How to become a software engineer [CANADA EDITION]

[halfbreedmixedcel]

If you're not Canadian or if you're over the age of 17 this guide is not for you.

---

This is a guide on how to become a SWE in Canada.

First, some terms you should know:
SWE := Software Engineer
LC := LeetCode
OA := Online Assessment
FAANG/MANGO := Big tech
UW, UBC, UofT := look it up retard
NGMI := not gonna make it
supp apps := supplementary applications
ATS := Applicant Tracking System
RO := Return offer



Stage 1: High school

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

In your last two years of high school, your goal is to optimize your chances of getting into UW. UofT and UBC are okay too. If you can't get into any of these schools, just go to whatever is cheapest (factor in tuition costs, scholarships, housing, etc). More on this later.
You need to optimize your grades. Ideally, you'll be as close to 100 as possible. Grade 11 is a good time to build good habits and learn how to study, because your grades matter the most in grade 12. There are guides on how to study, my advice is to find a youtube channel that aligns with how you learn.

You will also need extracurriculars for most top programs. Do math contests (CCC, Euclid), and become the president of one club + an executive member of another. Ideally one of these clubs will be academic, and one for social good / personal interests, whatever helps you larp. You likely won't get checked on your club positions so feel free to lie on your supp apps.

You'll have to apply for university programs around November of your grade 12 year. Apply for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (in that order of priority) for the following universities: UW, UofT, UBC. Also pick one safety school. A safety school is any school where you're 100% confident you can get in to. Ideally it should be nearby, so you don't waste a shit ton of money on a shitty education.

Be sure to enjoy your final year of high school. It's the last time you'll get to be a child. That being said, be sure to learn the fundamentals of programming (the basics of at least one OOP language, I suggest Python or Java). You'll need to have a head start on your CS education, so now's a good time to start.

Stage 2: Early University

I will assume you got into a decent program. At this point, you have two goals:
1. Stay on top of schoolwork
2. Craft your resume + leetcode skills to secure a club/research position

Many people say that GPA doesn't matter for SWEs so paying attention in school is a waste of time. What they don't realize is that when your interviewer asks you to describe what a race condition is and you freeze up, the interviewer will reject you on the spot. Fuck your elective classes, just do whatever it takes to pass those. Only tryhard in your CS classes. Showing up to and participating in classes is also a good way to make friends and get to know your profs. They will be very useful to you throughout your career.

You need to start working on your resume ASAP. If you're in a co-op program, your advisors will likely help you a bit. However, their advice is super outdated and should be used only as a starting point. Look up "Jake's Resume" and use that format, create an overleaf account and learn some basic LaTeX. It's the most ATS-optimized resume template, and tech recruiters prefer looking at Jakes' resumes because they are very easy to skim through.

Ideally you should have a few non-coursework projects on your resume. You'll need to use this to apply for some club/research positions. Any general developer position in a club is a good start. If you can work on a development project with a professor (like the ones you met through showing up to class), that's even better. Having a professor who can train you will be lifechanging.

You will want to larp and put your club/research experience under the 'Experience' section on your resume. Don't have them as projects. You will need to make your resume as hyper-optimized as possible (use ChatGPT), because 1st and 2nd year internships are extremely brutal. However, apply for as many as you can. Job hunting is truly a numbers game.

Stage 3: Job Hunting

You want to put up as many shots as possible. Apply within 24 hours of a job being posted. I suggest using Hiring Cafe, and bookmarking a nice set of filters and checking that daily. You can also use your co-op job board, but unless you're at UW it will be dogshit. Apply with referrals whenever possible, but what matters most is the volume of applications you send out. Get your resume reviewed often (by a wide range of people, not just your friends) and keep working on your projects.

By the time you start job hunting, you'll want to work on your LC as well. Start off by doing the Neetcode 150, and keep grinding until you can do any LC Med in around 30 minutes. The LC grind is something that should be treated as a marathon, not a race. It can't be learned overnight, and you'll have to remain consistent for most of your university career. If you aren't acing your OAs, you should take that as a sign to keep working on your LC.

One tip I have for job hunting is that off-cycle internships are way easier to get. Off-cycle internships are any co-op terms that are not during the summer. They have way less competition, since they require you to fuck up your course sequencing (unless you're UW). The first internship is always the hardest to get, so it's 100% worth to even sacrifice a whole year from your graduation date to secure the job.

Stage 4: Late University

After you've gotten a few valuable experiences, you need to prepare for your graduation. Your goal is to complete a co-op in your final summer (8 months before graduation) with a company that hands out ROs like candy. These companies are the ones with large, structured co-op programs. Any company that hires 100+ interns per 4 month term will likely exclusively convert interns for their newgrad pipeline. These are usually FAANG companies, but there are often exceptions.

To land a co-op at one of these companies, you should maximize your reach by attending recruiter events and hackathons. This is where going to a shit school would really fuck you over, since large companies won't bother visiting any shit schools. One key hackathon to look out for is Hack The North. Be sure to apply early, since admissions are usually rolling. Companies will set up interview booths here and interview people on the spot. You can get access to HTN-exclusive applicant pools with companies like Amazon, Shopify, RBC, etc. These companies are the ones that hand out a lot of ROs to interns who are graduating soon.

At this point, if you don't secure an internship that gives you an RO, it's worth it to delay your graduation to keep looking. You don't want to enter the newgrad job market without any offers, since it is 10x more brutal than the co-op job market.

Stage 5: Early Career

Unless you ate shit somewhere along the process, you should have a full time newgrad job where you are being compensated decently. However, you're now in a whole new world of layoffs, AI-induced firing, retarded executives, and coworker drama. You won't really get any moments of peace, and you'll probably want to end up like this guy:

I hope this guide was able to help anyone who's interested in becoming a SWE in the future. If this seems like too much work to you (it's an extremely simplified version of the actual process btw), you should stick to being a plumber or electrician.

If you have any questions about the process or requests for any resources, just lmk.

