It’s January, which means your feed is probably full of goal-setting advice. New year, new skills, new career — you know the drill.
But if you’re trying to switch careers or level up in tech, you already know the hard part isn’t deciding what to learn. It’s getting from “I finished the course” to “I’m confident I can do this job.”
Maybe you’ve completed Python courses but freeze when it’s time to build something for your portfolio. Or you’re learning AI and data science but can’t tell if you’re focusing on the right skills for the roles you want. Or you’ve built projects but have no idea if they’d impress a hiring manager (and no one to ask).
“I’ve seen smart, capable people get stuck — not because they weren’t good enough, but because they didn’t have clarity or confidence,” says Liz Tracy, a Leadership and Career Coach at Codecademy. It’s a pattern she’s seen over and over: people who have the skills but lack the direction or feedback to use them.
We know you need more than courses and paths to reach your goals. You need someone in your corner who can tell you what to prioritize, give you feedback on your work, and help you stay on track when motivation dips. Someone who’s been on the hiring side and knows what matters.
That’s why we’re introducing Codecademy Coaching.
What is Codecademy Coaching
Codecademy Coaching is 1:1 mentorship with tech professionals and career coaches who’ve been where you’re trying to go. Our coaches are developers, data scientists, and engineers who also have recruiting experience — which means they know what it takes to learn the skills and what it takes to land the job. We also have professional career coaches and leadership coaches on the team who specialize in helping people navigate transitions and grow in their roles.
Here’s what that looks like in practice: You work with a coach who tailors two sessions a month to your specific goals. If you’re trying to break into data science, your coach helps you build projects that demonstrate real analytical thinking, not just tutorial follow-alongs. If you’re upskilling in AI, they’ll help you understand what’s being used in the industry right now and what’s just hype. If you’re prepping for interviews, they’ll review your code, your portfolio, and your resume with an insider’s perspective.
With a Codecademy Coaching subscription, you get 2 sessions for $149.99 a month. It’s not a course. It’s not office hours. It’s personalized guidance from someone who understands both the technical skills you’re building, and the career moves you’re trying to make.
The coaches bring real-world experience and industry insights you won’t find in any lesson plan. And because they’ve been on the hiring side, they can tell you what will make a difference when someone’s reviewing your application or sitting across from you in an interview.
What to expect in a coaching session
Before your first session, you’ll choose a coach based on their expertise and timezone, then fill out a quick form about what you want to focus on. This gives your coach context so you’re not spending the session explaining your situation from scratch.
From there, sessions are built around what you need. That might look like:
- Building portfolio projects with real feedback: Your coach reviews your code, asks questions about your decision-making, and helps you think through how to showcase your work in a way that stands out to employers.
- Planning your next career move: Maybe you’re trying to figure out if you should specialize or broaden your skills first. Or you’re weighing a job offer and need someone who understands the market to help you think it through. Your coach can help you map out a strategy that makes sense for where you are and where you’re trying to go.
- Staying current in a fast-moving field: Tech changes quickly, and it’s hard to know what’s worth learning. Your coach helps you see past the hype and focus on skills that are being used in the industry.
- Interview prep and resume review: Your coach can do mock interviews, review your portfolio, and give you feedback on how you’re presenting yourself — all from the perspective of someone who’s been on the hiring side.
After each session, your coach sends follow-up materials, notes, or resources to keep you moving forward. And you can book your next session whenever you’re ready.
The whole thing is designed to be flexible. Coaching sessions are 45-60 minutes long, and you get to set the agenda based on what’s most urgent or challenging for you right now.
Keep in mind that “coaching is not magic,” Liz says. If you want to see results, be prepared to put in the work with your coach. “When you’re committed to getting where you want to go it can be truly transformative.”
Meet the Codecademy coaches
The people you’ll be working with aren’t just technically sharp — they’re the kind of people who genuinely want to see you succeed. They’ve built careers in tech, hired for tech roles, and in some cases, made their own pivots into the industry. They know what it’s like to feel stuck, unsure, or overwhelmed, because they’ve been there too.
Hear from some of the coaches you can work with:
Liz Tracy, Leadership and Career Coach at Codecademy
What to expect: “The best coaching sessions are when direction clicks into place, when clarity replaces overthinking, and my client leaves knowing one to two small steps to move them forward in a direction they have identified.”
Jeff Herman, Senior Data Scientist at H&R Block and Career Coach at Codecademy
On coaching misconceptions: “Career coaching is not about telling you what to do, it’s about helping you think more clearly. Good coaching gives you structure, confidence, and direction so you can make better decisions on your own.”
Bee Hamzai, Career Coach at Codecademy
What excites me about Codecademy Coaching: “I have a background in computer sciences and technologies, so I can speak the same language. Sometimes people with computer sciences background are quite shy. I’m amazing with interpersonal skills, so I want to share those insights and help them communicate in the best possible way.”
Tyler Lemke, Software Engineering Manager at Veterans United and Career Coach at Codecademy
Why coaching works: “Sometimes we need other perspectives to be able to see and focus in on what we’re really good at, and to find those nuggets that help us to stand out as individuals and to grow in our own special way.”
Alison Goldstein, Career Coach at Codecademy
On switching careers: “The one thing that I wish people knew about career coaching is that when you’re changing careers, your confidence takes a nosedive, and it makes complete sense [why]. Coaching helps you reconnect the dots between your previous experience and where you’re headed.”
Learn more about our coaches and their offerings to find the right coach for you.
Who coaching is for
If you’re reading this and thinking “that sounds like what I need, but is it really for someone at my level?” — the answer is probably yes.
“You do not need to be stuck or struggling to benefit from coaching,” Jeff Herman, Senior Data Scientist at H&R Block and Codecademy Career Coach. “Coaching works best when you want clarity, direction, or a plan — even if you’re already making progress.”
If you’re switching careers, coaching helps you cut through the noise. You don’t need to learn everything — you need to learn the right things, in the right order, and know how to talk about them when you’re applying for jobs. “I saw how confusing and overwhelming the path into data science roles can be,” Jeff says. “Having someone help translate skills into real-world expectations can save people months or even years of frustration.” A coach tells you which skills matter, helps you build a portfolio that demonstrates you can do the work, and preps you for interviews. The hardest part of a career switch isn’t learning the skills — it’s navigating a job market you don’t know yet.
If you’re upskilling or deepening your technical skills, coaching gives you what tutorials can’t: feedback on your work. Tyler Lemke, a Codecademy Career Coach, explains: “One thing I wish more people knew about career coaching is that it’s not something you just do when you’re struggling, but something you can do to get to that next level. This is what peak athletes and performers do all the time.” A coach reviews your code, explains why certain approaches work better, and helps you build projects that show you can solve real problems.
If you’re early in your career or just starting out, coaching helps you build confidence and stay on track. Jeff’s advice? “Stop comparing your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 10. Everyone’s background is different and progress matters far more than speed.” A coach gives you a clear path forward and keeps you accountable when motivation dips.
The thread that connects all three? You’re trying to go from learning to doing, and you need someone who can help you close that gap.
Get started with Codecademy Coaching
Sign up for Codecademy Coaching, pick a coach whose expertise matches what you’re working on, and tell them what you want to focus on. Then you schedule your first session.
That’s it. No prerequisites, no commitments beyond the month-to-month subscription. You can work with the same coach every time or switch it up depending on what you need.
If you’ve been stuck between “I’m learning” and “I’m ready to apply for this job” or “I can actually build this thing,” coaching might be exactly what you need to close that gap.
