How to get the job I want without a degree

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Hello. This is my first post on the "Work and Finding a Job" section!

I'm a 22-year-old college student majoring in Computer Science and I want a programming job, ranging anywhere from database management to even game design. I once took a certain Physics II course in which I haven't gotten the material down, so I've taken a break from pursuing my degree.
I have taken several courses in Codecademy to learn about various languages, but so far, I haven't had that much ambition otherwise. What steps can I take to find this ambition and, in as professional a way I can put this, get myself some job training?

Any and all advice is welcome. I'll be happy to talk with you!

Aside from my own issues with keeping a job, I've gotten into jobs/careers that require qualifications and/or training that I don't have.

In my cover letter I relate my interest in the field and my willingness to enrol in and complete any relevant courses, or undertake the training required.

Employers will always advertise for the 'ideal' candidate, the one who already possesses these things. However, most can accept that people have to start somewhere and are often happy to accept an enthusiastic, fresh-faced applicant that they can have trained their way. Some even prefer it.

*Wishing you luck*

Freecodecamp does a free certificiation thingie. It's a lot of work, but it seems to be a good solid path to employment.

get an internship

I think you can find a job now in some niches connected with freelance. When I was in college I was trying to earn extra money as a waiter. Then I have found my first job at a special company which provides custom papers (click resources). It was really hard to combine studying and my work. But not impossible. Good luck!

You need the paperwork I am afraid. You can't really get the work you love, or at least best suited to if you want a career without them, only tool me 42 years to find that out, I now have tons of them, but then I love doing them. If I could make a living doing qualifications I would, doing a Masters right now.

One GOOD way to get your foot in the door with some technology companies is with support roles. Technical support roles often do not require a degree and they pay decent. Once you get in though, you can have your foot in the door to other roles that are focused on your true area of interest.

One thing to remember about CodeAcademy (etc) is that you are learning, but there is no testing/certification involved (save self-assessments). Think about maybe getting some reputable certifications, like Zend.

Another option to prove your worth is to contribute to open source projects on github. That was the advice given at last year's WordCamp by the keynote speaker, so that's basically straight from Automattic (who makes WordPress).

These things may not land your dream job, but they are a step in the right direction. Also, bear in mind that many "cutting edge" tech companies do not require a college degree. Some actually consider it a hindrance:

Google & 14 More Companies That No Longer Require a Degree

I haven't checked on it, but apparently LinkedIn Premium can be helpful in such pursuits.

Having said all of that, there are still a number of hurdles you will face including things like "culture fit interviews" which I believe to be a way for companies to avert discrimination allegations.

Good luck! I have a dizzying skillset, including some now-dead programming languages, & I am currently unemployed. :/

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