 

[babyshan]

I'm at waterloo and recently got a big tech internship paying like 8.5k a month. I honestly don't think it's really feasible to make big tech outside of waterloo anymore, even like half of waterloo cs/se never makes it to big tech these days. Pretty much nobody from other programs gets in either. My friends at shopify said it's like 90% waterloo interns there, and shopify aint even all that lmao.

Personally, I don't think swe is really worth it as a career path unless you're really smart (top of hs and above average at waterloo), have good communication, and are naturally talented at designing and building things. It's not enough to just be smart, the giga autistic high iq kids at waterloo actually have worse careers than the well rounded likeable kids with good engineering instinct from what I've seen.

 

[FutureExoticChad]

If you're not Canadian or if you're over the age of 17 this guide is not for you.

---

This is a guide on how to become a SWE in Canada.

First, some terms you should know:
SWE := Software Engineer
LC := LeetCode
OA := Online Assessment
FAANG/MANGO := Big tech
UW, UBC, UofT := look it up retard
NGMI := not gonna make it
supp apps := supplementary applications
ATS := Applicant Tracking System
RO := Return offer



Stage 1: High school

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

In your last two years of high school, your goal is to optimize your chances of getting into UW. UofT and UBC are okay too. If you can't get into any of these schools, just go to whatever is cheapest (factor in tuition costs, scholarships, housing, etc). More on this later.
You need to optimize your grades. Ideally, you'll be as close to 100 as possible. Grade 11 is a good time to build good habits and learn how to study, because your grades matter the most in grade 12. There are guides on how to study, my advice is to find a youtube channel that aligns with how you learn.

You will also need extracurriculars for most top programs. Do math contests (CCC, Euclid), and become the president of one club + an executive member of another. Ideally one of these clubs will be academic, and one for social good / personal interests, whatever helps you larp. You likely won't get checked on your club positions so feel free to lie on your supp apps.

You'll have to apply for university programs around November of your grade 12 year. Apply for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (in that order of priority) for the following universities: UW, UofT, UBC. Also pick one safety school. A safety school is any school where you're 100% confident you can get in to. Ideally it should be nearby, so you don't waste a shit ton of money on a shitty education.

Be sure to enjoy your final year of high school. It's the last time you'll get to be a child. That being said, be sure to learn the fundamentals of programming (the basics of at least one OOP language, I suggest Python or Java). You'll need to have a head start on your CS education, so now's a good time to start.

Stage 2: Early University

I will assume you got into a decent program. At this point, you have two goals:
1. Stay on top of schoolwork
2. Craft your resume + leetcode skills to secure a club/research position

Many people say that GPA doesn't matter for SWEs so paying attention in school is a waste of time. What they don't realize is that when your interviewer asks you to describe what a race condition is and you freeze up, the interviewer will reject you on the spot. Fuck your elective classes, just do whatever it takes to pass those. Only tryhard in your CS classes. Showing up to and participating in classes is also a good way to make friends and get to know your profs. They will be very useful to you throughout your career.

You need to start working on your resume ASAP. If you're in a co-op program, your advisors will likely help you a bit. However, their advice is super outdated and should be used only as a starting point. Look up "Jake's Resume" and use that format, create an overleaf account and learn some basic LaTeX. It's the most ATS-optimized resume template, and tech recruiters prefer looking at Jakes' resumes because they are very easy to skim through.

Ideally you should have a few non-coursework projects on your resume. You'll need to use this to apply for some club/research positions. Any general developer position in a club is a good start. If you can work on a development project with a professor (like the ones you met through showing up to class), that's even better. Having a professor who can train you will be lifechanging.

You will want to larp and put your club/research experience under the 'Experience' section on your resume. Don't have them as projects. You will need to make your resume as hyper-optimized as possible (use ChatGPT), because 1st and 2nd year internships are extremely brutal. However, apply for as many as you can. Job hunting is truly a numbers game.

Stage 3: Job Hunting

You want to put up as many shots as possible. Apply within 24 hours of a job being posted. I suggest using Hiring Cafe, and bookmarking a nice set of filters and checking that daily. You can also use your co-op job board, but unless you're at UW it will be dogshit. Apply with referrals whenever possible, but what matters most is the volume of applications you send out. Get your resume reviewed often (by a wide range of people, not just your friends) and keep working on your projects.

By the time you start job hunting, you'll want to work on your LC as well. Start off by doing the Neetcode 150, and keep grinding until you can do any LC Med in around 30 minutes. The LC grind is something that should be treated as a marathon, not a race. It can't be learned overnight, and you'll have to remain consistent for most of your university career. If you aren't acing your OAs, you should take that as a sign to keep working on your LC.

One tip I have for job hunting is that off-cycle internships are way easier to get. Off-cycle internships are any co-op terms that are not during the summer. They have way less competition, since they require you to fuck up your course sequencing (unless you're UW). The first internship is always the hardest to get, so it's 100% worth to even sacrifice a whole year from your graduation date to secure the job.

Stage 4: Late University

After you've gotten a few valuable experiences, you need to prepare for your graduation. Your goal is to complete a co-op in your final summer (8 months before graduation) with a company that hands out ROs like candy. These companies are the ones with large, structured co-op programs. Any company that hires 100+ interns per 4 month term will likely exclusively convert interns for their newgrad pipeline. These are usually FAANG companies, but there are often exceptions.

To land a co-op at one of these companies, you should maximize your reach by attending recruiter events and hackathons. This is where going to a shit school would really fuck you over, since large companies won't bother visiting any shit schools. One key hackathon to look out for is Hack The North. Be sure to apply early, since admissions are usually rolling. Companies will set up interview booths here and interview people on the spot. You can get access to HTN-exclusive applicant pools with companies like Amazon, Shopify, RBC, etc. These companies are the ones that hand out a lot of ROs to interns who are graduating soon.

At this point, if you don't secure an internship that gives you an RO, it's worth it to delay your graduation to keep looking. You don't want to enter the newgrad job market without any offers, since it is 10x more brutal than the co-op job market.

