Software engineering has been one of the world's hottest jobs for years now, but it's also one with a particularly high barrier to entry. The answer to this knowledge gap has historically been a four-year degree, but aspiring developers have increasingly turned to cheaper options like coding boot camps.
But others prefer to blaze their own trail by teaching themselves the skills they need to thrive in modern software engineering roles. It's not an easy path, and it requires no small amount of diligence and perseverance—but a few succeed and find gainful employment. Out of those, a very small portion goes on to achieve something significant.
One of these select few is Romina Gomez, who went from aspiring film director to lead front-end engineer at Struck Studio, a SaaS venture capital studio. Now, she helps others break into tech with CodeLeap.
With no formal technical background, Gomez chartered her own course into a successful career as a software engineer—all for just $24.
Going from Film Studies to Software Engineering
The Argentina-born software engineer grew up with dreams of Hollywood and hoped to make it big as a film director. But after just a year of college, she realized that the movie industry just wasn't for her. Over the next few years, she would take on odd jobs in retail and the creative arts.
One day, a friend told her that Harvard offered their world-renowned Introduction to Computer Science (CS50) course for free online.
Though she didn't know much about software engineering, she was aware of the potential it offered, so she decided to take advantage of the free resource and dip her toes in the water. "As soon as I started," she says, "I fell in love with coding and knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life."
She supplemented Harvard's course with other free resources and a few cheap courses from Udemy. As she puts it, "I became an engineer for just $24."
However, as rigorous as her studies were, this was the easy part. As she would soon discover, the real challenge is landing a paying gig.
Getting Her Foot in the Door
Every aspiring developer soon learns a universal truth, and Gomez was no different: "Breaking into the tech industry as a self-taught developer is hard," she says. "Without a formal degree, it's hard to get your foot in the door, even with a strong portfolio."
After several rejections, Gomez decided to build up gradually to a full-time role, applying for internships instead. She also aimed for positions that were a hybrid of programming and design, allowing her to play more to her comfort zone and give herself a better opportunity to build a strong portfolio.
Gomez soon landed her first internship, where she created landing pages and designed the user experience (UX). There, she worked tirelessly to improve her skills and focused on projects that best highlighted her skills.
Eventually, after proving her mettle in a hybrid role, she convinced her manager to let her into full-time software engineering. This was the springboard that would launch the rest of her career, and she's worked in software engineering ever since.
Now, she's the lead front-end engineer at Struck Studio, a venture studio that partners with entrepreneurs. There, she helps early-stage startups launch their products by designing and implementing sleek, functional user interfaces that prioritize both aesthetics and usability.
Standing Out from the Crowd
If Gomez were to offer one piece of advice to aspiring engineers, it's to find some way to set yourself apart from the competition. After all, success in tech is not just about your coding prowess.
"You have to bring something unique to the table," she says, "Like an eye for design, UX expertise, or strong soft skills."
In Gomez's case, it wasn't just her background in design that set her apart—it was her knack for communication. She found that organizations really value a technical worker who has strong communication skills. It's these multifaceted employees who can communicate with stakeholders and explain technical concepts to non-technical people.
Even after landing full-time work, Gomez has continued to set herself apart by adopting an impactful self-starter mentality. For example, she introduces best practices in front-end development, such as implementing reusable component libraries and optimizing performance, both of which have helped teams deliver products more efficiently.
Evolving from Aspiring Engineer to an Invaluable Resource for Newcomers
Romina Gomez is no longer scrounging for tech work. After a long career in tech and becoming the lead engineer at Struck Studio, she has found long-term success in software engineering. She's also transitioned into a mentorship role and has dedicated much of her time to helping others break into tech.
She accomplishes this through CodeLeap, a platform she created to help countless young professionals start their careers in programming. There, future programmers can download her "The 2024 Self-Taught Developer Guide" and get 1-on-1 coaching sessions. Her primary motivation, she says, is "fostering an environment where aspiring developers and entrepreneurs can learn, collaborate, and grow."
Finally, Gomez's hard work and mentorship have led to industry recognition: Recently, she was featured in the EQUALS campaign, which celebrates women in tech.
Clearly, though it's not for everyone, the self-learning path offers an affordable way to take your first step into the tech world and lay a foundation for long-term success. As Gomez has shown, paths like these help level the playing field for anyone with an internet connection and the hunger to learn.
