades, que hermoso encontrar una historia tan similar a la mía, si bien es extremadamente difícil ejercer cualquier profesión artística o referente al diseño, estoy sintiendo y sentí muchísimas cosas que nombraste sobre la crisis de los 30, tengo 29 ahora pero en julio ya estoy pisando los 30 y realmente la vida te lleva a autoanalizarte profundamente y a depurarte de todo lo que aprendiste en el camino para animarte a llevar tu potencial a otro nivel, con inseguridades y miedos, etc. en fin no quiero aburrirte pero te confieso que me sorprendió escuchar tan buen inglés en calidad, tuve que googlear un montón de palabras que nunca había escuchado jajaj, me encantaría saber tu historia personal de como empezaste a aprender inglés y como llegaste a dominarlo al nivel que tenes ahora, por cierto te ultra felicito por el esfuerzo logrado y por donde llegaste, realmente me dio ganas de llorar al comienzo de tu historia por sentir tantos sentimientos iguales en este momento, gracias por compartir tu experiencia y ojalá hagas una versión en español porque mucha gente hispanohablante necesita escuchar esta historia, es realmente admirable y emocionante, un abrazo de un bldo Formoseño que vive en Bs As y se apellida Mendoza pero sueña desde chico conocer y vivir en USA. Voy a estar super atento a tus proximos videos ahi te sigo en Ig ♥

[@antonellamar]

Este mensaje me toco en el alma. Me tomo una semana procesarlo 😭 Muchisimas gracias por el aguante y apoyo! Significa muchísimo para mí. Me alegro tanto que te haya llegado este video. Empecé con el inglés desde bien chiquita. Me gustaban las series americanas y trataba de encontrar libros en inglés en Mendoza por todos lados. No sé cómo será ahora, pero en esa época era re difícil! Me hacían tremendo bullying en la escuela por esa obsesión con querer aprender inglés, pero al final mira cómo valió la pena! Otra indicación más de la importancia de ser quién sos, sin importar a quién le moleste ❤️ En fin, lo que más me ayudó fue tener gente con quien poder hablar en inglés. Eso me ayudó muchísimo con el acento. Para el vocabulario, lo que más me ayudó fue lo mismo que estás haciendo vos: ver cosas en inglés y buscar cada una de las palabras que no conocía. Seguí con esa curiosidad y ganas de superarte, formoseño, que eso te va a llevar muy lejos! Te deseo todo lo mejor!!!

[@GAMenBoy]

@@antonellamar 🙏🏻😭❣️ gracias gracias y que se te multipliquen los éxitos y las bendiciones

[@larkderwyn4166]

I am almost 27 and even knowing there are videos like this out on youtube makes me feel like we still have so much going for ourselves :) Thank you for sharing your experience!!

[@antonellamar]

Wo, thank you for sharing such kind words. I avoided doing youtube for so long because I thought i had nothing to share, so reading this was really validating 🥹

[@larkderwyn4166]

@@antonellamar I am graduating with my associates at the end of 2024 and I am studying for technical interview prep (leet code + A&D) on the side. I have a very similar situation coming from dance/choreography to CS so this gave me even more confidence in this journey lol. I hope you find more ways to make content!

[@Viafro612]

I am 31 yo and i made the most important move in my career last year and now i am software engineer still battling with the imposter's syndrome.

[@antonellamar]

Wow, I knew conceptually that there were more people in a similar path as mine, but it’s so wonderful to actually see them 🥹 Sending you all my best with these new challenges. Remember that you are where you are because you worked hard and earned that spot 🫶

[@Viafro612]

@@antonellamar you absolutely right. Keep up with your good content ❤️

[@vivekpujaravp]

Amazing journey, thank you so much for sharing.

[@antonellamar]

Thank you for stopping by!

[@realitydesigners]

This was amazing! Thanks for this! ✨🧬

[@antonellamar]

You're very welcome, thank you for your kind message! 💖

[@lilytwelftree4837]

i went back to university at 22 and feel so out of place and old (i know it sounds crazy but when everyone is fresh out of high school and you have been work full time for 4years you really feel it!) Loved this video, thank you!

