#I am a junior software engineer

[librarianofdreams]

oh god. and if I may ask, how did you then manage to become.. well, not a software engineer?

have i told you guys i used to be a software engineer. because i used to be a software engineer.

[eightyonekilograms]

You’ll never get me to buy ad-free tumblr you staff-plant ass m

The dumb thing about this accusation is, I think I’m actually a lot more strident about asking people to pay for Tumblr than the Tumblr staff are. They seem pretty chill about it based on the posts I’ve seen. Which makes sense: if Tumblr goes under, what do they care, they’ll just get another job. But I’d lose a community that I really enjoy and which I’ve sunk quite a bit of time and effort into.

Look, it’s your money and you can do whatever you want with it. But I am honestly kind of baffled by people’s absolute refusal to pay for websites that they use, even though on a dollars-per-hour basis, it’s the biggest no-brainer purchase there is. Ad-free tumblr is $40/year. That’s like… two and a half movie tickets for something a lot of people are using for multiple hours per day. And the staff isn’t lying to you about the costs: after payroll taxes and health insurance and whatnot, the all-up cost of one junior software engineer is about $250,000/year. Bandwidth for serving images and video is also expensive as fuck. It does in fact take quite a bit of money to keep something like this running, even without making a single dime of profit. 

[wardensantoineandevka]

Firesprite (The Playroom, Horizon Call of the Mountain) located in Liverpool has an opening for a Junior Narrative Designer. They imagine this as, ideally, a hybrid role where a candidate is available to work one to three days out of the studio, but they will consider anyone throughout the UK who prefers to work entirely remotely.

They're looking for someone with hands-on experience in Unreal 5 or similar engines. Knowledge of Final Draft or another script software and Articy or another branching narrative tool is beneficial.

I am not affiliated with this listing, Firesprite, or Playstation Studios. Please do not ask me questions or for clarifications about this role or the studio because I do not have answers. Check the listing for further details and to verify any information.

[izicodes]

woah! just saw your bio change to software engineer. how did you transition? is it any different than web dev?

i also went on a TikTok rabbit hole and people are saying it’s useless to learn html/css and it’s not an actual language. honestly idk why I thought it would be easy to learn html > css > javascript > angular > react and somehow land a good paying job…

it’s gonna take YEARS for me to have a career, i feel old… especially with no degree

Hiya! 🩶

This is a long reply so I answered your question in sections below! But in the end, I hope this helps you! 🙆🏾‍♀️

🔮 "How did you transition?"

So, yeah my old job title was "Junior Web Developer" at a finance firm, and now my new title is "Frontend Software Engineer"! In terms of transition, I didn't make too much of a change.

After I quit my old job, I focused more on Frontend technologies that were relevant, so I focused on React.js and Node.js. I used YouTube, books, and Codeacademy. My first React project was >> this Froggie project <<~! Working on real-life projects such as the volunteering job I did (only for a month) where they used the technologies I was learning. So basically I did this:

decides to learn react and node 🤷🏾‍♀️

"oh wait let me find some volunteering job for developers where they use the tech I am learning so I can gain some real-life experience 🤔"

experienced developers in the team helped me with other technologies such as UI tools, and some testing experience 🙆🏾‍♀️

I did the volunteering work for both fun and learning with experienced developers and... I was bored and wanted to feel productive again... 😅

So for transitioning, I focused on learning the new technologies I wanted to work in and got some work experience (though it was volunteering) to back up if I can work in an environment with the tech. I still live with my family so I could do the volunteering job and have time to self-study whilst being okay financially (though I was tight with money haha) 😅👍🏾

🔮 "Is it any different than web dev?"

The old job was focused on using C# and SQL (including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript but fairly small) to make the websites, they were fairly basic websites for clients to use just to navigate their information needed. They weren't fancy cool web design because they didn't need to be, which was what made me bored of the job and wanted a change.

I am only a week into the job and have been working on small tickets (features for the site), but I think after a month or two into the job I will make a proper judgment on the difference~! So far, it's kind of the same thing I did in my old job but with new workflow tools, React-based projects, and funny people to work with 😅🙌🏾

🔮 "People are saying it’s useless to learn HTML/CSS and it’s not an actual language."

Yes HTML is a markup language and CSS is a stylesheet but they are the foundation of like 90% of the websites on the internet, I wouldn't ever call them "useless". Frameworks such as React, Django, Flask, etc still require HTML and CSS code to make the website's structure and styling. CSS frameworks like Tailwind and Bootstrap 5 still use CSS as their base/foundation. Not useless at all.

