From Cellphone Repair to Frontend Development: My Ongoing Journey

#career-change, #frontend-development, #react, #developer-journey

For over 14 years, I worked as a cellphone repair technician. I diagnosed hardware problems, replaced micro-components, and brought broken devices back to life. I was confident with my tools, my hands, and my process — but deep inside, I wanted to build something new. Not just fix things. In 2024, I made a decision that changed everything: I started learning to code.

This post is about my journey from phone repairs to frontend development — the challenges I faced, the lessons I’ve learned, and why I believe anyone with the right mindset can shift into tech.

My Background: Where I Came From, I graduated from a 2-year electronics course and spent over a decade in the mobile phone repair industry. It was a hands-on job that taught me discipline, patience, and problem-solving. I enjoyed it — but I began to feel stuck. I started to notice how everything around us was going digital. Websites, apps, online services — the tools people used every day fascinated me. One day, I asked myself: “What if I could build those tools instead of fixing them?” That simple question planted a seed.

How I Got Started With Coding :

At first, I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know where to begin. But I started with the basics: - HTML, CSS, JavaScript through free resources like YouTube and FreeCodeCamp. - I built mini-projects like to-do lists, and landing pages. - Eventually, I discovered React.js, and that’s when everything clicked.Then, i enrolled into a bootcamp that focuses on this coding language. I’ve now been coding for almost a year. My tech stack today includes: - React - Next.js - Tailwind CSS - Supabase - And I’m currently exploring full-stack with the MERN stack.

My Key Milestones So Far:

Here are some major turning points in my journey: -

Built my first responsive website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript -

Created several personal projects and a working portfolio -

Learned Git and started using version control -

Joined a project team with a senior developer — and learned a LOT -

Deployed my first app using gh-pages

Started applying for junior frontend roles

The Challenges I Faced Changing careers is not easy, and I won’t sugarcoat it: - Impostor syndrome hit me hard — I questioned if I was good enough - No degree in Computer Science — I worried that companies wouldn’t take me seriously - Job rejections made me doubt my progress - Tutorial hell — I kept building small apps but didn’t feel ready for the “real world” But I kept going. Every bug, every rejection, and every confusing concept eventually led to growth.

What I’ve Learned So Far:

Some of my biggest lessons came not from tutorials — but from working with other developers: -

Communication is key — Asking questions and explaining code matters more than you think -

Clean, readable code > clever code

There’s always a better way — Senior devs constantly refactor and improve

Git isn’t optional — It’s a must in any team environment

Feedback = growth — Code reviews helped me see things I would’ve missed alone

What’s Next for Me Right now, I’m continuing to learn Next.js and planning to explore MongoDB and Express soon. I’m working on real-world projects and slowly building my confidence to land my first dev job. I’m also committed to sharing my journey through this blog — to help others like me, and to keep learning in public.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re someone who doesn’t have a CS degree, who’s starting from scratch, or coming from a completely different background — you are not alone. I used to repair phones. Now I write code. I’m not there yet — but I’m getting closer every day. Keep learning. Keep building. You belong here, too.

Let’s Connect Are you also a career shifter or self-taught dev? I’d love to hear your story! Drop a comment or connect with me on [LinkedIn](

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-fajardo-965429143/

).