[@antonellamar]

I totally get what you mean. We are still so young at 22 but the gap is a lot more evident in that space. It's like when your 13 and 16 year olds seem so much older! lol But glad this video found you :)

[@svenkang7356]

Thanks for sharing your story with such honesty and vulnerability. As someone who has been on a very similar path (studying in the US and working currently as software engineer) your story really resonated with me, especially the struggles of loneliness and coming to terms of reality. These experiences make us who we are and make us more resilient. Just curious, where are you originally from?

[@antonellamar]

You are absolutely right. I don’t see them as something I feel sorry about but something that made me who I am today, gave me the grit and resiliency I needed to get here, but also being along an emotional weight that deserves to be spoken of because nobody’s life is perfect. Being on a similar path, I respect you for your pushing through it. I am originally from Argentina

[@DrrrapDabadap]

Thank you so much for speaking your experience. I'm also in my late 20s, in Seattle, thinking about switching to IT. I've been following my passion in baking and desserts production majority of my life, making barely enough to survive in this economy. Meanwhile most of my friends and acquaintances doing great working as software engineers, having amazing work to life balance, traveling and just living a happy life. That really inspires and encourages to make a change. If you don't mind to share, what exactly helped you to get hooked on coding, like some particular courses or videos? There's so much information out there and I just don't know where to start...

[@antonellamar]

I totally understand how overwhelming that is. I actually have a video coming to tiktok soon related to this so you can follow there to catch it when it goes up if you are interested. But essentially I first got introduced to programming through web development (which was closely related to what I was doing at the time which was graphic design) and then from there iOS development fascinated me.

[@nataliaviana9473]

Thanks for the video!! It’s very inspired for me ❤️ I’m 31 and I’m starting to study code and it’s amazing hear your history

[@antonellamar]

means so much that you connected with it! Thank you for watching and supporting in the comments 🥹💗 Wishing you all the very best on this new chapter!

[@tuna_mayo_sandwich]

I needed this.

[@antonellamar]

Im glad it found you then 🫶

[@RicardoTolbert]

Just subbed! Would love to see a video on what you think of Seattle. Great content!

[@antonellamar]

Thank you so much, truly appreciate it! Ive added that to my content list. I'm just a huge homebody so I don't know if I would have much of a take on that since I dont do many 'seattle' things lol. But I'll let it simmer in the back of my mind

[@ProductDesignTalk]

I’m 35 and I’m also starting over as a SWE. Sub’d!

[@antonellamar]

Thanks for stopping by and dropping your comment. I am so happy so see how many of us are out there 🥹

[@MuazAtik]

Thank you that inspired me 🙂 I wish you the best 👍

[@antonellamar]

Thank you so much! So happy to hear that you found it useful!

[@lowerlowerhk]

Thank you for sharing this experience. Recently I have made a huge decision of going the the United States to get a master degree in computer science despite the fact that I am already financially comfortable being the director of a real estate company. Sure I don’t have to worry about the bills at least for the time being but I want to do something more impactful than flipping houses. I know coding is not Hollywood flashy screens at all but I still want to see what are my intellectual limits. So thanks for the encouragement!

[@antonellamar]

Thanks for sharing your story! Congrats on making that switch. Change can be scary but it can also be so exciting! Wishing you all the very best!

[@fire-wn6dj]

thanks for this video it gives me hope

[@antonellamar]

I'm so glad it does 🥹

[@veememoirs]

I am an economist starting to think about a career as a Data Scientist. This video is so encouraging!

[@antonellamar]

That's amazing! It's comments like these that make me feel like I am fulfilling my purpose and that make all the hard work of creating content and putting yourself out there so worth it. I'm wishing you all the best on your journey! Keep me posted! 🫶

[@etorty_dev]

Thanks for the encouraging words, Antonella. This section spoke to me 17:30 up to 19:34 🤗

[@antonellamar]

Im so happy to hear that. The pandemic isolation had me a little busted haha but I was keeping my spirits high by telling myself that exact stuff constantly. It's amazing that it worked out 🥹

[@etorty_dev]

@@antonellamar Great! I'm on my journey there and seeing someone who has gone through it and succeeded is quite reassuring. Just like you said, grinding and studying is really tasking. Having a full-time job and a family to take care of leaves you with little to no time / energy to practice. My approach now is to wake up at 4am and study till 6 am daily (except Sundays for rest). I look forward to sharing my success in some months time.

