Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Chiu.
Hi Stephanie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m the founder and tech career coach at The Road To Tech, a company that focuses on helping career changers become self-taught software engineers without applying online. My career path has been anything but a straight line, with dozens of twists and turns and forks in the road. What began at Chemical Engineering and has ended, for now, as a self-taught Software Engineer and career coach.
My college major was Chemical Engineering, something I chose at 16 because I wanted to find some way to combine my love for colors and the sciences with the dream of working for L’Oreal one day. That dream quickly dissolved when I realized, at 21, that I wasn’t interested in heat exchangers or chemical reactions but rather in business. It was too late to change majors without spending another four years in school, so I focused on finding a manufacturing job while looking for ways to enjoy life outside of work.
But, like many, I wanted to actually enjoy work. And I wanted a job that fit my ideal lifestyle while allowing me to flex the creative and technical parts of my brain. I found that Software Engineering was the right career path. It took a couple of years to build up the courage to make the switch, but in 2020, I made the commitment and went from learning to code to landing a software engineering job in 10 months.
Because of my struggles in finding relevant, up-to-date info on becoming a software engineer without relying on a coding bootcamp or Computer Science degree or applying online, I decided to start The Road To Tech to share tips and strategies that can’t be found elsewhere online. Over the last two years, I’ve helped over 100+ career changers land interviews and jobs as Software Engineers.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The years since graduating were nothing that college or my parents could’ve prepared me for. Within the three years since graduating, I had three different jobs in manufacturing with two layoffs, each with long unemployment periods in between. I knew early on that manufacturing didn’t suit my personality or lifestyle, but for a long time, I didn’t have the confidence to try something different. Thus, I often felt bored and frustrated with the lack of creativity or challenges that manufacturing brought. The stress from getting laid off, moving to different cities and states for jobs, and getting rejected from hundreds of companies was often unbearable.
Coincidentally, when I was between jobs in 2018, I happened to meet a few Product Managers who explained to me what it’s like to work in tech. That’s when I started exploring what role in tech would be best suited for me. I first tried becoming an Associate Product Manager by way of UX/UI Design, then explored Frontend Web Development before finding out that iOS Development was the best way to combine the creative and technical sides of my brain.
In late 2019, I was laid off for the 2nd time in two years. That’s when I decided that, no matter what, I was going all in on changing careers into something I love, even if it meant bagging groceries until I landed a software engineer job. Throughout 2020, I focused on building projects, optimizing my LinkedIn profile, and crafting the right career change resume without attending a bootcamp or going back to college for a Computer Science degree. The process was very challenging because there wasn’t, and still isn’t, much detailed information online on what a self-taught developer should build for their portfolio, how to land a job with no relevant professional experience, or how to craft the ideal career change resume. Then, in October 2020, I finally landed my first software engineer job without relying on referrals or applying online!
I had been documenting my journey into tech on Instagram during this time, and once I got a job, I was flooded with comments and DMs from others who wanted to do the same. That’s when I decided to use my platform to share tips and actionable advice on changing careers the self-taught way.
Now, it’s been two years and I’ve helped hundreds of other career changers become software engineers. In late 2022, I launched HIRED, a hybrid coaching program where I can provide more hands-on help to others who are serious about becoming software engineers using my proven methods and strategies.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Road To Tech was born in January 2021 out of my frustrations and struggles breaking into tech as a self-taught software engineer (SWE). I found that much of the information online about LinkedIn, resumes, and technical interviews were outdated for those who didn’t want to go down the coding bootcamp or CS degree route. If it weren’t for my mentor and my persistence in figuring out how to land interviews with no professional experience in tech, I wouldn’t have been able to make the switch as quickly as I did (10 months). Once I got the dream job, I decided to pay it forward and share my knowledge on Instagram (@theroadtotech) and through HIRED, my career coaching program.
What makes me different from other career coaches is that, rather than having a recruiting or HR management background, I’ve actually been in a career changer’s and self-taught engineer’s shoes before. Therefore, my perspective and methods on what gets people their first job in tech is unlike any other career coaches. While others cover general aspects of job search, LinkedIn, behavioral interviews, and salary negotiations, I start by focusing on what an SWE needs to stand out from other junior applicants: passion and client projects. In addition, I cover how to optimize the LinkedIn profile so that recruiters will reach out with opportunities, how to write your resume if you have no relevant SWE work experience, how to study for coding interviews, and more.
This is all part of HIRED, a 6-month hybrid (group and 1:1) coaching program where students learn how to stand out from the sea of applicants and land an SWE job without having to apply online. It’s packed with a coursework, group sessions, worksheets, private Slack group, resume and LinkedIn review, and more. The first three months are focused on building passion projects, including the design process and how to beta test. The next three months are spent understanding the job search strategies, LinkedIn optimization, resume update, online and in-person networking, behaviorial and technical mock interviews, and salary negotiations. Students will spend time learning how to build their confidence, stay motivated, and think like an engineer, as well as learn about what working in a corporate environment as an engineer is really like.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Los Angeles is a vibrant city where it’s easy to meet others who are passionate about what they do! I love that I can meet others with all sorts of professions in all sorts of industries. Best of all, there’s a never-ending number of fun experiences, cool coffee shops, and amazing food of all price points to explore.
As for dislikes…if I had the ability to fly and arrive to anywhere in LA within 15 min instead of 45 and not stress over parking, I’d be the happiest and most productive person ever!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://roadtotech.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/theroadtotech
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephaniechiu
Image Credits
Emily Ding, Stephanie Chiu
