How I Went from a Non-CS Background to Landing a Job as a Software Engineer
Starting Out: The Dream of Becoming a Scientist
It all started in my third year at IISER Bhopal, one of India’s premier institutions for scientific education and research. Since childhood, I had always wanted to become a scientist, and IISER seemed like the perfect place to make that happen. However, things took an unexpected turn when, due to my not-so-great grades, I was assigned Mathematics as my major instead of Physics, which I was genuinely passionate about.
At this point, software development was not even on my radar — I didn’t even know what coding was. A year later, my lack of interest in Mathematics made things worse. I failed several courses, couldn’t pass the re-exams, and ultimately had to take a year off. It was a rough time, and I felt really lost.
Discovering a New Interest
During that year off, I started getting interested in Linux. I tinkered with it, customized it, and started learning basic bash scripting. This was my first taste of programming, and it piqued my curiosity. When I got back to college, I realized I couldn’t keep going down the same path. Since I enjoyed working with Linux, I thought, “Why not try programming?”
The next question was: what type of programming?
Researching My Options
I researched the field and found that getting into software development without a degree was rare but possible. One of the videos I watched introduced me to an open-source guide called The Odin Project. This community-maintained project follows a “learn by doing” approach, which was perfect for me.
Now, I had a direction. I was fortunate to still be in college, with only one or two courses per semester and fixed meal timings, giving me the time I needed to focus on programming. I set a routine: I’d wake up, work out, have breakfast, and head to the library by 8 a.m. I’d spend my entire day there coding and learning, trying to complete The Odin Project.
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. There were exams, days of low motivation, and setbacks. But I loved every bit of the journey. I enjoyed solving problems and felt I could pursue this long-term.
Building Skills and Projects
It took me about a year and a half to complete The Odin Project. Along the way, I gained knowledge in full-stack development — HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js — and other skills like using the command line, deployment, and Vim, my beloved code editor.
After that, it was time to showcase my skills by building projects and applying for jobs. I didn’t stop learning. While many others were stuck on React, I learned Next.js and created projects, even building websites for some of my college professors.
Applying for Jobs and Freelancing
I started working on my LinkedIn profile and applied everywhere: LinkedIn, Wellfound (formerly AngelList Talent), Internshala. Most applications went unanswered, and some that did had tasks I couldn’t complete. So, I began posting on LinkedIn, sharing things I was working on or found interesting.
I knew I needed experience and a solid resume to stand out, so I started freelancing. I landed a few gigs on Upwork and won two online hackathons — one solo and one with developer friends I met on Discord. I also maintained a blog and wrote on Medium.
Focusing on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA)
Eventually, I started getting interviews but struggled with data structures and algorithms (DSA), which I hadn’t focused on much. After some failed interviews, I spent a month working on DSA.
Then, out of nowhere, an HR intern from a startup in Bhopal messaged me. I sent over my resume, and after about 10–15 days, they called me in for an interview. Fortunately, I got in! I was offered a Software Developer Intern position, which would convert into a full-time role once I finished college. The role allows me to work remotely until then.
The Journey Ahead
Maybe I got lucky, but as they say, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” I know there’s still a lot to learn and areas where I need to grow. I’m committed to continuous learning, freelancing, building hobby projects, and picking up new languages.
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