Thank you for the compliment.

I'm still learning and growing in my field. This is actually a really good question because this has technically been my experience.

The answer is yes. For me, I never actually got any official software engineering degree. I studied electrical engineering in both undergrad and graduate school but just before I wrapped up my undergraduate degree, I got an interest in software engineering. I felt it was too late to make an official change, especially because it was my last semester so I started learning how to use a programming language on my own.

Through books, tutorials, online coding camps etc., I learned and used programming to create basic applications and like I mentioned in my answer to the previous question, I made sure to market that as a skill that I had. This is how my software engineering journey began.

So, not to sound cliche but if you put your mind to it, you can. Don't go into it thinking it won't be difficult because it most likely would be. It might be really difficult but if you truly know what you want to get out of it and you set that goal in mind, you can motivate yourself (and have a good support system motivating you as well) to put in the work that is necessary to make the ''zero experience'' obsolete

It's all about marketing yourself. If you believe you have the skills, make them believe it too.

Whether it is an official interview position or a networking opportunity, always make sure to take advantage and sell yourself. If you contribute to open source, highlight it in your conversation. If you''ve developed any applications or even simply learned a new technology/programming language, never fail to mention those. Do not let the lack of professional experience deter you.

As a developer, I would also suggest to create a portfolio of your work, no matter how small. If this portfolio is technology-based, like a well designed website or app, that highlights your skills even more and can serve as a great first impression and good conversation starter.