Stage 5: Early Career

Unless you ate shit somewhere along the process, you should have a full time newgrad job where you are being compensated decently. However, you're now in a whole new world of layoffs, AI-induced firing, retarded executives, and coworker drama. You won't really get any moments of peace, and you'll probably want to end up like this guy:

View attachment 4289752


I hope this guide was able to help anyone who's interested in becoming a SWE in the future. If this seems like too much work to you (it's an extremely simplified version of the actual process btw), you should stick to being a plumber or electrician.

If you have any questions about the process or requests for any resources, just lmk.

Or you can just be indian

 

[Amex.]

whole thread is cope aint no one becoming a softrware engineer from this

 

[Deleted member 249788]

all this just to be taken over by ai

 

[mcmentalonthemic]

all this just to be taken over by ai

AI is a meme

 

[Deleted member 104869]

I'm at waterloo

 

[NotAMogger]

I'm at waterloo and recently got a big tech internship paying like 8.5k a month. I honestly don't think it's really feasible to make big tech outside of waterloo anymore, even like half of waterloo cs/se never makes it to big tech these days. Pretty much nobody from other programs gets in either. My friends at shopify said it's like 90% waterloo interns there, and shopify aint even all that lmao.

Personally, I don't think swe is really worth it as a career path unless you're really smart (top of hs and above average at waterloo), have good communication, and are naturally talented at designing and building things. It's not enough to just be smart, the giga autistic high iq kids at waterloo actually have worse careers than the well rounded likeable kids with good engineering instinct from what I've seen.

I heard these days low-level unis like Ryerson are rejecting people with low 90 averages.

 

[Chasingthedream569]

Threads name should be: How to destroy every chance you have if you wanna become swe (cope edition)

 

[codeberserk]

I'm just curious, you wrote down a plan on how to become an SE.

But who the fuck are you?

 

[Glorious King]

@Jason Voorhees this youre alt?

 

[KKamikaze]

Pajeetmaxxing

@browncurrycel @Glorious King @Jason Voorhees

 

[Glorious King]

Pajeetmaxxing

@browncurrycel @Glorious King @Jason Voorhees

nigga im paki

currently in aus

 

[KKamikaze]

nigga im paki

currently in aus

@Jager I found your brother

 

[Glorious King]

@Jager I found your brother

ye he knows

 

[KKamikaze]

ye he knows
View attachment 4294303

My bhais from the cornershop

 

[Glorious King]

My bhais from the cornershop

me and @Jager if we didn't ascend

 

[Jason Voorhees]

Pajeetmaxxing

@browncurrycel @Glorious King @Jason Voorhees

@Jason Voorhees this youre alt?

I'll read this in a bit and respond afterwards

 

[Jager]

me and @Jager if we didn't ascend

View attachment 4294304

gotta respect the hustle man
anything for em ruppeez

 

[Glorious King]

gotta respect the hustle man
anything for em ruppeez

YEA WORD

ATLEAST THEY AINT GONNA SAY " REDEEM THE CARD, STAPID FOOL "

 

[babyshan]

I heard these days low-level unis like Ryerson are rejecting people with low 90 averages.

They are, which is a good thing in my opinion because I don't think anyone who only had low 90s in high school really has what it takes to be a successful software engineer. Even if they magically got into waterloo they would get absolutely killed by first year courses plus the brutal job market where you have to compete with hundreds of waterloo students who are actually smart for an internship. Getting into a target school is only like 25% of the way towards getting into big tech.

Trying to become a software engineer is a huge waste of talent for most people in my opinion. If you went to an average high school, I'd only recommend it if you were clearly the best student in your graduating class and had top-tier extracurriculars.

I can go on linkedin right now and find literally hundreds of people who are smart as fuck by normie standards who are struggling to even get entry level 5 figure swe jobs, because they went to a non-target, or they didn't get internships at the right time, or had bad communication/interviewing skill, or so many other reasons.

If you're getting low 90s you're probably smarter than 90% of people but that's shitter range for big tech. I'd say just go to a uni like western or queens where you can actually enjoy your prime years since there's bad bitches everywhere. Do something chill like civil eng or consulting where you can be successful by being well rounded, having good communication and a good network.

 

[illoan82]

If you're not Canadian or if you're over the age of 17 this guide is not for you.

---

This is a guide on how to become a SWE in Canada.

First, some terms you should know:
SWE := Software Engineer
LC := LeetCode
OA := Online Assessment
FAANG/MANGO := Big tech
UW, UBC, UofT := look it up retard
NGMI := not gonna make it
supp apps := supplementary applications
ATS := Applicant Tracking System
RO := Return offer



Stage 1: High school

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

In your last two years of high school, your goal is to optimize your chances of getting into UW. UofT and UBC are okay too. If you can't get into any of these schools, just go to whatever is cheapest (factor in tuition costs, scholarships, housing, etc). More on this later.
You need to optimize your grades. Ideally, you'll be as close to 100 as possible. Grade 11 is a good time to build good habits and learn how to study, because your grades matter the most in grade 12. There are guides on how to study, my advice is to find a youtube channel that aligns with how you learn.

You will also need extracurriculars for most top programs. Do math contests (CCC, Euclid), and become the president of one club + an executive member of another. Ideally one of these clubs will be academic, and one for social good / personal interests, whatever helps you larp. You likely won't get checked on your club positions so feel free to lie on your supp apps.

You'll have to apply for university programs around November of your grade 12 year. Apply for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (in that order of priority) for the following universities: UW, UofT, UBC. Also pick one safety school. A safety school is any school where you're 100% confident you can get in to. Ideally it should be nearby, so you don't waste a shit ton of money on a shitty education.

Be sure to enjoy your final year of high school. It's the last time you'll get to be a child. That being said, be sure to learn the fundamentals of programming (the basics of at least one OOP language, I suggest Python or Java). You'll need to have a head start on your CS education, so now's a good time to start.

Stage 2: Early University

I will assume you got into a decent program. At this point, you have two goals:
1. Stay on top of schoolwork
2. Craft your resume + leetcode skills to secure a club/research position

Many people say that GPA doesn't matter for SWEs so paying attention in school is a waste of time. What they don't realize is that when your interviewer asks you to describe what a race condition is and you freeze up, the interviewer will reject you on the spot. Fuck your elective classes, just do whatever it takes to pass those. Only tryhard in your CS classes. Showing up to and participating in classes is also a good way to make friends and get to know your profs. They will be very useful to you throughout your career.

