Hey OP, have you considered applying for tech jobs in non-tech fields? For example, instead of applying at web agencies & consultancies, applying for openings directly with small to mid size employers in other industries, like ecommerce shops, local retail chains, niche manufacturing (bicycles, automobiles, outdoor equipment, supply chain components, whatever you're interested in), hospitals, museums, universities, school districts, etc.
These employers are often less discriminating when it comes to tech skills (especially the smaller ones), and the interviews would be more general... fewer coding challenges (if any), more about teamwork, overall cultural fit, your ability to do other semi-related tasks (SEO, graphics, etc.). They don't hire the best coders, nor do they pay the most, but they are a great way to get your foot in the door.
I got my start in a similar way, first with HTML/CSS/Wordpress (mostly self-taught), then rapidly learned other skills along the way, mostly on the job. A few years later I decided to specialize in the frontend. Pay went from $15/hr to about ~$50/hr in about 3 years. Definitely not tech sector pay, but more than a livable wage for sure. And great work-life balance. My particular field is clean energy, and it's a still-growing sector with a lot of tech-adjacent opportunities.
These employers are often less discriminating when it comes to tech skills (especially the smaller ones), and the interviews would be more general... fewer coding challenges (if any), more about teamwork, overall cultural fit, your ability to do other semi-related tasks (SEO, graphics, etc.). They don't hire the best coders, nor do they pay the most, but they are a great way to get your foot in the door.
I got my start in a similar way, first with HTML/CSS/Wordpress (mostly self-taught), then rapidly learned other skills along the way, mostly on the job. A few years later I decided to specialize in the frontend. Pay went from $15/hr to about ~$50/hr in about 3 years. Definitely not tech sector pay, but more than a livable wage for sure. And great work-life balance. My particular field is clean energy, and it's a still-growing sector with a lot of tech-adjacent opportunities.