Switching to Front-End Development?

Someone recently asked me for advice on switching careers to become a front-end developer. I only knew a little about their background, except that they were exploring Free Code Camp, had an unrelated educational background, and were keen on front-end development. Since my advice was pretty general, it might be helpful to anyone else thinking about making a similar change!

First things first—I became a developer with an Arts degree, and most of my experience comes from working at Accent. So, take my advice with a pinch of salt, okay?

Getting Started with Technology

I’d suggest dabbling with some server-side tech to sharpen your skills as a front-end developer. Even if you’re mainly focused on the front end, understanding how the whole system fits together will make you way more effective. Plus, many front-end roles involve at least some server-side work. So, try diving into tutorials on data stores like MySQL and PostgreSQL—they’re widely used. If you want to explore back-end concepts, I’d highly recommend the Tour of Go (even though you probably won’t work with Go). It introduces solid software design principles, which is always a win.

For a more hands-on approach, consider taking some Udemy courses. Even though I wouldn’t personally build an entire system using Django, learning it is great for grasping essential software design concepts—like how to separate your data layer from your business logic. Trust me, the “separation of concerns” applies just as much to front-end work!

While you’ll find tons of resources on the internet about “how you should ” build software, my advice? Do what feels right to you as you’re learning. You’ll make mistakes, sure, but those “oops” moments are some of the best ways to learn. For example, I once built an app using just ReactJS, skipping Vite entirely. I wanted to understand why Vite mattered and what problems it solved.

Oh, and the golden rule? Write. Lots. Of. Code. Keep challenging yourself with projects that push your boundaries. When you think you’ve mastered something, go bigger. Aiming high is what keeps you growing.

Landing a Job

The second big topic—getting a job! Here’s the tricky bit: if a company is big enough to have an HR department, they might filter you out because you don’t have a programming degree. It’s not great, but it’s how it goes sometimes. Instead, focus on smaller startups. Folks like me in those places care more about what you can do, not the credentials on your resume.

And here’s a tip: prioritise internships over full-time roles. Why? Internships let you switch companies a few times quickly without getting labelled as a “job hopper.” Employers do care about that. It takes time for an engineer to hit their stride, and no one wants to see you leave before making a real impact.

Switching companies a few times is beneficial because:

• Networking matters. It’s cliché but true. Meet engineers who might hire you someday—or who you might want to work with in the future.
• Broader exposure. Different companies use different tools and tech. If you want a broad skill set, seeing how various systems work in real environments is the best way to build that.
• Finding your fit. Every company is unique—different tech, cultures, missions, and more. Experiencing various places helps determine what matters most to you in your career.

Aim for 2-3 internships, each lasting a few months, before locking in a full-time role.

I hope this helps as you navigate your journey into front-end development! And apologies if I came off a bit preachy— just sharing what’s worked (and hasn’t) in my experience. Good luck, and keep coding!

Article by Dave