You need to start working on your resume ASAP. If you're in a co-op program, your advisors will likely help you a bit. However, their advice is super outdated and should be used only as a starting point. Look up "Jake's Resume" and use that format, create an overleaf account and learn some basic LaTeX. It's the most ATS-optimized resume template, and tech recruiters prefer looking at Jakes' resumes because they are very easy to skim through.

Ideally you should have a few non-coursework projects on your resume. You'll need to use this to apply for some club/research positions. Any general developer position in a club is a good start. If you can work on a development project with a professor (like the ones you met through showing up to class), that's even better. Having a professor who can train you will be lifechanging.

You will want to larp and put your club/research experience under the 'Experience' section on your resume. Don't have them as projects. You will need to make your resume as hyper-optimized as possible (use ChatGPT), because 1st and 2nd year internships are extremely brutal. However, apply for as many as you can. Job hunting is truly a numbers game.

Stage 3: Job Hunting

You want to put up as many shots as possible. Apply within 24 hours of a job being posted. I suggest using Hiring Cafe, and bookmarking a nice set of filters and checking that daily. You can also use your co-op job board, but unless you're at UW it will be dogshit. Apply with referrals whenever possible, but what matters most is the volume of applications you send out. Get your resume reviewed often (by a wide range of people, not just your friends) and keep working on your projects.

By the time you start job hunting, you'll want to work on your LC as well. Start off by doing the Neetcode 150, and keep grinding until you can do any LC Med in around 30 minutes. The LC grind is something that should be treated as a marathon, not a race. It can't be learned overnight, and you'll have to remain consistent for most of your university career. If you aren't acing your OAs, you should take that as a sign to keep working on your LC.

One tip I have for job hunting is that off-cycle internships are way easier to get. Off-cycle internships are any co-op terms that are not during the summer. They have way less competition, since they require you to fuck up your course sequencing (unless you're UW). The first internship is always the hardest to get, so it's 100% worth to even sacrifice a whole year from your graduation date to secure the job.

Stage 4: Late University

After you've gotten a few valuable experiences, you need to prepare for your graduation. Your goal is to complete a co-op in your final summer (8 months before graduation) with a company that hands out ROs like candy. These companies are the ones with large, structured co-op programs. Any company that hires 100+ interns per 4 month term will likely exclusively convert interns for their newgrad pipeline. These are usually FAANG companies, but there are often exceptions.

To land a co-op at one of these companies, you should maximize your reach by attending recruiter events and hackathons. This is where going to a shit school would really fuck you over, since large companies won't bother visiting any shit schools. One key hackathon to look out for is Hack The North. Be sure to apply early, since admissions are usually rolling. Companies will set up interview booths here and interview people on the spot. You can get access to HTN-exclusive applicant pools with companies like Amazon, Shopify, RBC, etc. These companies are the ones that hand out a lot of ROs to interns who are graduating soon.

At this point, if you don't secure an internship that gives you an RO, it's worth it to delay your graduation to keep looking. You don't want to enter the newgrad job market without any offers, since it is 10x more brutal than the co-op job market.

Stage 5: Early Career

Unless you ate shit somewhere along the process, you should have a full time newgrad job where you are being compensated decently. However, you're now in a whole new world of layoffs, AI-induced firing, retarded executives, and coworker drama. You won't really get any moments of peace, and you'll probably want to end up like this guy:

View attachment 4289752


I hope this guide was able to help anyone who's interested in becoming a SWE in the future. If this seems like too much work to you (it's an extremely simplified version of the actual process btw), you should stick to being a plumber or electrician.

If you have any questions about the process or requests for any resources, just lmk.

Cope

I know a dude who went to cc then a uni then google without being a tryhard loser in hs

 

[Its_over_gooner]

If you're not Canadian or if you're over the age of 17 this guide is not for you.

---

This is a guide on how to become a SWE in Canada.

First, some terms you should know:
SWE := Software Engineer
LC := LeetCode
OA := Online Assessment
FAANG/MANGO := Big tech
UW, UBC, UofT := look it up retard
NGMI := not gonna make it
supp apps := supplementary applications
ATS := Applicant Tracking System
RO := Return offer



Stage 1: High school

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

In your last two years of high school, your goal is to optimize your chances of getting into UW. UofT and UBC are okay too. If you can't get into any of these schools, just go to whatever is cheapest (factor in tuition costs, scholarships, housing, etc). More on this later.
You need to optimize your grades. Ideally, you'll be as close to 100 as possible. Grade 11 is a good time to build good habits and learn how to study, because your grades matter the most in grade 12. There are guides on how to study, my advice is to find a youtube channel that aligns with how you learn.

You will also need extracurriculars for most top programs. Do math contests (CCC, Euclid), and become the president of one club + an executive member of another. Ideally one of these clubs will be academic, and one for social good / personal interests, whatever helps you larp. You likely won't get checked on your club positions so feel free to lie on your supp apps.

You'll have to apply for university programs around November of your grade 12 year. Apply for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (in that order of priority) for the following universities: UW, UofT, UBC. Also pick one safety school. A safety school is any school where you're 100% confident you can get in to. Ideally it should be nearby, so you don't waste a shit ton of money on a shitty education.

Be sure to enjoy your final year of high school. It's the last time you'll get to be a child. That being said, be sure to learn the fundamentals of programming (the basics of at least one OOP language, I suggest Python or Java). You'll need to have a head start on your CS education, so now's a good time to start.

Stage 2: Early University

I will assume you got into a decent program. At this point, you have two goals:
1. Stay on top of schoolwork
2. Craft your resume + leetcode skills to secure a club/research position

Many people say that GPA doesn't matter for SWEs so paying attention in school is a waste of time. What they don't realize is that when your interviewer asks you to describe what a race condition is and you freeze up, the interviewer will reject you on the spot. Fuck your elective classes, just do whatever it takes to pass those. Only tryhard in your CS classes. Showing up to and participating in classes is also a good way to make friends and get to know your profs. They will be very useful to you throughout your career.

