In this engaging discussion, Anne Linebarger, a former music educator turned front-end developer, shares her unique journey into tech. She draws parallels between music and coding, emphasizing how her background helped develop her pattern-based thinking. Overcoming social anxiety, Anne challenges the norms of job hunting, finding her role through a casual conversation rather than traditional networking. Her insights on mindset shifts and the importance of community engagement provide invaluable advice for aspiring developers.
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insights INSIGHT
Coding Mirrors Music Patterns
Coding and music share pattern-based thinking and deep focus characteristics.
This similarity made coding feel familiar and enjoyable to Anne as a musician.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Hired Via Casual Friend Chat
Anne got hired through a casual conversation with a friend who mentioned a job opening.
She applied last minute without actively job searching and passed the interviews successfully.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Interview Included Code Review Task
Anne's final interview involved explaining the company's actual code and proposing feature implementations.
This hands-on approach tested her understanding beyond typical questions.
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In this book, Carol S. Dweck introduces the concept of two mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are static, while those with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning. Dweck shows how these mindsets influence success in school, work, sports, and personal relationships. She also discusses how to adopt a deeper, truer growth mindset, and how this can transform individual and organizational cultures. The book emphasizes the importance of perseverance, learning from failures, and embracing challenges as key components of the growth mindset[1][2][5].
What happens when a music educator with performance anxiety decides to become a software developer?
Anne discovered coding through The Odin Project and immediately recognized a familiar pattern-based thinking from her music background. "I fell in love with the process of coding, the community of developers," she explains.
Despite being an introvert with social anxiety, she forced herself to attend meetups and hackathons—each experience confirming she was on the right path.
Her job search defied conventional wisdom. No endless LinkedIn networking or algorithm grinding. Instead, a casual conversation with a friend led to her current role as a front-end developer.
Want to follow in Anne's footsteps? Check out our Dev 30 program for structured JavaScript learning and community support. Visit dev30.xyz to save your spot and begin your own coding journey.
Develop Yourself 