[@brunofreire10]

Hi, Antonella! First of all, thank you so much for this video and for sharing your story with us. It's really inspiring and at the end of the video I felt the impact of your words and experience and I'm sure this will give me strength to keep pushing forward now that I'm back in school. This video could be easily used as a source of inspiration somehow. I'm in my second semester of Computer Science in Brazil and there's a couple of disciplines we're supposed to take such as Calculus and something like (in literal translation) Fundamentals of mathematics applied to computer science. Honestly, I know it's no piece of cake, but especially the fundamentals one is somehow a nightmare (but I believe I can get through it) haha. My question is: on a daily basis, how much of all the math we go through in school is actually applied in our professional environment? For instance, jsyk, there's this thing called "chinese remainder theorem" that, after studying it, I was like: "do we really use that?" I hope you're doing well and once again thank you for all.

[@antonellamar]

What a kind comment, Bruno. Thank you very much! So happy to hear that you find this inspiring. As far as the math goes there's a short answer and a long one. The short answer is: No, I haven't used math so far in the year and a half I've been working, plus the two summers of internships. The long answer is: it depends on what section of computer science you go into for work. If you go into machine learning for example I suspect you may encounter some math because it is so math-heavy. For something like, web design, web app engineering, software engineering I don't think so. But do take that with a grain of salt since I am just starting out my career. Essentially, I have not touched calculus since the final exam 😅

[@brunofreire10]

@@antonellamar great to know!! Hahaha good thing calculus is no longer a thing for you since your final exam! Haha! But hey THANK YOU,!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[@thecybersecurityexperience275]

this made me feel like im not alone in the world it shouldnt bother me but sometimes being in a college room full of kids makes me feel my age (26) lol so its nice to see other adult learners every once in a while

[@antonellamar]

I totally understand. And if you've taken a look at the comments, you'll see that you are definitely not alone :) Definitely my favorite part of creating this video has been seeing how many more people are going through this than I ever realized.

[@User-fv3ol4io50.]

love to see this

[@antonellamar]

Thank you!

[@Bailatinao]

So inspiring

[@antonellamar]

Thanks for watching, so happy to hear that you found it valuable!

[@user-vw3hl8ts3h]

brave girl! you got blessed!

[@antonellamar]

Absolutely, I feel so lucky to have been on this journey and where i landed 🥹

[@Elabunny]

I’m also just starting my software engineer journey at 30, I feel less alone seeing I’m not the only one. 😺

[@antonellamar]

You definitely aren't! Warms my heart to hear that I was able to make someone feel less alone on their journey. It's what I needed when I first started mine 🥹💗 Wishing you all the best on this new chapter of yours! 🤍

[@banatibor83]

This was the first video I see from you. I am happy for you! Find art in coding :)

[@antonellamar]

Thank you, i really appreciate your kindness!

[@shivejni]

Hola Antonella! Felicitaciones por tu camino...me encuentro en un camino similar y soy de Uruguay jajaj así que hay algo en la vuelta. Muchas gracias por compartir :D

[@antonellamar]

Muchas gracias!! Que lindo tu comentario! Gracias por pasarte por mi canal 💖

[@cristianaraujo9293]

It's so nice to see another panther in a video like this, congrats!🎉

[@antonellamar]

Yay! Paws up! 🐆💛💙

[@FunnyDay.5631]

All the best mam🎉🎉🎉❤

[@antonellamar]

thank you so much ☺️

[@rominaprograma]

llegué acá de casualidad y veo que sos argentina. dios, literalmente mi ejemplo a seguir

[@antonellamar]

🥹🥹🥹

[@Enteratedelchisme]

Im 41 started at 38. Still learning but not impossible thanks for the video.

[@antonellamar]

That is amazing, thank you for sharing your story!