You need to start working on your resume ASAP. If you're in a co-op program, your advisors will likely help you a bit. However, their advice is super outdated and should be used only as a starting point. Look up "Jake's Resume" and use that format, create an overleaf account and learn some basic LaTeX. It's the most ATS-optimized resume template, and tech recruiters prefer looking at Jakes' resumes because they are very easy to skim through.

Ideally you should have a few non-coursework projects on your resume. You'll need to use this to apply for some club/research positions. Any general developer position in a club is a good start. If you can work on a development project with a professor (like the ones you met through showing up to class), that's even better. Having a professor who can train you will be lifechanging.

You will want to larp and put your club/research experience under the 'Experience' section on your resume. Don't have them as projects. You will need to make your resume as hyper-optimized as possible (use ChatGPT), because 1st and 2nd year internships are extremely brutal. However, apply for as many as you can. Job hunting is truly a numbers game.

Stage 3: Job Hunting

You want to put up as many shots as possible. Apply within 24 hours of a job being posted. I suggest using Hiring Cafe, and bookmarking a nice set of filters and checking that daily. You can also use your co-op job board, but unless you're at UW it will be dogshit. Apply with referrals whenever possible, but what matters most is the volume of applications you send out. Get your resume reviewed often (by a wide range of people, not just your friends) and keep working on your projects.

By the time you start job hunting, you'll want to work on your LC as well. Start off by doing the Neetcode 150, and keep grinding until you can do any LC Med in around 30 minutes. The LC grind is something that should be treated as a marathon, not a race. It can't be learned overnight, and you'll have to remain consistent for most of your university career. If you aren't acing your OAs, you should take that as a sign to keep working on your LC.

One tip I have for job hunting is that off-cycle internships are way easier to get. Off-cycle internships are any co-op terms that are not during the summer. They have way less competition, since they require you to fuck up your course sequencing (unless you're UW). The first internship is always the hardest to get, so it's 100% worth to even sacrifice a whole year from your graduation date to secure the job.

Stage 4: Late University

After you've gotten a few valuable experiences, you need to prepare for your graduation. Your goal is to complete a co-op in your final summer (8 months before graduation) with a company that hands out ROs like candy. These companies are the ones with large, structured co-op programs. Any company that hires 100+ interns per 4 month term will likely exclusively convert interns for their newgrad pipeline. These are usually FAANG companies, but there are often exceptions.

To land a co-op at one of these companies, you should maximize your reach by attending recruiter events and hackathons. This is where going to a shit school would really fuck you over, since large companies won't bother visiting any shit schools. One key hackathon to look out for is Hack The North. Be sure to apply early, since admissions are usually rolling. Companies will set up interview booths here and interview people on the spot. You can get access to HTN-exclusive applicant pools with companies like Amazon, Shopify, RBC, etc. These companies are the ones that hand out a lot of ROs to interns who are graduating soon.

At this point, if you don't secure an internship that gives you an RO, it's worth it to delay your graduation to keep looking. You don't want to enter the newgrad job market without any offers, since it is 10x more brutal than the co-op job market.

Stage 5: Early Career

Unless you ate shit somewhere along the process, you should have a full time newgrad job where you are being compensated decently. However, you're now in a whole new world of layoffs, AI-induced firing, retarded executives, and coworker drama. You won't really get any moments of peace, and you'll probably want to end up like this guy:

View attachment 4289752


I hope this guide was able to help anyone who's interested in becoming a SWE in the future. If this seems like too much work to you (it's an extremely simplified version of the actual process btw), you should stick to being a plumber or electrician.

If you have any questions about the process or requests for any resources, just lmk.

all that to get replaced by ai in a few years unless ur the top 5% of software engineers and have something special to offer jfl ova

 

[kingofkings]

I've heard anecdotally hiring is way down because of AI. Is there any truth to this?

 

[NotAMogger]

Cope

I know a dude who went to cc then a uni then google without being a tryhard loser in hs

If not larping, he probably got in through extreme nepotism.

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

I'm just curious, you wrote down a plan on how to become an SE.

But who the fuck are you?

this isn't a plan, it's closer to the steps that I personally followed

currently SWE @ one of the big non-bank canadian companies

 

[Deleted member 261623]

If you're not Canadian or if you're over the age of 17 this guide is not for you.

---

This is a guide on how to become a SWE in Canada.

First, some terms you should know:
SWE := Software Engineer
LC := LeetCode
OA := Online Assessment
FAANG/MANGO := Big tech
UW, UBC, UofT := look it up retard
NGMI := not gonna make it
supp apps := supplementary applications
ATS := Applicant Tracking System
RO := Return offer



Stage 1: High school

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

In your last two years of high school, your goal is to optimize your chances of getting into UW. UofT and UBC are okay too. If you can't get into any of these schools, just go to whatever is cheapest (factor in tuition costs, scholarships, housing, etc). More on this later.
You need to optimize your grades. Ideally, you'll be as close to 100 as possible. Grade 11 is a good time to build good habits and learn how to study, because your grades matter the most in grade 12. There are guides on how to study, my advice is to find a youtube channel that aligns with how you learn.

You will also need extracurriculars for most top programs. Do math contests (CCC, Euclid), and become the president of one club + an executive member of another. Ideally one of these clubs will be academic, and one for social good / personal interests, whatever helps you larp. You likely won't get checked on your club positions so feel free to lie on your supp apps.

You'll have to apply for university programs around November of your grade 12 year. Apply for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (in that order of priority) for the following universities: UW, UofT, UBC. Also pick one safety school. A safety school is any school where you're 100% confident you can get in to. Ideally it should be nearby, so you don't waste a shit ton of money on a shitty education.

Be sure to enjoy your final year of high school. It's the last time you'll get to be a child. That being said, be sure to learn the fundamentals of programming (the basics of at least one OOP language, I suggest Python or Java). You'll need to have a head start on your CS education, so now's a good time to start.

