I need some guidance about what I can learn to become a better software engineer when I graduate

Career Advice
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I need some guidance. I am a 2nd year software engineering student and I feel like the courses we are taking at school are helping me learn the basics. But that’s about it. The books we use are fairly outdated and we are only learning the basics of the basics. I feel like I won’t be able to compete in the market after graduating. So I would appreciate it if someone could provide me some suggestions as to what I can do to get better. Should I start with the core curse of freeCodeCamp and do some projects? Or is there a better way? What are the full skills that I need to master to become an actual developer?

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Hi @Angel19. Welcome to the forum.

I also had the same problem a ton . I understood that there is no single way to succeed in life or for a job but rather we have use multiple strategies and resources which we apply to our personal life.

Here are some things you can try to be job ready:

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT:

  • There will ALWAYS be something you don’t know.

  • Making friends and learning how to talk to people and write emails or simple messages can be a lifesaver.

  • Make a good LinkedIn profile. Dont try too hard to make it perfect at the start. Just do little and often whatever you can.
    Link: How To Build An Amazing LinkedIn Profile [15+ Proven Tips]

Explanation of 2 of many ways to get ahead:

  • the freeCodeCamp curriculum is REALLY GREAT but takes a lot of time.

    • You will learn a lot of foundational skills that are used at work for web development.
    • the first 7 certifications teach full stack web dev
    • again, just 1 certfication takes a lot of time but you will benefit

  • if you want to prepare for bigger companies, you can learn a programming language and data-structure-and-algorithms for interviews.

General ideas to know:

  • A startup company (1 to 200 employees) will usually interview you more on your actual skills like that which FCC helps you gain

  • While a larger company will ask DSA questions and about your projects that you make in college & more.

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Thank you! I guess I will give the courses at freeCodeCamp a shot and see where that takes me. I will try to complete all of them but if I can’t at least 7 so that I can become a full stack developer. Since it’s free why not

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Hi!

This is one of the sources I recommend for new developers seeking their direction:

You’ll find most of the paths in IT over web development, software architecture and even new things like prompt engineering.

I would also recommend looking into system design. I’m a career changer and came from the JS/React/Web development path like so many today. Listening to experienced software engineers made me aware that I had hardly scratched the surface. Diving into system design helps me to close the gap and become a better developer.

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