Getting the actual programming skills is easy if you’re smart. Getting the evidence that will lead people to hire you is harder. Large companies tend to go by the book; you will need the qualifications or something unusual like a personal recommendation from someone in the company. Startuppy places it’s more about fitting in with the culture and talking/coding well in interview. If that’s the kind of job you’re after you’ll probably be fine as a self-taught programmer if you can perform under interview pressure and you conform to the right stereotype. (it’s possible I’m being excessively cynical here)
Getting the actual programming skills is easy if you’re smart. Getting the evidence that will lead people to hire you is harder. Large companies tend to go by the book; you will need the qualifications or something unusual like a personal recommendation from someone in the company. Startuppy places it’s more about fitting in with the culture and talking/coding well in interview. If that’s the kind of job you’re after you’ll probably be fine as a self-taught programmer if you can perform under interview pressure and you conform to the right stereotype. (it’s possible I’m being excessively cynical here)