Don't focus on what other people are doing and focus on your own learning. I repeat this all the time on my blog. Just because one or a couple people online said one technology is useless doesn't mean it is (this is applied to most things in tech). Someone told me jQuery was entirely useless and no bother learning it - I did it anyway and it helped me better understand JavaScript. Anyhoo, try things YOURSELF before listening to what people say - make your own judgment. Not going to let a random Tech bro online whine about how annoying Python or C or whatever is to ruin my want to learn something. (This is all coming from a girl who loves web development very much's point of view :D)

🔮 "I thought it would be easy to learn html > css > javascript > angular > react and somehow land a good paying job"

Web Dev route, I love it! That's literally the same steps I would have taken if I had to start again~! For each new tech you learn, make a bunch of projects to 1) prove to yourself that you can apply what you've learned 2) experience 3) fill that portfolio~! 😎🙌🏾

With Angular and React, I would pick one or the other and focus on being really good at it before learning another framework!

I also recommend volunteering jobs, freelancing, helping a small business out with free/paid m

Lastly, you do not need a degree to get a job in Web Development. I mean look at me? My apprenticeship certificate is the same value as finishing school at 18, so in the UK it would be A-Levels, and I completed it at the ripe age of 21! I have no degree, I applied for university and got a place but I will give that space up for someone else, I'm not ready for university just yet! haha... (plus erm it's expensive at the end, what? even for the UK...). Sure, I used to avoid the job postings that were like "You need a computer science degree" but now if I were job searching I would apply regardless.

People switching careers in their 40s going into tech instead are making it, you can switch anytime in your lifetime if you have the means to! (everyone's situation is different I understand).

I'm not too good at giving advice but I hope in the rambling I made some sense? But yeah that's all! 😎

[simmerdowndee]

uni_dayz episode five part two

Today is the campus career fair. I took Theo because he could also find some intern opportunities there. He wasn’t sure why we needed to go this early in our schooling, but I told him it’s the perfect time. You don’t wait until your senior year sir. I also made him dress nice because he attempted to come here in an adidas tracksuit. You will not get a job like that babe.

Theo: I’m going to go look at these tables.

Dakota: Okay! I’m going over here.

I noticed a table that has the logo of one of the best law firms in the country. I immediately walk over to talk.

Dakota: Hi, my name is Dakota. I’m a sophomore at UBrite.

Mrs. Greer: Well, you’re already doing well so far. UBrite is my alma mater. My name is Jasmine Greer. I am the general counsel for Steele and Hart.

STEELE AND HART??? So, this is for one of the best law firms in the country.

Dakota: Your firm was number one on my list to work for. You guys do such great work.

Mrs. Greer: Well, thank you, Dakota. You seem very well put together. What made you interested in law?

Dakota: To be honest, my personal upbringing.

Mrs. Greer: Ah, no need to elaborate further. I understand.

Mrs. Greer: We have a few clerkships available for enthusiastic students like yourself. If you are interested, I can get you a packet and some contact information.

Dakota: When do these clerkships begin?

Mrs. Greer: I have one available for the fall, two for the spring, and three for the summer.

Dakota: I would be interested in the summer one. That way I can focus on that without worrying about my studies.

Mrs. Greer: Good thinking Dakota. Always make sure your studies come first.

Mrs. Greer: Here is the summer information and my contact info. I look forward to seeing you this summer, Dakota.

Dakota: Thank you so much Mrs. Greer. You won’t be disappointed.

Meanwhile….

(Theo’s POV)

I wasn’t really looking for an internship just yet, but Dakota thinks it’s a good idea to get a head start. There is a table I noticed that has a software engineering program. I think I’ll go check it out….

Mr. Wayne: Hello there son. You look data efficient.

Theo: Haha, yes. I am a computer science major.

Mr. Wayne: Excellent, then you’d probably love the software engineering program we are offering to students who are sophomores or higher.

Theo: Can you tell me a bit more?

Mr. Wayne: Of course. We offer a software engineering program with limited spots to students wanting to get experience within the tech world. The program offers room and board, with a weekly stipend for your work.

Theo: Room and board? As in you’ll pay for my dorm expenses.

Mr. Wayne: Oh, let me elaborate. The program offers students a chance to study abroad. You would be relocating for the year to Windenburg.

Theo: As in out of the country?

Mr. Wayne: Yes sir. It’s a great opportunity and you receive a very generous stipend while there.

