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Syk Houdeib's First Line of Code Was Written at Age 39

by NooniesOctober 8th, 2020

Too Long; Didn't Read

2020 Noonie Nominee Syk Houdeib (Spain) is a late career changer. He wrote his first line of HTML at 39 and got his first job as a front-end developer in a small Madrid startup. He is passionate about supporting the career development of those from less-represented backgrounds. He also shares his thoughts on diversity in tech and tolerance in tech. Voting for him to be nominated for the Hacker Noon Contributor of the Year closes on 12 October, 2020.

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Living proof that it's never too late to switch careers, 2020 Noonie Nominee Syk Houdeib (Spain) shares, in this 10-question interview, inspiration for supporting the career development of those from less-represented backgrounds, the most useful advice ever imparted, and what's most worrying in tech right now.

1. Which 2020 Noonie/s have you been nominated for?

Hacker Noon Contributor of the Year - CAREERS

2. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a late career changer. I wrote my first line of HTML at 39.

With no related experience or any knowledge of coding I took the self-directed route and 10 months later, at 40 years old, got my first job as a front-end developer in a small Madrid startup.

It's the best career decision of my life.

Away from coding my mind is mostly made of music. I like to listen and to play music, I enjoy cooking and eating food, and I love to read and write. I am curious about everything; maps, history, science, politics, linguistics and almost everything else.

3. Tell us about the things you make / write / manage / build.

As a career changer I love to write articles that help support other career changers and juniors.

Especially those who are starting late in life or come from any of the less-represented backgrounds, and those who might be under the impression that you need to be a special kind of person to be a programmer.

I'm passionate about participating in the community to give support to those on their journey towards this exciting career.

4. What are you most excited about right now?

React and Redux.

5. What are you worried about right now?

Diversity in tech and tolerance.

6. What's the most useful advice you've ever given somebody?

To start coding.

7. How has the pandemic changed your life and/or career?

Living in Madrid we got the bad luck of being one of the early epicenters. It was quite brutal. We all had to move to working from home throughout.

On the positive side of things, the startup where I work delivers supermarket shopping home, which turned it into an essential service and meant that we didn't lose our jobs on the one hand and on the other we found ourselves in the middle of the relief effort for people in quarantine.