How I Landed a Software Engineering Job at Microsoft WITHOUT a Degree or Any Experience

Summary

Alex Focacci shares his journey to landing a software engineering job at Microsoft without a degree or prior professional experience. He details his self-taught approach, starting with the Harvard CS50 course, learning front-end development via Codecademy, and using spaced repetition with Anki to retain knowledge. Alex emphasizes resume optimization to appear experienced, using personal projects as professional experience. He highlights his preparation for coding interviews using platforms like LeetCode and AlgoExpert, and ultimately securing an apprenticeship and full-time position at Microsoft. Alex offers advice for others on a similar path, with additional support available through his coaching program.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Alex Focacci landed a software engineering job at Microsoft without a college degree or professional experience.
• 👨‍💻 He started his journey in October 2019 by learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React through online resources like CodeDrip (Aaron Jack) and Harvard's CS50 course.
• 📚 Alex used Anki, a spaced repetition flashcard system, to memorize and retain the vast amount of information he learned during his studies.
• 💼 He initially struggled to get interviews due to his lack of experience, which led him to focus on improving his resume and interview preparation.
• 🔧 Alex's mentor helped him reformat his resume to appear as if he had professional experience, which significantly increased his chances of getting interviews.
• 🤝 He applied to hundreds of positions and reached out to many recruiters on LinkedIn, but it was through a mentor's guidance that he found success.
• 📈 Alex emphasized the importance of focusing on interview preparation, especially for big tech companies that have a predictable but challenging interview process.
• 🏆 He participated in competitive programming on LeetCode and practiced solving coding challenges to improve his skills and readiness for technical interviews.
• 📈 After passing Microsoft's interview process, Alex started as a full-time software engineer in August 2021 with a total compensation of $167,000 for his first year.
• 🌟 Alex's channel is dedicated to helping others land software engineering jobs in big tech, offering both free content and one-on-one coaching for those seeking personalized assistance.

Q & A

How did Alex Focacci start his journey to becoming a software engineer without a degree?

Alex Focacci started his journey in October 2019 by researching online how to become a software engineer. He followed advice from YouTube channels like Code Drip (now Aaron Jack) to learn front-end development, focusing on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.

What were the initial resources Alex used to learn programming?

Alex began by taking Harvard's CS50 course on edX.org, which introduced him to computer science through the C programming language. He later used Code Academy to learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.

What challenges did Alex face while learning through the CS50 course?

Alex found the CS50 course extremely difficult, especially since he had no prior programming experience. He mentioned that many people start with some programming knowledge before taking CS50, which made it particularly challenging for him.

How did Alex use Anki in his learning process?

Alex used Anki, a spaced repetition flashcard software, to efficiently memorize concepts in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React. This helped him retain knowledge without having to constantly review older material.

What platforms did Alex use for interview preparation?

For interview preparation, Alex used Codewars.com and LeetCode to solve JavaScript problems, and AlgoExpert to further strengthen his problem-solving skills. He later recommended Firecode.io, which uses spaced repetition for coding challenges.

What mistake did Alex make during his job search, and how did he correct it?

Alex applied for hundreds of jobs from March to July 2020 without getting interviews. He realized his resume wasn't strong enough, so he stopped applying and worked on improving it with the help of a mentor.

How did Alex modify his resume to increase his chances of getting interviews?

Alex restructured his resume to make it appear as if he had professional experience. He positioned his personal projects and free work under the 'Experience' section, making them look like professional work for his own company, which improved his chances of getting interviews.

What was Alex’s strategy for preparing for technical interviews at big tech companies?

Alex focused on improving his algorithms and data structures knowledge by practicing coding challenges on LeetCode and participating in competitive programming. He also reviewed content using Anki to ensure he was well-prepared for interviews.

When did Alex land his first major interview, and with which company?

In October 2020, Alex had his first major interview with Microsoft for their apprenticeship software engineering program. He passed the interview and began working there in March 2021.

What compensation did Alex receive for his full-time software engineering position at Microsoft?

Alex received a total compensation of $167,000 per year for his first year as a full-time software engineer at Microsoft, starting in August 2021.