Stage 2: Early University

I will assume you got into a decent program. At this point, you have two goals:
1. Stay on top of schoolwork
2. Craft your resume + leetcode skills to secure a club/research position

Many people say that GPA doesn't matter for SWEs so paying attention in school is a waste of time. What they don't realize is that when your interviewer asks you to describe what a race condition is and you freeze up, the interviewer will reject you on the spot. Fuck your elective classes, just do whatever it takes to pass those. Only tryhard in your CS classes. Showing up to and participating in classes is also a good way to make friends and get to know your profs. They will be very useful to you throughout your career.

You need to start working on your resume ASAP. If you're in a co-op program, your advisors will likely help you a bit. However, their advice is super outdated and should be used only as a starting point. Look up "Jake's Resume" and use that format, create an overleaf account and learn some basic LaTeX. It's the most ATS-optimized resume template, and tech recruiters prefer looking at Jakes' resumes because they are very easy to skim through.

Ideally you should have a few non-coursework projects on your resume. You'll need to use this to apply for some club/research positions. Any general developer position in a club is a good start. If you can work on a development project with a professor (like the ones you met through showing up to class), that's even better. Having a professor who can train you will be lifechanging.

You will want to larp and put your club/research experience under the 'Experience' section on your resume. Don't have them as projects. You will need to make your resume as hyper-optimized as possible (use ChatGPT), because 1st and 2nd year internships are extremely brutal. However, apply for as many as you can. Job hunting is truly a numbers game.

Stage 3: Job Hunting

You want to put up as many shots as possible. Apply within 24 hours of a job being posted. I suggest using Hiring Cafe, and bookmarking a nice set of filters and checking that daily. You can also use your co-op job board, but unless you're at UW it will be dogshit. Apply with referrals whenever possible, but what matters most is the volume of applications you send out. Get your resume reviewed often (by a wide range of people, not just your friends) and keep working on your projects.

By the time you start job hunting, you'll want to work on your LC as well. Start off by doing the Neetcode 150, and keep grinding until you can do any LC Med in around 30 minutes. The LC grind is something that should be treated as a marathon, not a race. It can't be learned overnight, and you'll have to remain consistent for most of your university career. If you aren't acing your OAs, you should take that as a sign to keep working on your LC.

One tip I have for job hunting is that off-cycle internships are way easier to get. Off-cycle internships are any co-op terms that are not during the summer. They have way less competition, since they require you to fuck up your course sequencing (unless you're UW). The first internship is always the hardest to get, so it's 100% worth to even sacrifice a whole year from your graduation date to secure the job.

Stage 4: Late University

After you've gotten a few valuable experiences, you need to prepare for your graduation. Your goal is to complete a co-op in your final summer (8 months before graduation) with a company that hands out ROs like candy. These companies are the ones with large, structured co-op programs. Any company that hires 100+ interns per 4 month term will likely exclusively convert interns for their newgrad pipeline. These are usually FAANG companies, but there are often exceptions.

To land a co-op at one of these companies, you should maximize your reach by attending recruiter events and hackathons. This is where going to a shit school would really fuck you over, since large companies won't bother visiting any shit schools. One key hackathon to look out for is Hack The North. Be sure to apply early, since admissions are usually rolling. Companies will set up interview booths here and interview people on the spot. You can get access to HTN-exclusive applicant pools with companies like Amazon, Shopify, RBC, etc. These companies are the ones that hand out a lot of ROs to interns who are graduating soon.

At this point, if you don't secure an internship that gives you an RO, it's worth it to delay your graduation to keep looking. You don't want to enter the newgrad job market without any offers, since it is 10x more brutal than the co-op job market.

Stage 5: Early Career

Unless you ate shit somewhere along the process, you should have a full time newgrad job where you are being compensated decently. However, you're now in a whole new world of layoffs, AI-induced firing, retarded executives, and coworker drama. You won't really get any moments of peace, and you'll probably want to end up like this guy:

View attachment 4289752


I hope this guide was able to help anyone who's interested in becoming a SWE in the future. If this seems like too much work to you (it's an extremely simplified version of the actual process btw), you should stick to being a plumber or electrician.

If you have any questions about the process or requests for any resources, just lmk.

I'm in a UK university taking a comp sci course, in my third year I can choose software engineering, cyber security or some other options. could I still apply this to my situation, seems interesting

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

I'm at waterloo and recently got a big tech internship paying like 8.5k a month. I honestly don't think it's really feasible to make big tech outside of waterloo anymore, even like half of waterloo cs/se never makes it to big tech these days. Pretty much nobody from other programs gets in either. My friends at shopify said it's like 90% waterloo interns there, and shopify aint even all that lmao.

Personally, I don't think swe is really worth it as a career path unless you're really smart (top of hs and above average at waterloo), have good communication, and are naturally talented at designing and building things. It's not enough to just be smart, the giga autistic high iq kids at waterloo actually have worse careers than the well rounded likeable kids with good engineering instinct from what I've seen.

Also good to point out that with the economic situation rn, most industries are doing very poorly. Everybody who got sold the "CS Dream" got absolutely fucked, but that doesn't mean that everyone else is having an easy time landing jobs in banking/finance, traditional engineering, medical, etc.
Definitely not the field that it used to be, but I mostly made this post for anyone who has genuine interest in software engineering.

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

I've heard anecdotally hiring is way down because of AI. Is there any truth to this?

Hiring is mostly down b.c of overspending/overhiring during covid, and a poor economical situation globally. Companies use AI as an excuse for layoffs / no junior pipeline, but imo most codebases still need humans working on them.
The economy is always cyclical, so basing your career choice (of likely 30-40 years) on the current market would be a bad idea.

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

I'm in a UK university taking a comp sci course, in my third year I can choose software engineering, cyber security or some other options. could I still apply this to my situation, seems interesting

For most white collar jobs the pipeline is:
do good in hs -> get into good uni -> do good in uni -> get into good clubs -> get into good internships -> get into good job
So you can apply this to most situations. As for your options, pick based on your interests because without having any passion you'll probably end up giving up.

