How I Became A Developer: Part 3 – Working At An Agency

At this point in my developer journey, it had been about eight and a half years. From the day that I started learning to code on Codecademy, nearly a decade had been used up. I’d spent a lot of time honing my craft in that period. I was continuously learning, especially the core web stack languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP). I kept away from frameworks for the most part because my clients didn’t care what technologies I used; they just wanted what I built for them to actually work. Instead of learning frameworks I might not actually ever use, I focused on building my own library of reusable web apps that I could use in projects for future clients.

I was still working at a factory and running my web development business on the side. While I was getting calls from clients and making the sales, I wasn’t making much money. Definitely not enough money to make a living. So when the the new year started, I decided that this was the year I was going to go all in on being my own boss and making a living from my own business.

That year was 2020.

COVID-19 Gives My Business the Full Stop

I’d decided in the beginning of 2020 that this was the year I became a successful, financially independent business owner. My business website looked great, I had my own software-as-a-service products that I could sell on a monthly subscription, and I had even brought in a couple of freelance graphic designers to work with me on logos and graphics for clients.

It took a while for COVID to make it to my part of the world. When it did, it was brutal. In addition to the socio-political and health catastrophes, COVID-19 made so many small businesses shut their doors. A lot of them never reopened. Those businesses had been my bread and butter when it came to what money I had been making with my development business. Now? Now nothing.

There was nothing I could do except keep working in the factory (we were considered “essential personnel” since we made medical equipment) and wonder what to do next.

Freelancer Or Agency?

I’d put in all this time learning how to be a developer, but it hadn’t gotten me very far. Not really. I was still spending at least 40 hours a week on concrete floors, working from 3pm – 11pm which kept me away from almost all social interactions with my friends and family who worked during daylight hours. Oh, and mandatory weekend work was a thing, too. It definitely wasn’t the way I wanted to spend my life.

So what could I do? I could keep up with trying to build out my own business or maybe I could look into working for an agency. I’d considered agency work before, but the prospect of working for myself had been too enticing. Again, it hadn’t gotten me out of the factory, though. I’d gone back and forth so many times on considering my own business vs working for an agency that I never got far enough with either one. What I mean is this: with my own business, I needed to spend my time with marketing myself and acquiring clients. With agency work, I needed to learn a little more depth of coding and at least one framework. I needed to make a decision as to which path to take, focus on that singular path, and make it happen.

The Decision Made

I considered that a steady paycheck of lesser money was better than a possible paycheck of a lot of money. Sure, I might theoretically become a self-made millionaire with my own business, but I hadn’t made so much as ten bucks in over a year. If I worked at an agency, I wouldn’t have to be concerned about trying to get clients; the agency was already doing that. All I needed to deal with was being a developer.

I finally made the firm decision to get a job at an agency.

With the decision made, I started working toward the chosen path. I got some familiarity with a couple of frameworks. I updated my résumé accordingly and tailored a cover letter specifically for working as a developer at an agency. I built a website that showcased my work and was essentially a working résumé, being sure to submit the URL for that site in my cover letter. In short, I began to think and act like a developer actually looking to sell my skills rather than someone just toying with the idea (which had been the case prior).

Time To Give Up?

2020 was over and it was the early part of 2021. Every day I applied for dev jobs on job boards. Some days I applied for over ten jobs. I know I applied to over 100 different jobs in one three-month period. Time after time I’d get the response email that went something like this:

“Thank you for applying for the position. However…”

If rejection emails had been slips of paper, I could have had enough to restock the empty toilet paper shelves at the grocery store.

Well, maybe not. But it felt like it.

Every day I went back to the factory and every morning after waking up I’d apply for jobs. It was a repetitive wheel of going to a job I hated, applying for jobs I thought I’d really love, and getting rejected. Over and over again. I was a rat in a maze searching for cheese that wasn’t even in the box with me.

I thought about quitting even trying to be a developer. I really, really did. It seemed like I was beating my head against a wall. Might my time and efforts be better used for something I could actually attain? Should I just stop coding all together? Give up on the Udemy courses? Take down my websites?

But what if I was almost there?

Getting That Email

It was grueling to keep pushing forward. It truly was. I have found that it is a heavy weight to carry when you’re doing all you can to achieve a goal and it seems like you’re getting nowhere. I had started to feel that my journey as a developer was like being in a tunnel underground. I’d dig one direction, get nothing but more dirt, and then try digging in another direction only to get the same result. I had decided on becoming a developer at an agency and thought making that firm decision would get me the results I was looking for: doing the type of work I loved and getting paid for it. Still, I was getting nowhere.

In the lowest of this journey, I got an email. The day before I got the email, I was so close to just walking away from the entire path that I almost said “I’m done”. That email made all the difference.

It was an email about a job interview.

I’d had some job interviews over the years when I was just half-heartedly looking to work at an agency. Now that I had made the decision to not pursue my own business and get a job at a company instead, I hadn’t had a single interview. Go figure.

There was something about this email that stood out to me. First of all, the sender wanted to actually set up a Zoom interview right away. The sender also had taken the time to explain to me how my skill set matched what the company was looking for.

After going through a five-part interview process, I got the job! I was fully remote and working as a developer at an agency specializing in online learning. I’d be able to work during daylight hours, not deal with foot pain from walking all day on concrete floors, and I’d be making more money than I’d ever made in my life.

And Now?

That first dev job was almost two years ago as of this writing. I was laid off from that position (remnants of COVID) but quickly made my way back into agency work.

I’m glad that I made that decision to work in an agency. Firstly, it provided me with that steady paycheck I was after. Secondly, it allowed me to get exposure to different aspects of development that I might not otherwise have encountered (like hardcore devops). Thirdly, it allowed me to really sharpen my skills by using them on different types of projects and working with more seasoned developers. And should I ever decide to go back to running my own business, the experience I’ve gained from working at companies will be invaluable.

I wrote this blog series to show what is possible. A lot of would-be developers think that there’s just no way they can go from wherever they are in life to making a living as a developer, but it obviously can be done. I did it. I found something I was passionate about and kept pushing toward my goals. I coded when I didn’t even want to sit down in front of my laptop, doing what I knew needed to be done even when I wasn’t feeling motivated.

If being a developer is something you truly want, nothing will stop you. Play the long game and put in the effort even when you don’t feel like doing it. Perseverance is key and will serve you well.

Happy coding!