Question

can one work in the programing industry with just good self teaching experience? if so whats a good step to working towards that?

Answer 1

a college degree isnt technically 100% necessary for any field. i believe i read somewhere that only 2% of software engineers are self taught though (there's a reason people get phd's in this field - lots of in depth material, and a university sure helps u learn). hope that helps a bit!

Answer 2

If you just want to work as a programmer, you definitely can. The most effective way of achieving this is probably by developing software on your own and publishing them on the web. This way you create a sort of portfolio for yourself, which can many times count just as much as a good curriculum. Other fields, however, such as Software Engineering, this might be more difficult as it is a much more focused around research.

Answer 3

The easy way out of this is to become a self developer for Android or iOS, which all you need is a small amount of programming skill. And its a very easy way to make money quick.

Answer 4

The previous answers are fine if you wish to work for yourself. If, however, you are looking to work for an existing company, your main hurdle will be getting through the initial review of applications and resumes the company will receive for any open position. Even a degree alone will not get you very far, except in a very junior entry-level position. Most development managers want to see evidence that you can function within a team. Your best bet may be looking for a position as a Software Design Engineer in Test, then, after a couple years, making a lateral move to a Software Design Engineer position. Best of luck in your search!

Answer 5

If you're looking to expand your knowledge and self-learn, learning to program using Ruby on Rails is a good way to introduce yourself to programing (if you're new to the field).

Answer 6

I believe Microsoft has recently (as in the last few years) opened the way for us to "solo the industry" as I like to call it. Get an Xbox, be an XNA dev, and develop games for Xbox. If you're creative enough, you might just make some fortune. :)