Theo: It sounds amazing. I’m not sure though…

Mr. Wayne: What’s stopping you son?

Theo: I’m not sure how my girlfriend would feel about me being gone for a year in another country…...

Mr. Wayne: I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to miss out on an opportunity like this.

Mr. Wayne: How about this, I’ll give you my contact number and the program info packet. Since you are a sophomore, you can’t start in the middle of your year. You’d be the perfect candidate during your junior year.

Theo: Thank you, Mr. Wayne. I’m seriously considering it.

Mr. Wayne: Remember, talk to your girlfriend.

Theo: Will do.

This program sounds so awesome. I don’t know how Dakota will take the news though. I think I’ll bring it up at dinner tonight. I’m sure she wouldn’t want me to miss out… right?

[trashpandarx]

Devlog #2 10-29-23

This devlog is a little late, I was working on transitioning from the most rudimentary mechanics of my game to a proof of concept stage where I’m trying to use the industry standards that I’m aware of from my little professional experience.

Anyway I spent most of this week trying to slowly make my initial mechanics scalable, that means accounting for things I didn’t originally plan for or did plan for, but can’t come into reality until later on. I also changed the structure of my JSON file I’m using about 3 times and that consequently ended up causing me to rewrite parts of my JSON parser a few times as I’ve currently gotten to the point where I’m setting up a rough sample play area.

At the moment I have my marbles instantiating from a prefab randomly across the basic plane i have setup, I still need to add a self-destruct conditional to the prefab game object so that they stop wasting processing power if they leave the play area.

I also am starting to apply custom properties based on my marble-attributes json file to the marbles once instantiated. I went for a property I already did a really simple version of, the material’s color. It seemed like a good choice because its an extremely visible change and easy to identify if one of the marbles didn’t change as expected.

I’m excited to keep going, even though I know I’ve turned this from a demo producible in a month to a small behemoth that will EASILY take months to get from where I am to a demo state. But one step at a time, I need to finish programming and designing this Proof of Concept (PoC). Its daunting and I want to do this in part because I think it would be a fun game, but in larger part because I need something in my professional software portfolio to show that I’m not inept and that I could handle another Entry/Junior SWE role since I got burned for just existing with my last job 😞.

To wrap this all up, my game is coming along slowly but fairly stably for now (knock on wood). I can do it! Who cares if I’m an entry level software engineer, if no one wants to hire me I’LL MAKE MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND PROVE MYSELF!

[b9horpet]

#codetober 2023. 10. 03.

On the third day of Christmas Hallowe'en #codetober, I made up my mind and created a comfy environment for coding on my private PC. Nothing too fancy yet, WSL2 had to be enabled first, installed a newer Ubuntu image, set up some compilers and useful packages. Moved the important bits to the SSD for maximum performance.

It only took me a few hours so I went to bed satisfied (at 1 AM 😵‍💫😪😴).

How long have you been programming for?

Wow, I feel dizzy even counting the years. I was about 11-12 when we first learned anything that was like Turing-complete. that makes it over 20 years of programming (I liked practicing and messing around as soon as I understood the basics, even entered some competitions).

Professionally, it will be 12 years in a few weeks since I'm employed as a software engineer. C++ from the beginning. I learned it during the university years, so I practiced it about 2-2.5 years before my first job as a junior developer.

[shampaisthinking]

Lavanya! Lavanya! Hey, this girl sitting by the window with roll number 38!

Lavanya Adhikari stood up, slightly startled by the teacher's scolding. She suddenly came to a shock from the familiar environment outside to this unfamiliar environment inside.

— Why are you looking outside? Why are you not interested in class? I have been watching you for a long time. It has been like this since the beginning. I am explaining the math of such a complex derivative and you are looking outside effortlessly? You are not bad at courage!

She stood with her face down with mischievous eyes. She really did not hear anything. She did not know anything about all the things that happened in the class. Her mind was on a small bird's nest on a branch of a fire-colored palash tree near the window, touched by spring. How carefully the mother bird was putting insects into the mouths of the little chirping chicks. The red part of the little bird's face shows how immature, how young they are.

— What? The words still don't reach your ears, right? You're still thinking about outside things effortlessly? You haven't learned to respect a teacher, such a big girl! You are in this situation today due to lack of education. Why are you standing silently? Tell me, and did you bring the homework I gave you?

Labanya silently shook her head from side to side.

— That's exactly what can be expected from you. You're a hopeless girl! Why all these samples come to this science department doesn't cross my mind.

