Breaking Into the Tech Industry: How I Landed a Software Developer Job in Germany as a Self-Taught Programmer

Breaking into the tech industry as a self-taught software developer is a challenging task, but an outcome can be truly life-changing. With high salaries, flexible working hours, and a constantly evolving landscape, it’s no wonder so many people are competing for a spot in tech. As someone who has gone through the journey myself, I know how daunting it can be trying to reach this goal without a formal degree.

I will be sharing my story of how I landed a software developer job in Germany without computer science education in hope to inspire and encourage others who may be on a similar path. The story will offer perspectives on the German market which may differ from the US. Whether you’re a self-taught developer looking for inspiration or just someone curious about how things work in Germany, read on — I hope my story can be of help to you.

From Social Sciences to Software Testing: My Beginnings

Who am I, you may ask? I come from a non-EU country. My background is in social sciences. Even though I obtained a master’s degree from a renowned German university, I faced numerous challenges in finding a job in my field. The job market was highly competitive, and many employers were looking for candidates with years of experience. Have you ever been in a similar situation? It’s tough, right? Especially when you’re still learning the language. So, when I found my first job at a small company, I thought it was a step in the right direction. But after a few months, I was “pushed” into software testing. Have you ever been thrown into something you weren’t sure about? That was me. I didn’t think much of it at first, but little did I know, this was the start of my journey into the world of software development (and the beginning of my addiction to caffeine).

The Reality of Being a Manual Software Tester

Working as a manual software tester was a humbling experience. At first, I enjoyed it. I was learning a lot about agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban, and I was surrounded by cool and smart people. But as time went on, it became clear that I had hit a dead end. While others were doing intelligent and challenging work, I was stuck performing highly repetitive tasks with no hope of progressing career-wise. But hey, at least my mouse-clicking skills were top-notch! Disclaimer: my experience as a software tester may differ from others, and I’m not saying that every position in this field is the same. For me though it was a sobering reality and I knew I needed to do something about it. So, I made a decision: I was going to become more technical. But how? I started playing around with Postman and learning Java on my own time. I dreamed of becoming a test automation engineer. I thought that was the best I could hope for. Unfortunately, my company didn’t take me seriously and didn’t support me in my efforts to grow. This was discouraging, but it only fueled my determination to make a change.

Learning to Code: The Struggle…

I bought an online course and started to learn how to code on my own. I was learning after work and on the weekends. And let me tell you, it wasn’t a smooth sailing. I was tired, I made plenty of mistakes along the way, and my lack of experience and guidance made it even harder. But hey, I kept pushing forward, driven by my ambition and curiosity, and probably a little bit of stubbornness too. But after some time, I realized that I needed to find some reinforcements if I wanted to continue on this path. I recognized I needed a more formalized context for learning. In a separate post, I’ve shared the exact strategies that helped me learn how to code with some do’s and don’ts so you don’t fall into the same traps as me.

Taking the leap: Applying for Traineeships

Here comes the plot twist. After hitting my head against the wall trying to learn coding all on my own, I decided to apply for programming traineeships in Germany. These programs are offered by companies to train aspiring developers with little or no experience. And to my surprise, I got not one, not two, but three interview invitations out of five applications!

During the traineeship, I was paid to learn how to code. It was a dream come true! Most of the traineeships advertised included the java ecosystem, but there were other programs as well. The majority of the companies that I applied to were consultancies and the pay range was around 38–42k (brutto).

But let’s back up a bit. How did I even get to this point? It all started with a simple idea: I didn’t have much to lose. So I listed out my Github projects on my CV, and applied with my two years of experience as a software tester. And the rest is history.

I will go into more details about how I prepared my application in another post, but for now, let me just say that I had some small prerequisite skills, and the traineeship taught me how to apply programming in the real world. Ultimately, this was the stepping stone to my career as a software developer without a computer science degree in Germany.

Tips and Takeaways for Aspiring Programmers

So, what can you take away from my story?

1. Look for professional roles in IT even if they’re not initially in software development.

Software testing, business analysis, and requirements engineering are just a few examples of jobs in the tech industry that can pay the bills while also giving you a chance to learn some useful skills, and who knows, it might even increase your chances of landing your dream job later on.

2. You don’t have to do it alone.

If you’re struggling to learn on your own, there are plenty of programs and communities out there that can help you. You don’t necessarily need to go to university, especially if you don’t have the financial means for it. German companies offer a lot of traineeship programs where they pay you and teach you the skills you need. There are also professional bootcamps, such as Digital Career Institute, that you can get the employment agency to pay for if you qualify.

3. Trust your instincts

“Leaving a secure job for a traineeship? You must be joking!”

That’s what my family and friends said when I told them I was going to leave my cushy software testing gig. Even my boss tried to intimidate me out of it with tales of financial doom and gloom. But I refused to let their doubts sway me. I trusted my gut and took the leap. And boy, was it worth it! Who knew that my coding skills would skyrocket, and that I’d end up in a career I’d love? Certainly not me! So if you’re thinking of taking a risk, ask yourself: what’s the worst that could happen? You end up with some extra skills and a funny story to tell at parties? I’ll take that any day over wondering what could have been.

4. Learn at least an intermediate level of German.

While it may seem unrelated to programming, being able to speak German can make a big difference in accessing some of the opportunities available in Germany. Some of the job positions are only offered in German, and speaking the language will give you a competitive edge.

5. Send out some applications and see what happens.

Once you have learned coding to a degree, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and apply for jobs. Even going through the interview process can help sharpen your interviewing skills. You might be surprised at how many opportunities are out there, just waiting for you to seize them.

Remember, becoming a software developer in Germany without a degree is possible.

It may not be an easy journey, but with persistence and the right mindset, you can achieve your goals. And if you need further inspiration or guidance, stay tuned for more posts about my journey.