 

[Deleted member 261623]

For most white collar jobs the pipeline is:
do good in hs -> get into good uni -> do good in uni -> get into good clubs -> get into good internships -> get into good job
So you can apply this to most situations. As for your options, pick based on your interests because without having any passion you'll probably end up giving up.

here in the uk, we dont have much internships. but we can do a year in industry for work experience so im considering taking an extra year in uni currently to do that. and tbh im leaning more towards cyber security rn but im still doing research on what would be a more optimal route to land a good job

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

here in the uk, we dont have much internships. but we can do a year in industry for work experience so im considering taking an extra year in uni currently to do that. and tbh im leaning more towards cyber security rn but im still doing research on what would be a more optimal route to land a good job

that should be more of a reason to get some experience under your belt, since it means your local competition won't have shit besides their education. If you don't have any barriers on taking a year off (scholarship tied to being full time, student loans, etc), 100% take the gap year to get industry experience.

 

[Deleted member 260021]

Just self-learn and do lots of leetcode

People are graduating from college and can barely do any leetcode

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

Just self-learn and do lots of leetcode

People are graduating from college and can barely do any leetcode

if you're in highschool there's no reason to not go to uni
OSAP is fucking nuts. Might make another guide on how to go interest-free on your student loans, but its not applicable to anyone outside ontario

 

[emogymmaxx]

why am i here
dnr btw

 

[shneckmax]

If you're not Canadian or if you're over the age of 17 this guide is not for you.

---

This is a guide on how to become a SWE in Canada.

First, some terms you should know:
SWE := Software Engineer
LC := LeetCode
OA := Online Assessment
FAANG/MANGO := Big tech
UW, UBC, UofT := look it up retard
NGMI := not gonna make it
supp apps := supplementary applications
ATS := Applicant Tracking System
RO := Return offer



Stage 1: High school

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

In your last two years of high school, your goal is to optimize your chances of getting into UW. UofT and UBC are okay too. If you can't get into any of these schools, just go to whatever is cheapest (factor in tuition costs, scholarships, housing, etc). More on this later.
You need to optimize your grades. Ideally, you'll be as close to 100 as possible. Grade 11 is a good time to build good habits and learn how to study, because your grades matter the most in grade 12. There are guides on how to study, my advice is to find a youtube channel that aligns with how you learn.

You will also need extracurriculars for most top programs. Do math contests (CCC, Euclid), and become the president of one club + an executive member of another. Ideally one of these clubs will be academic, and one for social good / personal interests, whatever helps you larp. You likely won't get checked on your club positions so feel free to lie on your supp apps.

You'll have to apply for university programs around November of your grade 12 year. Apply for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (in that order of priority) for the following universities: UW, UofT, UBC. Also pick one safety school. A safety school is any school where you're 100% confident you can get in to. Ideally it should be nearby, so you don't waste a shit ton of money on a shitty education.

Be sure to enjoy your final year of high school. It's the last time you'll get to be a child. That being said, be sure to learn the fundamentals of programming (the basics of at least one OOP language, I suggest Python or Java). You'll need to have a head start on your CS education, so now's a good time to start.

Stage 2: Early University

I will assume you got into a decent program. At this point, you have two goals:
1. Stay on top of schoolwork
2. Craft your resume + leetcode skills to secure a club/research position

Many people say that GPA doesn't matter for SWEs so paying attention in school is a waste of time. What they don't realize is that when your interviewer asks you to describe what a race condition is and you freeze up, the interviewer will reject you on the spot. Fuck your elective classes, just do whatever it takes to pass those. Only tryhard in your CS classes. Showing up to and participating in classes is also a good way to make friends and get to know your profs. They will be very useful to you throughout your career.

You need to start working on your resume ASAP. If you're in a co-op program, your advisors will likely help you a bit. However, their advice is super outdated and should be used only as a starting point. Look up "Jake's Resume" and use that format, create an overleaf account and learn some basic LaTeX. It's the most ATS-optimized resume template, and tech recruiters prefer looking at Jakes' resumes because they are very easy to skim through.

Ideally you should have a few non-coursework projects on your resume. You'll need to use this to apply for some club/research positions. Any general developer position in a club is a good start. If you can work on a development project with a professor (like the ones you met through showing up to class), that's even better. Having a professor who can train you will be lifechanging.

You will want to larp and put your club/research experience under the 'Experience' section on your resume. Don't have them as projects. You will need to make your resume as hyper-optimized as possible (use ChatGPT), because 1st and 2nd year internships are extremely brutal. However, apply for as many as you can. Job hunting is truly a numbers game.

Stage 3: Job Hunting

You want to put up as many shots as possible. Apply within 24 hours of a job being posted. I suggest using Hiring Cafe, and bookmarking a nice set of filters and checking that daily. You can also use your co-op job board, but unless you're at UW it will be dogshit. Apply with referrals whenever possible, but what matters most is the volume of applications you send out. Get your resume reviewed often (by a wide range of people, not just your friends) and keep working on your projects.

By the time you start job hunting, you'll want to work on your LC as well. Start off by doing the Neetcode 150, and keep grinding until you can do any LC Med in around 30 minutes. The LC grind is something that should be treated as a marathon, not a race. It can't be learned overnight, and you'll have to remain consistent for most of your university career. If you aren't acing your OAs, you should take that as a sign to keep working on your LC.

One tip I have for job hunting is that off-cycle internships are way easier to get. Off-cycle internships are any co-op terms that are not during the summer. They have way less competition, since they require you to fuck up your course sequencing (unless you're UW). The first internship is always the hardest to get, so it's 100% worth to even sacrifice a whole year from your graduation date to secure the job.

Stage 4: Late University

After you've gotten a few valuable experiences, you need to prepare for your graduation. Your goal is to complete a co-op in your final summer (8 months before graduation) with a company that hands out ROs like candy. These companies are the ones with large, structured co-op programs. Any company that hires 100+ interns per 4 month term will likely exclusively convert interns for their newgrad pipeline. These are usually FAANG companies, but there are often exceptions.

