Podcast #2 - Becoming a Senior Software Engineer in Just 2 Years
Sigma School
19th September 2024
In this episode, Sigma School talks with Naqiuddin, also known as Din, a senior project engineer who left his job to pursue coding.
In just two years, he's earned the 'senior' title again—this time in a role he's always dreamed of.
Watch the video below or continue reading Din's story.
Din shares his journey into software engineering.
He currently works at a company that develops full-stack systems for fuel retail, handling everything from the pumps to the cashier and HQ. When asked if it’s a large company, Din confirms that it is.
Before he switched to coding, Din was a senior project engineer in construction, managing various projects.
After three years in that role, he felt the need for a change and began looking into new opportunities.
He noticed the growing demand for data analysts and data scientists, which sparked his interest in tech.
By 2021, with tech careers booming, Din decided to dive into coding and hasn’t looked back since.
Din explains that he initially wanted to pursue a career in data analytics.
He started taking online courses, dedicating an hour or two after work to learning. Even with a senior role at his job, he stayed disciplined and committed to self-learning.
However, after some time, Din realized that coding itself wasn’t the issue; it was the heavy focus on statistics and probability in data analytics that didn’t appeal to him.
He briefly explored other interests but eventually took time to reflect on his journey.
Looking back at his data analytics projects, he realized that he actually enjoyed the coding aspect—it was just the statistical part he didn’t connect with.
This reflection led him to explore other coding opportunities that didn’t involve as much focus on statistics, guiding him towards a new path in software development.
Related Article: Reasons People Fail to Learn Coding (And How to Improve)
When asked how he found Sigma School’s coding bootcamp, Din explains that it was after five years into his career when he discovered his passion for software development.
He had previously explored data analytics during his third year but now felt it was time for a change.
As he reflected, he realized he was getting older and needed to take decisive action.
Din did his research and saw many online resources and advice suggesting self-learning.
While he had tried that approach before, he decided that if he was serious about making a career switch, he didn’t want to juggle learning and working at the same time.
Instead, he wanted to quit his job and fully dedicate himself to learning software development.
He chose a bootcamp because it provided a structured and stable learning process, something he felt was more reliable than trying to piece together resources online.
Ultimately, he believed that having someone guide and teach him would be more effective than self-learning.
So, with full resolve, Din quit his job and dived headfirst into Sigma School’s coding BootCamp.
Learn More: Choosing the Right Coding Bootcamp for Beginners
Din explains that quitting his job, especially as a senior project engineer, was a drastic decision.
He knew it would mean a significant drop in salary and more uncertainty, which is why he felt self-learning wasn’t the best option for him.
The thought of getting stuck without guidance would have only added to the stress.
When asked if he ever regretted it, Din admits that while he had some doubts along the way, he never truly regretted the decision.
There were moments when he thought about how staying in his previous job might have been easier, but joining the bootcamp provided him with something valuable—support.
The presence of instructors and classmates helped him stay mentally stable during the challenging learning process.
Having others to learn with made the journey less overwhelming.
Read Further: How to Know When a Career Change is Right for You
When asked about his expectations versus the reality of the coding program, Din shares that they were quite aligned.
He expected proper guidance and support, and that's exactly what he received.
His top expectation was to have structured guidance, and his secondary hope was for moral and mental support from his peers, both of which came true.
Din mentions that the bootcamp instructor at the time, MJ, played a significant role in helping him understand difficult concepts.
MJ provided 1-on-1 sessions whenever Din needed extra help, which exceeded his expectations.
He enjoyed the experience not only because of the guidance but also due to the community aspect.
After classes, he and his friends would discuss challenges they faced, and knowing others were going through the same struggles made the process more manageable.
When someone understood a topic better, they would help fill in the gaps for others, which Din found incredibly valuable.
Overall, the program both met and exceeded his expectations, and he expressed how much he loved the collaborative and supportive environment.
Learn More: Is a Coding Bootcamp Worth It?
When asked about the hardest skill to learn during the bootcamp, Din’s response wasn’t what you'd expect.
Instead of mentioning a technical skill, he highlighted the importance of learning to accept that you don't know everything.
He explained that this mindset shift was crucial for his success.
Acknowledging that there will always be something you don’t know—even as a senior or tech lead—is the first step to successful learning.
Din emphasized that having the humility to keep learning and not letting ego get in the way was key to his growth, both in the bootcamp and in his transition from senior project engineer to software engineer.
This openness to learning, Din believes, played a significant role in his success as he navigated his career change.
When asked about his most memorable moment from the bootcamp, Din shared that it was when he graduated.
It was a mix of emotions—good because he had successfully completed four months of hard work, but also bittersweet as it marked the start of a new challenge: job hunting.
He explained how, up until that point, his focus had been solely on learning. But once the bootcamp ended, the pressure to find a job set in.
There were moments of doubt, especially when he considered not having a computer science degree. He wondered if this would affect his chances with interviewers.
Despite this, Din maintained confidence in himself.
He acknowledged that while he didn’t have a traditional computer science background, he still had his degree in mechanical engineering, which he believed brought value to the table.
That confidence helped him navigate the uncertainties of the job search process.
When discussing the challenges he faced during the bootcamp, Din pointed out that being an online student can feel isolating.
Even though you have classmates, once the camera is off, you're essentially learning on your own.
He mentioned that he would have preferred to join the on-site classes, but given his situation as an online student, he had to find ways to cope.
One of the key ways Din overcame this challenge was by reaching out for help.