[@jeffrey5602]

quick note: it should be impossible to have green tea that is too hot to drink. Go and try some really great Japanese Gyokuro green tea and only use 60-70c degree water (140-158F). Its a whole other world. On another note: great video. I would also say I got into tech pretty late but it has been the most rewarding decision I ever made. Started my first job as a data scientist when I was 29. We have so many years of work in front of us, makes it totally worth to find ones passion later in life :)

[@antonellamar]

Haha yeah, I used to have an amazing electric kettle that had temp settings for all types of teas. But I left it with my parents because they love it too 🥲 But I cannot live like this!! I got a cheap regular kettle with a thermometer off amazon. But it was a bust so I'll have to get my nice one soon! And I'm definitely taking note of that green tea to try. Thanks! Absolutely, what you said completely resonates with me and my experience. So happy to hear about your switch to something you find so rewarding!

[@jeffrey5602]

@@antonellamar I found that coding for long hours and drinking tea works quite beautifully together since the caffeine doesnt spike as hard as coffee and is more stable. Also for the days i am in the office i dont have to accept a decrease in beverage quality over my homeoffice setup. With coffee I would make great handgrinded espresso at home but then drink cheap stuff at work which i really hated xd. If you cant measure the temperature I found that you just add cold water until you reach a point where you are just comfortable to put a finger into the cup and you should be good with your green tea. enjoy your programmming journey :)

[@rafaelmateodev]

Me siento super en sync con tu experiencia xD!!!

[@antonellamar]

Que lindo escuchar que te haya gustado. Gracias por pasarte por mi canal!

[@kurtm54]

Wish i could do this! I'm going to watch closely.

[@antonellamar]

Wishing you the best on your journey! It certainly wasn't easy and I had a ton of doubts along the way, but clearly it was worth it😌

[@lwa.dev74]

Thankyou❤

[@DanielGomez-cf4sm]

Nice vlog!! I’ll use it to learn English and blogging. I’m from Argentina too and I’m moving to Spain soon. You have a new subscriber!!

[@antonellamar]

Muchisimas gracias por suscribirte! Good luck on the move!

[@maninform3523]

23 year old watching this, im taking classes and i see alot of young people killing it while i struggle, i needed this

[@antonellamar]

I hope you know that the age difference is a lot more evident to you than to anyone else around you. I spent so much time worrying about it when people didn't even realize I was older. Your older-older self will thank you so much for having done this. A lot of people hesitate at 25-30 but I am so grateful to my 25 year old self that she didn't let that hesitation stop her. Age will come either way. We may as well go after what we want as soon as we discover it. Wishing you all the very best

[@maninform3523]

@@antonellamarthank you so much, hopefully by this time next year ill look back at the rigorous bootcamp and be glad i did it

[@user-ue7km6xb6h]

Thanks a bunch for sharing your experience with us🥰 .U really invigorate me to go after my dreams and maybe one day become your co-worker😄💙 .I'm 20 years old and learning programming by myself. Despite the fact that many people say it will be difficult to find a job in the future as a software engineer(cuz now we have many people who wanna become a software engineer and get a lucrative position and there is a lot of competition and blah blah blah) I'll keep going and be industrious in order to fulfill my aspirations . If u r reading this comment, then remember u are the best and continue to strive for your dreams.💗Never compare yourself to others and your progress with others because we all are unique and we have our own journey. (Btw I'm learning English on my own if u see any mistakes please correct me❤)Love y'all

[@antonellamar]

Wow, that you so much for such kind words. It made my day! And I know you will make it happen. There may be more people interested but you only need one yes. If you dont give up until you get it you're set. Best of luck!

[@pablonicolasmarcialsandri5316]

Hola Anto, hermosa historia de vida y de superacion! Yo estudio ingenieria en software, y me gustaria vivir y estudiar alla. Estaria genial un video explciando como hiciste para mudarte a USA y las diferencias entre estudiar en argentina- estados unidos. Un saludo y abrazo enorme desde Cordoba

[@antonellamar]

Hola Pablo, muchas gracias por tu comentario! Esta buena esa idea! La voy a agregar a mi lista. Muchas gracias por la sugerencia

[@MattCosta.]