Labanya tried to look at the teacher's face once. She had lost the courage to do this, but the teacher spoke her mind right away. Really, none of this periodic table, integration, parabola, hyperbola, thermodynamics, genetics, these things don't cross her mind. Lavanya's parents have forced her to join the science stream. They think that maybe by mixing with some good kids, she will also become interested in studies!

But this creates a big dilemma in Lavanya's mind. Don't good students study in the arts department, or in commerce?

Although this question arises in Lavanya's mind again and again, will she find a fruitful solution to this thought in arts and commerce? Because she really doesn't like studying. No matter which department she studies in!

Her thoughts are interrupted by the teacher's scolding...

— Shit, shit, shit! The shameless girl is still standing. I told her to leave 2-3 times. You are wasting my time unnecessarily. Get out of the class today, I will take you to the principal's room right away. I have heard complaints from other sirs and ma'ams about you, the other-mindedness will go away then...

Again, silently and very silently, Lavanya leaves the classroom. A world where her thoughts are not respected is not for her.

Some of the class looks at her with kind faces. The girl is very friendly; if only she could concentrate on her traditional studies a little... Oh my!

10 years later

— Hey, hey Lavanya, are you here? Are you on a dinner date with someone?

A smile appeared on the lips of the 10-12 young women in front.

Seeing Lavanya's bow, the others controlled themselves.

— Hey, no, no, what are you saying! First tell me, are you okay?

— Yes, yes, we are very good, tell me how you are?

— I am fine too.

— What are you doing now?

— Nothing like that; tell me about you!

— Are we still in this city? I have now become a software developer in a company in Salt Lake. And that Vidhan, you remember, his brother is a big deal, now he works as an intern doctor in PG Hospital. And that Pratsha who used to sit next to you, do you remember? He has recently opened his own law firm in addition to practicing in the District Court. And our Nikita Rani is a different matter. You know, she was studying electrical engineering! Now she has got a chance in the electricity department. And you don't know them, so what can I tell you about them! Although Rishi, Ankit, Rangana, Debarati, they are all now sitting in positions like CEO, manager, PA, junior assistant in big companies. Even if you hear the names of all those companies, you won't be able to recognize them.

A hint of a smile appears on Labanya's lips.

— You are here today... you mean?

— Yes, what else did you leave school and you are nowhere to be found. But our friendship is still there, so we planned a meetup today. The food has not arrived yet, when we ordered it. So I was sitting here chatting and then I met you.

Didn't you tell me, what are you doing now? Also, tell me what you are doing in this high-profile cafe!

Some of the rest of the members of her group looked at Dishari's question, some turned their faces away.

— No, nothing like that...

Just then, the cafe manager's announcement was heard...

— Today, on this special evening, one of the most prominent writers of today, Lavanya Adhikari, is present among us. Today, on this special occasion, I will request her to give a speech. Although I know she has a meeting with a big and famous publisher on the second floor of our cafe, but still I will ask for a little of her precious time... Please, Lavanya Madam, come to this stage and bless it.

Amidst the loud applause and noise all around, Labanya moves forward with the cover of her own personality. Ten-twelve surprised looks remain behind, whose question-filled gazes are overshadowed by the self-earned fame and reputation of renowned writer Labanya Adhikari!!!

Shampa........ ✍️

[fedor-bortnik-fmp]

ForeFront 7. Advanced Character Workflow by Ida Faber.

Recently, I have been browsing lvl 80 blog, and I found a character artist Ida Faber (2024) and her blog about "Detailed Breakdown Of Making A Sci-Fi Ninja With ZBrush And Maya". It got me hooked since I believe this is the same approach that I will be doing in my future.

I stumbled upon Ida Faber's blog, where she did a breakdown of her Stellar Rogue characters. In this blog, she talks about her journey as a 3D artist, and about her project, which was impressive to read. With a hard work from studying 3D graphics, she gradually became a freelance artist, through the help of her mentor and engaging with the courses.

What is really interesting for me is that I can see some familiarities with my life and even my projects: She aims to create game-ready characters with a sci-fi background, while I also aim towards creating game-ready characters in a post-apocalyptic universe, where characters gather technological equipment through the exploration of ancient dangers.

What I believe in is this is how my future will look like in a year or two: With me using Zbrush for mesh creation and Maya for assemble, and then Substance Painter for shading.

