Journey: Software Engineer
May 2nd, 2021
As you go through you can’t help knowing, you can always get help, but only the way you’re going.
Looking back to the beginning part of this blog I am somewhat amazed at how far I have come along this journey “into the computer” Terms that would heighten my anxiety before are common in my vocabulary. I’m no expert at all, just a student who has been “paying attention in class.”
As I wrap up my SoloLearn C++ crash course I am left with a notebook full of terminology and syntax written across the pages of my Shinola linen journal. One day I will look back a this book and smile reminiscing on how I wanted to skim past certain topics, but I always ended up coming back.
I’ve come to the realization along this ‘coding’ journey that I will probably need to enroll in a Bootcamp course or gain a mentor to actually have these concepts hold space in my mental library. For now though I’m following tutorials and peeking into Git Hub to search for interesting projects that I can compile into a larger project for myself.
I have my eyes on autonomous delivery robots, artificial intelligence security systems and most importantly projects in the food technology space. As I move closer to completing my SoloLearn(currently 65% complete) course work I believe it’s time to choose a project and start coding, on my own.
Thanks for reading, the next update should give larger insight into a project I have chosen.
April 20th, 2021
So I think I missed a couple weeks?
All is good in the pursuit of software development. Sadly that job that I thought was a blessing from God turned out to be a prank call from the devil lol. To make it short, it was a scam that looking back on it I shouldn’t have fallen for but I was desperate in those times, and desperation without patience can lead to all sorts of chaos entering one’s life.
The scam worked like this:
You would apply for a job on Linkedin and receive an offer letter with all the Linkedin letterheads and logos. The email would ask you to send an email to another person to accept your offer and handle on-boarding.[RED FLAG] After that email is sent you’ll receive another one asking you to fill out a questionnaire, and asking if you had questions. (I asked what the exact job description was, but they didn’t respond to that email [RED FLAG]). Finally you’d receive an email from the “interviewer” saying you’ve been accepted and that you need to email the HR department to set up an on boarding time. [RED FLAG]. Finally when I “accepted” the offer they asked for a picture of my current ID and Bank account??[RED FLAG] at this moment I searched for the original company that I applied with and emailed their Fraud department to report the suspicious activity. Well turns out, it was a scam trying to get my bank details via emotional intelligence practices. Many will read this and say “Why did I go so far?” My simply response would be “Na Money make me do am” :)
Inside the mishap of the scam job, I learned to keep applying even when things seem good. Always keep applying.
So moving onto the coding portion of life. After completing video tutorials and working on practice problems I found SoloLearn and it’s been heaven-sent. The easy-to-use tutorials coupled with interactive design make it the go-to destination for me to learn how to code in the C++ language. The journey to Software development still remains a long road ahead though. As every day passes, I realize that this road will take years to actually see the progress I dreamed of. So it’s a good thing that I’m starting now instead of 5 years into the future.
As a result of diving into the Software/Technology space, I’ve found that my previous skills are aligned with the role of a Project Manager. From managing landscaping companies to building my own business, I’ve learned about the immense amount of organization it takes to truly build a product for a customer. Applying for work is a skill in its own realm, so this new endeavor has been interesting to me. For example, previously I was being lazy by just clicking easy Apply on the Linkedin tabs, I would click through 100s of jobs just applying and notice that 800 other people have done the same. It was in this instance that I realized it might suit me better to just send a direct message to companies I’m interested in working for. And guess what? It’s worked so far, already have 2 (short)interviews this week. I think all those years of traveling and being nimble on my feet have taught me the importance of quickly pivoting to new solutions when old ones become inhibited.
April 3rd, 2021
I think i’m getting a hang of things.
So it’s been roughly a week and some change since I decided to embark on this journey of software engineering/development depending on who you ask. I’ve dedicated myself to two hours minimum of self study throughout the day, which I must say has been paying of exponentially. It’s surprising what a little bit of effort can do to your life in such a short time.
I’ve taken to YouTube ‘University’ to go about my learning process so far. The e-books were becoming complicated with outdated syntax and line commands. I found myself on Stackoverflow (Developer resource site) more times than necessary because of outdated. Although the books are “outdated” I still find them useful to help with theory and syntax as well as sample problems.
My book of choice is C++ Programming by Bjarne Stroustrup the creator of C++ language. I’ve become a somewhat fanboy of Bjarne over the last week or so. Tuning into podcasts of his and pouring over interviews of him from over the years. I believe it’s important to dive into the mind of the person you want to become to find similarities and use them to your benefit. So far the only benefits i’ve found between the two of us is that we are male and breath oxygen lol. I’m sure over time i’ll be able to spot more similarities though.
By the way my new complier/IDE is XCode!
Alongside learning C++ i’ve also begun researching companies i’d like to work for in the future. As my interest is on machine learning and AI i’ve been diving deep into companies around the US to gain an understanding of what they’re looking for. This in turn has given me a new task of combing through career pages and researching new skills like (AWS,SQL, Debuggers, etc).
I said that I would start applying for jobs after one month,but I jumped the gun and have begun applying for positions who share some functionalities with my future dream work. I’ve had two interviews thus far and one offer.
Alot can happen in a short time if you set your goals on something!
See you soon…
March 24th 2021
Complacency destroys the brain.
Getting older every year I try and give myself new goals to accomplish. Goals that push the boundaries of my being whether learning a new language or getting better at physical activity. I see the task in front of me as being attainable with discipline. Almost 4 months into the new year I’ve decided to add a new goal to my list. Software Engineer. I’ve always thought about learning this skill yet my confidence would wane anytime I looked at the computer screen filled with strange words and colors and no pictures.
Randomly I was on Linkedin and typed in ‘C++ jobs in Chicago’ I saw job postings with a $250k salary. While this is on the high end it still intrigued me. I spend a good amount of time on my computer anyway building my business so why not use the time behind the screen to learn skills that could transform my life?
So I decided to start my journey into Software Engineering.
My language of choice? C++
I chose C++ because it was the most common language that comes up when companies are discussing self-driving vehicles. This has always been interesting to me. I remember 2 years back after I finished a quick game of pick-up basketball, I and some guys were discussing autonomous cars and one guy shouted out “It could never happen in Nigeria…” When he said that I didn’t believe him. Hell they’re sending robots to Mars and that area is rough terrain so this Nigeria place can’t be too tough to figure out. Who knows maybe I’ll be the one to figure it out (Mark this sentence in history ;) )
So here we go I’ve downloaded an entry-level C++ introduction book and have downloaded CodeLite onto my MacBook Air. Already I’ve run into troubles with the program so I walked away from it for an hour to re-calibrate how I’ll need to approach this coding to become successful at it.(Back at my desk the program won’t open! :(
I’m sure it will take me a while before I can say I’m 100% but in the next month I’m gonna start applying for jobs in C++ even with my elementary skills, no better time like the present. Also learning these new skills will help me build my company NeuBite better instead of outsourcing all my work I can start feeling more confident to take some of it on myself.
I’ll commit myself to be consistent and updating this medium post to let you know how far along I’ve been coming.
So here we go!