He emphasized the importance of not being afraid to contact instructors, as they are there to support you.
He shared that during his time in the bootcamp, the afternoons were designated as office hours, specifically for students to get help from instructors.
Din admitted that initially, he hesitated, thinking he could solve problems on his own.
However, he realized that if you struggle for too long, it’s better to reach out and get the problem solved quickly rather than spending unnecessary time stuck.
This approach helped him stay on track and make the most of his learning experience.
Read Further: How Hard is a Coding Bootcamp?
When asked about skills he learned beyond coding, Din highlighted the importance of attention to detail.
In software development, he explained, every colon, semicolon, and dot matters. This focus on being meticulous became a crucial skill for him.
Initially, Din made many small mistakes, like missing punctuation in his code, but over time he learned to double-check his work.
He developed the habit of carefully reviewing everything to ensure it was correct.
He also realized that sometimes issues in code aren’t due to major errors—often, it's something as simple as a missing dot.
This helped him avoid overthinking and stay calm when troubleshooting.
When asked how he overcame his doubts along the way, Din acknowledged that it’s normal to have doubts, especially when making a big career switch.
He admitted that a part of him still has some doubts, but the key to overcoming them was focusing on what he truly wanted and what he was passionate about.
He reflected on the fact that this is the only life we get, and if you’re passionate about something, you have to go for it or risk regretting it later.
Din reminded himself that he had already made a big decision by quitting his job, so turning back wasn’t an option.
He knew he could have been successful in his previous career, but the thought of looking back in a few years and wondering "what if" pushed him to keep moving forward without hesitation.
Din shared details about his final project in the bootcamp, which was a task delegation app.
Drawing from his experience as a project engineer, he noticed a common issue—he would often get mixed up between tasks assigned to him and those he delegated to others.
To solve this problem, he created an app that helped track and organize task delegation more efficiently.
Din found it exciting to create something that directly addressed a challenge he had faced in his previous career.
While there are many task management apps available, he felt most of them were overly complicated.
His goal was to build something simple and focused specifically on task delegation.
The project was challenging, but thanks to the first three months of learning in the bootcamp, it was doable.
The final project came together during the fourth month, where Din could apply everything he had learned.
However, the final stretch was especially tough, as it coincided with the Aidilfitri holiday, leaving him with only three weeks to complete the project instead of the usual four.
Despite this, he put in sleepless nights to ensure it was finished on time.
Din shared that his final project played a significant role in helping him secure his current job.
During the interview, instead of a live coding session, the interviewers asked him to open his GitHub and walk them through his code.
They were focused on seeing real-world projects to assess his understanding of coding concepts.
Din explained his task delegation app during the interview, and he believes that his ability to clearly articulate his code and demonstrate practical experience is what the interviewers appreciated.
He also emphasized that having more projects under his belt gave him an edge, as it showed his practical experience and hands-on approach to solving real problems.
Related Article: Coding Bootcamp with Job Placements
Din shared that the process of finding a job after graduating from the bootcamp wasn't easy and took him about two months.
During that time, he attended multiple interviews, and while the interviewers often asked why he switched careers, their primary concern was whether he could do the job.
Some gave him take-home assessments, while others conducted live coding sessions.
He felt that, regardless of his qualifications, being able to excel in those assessments proved that he was capable of doing the job.
Din wasn’t overly concerned about lacking a traditional computer science degree. He believed that completing the bootcamp qualified him for a job in software development.
His main concern was whether he could successfully complete the technical assessments.
However, he was surprised to find that many companies were open to candidates using resources like Google during live coding assessments, which reflected how real-world software engineering works.
He shared that problem-solving is key, and knowing what to Google and understanding how to apply the information is a vital skill in the industry.
Despite the challenges, including over 70 to 80 rejections, Din never regretted his decision to attend the BootCamp.
After two months, he secured a one-month internship with a startup, and during that internship, he was offered a full-time position at another company.
Although there were moments when he considered returning to project engineering, he pushed through, reminding himself that the four months he invested in learning would be wasted if he gave up.
In the end, he saw it as an investment in his future, and his perseverance paid off.
When asked where he sees himself in the next two years in tech, Din reflected on his past experience as a project engineer, where he aimed to gain seniority within five years but achieved it in just two.
Now, as a senior software engineer, his goal is similar—to continue learning as much as he can and aim for further growth in his career.
He acknowledges that while becoming a senior engineer again within two years is his goal, he's also content with where he is now.
Even if he doesn't achieve that title in the same timeframe, Din feels confident that he's on the right path and already proud of reaching his current senior role.
When asked for advice for those considering a career switch, especially those in senior positions like he once was, Din wholeheartedly supports the idea.
He acknowledges the doubts that often come with such a big decision, as he experienced them himself. His advice is to plan carefully.
Din suggests outlining what you need to do to make the transition, and having a backup plan in case things don’t go as expected.
He emphasizes that having a plan gives you peace of mind, knowing you’ve prepared for different outcomes.
Most importantly, Din believes that once you’ve mapped everything out, you need to trust yourself.
He points out that your biggest challenge will often be overcoming your own self-doubt, so having confidence in your decision is key to moving forward successfully.
Despite the challenges and doubts, Din successfully transitioned into a new field and reached his goal in a remarkably short time.
His story serves as a reminder that with the right mindset, a solid plan, and confidence in yourself, it’s possible to reinvent your career and achieve success in an entirely new domain.
Din’s experience offers valuable insights for anyone considering a similar career change, showing that with dedication, the rewards can be worth the leap.