I’m a 30 year old paramedic considering going into Software Engineering but I’ll be honest, I don’t think I enjoy coding but then I also know I’m burnt out with medicine and want out. I’m looking for a career that pays well and has a better work life balance. My concern is my age at 30 and the tech field being very saturated and lay offs. I feel very lost.

[@ITISWHATITISgp]

Me parece loquisimo que encuentro tu video y seas de Argentina como yo, se siente como una señal. Espero poder estudiar aca en Argentina y justo me pasa que tengo 23 y no entre en ingeniería por la pandemia y siento que me quedo inconcluso. muchos saludos anto.

[@antonellamar]

Que casualidad tan loca! Me alegro que el video te haya encotrado y espero que te haya motivado uno poquito :) te deseo lo mejor reanudando la carrera!

[@khuthadzomatumba7904]

Please talk about what you didn’t like about graphic and interior design

[@antonellamar]

I never did interior, it was graphic, apparel, textile, branding, and illustration but I could definitely talk a ton about that and my relationship with those paths. thanks so much for watching!

[@IncorrectTarget.]

@@antonellamar Sounds like a great plot for a next video ;)

[@GoingDev]

If you could choose between a degree in Software Engineering or Computer Science, which would you choose and why? I’m about to be 31 this upcoming January, currently work as a graphic designer at an emergency vehicle manufacturer, and I’m about to start on my degree for CompSci in hopes of switching careers for a better paying job. However, I’m really debating switch to a Software Engineering degree. Between degree programs, the SE degree offers more Certs in the program than CompSci and is a bit more hands on than theory.

[@antonellamar]

I'm honestly not sure about this one because I didn't even know software degrees existed 😅 My school only had Computer Science degrees. The options they had there were between a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science(B.S.) and a Bachelors of Arts in Computer Science (B.A.). I went with the B.S. Wishing you all of the best on your journey! I am thinking of creating a video about all the classes I took for my degree so maybe that gives you a little more insights.

[@Belihoney]

Can you go into more detail as to why you left the fashion industry?

[@antonellamar]

For sure, I'll make a video about that soon 😊

[@Ilona_230]

Hey everyone! What is your recommendation for studying. I have graphic designer master degree, but would like to switch to software engineering??where to start from?is that possible to start with just certificate(like 7-8 months course)??or is that important to have associate or bachelor credit for this??

[@jacquelinemaria2902]

Please discuss in next video about fashion design and what happened to that career path.

[@antonellamar]

That's a good idea! I just added that to my KZbin list 😊

[@israelonimowo6115]

inspiring story, I am also an author of children's book, love coding but I'm going into Product Management, I'm into meditation.. really inspiring..

[@israelonimowo6115]

I alos illustrate and write short stories

[@antonellamar]

That's all awesome. Make sure to share all those cool interests and projects during your interviews!

[@israelonimowo6115]

@@antonellamarincase you know companies in need of product Manager you can refer me or connect me.. thanks

[@nilufar4983]

omg! your story really looks like mine. Also fashion person brother is a programmer 😁

[@antonellamar]

Aw I love that!

[@platinum11110]

Could you talk about that thought of "embracing it as if you've chosen it," please? Greetings from Argentina.

[@antonellamar]

Oh, I never thought of that, I really like that idea! Muchas gracias por la sugerencia!

[@platinum11110]

@@antonellamar You're welcome! De nada Anto, saludos y feliz 2024!!

[@TheSunshinefee]

how did you pay for your education and housing? did you get any scholarships? did you work besides your study? did you take out loans? could you do a video on you moving to the USA and finding your footing and how you managed

[@antonellamar]

Sure, I'll add it to the list! Covering those expenses was a combination of what i had been able to save from my time as a fashion, graphic designer, and illustrator back home, scholarships, working part time: first at my school's art magazine and then at the ESL lab, tons of help from my siblings who were a few steps ahead on their careers, and the salary I made once I started getting internships. It was such a hard time though and the system didn't make it easy in the slightest

[@Underthelab]

how did you get to the USA is also how we would like to know for some of us who are interested in moving to the USA?

