How I got my first Software Engineer job

Summary

In this video, the creator shares his journey from a university freshman to a full-stack engineer, detailing how he turned his life around from partying to coding 12 hours a day. He discusses his first internship, which led to a full-time job offer, and the unexpected challenge of receiving two offers in one day. The video highlights the importance of internships in the tech industry and the power of exceeding expectations, even as a student.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker initially struggled with the transition to university life, indulging in excessive partying which affected his grades and well-being.
• 🔄 After a turning point, the speaker decided to change his lifestyle, cutting out drinking and focusing on his studies during the Christmas holidays.
• 💻 He dedicated 12 hours a day to coding, learning full stack development with the goal of securing an internship.
• 📝 The speaker emphasizes the importance of building a resume and creating projects to showcase his skills, even if they were not perfect initially.
• 🚀 He applied to over 60 internship positions, highlighting the power of persistence and the law of averages in increasing the chances of success.
• 🤝 The speaker landed two interviews from the companies he wanted to work for, demonstrating that preparation and hard work can lead to opportunities.
• 📈 He prepared extensively for his interviews, focusing on systems design questions, which was crucial for proving his abilities in the tech industry.
• 😅 During one interview, he faced a technical difficulty but managed to continue, showing the importance of resilience in professional situations.
• 🎉 The speaker received two job offers in one day, a testament to his hard work and the value of exceeding expectations during internships.
• 🤔 He made a mistake by accepting both offers and then retracting one, which likely resulted in being blacklisted by the first company.
• 🔄 Despite the setback, the speaker leveraged his performance in his second internship to secure a full-time position, illustrating the power of networking and exceeding expectations.

Q & A

How did the speaker initially spend their time during the first three months of university?

The speaker spent most of their time partying, often being drunk or hungover, which affected their grades, mental health, and overall life.

What was the turning point for the speaker that led to a change in their lifestyle?

The turning point was a day when the speaker woke up in the afternoon, threw up for the third time, and questioned their life direction, leading them to quit drinking and focus on their goals.

What did the speaker decide to do during the Christmas holidays instead of returning to the construction site?

The speaker decided to focus on coding for 12 hours a day with the goal of getting an internship in full stack development.

How did the speaker prepare for their internship applications?

The speaker prepared by creating several projects, building their resume, and applying to over 60 positions to increase their chances of getting an interview.

What was the speaker's strategy for dealing with the lack of interviews?

The speaker's strategy was to apply to as many jobs as possible to increase the probability of getting interviews, understanding that persistence increases the chances of success.

How did the speaker prepare for their technical interviews?

The speaker studied extensively, focusing on systems design questions, to be well-prepared for the interviews and stand out from the competition.

What happened during one of the speaker's technical interviews that could have been a disaster?

During one of the technical interviews, the speaker's Wi-Fi went out, causing them to disconnect from the Google Meet call. They rejoined using their phone and a personal Gmail account with an unusual name, which initially confused the interviewers.

How did the speaker manage to get two job offers in one day?

After performing well in both interviews, the speaker received offers from both companies on the same day. Initially, they accepted one offer but then also accepted the second offer after realizing they preferred the second company.

What mistake did the speaker make after accepting two job offers?

The speaker accepted both offers without promptly informing the first company of their decision, which led to them being blacklisted from that company after the second company's contract was signed.

How did the speaker's internship experience contribute to their full-time job offer?

The speaker exceeded expectations during their internship, which led to their former manager offering them a full-time position when one became available.

What advice does the speaker give to students looking to break into the tech industry?

The speaker advises students to get an internship as it is easier to secure than a full-time job and can often lead to a full-time position due to the valuable experience and connections gained.