Stellar Rogue - Game Ready (2024)

Through her work, I can see what kind of software she uses: Marvelous Designer for cloth design and folds, Zbrush for Sculpting, Maya for baking, Substance for texturing and Unreal for Rendering. I realise that in order to get further as a Character artist, I should learn more about the following software, as it can reward me with an ability to masterfully create each segment of the character in a truly high quality.

A Zbrush file image from her blog. Titled: "Sculpt In ZBrush".

There are also a lot of interesting tips inside the blog, for example: Faber talked about the tip to avoid doing complicated meshes around the bending points, in order to do the rigging more easily. It is something that I will consider in the future.

Another nice thing is the fact that she explains many techniques that she uses in her work: Using FiberShop in order to create cool hair, explaining about Mikk/xNormal tangent space, I also like the fact that she does not stop on the work when she exports characters into Unreal Engine, as she sets up some user-customizable settings in order for them to change some things like colour or more. This is cool!

An image of the characters from the Stellar Rogue bundle.

One thing that I have noticed is that after university life, she contacted a senior artist in order to be the mentor - This is a trend that I have occasionally seen, and I am starting to believe that I will be doing the familiar approach, since this is the easiest way to climb the skills, as you get constant feedback on mistakes and such.

In conclusion, I will say that this is an awesome blog, since she uncovers her journey of becoming a junior artist and growing into an amazing artist: With working and helping others in learning about the industry, sharing in detail about her production workflow and giving some tips about creating - it was very nice to read this blog.

I am in genuine love with her artwork, as the character's organic sculpt is created in a high quality, while the costume designers do look compelling and inspiring. I especially love the Mechanic Girl, as it is something that hits very close to my first character, and is made in an amazing quality.

After reading her level 80 blog and checking the art pieces that she has created, I started to believe that in the future I will have a familiar path of progression (except I do not focus on face makeup and hyper beauty) in terms of achieving an organized and composed work, the art style direction and the skill development path.

References:

Faber, I. (2024). A Detailed Breakdown Of Making A Sci-Fi Ninja With ZBrush And Maya. [online] 80.lv. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/a-detailed-breakdown-of-making-a-sci-fi-ninja-with-zbrush-and-maya/ [Accessed 16 Jul. 2024].

Ida Faber (2022). Techwear Girl. [online] ArtStation. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6bwEkr [Accessed 16 Jul. 2024].

Ida Faber (2022). Mechanic Girl. [online] ArtStation. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/g8OwgQ

Ida Faber (2022). Stellar Trooper - Game Ready. [online] ArtStation. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/29GBVA [Accessed 20 Jul. 2024].

FiberShop (2024). FiberShop – hair-card texture generator. [online] Available at: https://cgpal.com/fibershop/ [Accessed 20 Jul. 2024].

[lodeemmanuelpalle]

Transitioning from Software Engineering to Cybersecurity: A Junior Engineer's Journey

My name is Lodi Palle, and over the past few months, I've been navigating this exciting shift in my career. Like many of my peers, I started my professional journey in software engineering, fascinated by coding and building applications. However, as I delved deeper into the tech industry, I became increasingly intrigued by the realm of cybersecurity—the crucial role it plays in protecting systems and data from ever-evolving threats.

The Motivation Behind the Transition The decision to transition wasn't sudden; it was a culmination of experiences and realizations. As a software engineer, I often encountered security challenges and vulnerabilities that piqued my interest. Lodi Palle found myself drawn to understanding not only how to build robust systems but also how to secure them effectively against cyber threats.

Embracing the Learning Curve Transitioning to cybersecurity meant stepping into unfamiliar territory. I immersed myself in learning about various cybersecurity concepts—network security, ethical hacking, cryptography, incident response, and more. I enrolled in online courses, obtained certifications like CompTIA Security+, and actively participated in cybersecurity communities to expand my knowledge.

Applying Software Engineering Skills One advantage of transitioning from software engineering to cybersecurity is the transferability of skills. Many of the problem-solving and analytical skills honed in software development are directly applicable to cybersecurity. Understanding programming languages and system architectures has given me a solid foundation to comprehend security vulnerabilities and devise effective countermeasures.

Challenges and Growth Navigating this transition hasn't been without challenges. The cybersecurity landscape is vast and constantly evolving, requiring continuous learning and adaptability. However, each obstacle I've faced has been a valuable learning experience, pushing me to grow both personally and professionally.