[@antonellamar]

Immigration here is pretty tricky as many know. For a move like mine what you'd do is apply for an F1 (student visa). Other people come as professionals through an H1B (work visa) but I dont have experience with that one.

[@maricelromero9833]

Hi Antonella, I heard you are from Argentina. I am from Argentina (50) but do not live in the US. Can you tell us how did you do to live and work there? I am an English-Spanish translator and subtitle searching for a career change. I self-study programming in my spare time. Any suggestion? Thank you 🥰

[@antonellamar]

Hi Maricel! Thanks for stopping by! Sure, it was hard and considered quitting on that dream quite a few times. I went to college in the US in my mid and late 20s with a student visa. I was only able to work part time on campus until I started getting those summer internships and finally getting my full time offer. The tech industry was very different at that time. Hopefully things will get better soon, but I am seeing a lot of new grads struggling a ton to get entry level positions. All that to say that I don't know how my journey would look like had I started around this time. But one thing I know is that if you're passionate about making a change, put a lot of work and discipline into it, and get super laser focused on what your goal on the other side is, you can really surprise yourself with what you may be able to accomplish. Wishing you all the very best on your journey 🤍

[@maricelromero3546]

Many thanks to you, Antonella, for giving me this well-defined answer. I wish to become a software engineer someday. ❤

[@ahmedzouihga9516]

Let me Guess , you got your associate at MIAMI DADE COLLEGE right ? Thank you for sharing your journey I really got motivated.

[@antonellamar]

Actually no. I went to Broward College. But yes, there is a huge MDC to FIU pipeline lol

[@copiouscat]

MDC 🗣️🤩😎

[@leonardo006]

bless

[@antonellamar]

thank you, back at you

[@prem3957]

Great Video! Do you edit them yourself?

[@antonellamar]

Thanks, yes! I love the creative part of that

[@prem3957]

@@antonellamar That's Great. I'm a video editor and will help you edit them for you. So you can save your time as well.I can share my portfolio too.Let me know we can connect (:

[@darkangel2327]

I’m 33 and just graduated with a cs degree. I have 1.5 years of work experience with coding but it’s been really hard to get a job. Do you have any advice?

[@theLowestPointInMyLife]

Be a woman

[@IKn0wWh0IAm]

Tailor your resume to meet the requirements/job descriptions of each job you apply to, and do the same with your cover letters(make it feel as if you made your resume to only apply to their company.) Research the company and research the team which you are looking to be apart of. Maybe highlight some of the amazing projects the companies were/are involved in, etc. Really show why you would make a good fit for the team/company. It’s more than just your skills. It doesn’t hurt to ask for feedback following rejections(especially for positions you really wanted). You got this! I wish you much success and good luck with your search!

[@antonellamar]

If I were to give that response any merit I'd say there are men in that age range from my same university that just got full time offers at Microsoft and other companies. Any limiting belief you choose to take is just a detriment to your own self.

[@antonellamar]

I completely second all of that. Another tip that has helped my resume stand out is to start each item under your experience or projects with quantifiable impact as much as possible. It can take a bit of effort to come up with those but it's so worth it. Wishing you all the best on your search! ps. I also just release a free resume template that might help you out. It's in my bio. It's the template I used when I got my internship at Microsoft :)

[@darkangel2327]

Thanks@@IKn0wWh0IAm

[@PitPRG]

Its really need degree in USA, Canada for work as sowtware engineer, or relevant expirience is also can be enought?

[@antonellamar]

You can definitely apply to jobs if you have experience. As long as you can demonstrate what they need a degree is not really necessary. The one place where I have seen a degree (or being in the progress of getting one) has been for internships.

[@sw33tsoda]

You guys are so lucky that companies there don't put age-limit in recruitment Here in my country, 30-ers are considered too old to be hired at any position in this field And if you're 18 and not in any college, you missed the career bus of life

[@antonellamar]

Wow that’s so ageist 😢

[@nabeelanwar1617]

Can you make a video of what you do as a software engineer at Microsoft other than coding and how much coding do you do?

