Why I Left My Stable Job to Pursue a Developer Career
Five years into my role at Saint-Gobain, I handed in my resignation to chase a career in tech. Here’s why I traded security for code—and how I’m navigating this radical pivot.
The Catalyst: When Comfort Became a Cage
Why I Walked Away
- No Growth Trajectory: Limited upward mobility despite strong performance.
- Misaligned Purpose: Felt disconnected from the company’s core mission.
- Family Influence: Two brothers in tech showed me the possibilities of remote work and creative problem-solving.
"I realized staying was riskier than leaving. Every day I didn’t code felt like a step backward."
— Julien Thomas
The Final Push
After a rejected internal transfer request, I activated France’s Professional Transition Project (PTP) to fund my retraining. The bureaucracy of corporate life cemented my decision:
🔸 40+ hrs/week in meetings
🔸 Zero autonomy over projects
🔸 No tangible impact metrics
Building the Bridge: Skills, Research, and Sacrifices
Transferable Assets I Bring
| Technical Skills | Soft Skills | |------------------|-------------| | PC Assembly/Repair | Client Needs Analysis | | Basic Web Dev (HTML/CSS) | Project Management | | Tech Troubleshooting | Public Speaking |
Reality Checks I Faced
- Salary Drop: From €4,055/month to junior dev rates (~€35k/year)
- Lifestyle Shifts: Sedentary work vs. previous on-site role
- Learning Curve: 9-week Ironhack bootcamp requires 60+ hr weeks
My 3-Point Preparation Strategy
- Network Mining: 6 coffee chats with developers (including 2 freelancers)
- Portfolio Development: Built 4 demo projects (see GitHub)
- Financial Buffer: Saved 6 months’ expenses + Transition Pro’s 90% salary coverage
Why Development Clicked
The Allure of Tech’s Reality
- Problem-Solving: Translating abstract ideas into functional systems
- Remote Flexibility: 72% of French tech roles offer hybrid models (2023 Opiiec data)
- Constant Evolution: Weekly podcast deep dives (Double Slash, Le Joboscope)
Job Market Insights (Hauts-de-France Region)
- 52k Candidates vs. 224k Open Roles (2023 Pôle Emploi data)
- Top Local Employers:
▸ OVHcloud
▸ Capgemini
▸ Société Générale Tech Hub
The Roadmap: From Bootcamp to First Dev Role
Ironhack’s 9-Week Crucible
- Stack: MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js)
- Key Projects:
🔹 E-commerce API with Stripe integration
🔹 React-based task manager
🔹 Collaborative code review platform
Post-Graduation Tactics
- Hybrid Job Hunt: Local companies + national remote openings
- Freelance Fallback: Auto-entrepreneur status prepped via INPI
- Continuous Learning: Monthly #100DaysOfCode challenges
FAQs From Fellow Career Changers
“How Do You Handle the Income Dip?”
- Transition Pro covers 90% of my salary during training
- Post-training, I’ll target roles with progression clauses (e.g., €40k after 18 months)
“Aren’t You Too Old at 30?”
- The average age in my Ironhack cohort: 28
- French tech’s median age: 34 (Syntec Numérique 2022 report)
“What If You Hate Coding?”
- I’ve already logged 300+ hours via FreeCodeCamp
- Built a Twitch chatbot that moderates streams
Parting Wisdom for Aspiring Transitioners
3 Non-Negotiables
- Validate Through Projects – Build before you quit
- Network Relentlessly – 70% of tech hires come from referrals
- Embrace the Dip – Growth lives outside comfort zones
Resources That Guided Me
- 📘 The Pragmatic Programmer (Andy Hunt)
- 🎧 Podcast: Syntax FM for web dev deep dives
- 📊 Tool: Stack Overflow Trends
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
— Chinese Proverb
Ready to leap? Start with Transition Pro’s self-assessment tool I used to structure this journey. Your future self will thank you.