1.4 CR Package! 🔥 | Non CS to Google London! | Cracked Amazon Dublin & Google London 🚀

Summary

Debarshi Maitra, a Site Reliability Engineer at Google London, shares his inspiring journey from a small town in West Bengal to landing international offers from Google and Amazon, despite not having a computer science background. Debarshi discusses his initial doubts, his self-driven journey into coding, and his determination to excel in algorithms, competitive programming, and internships. He offers valuable insights for non-CS graduates aspiring to work at top tech companies, emphasizing the importance of building a strong resume through competitive programming, internships, and open-source contributions.

Takeaways

• 😀 **Overcoming Initial Challenges**: Debarshi grew up in a small town with limited resources, but his determination and self-study helped him succeed despite these challenges.
• 😀 **Importance of Self-Learning**: Debarshi didn’t let his non-CS background stop him; he took it upon himself to learn C++, algorithms, and data structures to catch up with his peers.
• 😀 **Perseverance Pays Off**: Although Debarshi struggled with coding in the beginning, he eventually built a strong foundation by practicing thousands of problems and learning new concepts.
• 😀 **Competitive Programming is Crucial**: Competitive programming played a key role in Debarshi's success. His 5-star rating on CodeChef and expert ranking on CodeForces boosted his resume and helped him in interviews.
• 😀 **Learning by Doing**: Debarshi worked on diverse projects, from a Rubik’s Cube solver to a system programming project implementing `malloc`, showcasing his ability to learn by applying knowledge practically.
• 😀 **Internships Are Key**: Securing an internship was crucial for Debarshi. His experience at Incrib, a startup, allowed him to gain real-world software engineering skills, which were invaluable for future job applications.
• 😀 **Rejections Are Learning Opportunities**: Despite rejections from major companies like Shopee, Palantir, and Apple, Debarshi used the feedback to improve and eventually landed offers from Amazon Dublin and Google London.
• 😀 **SRE vs. Software Engineering**: Debarshi’s role as a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) involves ensuring the reliability and availability of products, in addition to coding tasks like monitoring, alerting, and automation.
• 😀 **Living and Working in London**: London is a diverse city, and although it’s expensive, it offers great opportunities for both work and travel. Debarshi has enjoyed the vibrant, multicultural atmosphere.
• 😀 **Advice for Non-CS Students**: For non-CS students aiming for top tech roles, it’s essential to be exceptional in competitive programming or development. Internships, even in startups, are crucial for gaining the necessary experience.

Q & A

How did Debarshi Maitra transition from a non-CS background to a career in software engineering?

Debarshi came from a production engineering background, which is a non-circuit department. Initially, he had no coding experience, but after seeing a peer from his department land a job at Goldman Sachs, he decided to start coding seriously. By practicing algorithms, data structures, and working on various projects, he gained the skills required to secure offers from companies like Google and Amazon.

What role did competitive programming play in Debarshi's career?

Competitive programming played a crucial role in Debarshi's career. After learning the fundamentals of algorithms and data structures, he focused on competitive programming in his third year, participating in platforms like CodeChef and Codeforces. His success in these platforms, including achieving a 5-star rating on CodeChef and an expert rating on Codeforces, helped him refine his problem-solving skills and prepare for technical interviews.

What was Debarshi's approach to improving his coding skills during college?

Debarshi adopted a disciplined approach to learning. He practiced algorithms and data structures by dedicating a whole month to mastering each topic. By the end of his second year, he had solved 2000-3000 problems from a variety of topics. His focus on consistent practice helped him become proficient and ready for software engineering roles.

How did Debarshi handle the lack of internships during his early college years?

Although Debarshi did not get a summer internship due to the challenges faced by non-circuit students, he focused on building a strong resume through personal projects and competitive programming. He later secured a six-month winter internship at Incrib, a startup, where he gained hands-on experience as a backend developer.

What advice does Debarshi offer to non-CS students looking to break into tech?

Debarshi advises non-CS students to either excel in competitive programming or focus on development through open-source contributions and internships. He emphasizes that even if one is not comfortable with competitive programming, contributing to projects and gaining hands-on experience through internships can be a valuable alternative.

How did Debarshi manage to secure international job offers from companies like Amazon and Google?

Debarshi applied for international roles after building a strong resume with competitive programming achievements, personal projects, and a six-month internship. Despite facing rejections from companies like Palantir and Apple, his perseverance paid off when he received offers from Amazon Dublin and Google London.

What is Debarshi's current role at Google, and what does it entail?

Debarshi works as a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) at Google London. His role involves ensuring the reliability and availability of Google’s products. SREs at Google work on both project work, which includes coding related to monitoring and automation, and on-call responsibilities, where they address and fix issues promptly when they arise.

What are the key differences between a Software Engineer (SWE) and a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) at Google?

At Google, Software Engineers (SWEs) design and build products, whereas Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) focus on ensuring the reliability and uptime of those products. SREs write code related to monitoring, automation, and alerting, while also handling on-call duties to fix any product issues within a short time frame.

What are some of the challenges Debarshi faced when moving to London, and how did he adjust?

Debarshi faced the challenge of adjusting to the high cost of living in London, one of the most expensive cities in the world. He shared that his monthly expenses, including rent and bills, totaled around 2500 pounds. Despite the financial challenges, he enjoys the cultural diversity of London and has traveled to nearby places like Dubai for recreational activities like skydiving.

What is Debarshi's perspective on the future of competitive programming, especially after Google's decision to stop events like Kickstart and CodeJam?

Despite Google's decision to stop hosting competitions like Kickstart and CodeJam due to layoffs, Debarshi believes that competitive programming remains valuable. He notes that a solid competitive programming background helps candidates quickly prepare for coding interviews, even if they haven’t practiced for a while. He encourages students to continue practicing competitive programming, as it provides a strong foundation for technical roles.