[@antonellamar]

I can certainly do something related to that. I obviously cant go into too much detail about particulars but can totally share a birds eye view of how my days are balanced and what type of general tasks I'm usually putting time into 😊

[@nabeelanwar1617]

@@antonellamar Yes I can understand that going into too much detail would not be possible but a bird's eye view of stuff you mentioned would be nice 👍

[@PicyPoe]

At around 22:49 are PMs are really that nice at Microsoft?

[@antonellamar]

I’m confused, why wouldn’t they be? 😅

[@davisz2465]

I m 48 years , I don't have money, but I have a great desire to learn how development software, how I can learn with these limitations?

[@antonellamar]

Desire and discipline will get you a lot father in this field than others like for example medicine or law where a degree is a must. You can check my latest video for a detailed self-taught roadmap. It has a lot of free resources to study from as well as books that you can easily find online. I hope you find that video helpful!

[@davisz2465]

@@antonellamar thanks for your advice, I follow them

[@Beru_Domain]

Do you think it’s wise to go into a software engineering bootcamp with this recession ?

[@antonellamar]

That is a very personal choice, but I will say that it’s a lot more risky than it used to be. Do LOTS of research

[@callous21]

Need a video how you got such a good accent

[@antonellamar]

I wish I had the secret sauce to share 🥹 I grew up speaking English since I was little

[@kayn7169]

Can you share the tutorials you did to learn 🥺

[@antonellamar]

Sure, I could do a video going through my history on Udemy and other accounts like that showing what courses I did. I think that could be fun :)

[@joshuapayne9811]

You’re going to blow up

[@antonellamar]

As long as it just reaches those that are struggling, doubting themselves, or needing the motivation I'm happy 🥹🫶

[@NegarSakh]

I am a 33-year-old aaccountant and trying my best to become a BI analyst.

[@antonellamar]

Yay, love to see more people like me entering the field 💗 What an interesting transition! Would love to know what prompted you to make the switch from accounting if you don't mind me asking?

[@jonathontucker]

I've always wondered how the physical internships work. Are you being payed and did you have to find our own accommodations? Florida to Washington is huge!

[@antonellamar]

Internships are very different in tech from other fields. The old notion of internships used to be unpaid, and just to get experience. All the costs would fall on the interns- stuff like that. Thankfully tech does things a little differently. Usually internships like the ones I did are paid. My first one was an hourly wage, my second one was as a salaried employee for the duration of the summer. Since the first one was remote, there were no accommodations. For the second I had two options to pick from. Microsoft could place me in housing, or they offered a lump sum amount and I could find my own accommodations. And yes! Florida to Washington has been a huge transition 😅

[@varshneydevansh]

I left the tech industry during the Pandemic, let's see when I return. =)

[@PlumpyBlumpkin]

I hope so, I'm starting out my adventure at 39.

[@antonellamar]

That's amazing, thank you for sharing. I'm wishing you the best on your journey!

[@matthewmagadza3919]

In college right now doing information technology

[@matthewmagadza3919]

I'm 24

[@antonellamar]

Hope it's going great! You'll be so proud of yourself at the end of it.

[@hassanahmad1483]

What is possibility after being 35?

[@antonellamar]

I'm seeing switchers in the comments at 35 and even 42! So there are a lot of possibilities!

[@hassanahmad1483]

@@antonellamarThank You...I am a medical practitioner....want to learn coding to integrate ML in my practice for diagnostics...

[@rhythmandacoustics]

Interesting, so you did an associates then did a Bachelors in Computer Science. So 2 years plus 4 years?

[@antonellamar]

No, in Florida there’s a 2+2 agreement where you can do two years of a bachelors at a community college (through an associates) and can use that to transfer to a bachelors program in one of their 4-year universities to continue to a bachelors. So that way you don’t have to start over and it saves you some money

[@rhythmandacoustics]

@@antonellamar nice. Did they make you do the higher level maths?

[@antonellamar]

Yep, I got up to calc II and discrete math

[@shukubabz]

Please add time stamps

[@antonellamar]

Great suggestion, thank you! I have added them 😊