Nadia Zhuk: Anybody Can Code, and Your Background Doesn't Define You

🎙 About the episode

Meet Nadia Zhuk 🇧🇾! Nadia made a switch to coding from journalism at the age of 25. That decision has got her moving countries not once but twice! Nowadays, she lives in London, works at Intercom, and helps aspiring developers. She's also written a book, Crossing the Rubycon, filled with practical advice and insider tips on learning to code and building a programming career.

In this episode, Nadia shares her story and many things she's learned along the way! You'll get to know what's it like to learn to code without a technical background, how to manage your mindset and mental health during the process, and what's Nadia's take on choosing your first programming language. Nadia and Alex also discuss common stereotypes about programming,  gatekeeping within the industry, and what are the critical but often overlooked factors in choosing what to learn. 

🔗 Connect with Nadia

• 👨🏻‍💼 LinkedIn
• 🌐 Dev.to
• 🐦 Twitter
• 📹 YouTube

⏰ Timestamps

• Nadia's journey into coding and move to Poland (01:41)
• Can you learn to code with no computer education whatsoever? (06:48)
• Why Nadia chose the self-taught route (08:16)
• How and why Nadia chose to learn Ruby (11:17)
• What influences your choice of a programming language (13:33)
• How to choose your first coding language if you're not technical (14:43)
• What to do (and what not to do) if you're learning to code on your own (17:03)
• Is coding creative? (23:17)
• The biggest stereotypes about being a programmer... and why they're wrong
• Can anyone learn to code? (28:26)
• Gatekeeping in the industry - and gatekeeping that's self-imposed (29:50)
• Quick-fire questions: favorite programming language, JavaScript, frameworks, chatbots, caffeinated beverages, London, and cats! (32:54)

🧰 Resources mentioned

• Nadia's book, Crossing the Rubycon: How to Learn to Code and Build a Programming Career
• Women Who Code

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