Future Aspirations Looking ahead, Lodi Palle excited about the opportunities that lie in the cybersecurity field. My goal is to specialize in penetration testing and ethical hacking, helping organizations identify and mitigate security risks proactively. I aim to contribute meaningfully to the cybersecurity community and stay at the forefront of technological advancements. Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Enthusiasts

For those considering a similar transition, my advice is simple: Start Learning: Dive into cybersecurity resources—courses, books, online communities—to build a strong foundation. Get Certified: Consider pursuing industry-recognized certifications like CEH, CISSP, or CISM to enhance your credibility. Hands-On Practice: Gain practical experience through labs, capture-the-flag (CTF) competitions, and real-world projects. Networking: Connect with cybersecurity professionals, attend meetups or conferences, and leverage mentorship opportunities. Stay Curious: Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field. Stay curious, keep learning, and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

Closing Thoughts Transitioning from software engineering to cybersecurity has been a rewarding journey filled with learning and discovery. I am grateful for the support of mentors, colleagues, and the broader tech community who have encouraged me along the way.

If you're passionate about cybersecurity or contemplating a career switch, I hope my story serves as inspiration. Remember, with determination and continuous effort, you can navigate new horizons in the tech industry.

[gojos-nightmare-box]

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BECOME A SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER IF NO ONE WILL TAKE A CHANCE ON ME AS A PARTWAY BETWEEN JUNIOR AND SENIOR ENGINEER 😭😭😭😭

[dmtech30]

Ending 2023 and Navigating the Tech Terrain

As the year draws to a close, I want to look back at my software development journey and how it has been truly a mix of highs and lows. Completing a software engineering bootcamp was a significant milestone, and the experience has been both challenging and rewarding. I've gained valuable hands-on experience by collaborating in cross-functional teams, contributing to various projects, and dedicating countless hours to a hackathon. The sense of accomplishment that comes from seeing a project through, especially within tight timeframes, has truly made the journey memorable. Working alongside fellow developers and designers has not only honed my technical skills but also provided a taste of the collaborative and fast-paced nature of the software development field. I loved learning alongside people who came from different backgrounds and experiences and I look forward to more teamwork in my future.

Throughout this year, I've undergone a significant learning curve, experiencing moments of both joy and tears, and bursts of anxiety I am managing to overcome. Despite the challenges, I persevered, recognizing that my passion for integrating myself into the tech field was more profound than ever. I realized I owe it to myself to truly explore my potential and see what I can accomplish and create despite the lingering difficulties of getting my foot in the door.

I am not alone in this journey. I understand that there are thousands of us that are experiencing this extremely competitive job market as a junior software developer, whether you just recently graduated from a traditional university, a bootcamp, or coming from a self taught path. Grappling with imposter syndrome, self doubt, and feeling the weight of expectations and pressure is a commonality that I know a lot of people share at this time. It's understandable that during the job application process, everyone becomes a competitor, but I hold a great deal of empathy for those navigating this journey. It's undeniably challenging, and rejections are a universal struggle for everyone involved. I aim to add on to the plethora of resources available that helps other developers and people in general navigate the challenges of job hunting and helping people remember that their worth is not diminished by the rejections and ghosting they may encounter. In this competitive field, you are worth something.

Securing a job in software engineering or the tech industry is not a straightforward or effortless endeavor for most people right now. You need to know exactly what you're getting yourself into and truly really want this to keep pushing through and elevating yourself despite the odds.

These days I'm still learning new frameworks, algorithms, deepening my knowledge on what I have already learned, and working on a mobile development project for a client as a freelancer. Although I don't necessarily have the security of a job with benefits at the moment, what I do have is time to work on my experience. I'm learning to be grateful for the time granted to me. I'm not going to let rejections stop me from doing what I want to do and will continue to push the limits of what I'm capable of. Resilience is the audacity to keep telling yourself "Yes, I can!" even in the face of countless "No, we found someone better." There may be people who are better fit for certain positions than you for whatever reason, but you can make something out of yourself despite these rejections. It takes restructuring, re-strategizing, and resilience. I wanted to start this blog to really start sharing my experiences, resources, projects, and really a channel for me to open myself up with hopes that it may help someone who comes across this blog. If you made it this far in reading, thank you for your time and I hope you reach your goals in life and enjoyed the journey along the way :)

[hrtechnology25]

AITech Interview with Hernan Arber, AI Product Strategy Lead at UserWay

Delve into the future of AI and accessibility with Hernan Arber, AI Product Strategy Lead at UserWay.

Could you please tell us about your background and how you entered the industry?

