You don't need a computer science degree to earn a real seat at the table. If you're switching into tech from a completely different career - teaching, retail, hospitality, the military, an office job that no longer fit - you've probably felt the specific doubt this book addresses head-on: will an interviewer take you seriously without a traditional background? Breaking Into Tech Without a CS Degree exists to answer that question with a method, not just reassurance. This is a career-changer's guide to both the technical and behavioral sides of the interview, built around one core idea: your previous career isn't a gap to explain away - it's a source of real, transferable material, once you learn to translate it correctly. What's inside: A step-by-step translation method for turning your old career into language a tech interviewer immediately recognizes The STAR method adapted for career changers who feel like they have "no real experience," drawing on your previous career, your learning journey, and your technical projects A dedicated chapter on beating impostor syndrome, including what to do when the feeling resurfaces after you've already landed the job The 25 behavioral questions career changers get most, each with a full sample answer Guidance on discussing gaps, unusual timelines, and non-traditional backgrounds with calm, factual confidence Full mock interview scripts, including how to handle an openly skeptical interviewer A complete 40-day interview prep plan and a bonus chapter on your first 90 days on the job Perfect for bootcamp graduates, self-taught developers, and anyone making a deliberate, non-traditional pivot into software engineering - and a genuinely thoughtful gift for a friend or family member starting the same journey.