I am an entrepreneur, musician, and software engineer. I’ve had an extensive career in the startup industry spanning nearly two decades. I began my journey in the industry as a junior developer, and over time, I worked my way up to engineering director. Now, I lead the AI product strategy at UserWay.

Also Read: Hadoop for Beginners

While attending university, an interest in artificial intelligence sparked, so I focused on AI-based technologies and their applications. My thesis, “An AI-based Musical Sequencing System,” served as the culmination of my studies and earned me my Bachelor’s degree in computer science, and I’ve been delving deeper into AI ever since.

When it comes to product strategy and development, what is your approach? Can you guide us through your process, starting from the inception of the idea to the execution of FixMyCode.ai?

My approach to product strategy is relatively straightforward. I need to understand the data inputs and how we can optimize the sources. After processing these, I need to understand the required processes for this data and, finally, how we want to present the output in a user-friendly way that produces the WOW-Effect to offer a world-class experience. FixMyCode.ai originated internally at UserWay to help developers enhance website accessibility using AI. Over time, it evolved into the FixMyCode experience that is now available for everyone to use and enjoy for free. My involvement in FixMyCode focused on optimizing the processes, organizing the team, and working on the deployment stage, which included working on the UX and delivering the product to the world. Ultimately, the credit belongs to the team at UserWay.

Visit AITechPark for cutting-edge Tech Trends around AI

[nathanleesstuff]

As a software engineer, this isn't the first time you accidentally summoned an extradimensional being...

The scent of freshly brewed coffee had become a constant presence in the office, evident from the multitude of mugs and cups scattered on the desk beside the keyboard. As I laid down my coffee mug alongside the others, I took a small sip, relishing on the beverage. My attention was captured by the monitors in front of me. To my right, my favorite IDE was adorned with a colorful array of functions, variables, and comments, resembling a Christmas tree. On the other monitor, a browser displayed various open tabs – forums, documentation, chatGPT, and Spotify. I removed my glasses and rubbed my eyes, feeling the weight of fatigue. It took a moment for my vision to refocus.

My gaze drifted across the code and the numerous files; nothing appeared out of order. Another sip of coffee preceded my scroll through the codebase. The console remained void of compilation errors, which only enhanced the problem. Returning to the browser, one of the tabs was linked to the dev team's ticket system. A solitary ticket caught my eye, initiated by a Junior Developer and assigned to me. The message read: "I attempted to optimize the code in main.py, as some functions seemed incorrectly implemented. However, after making a few changes, the program now fails to connect to the API for the latest data (sweating smile emoji). Could you please take a look? Thank youuu."

Beneath this opening message was a chat log that brought back frustrations – a conversation between the Junior Dev and me: "Me: Sure thing, I can check that out. Just make sure not to save these changes on the development server next time, okay? Which lines or functions did you modify? I can't seem to find the commit changes you pushed..." After a 20-minute wait, a reply finally arrived: "J.Dev: No idea."

Reading this exchange once again made my blood boil. My gaze flicked to the clock on the monitor – it was 2:21 a.m. I could address this during regular hours, but alas, it was Friday. Who puts in their best effort on a Friday? "Well, technically... it is Friday," I muttered, berating my thoughts. "Why am I even thinki—" Just as I was about to ponder the nature of my thoughts narrating my life and criticising my very own choices, they were interrupted by an observation: an unclosed bracket! A loop had been left open, and the excitement of rectifying it and formatting the code was immeasurable.

With a sense of triumph, I saved the file and executed the shortcut for compilation. Finally, after hours of debugging, I am do- "404 Not Found Error"... I let out a frustrated sigh, gently tapping my finger on the table. "I'd do anything to fix this mess!" I exclaimed, running my hands through my hair and scratching my head, almost as if summoning a genie. Just then, a thunderclap sounded outside, and an unexpected rainstorm ensued, defying the summer season. Startled, I stood up and approached the window. Rain poured down, accompanied by rumbling thunders that took over the skies.

Observing the clock again, which now read 2:22 a.m., I groaned. "Oh no..." Rubbing my temples, I opened the door to my office, only to be sitting back in my chair moments later. The sound of footsteps originated from the hallway, announcing the arrival of an elderly man, A distinguished grey beard adorned his face, and he was adorned in a robe, with HDMI cables dangling like keys from his waist and a power glove in his right hand. "Who dares summon me? The God of Technology and all things related LTD?" he began with a dramtic monologue. However, his voice quickly normalized as he realized his surroundings. Letting out a resigned sigh, he continued, "You again? This is the third time this month."

With a chuckle, I sheepishly admitted, "You know how it is...". "Fridays, yeah." He took my mug of coffee, taking a deliberate, loud sip before gesturing towards the screen. "Have you tried turning it off and on?" he teased, dodging a pen I aimed at him. "I had to ask!" he added with a chuckle. "I've been at this for over five hours. If it were that simple, I'd have it fixed by now!"

"Alright, alright. I forget how stressed you get over this." I sighed, turning toward him. "Can't I just trade my soul for a fix or something?" He enjoyed another loud gulp of my coffee. "My visits are becoming so frequent, I should start charging by the hour. Your soul is a one-time deal, plus..." He looked away, his tone trailing off. "It's not like you have much of your soul left..." he muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me?" I quirked an eyebrow, puzzled. "Nothing, nothing. Now, come on. I'll help you this time, but you better start thinking of ways to pay me back," he advised, both of us delving into the code. We combed through every line, carefully examined every piece of documentation, and explored every possible solution. However, no solution had ever been discovered to this day. A few temporary fixes were implemented, along with a note: "[TODO: Find a better fix for this.]"

Days rolled on without any significant developments. After all, why fix what didn't seem broken? Everything was fine. Until one day. Another Junior Dev stumbled upon the very function we had been wrestling with. Observing the comment, they took it upon themselves to improve the code, driven by the belief that they could break that puzzle. Regrettably, their enthusiasm led to hasty pushes without proper testing, resulting in the program's failure to connect to the API. In desperation, they turned to the team's Ticket System and opened a new ticket, echoing the familiar words: "I attempted to optimize the code in main.py, as some functions seemed incorrectly implemented. However, after making a few changes, the program now fails to connect to the API for the latest data (sweating smile emoji). Could you please take a look? Thank youuu."

[thetulpartech]

[Passage 2 - Before Tulpar]

— — —

Before I sent in a job application for Pony Express’s software engineer position, I had a previous job. Or, several previous jobs, actually.

You see, Pony Express had hired me a couple of times in the past, the first being straight out of high school. However, the jobs they’d hired me for were usually more mundane. Nothing compared to their latest positions. No. Not at all. Instead of focusing on tech, they had me working as a janitor, assistant, editor, and even a junior operations director.

Of course, all of these jobs took place here on earth, instead of space. But despite all of the random side-quests Pony Express sent me on, my true passion never disappeared. Growing up, I had always admired the cosmos. The stars, planets, supernovas… everything. All I dreamt of was to be up there. In space. Living the life. I never really cared about what I’d do to get up there. All I wanted was to be able to tell younger me: “look! We made it! We’re sailing through the endless sea.”

That is, until the reality of life fell onto me like a pile of bricks. Of course, I still applied for each and every one of Pony Express’s openings, despite my ever-growing anxiety, but what can I say? I was determined.

And I still am.

I know they’re probably sick of me, but I’m doing this for younger me. Younger me who used to envision herself as an astronaut in attempt to escape reality. Younger me who used to pray she’d get sucked into a black hole (however she planned for that to happen) just so she wouldn’t have to hear her parents arguing all the time. Younger me who wanted to belong. To be free.

Sure, all I have to hang onto is my wavering hope, but there’s something inside of me. Something that tells me I’ll make it. That I’ll fulfill younger me’s dreams.

And I can’t lose that. I have to chase it. I have to do this. For her. For us.

-Dani

— — —

OOC: Hiya! I hope you’re enjoying Dani’s story so far! I’m rather proud of myself for having come up with such a complex character. I didn’t think it at the time, but Dani’s easily become one of my favourites.

Below are a couple of songs that I think Dani would resonate the most with. The first song has more to do with Dani’s childhood, whereas the second… well, you’ll find out the backstory to that one very soon.

Anyways, toodles!

-Julie (songs are linked below)

[Passage 1 - Before Tulpar]

— — —

Today, I decided to check the mail. Nothing.

I suppose I’m a just little upset. I thought I’d have gotten something by now. It’s been a month and a half since I applied for Pony Express’s software engineer position. Heck, I don’t even know if they’ve found someone for the job. I hadn’t gotten anything stating my position. Surely, I’d have been notified if they turned me down. Right? Perhaps I just have to wait. I’m probably overthinking, as per usual.

I hope I got the job. Now that I’m thinking about it, I hadn’t thought about how many applicants they must have gotten. Guess I have a shot after all.

-Dani

[scarletcomet]

the existential crisis continues as i realize that i might actually like computer engineering