To land a co-op at one of these companies, you should maximize your reach by attending recruiter events and hackathons. This is where going to a shit school would really fuck you over, since large companies won't bother visiting any shit schools. One key hackathon to look out for is Hack The North. Be sure to apply early, since admissions are usually rolling. Companies will set up interview booths here and interview people on the spot. You can get access to HTN-exclusive applicant pools with companies like Amazon, Shopify, RBC, etc. These companies are the ones that hand out a lot of ROs to interns who are graduating soon.

At this point, if you don't secure an internship that gives you an RO, it's worth it to delay your graduation to keep looking. You don't want to enter the newgrad job market without any offers, since it is 10x more brutal than the co-op job market.

Stage 5: Early Career

Unless you ate shit somewhere along the process, you should have a full time newgrad job where you are being compensated decently. However, you're now in a whole new world of layoffs, AI-induced firing, retarded executives, and coworker drama. You won't really get any moments of peace, and you'll probably want to end up like this guy:

View attachment 4289752


I hope this guide was able to help anyone who's interested in becoming a SWE in the future. If this seems like too much work to you (it's an extremely simplified version of the actual process btw), you should stick to being a plumber or electrician.

If you have any questions about the process or requests for any resources, just lmk.

why not just sell ur feet

 

[gtcncrtrsh]

I attend an Ivy, one of the better ones for cs.
Despite this, school name does not matter as much for SWE- much less than your recent experiences.
What you learn in school doesn't matter, maybe except algos and system design
Being tapped in with Bay Area indians/chinese who have recruiter emails/interview alpha is super important to secure chances. Honestly having friends who don't give a shit about ethics with the interview process is important. Despite this, you should still do LC, the neetcode 150 as OP mentioned.
Referrals matter less than you think. Lot more luck involved than you think.

LARP LARP LARP - larp your experiences, projects, wtvr. Be smart with it though.

Fade quant unless you've either qualified for multiple AIME in hs or USAMO, or if you have never made USACO Gold+. Though these can be larped.

Btw, anyone whos tapped in or recruiting for big tech/quant I'd be down to talk, most of my friends are honestly pretty nerdy and try to do everything legit, JFL at people who follow the system

 

[Mitakaa1341]

If you are past grade 11 it's over, you're likely NGMI, stop reading.

This is soo true. I see so many delusional ppl in their 20's/30's who think doing some online degree mill, self-learning or bootcampmaxxing will get them a high paying SWE job Maybe in 2020, but not in 2025. Right now, a lot of qualified people are actually struggling. jfl If they think they're going to fare better with their significantly less impressive qualifications.

 

[Nardicus101]

There far more nuance to this holy cope thread:

More people will benifit from going to a CC (Community college) and transferring to a T20(Top 20 school dependent on major)

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings

Now after this legit larp your projects via GitHub and put more effort into leetcode and interviewing than projects, there so fucking pointless and no one cares really ever (Unless your tryna make a start up)
Take the interview stack as well so your more low inhibit and more confident in what you say during the interview (which they can tell)

Alot of companies are steering away from leetcode style interviewing due to ai helper solving the question before the interviewer even finishes there sentence and if you know what your doing u wont get caught.

School name is the most important factor for sure
there was a study done on recruiters, n they found that most of them tossed a resume before reading even the bullet point if they saw a name of a school they never heard of.

The hardest part is getting an interview in the first place and this is where school name comes in.
basically if you dint community college max (Cause most schools take in transfer with higher acceptance rate than straight from HS) its over unless you go to grad school which I personally could not be fucked with.


@babyshan is off a bit in his statement here:

Trying to become a software engineer is a huge waste of talent for most people in my opinion. If you went to an average high school, I'd only recommend it if you were clearly the best student in your graduating class and had top-tier extracurriculars.

This is such a lie it's not even funny. I graduated HS with a 2.1 and went the CC route (now I go to a T15 school)
I have only done like 2 projects max in my life and most of it is AI code and I can talk about them for days on end and the interviewer will straight up believe me.
I have gotten a SWE (Software engineering) internship as well this past cycle. \
This statement doesn't make sense cause to know if someone is a good canidate you look at there resume, BUT ; everyone is legit larping on the resume so than how can we differentiate a good canidate over another than ?
Easy
School Name
and it goes back to this again like a never ending cycle and each year it gets harder to get into a good school with percentages of acceptance rates dropping, more people are going into college than every before, and more people are graduating with higher GPA's than ever before with AI as well so there is not other way to differentiate.

Now yes there are some things that also matter but here is a list of copes:

1. "I am gonna be a quant" you usually know if your going to be one or not by the age of 16, IQ Pill is brutal

2. "Just do more projects bro"

3. "jus network bro" - Now why would someone take the time out of their day to get to know you and they dont get anything in return and the only reason they know your talking to them is cause you want a referral but most the time, this does not benifit them or it may make them look bad when you fail the interview

4. "Just get good grades" - this only applies to you If you planning on going to grad school (most companies dont even verify GPA during the Background check n if they do, dont send them a fake document, my homie got caught)

5. "do a bootcamp" -the biggest waste of time and money

6. "Just reach out to startup's" - there going to make you work for free and overwork you and no one will care since its not a company listed in the S&P500 and hold 0 value or credibility of your skills, now I get trying to get experience but everyone is larping experience anyways so its close to irrelevant.

7.

This says it all

 

[Nardicus101]

There far more nuance to this holy cope thread:

More people will benifit from going to a CC (Community college) and transferring to a T20(Top 20 school dependent on major)

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings

Now after this legit larp your projects via GitHub and put more effort into leetcode and interviewing than projects, there so fucking pointless and no one cares really ever (Unless your tryna make a start up)
Take the interview stack as well so your more low inhibit and more confident in what you say during the interview (which they can tell)

Alot of companies are steering away from leetcode style interviewing due to ai helper solving the question before the interviewer even finishes there sentence and if you know what your doing u wont get caught.

School name is the most important factor for sure
there was a study done on recruiters, n they found that most of them tossed a resume before reading even the bullet point if they saw a name of a school they never heard of.

The hardest part is getting an interview in the first place and this is where school name comes in.
basically if you dint community college max (Cause most schools take in transfer with higher acceptance rate than straight from HS) its over unless you go to grad school which I personally could not be fucked with.


@babyshan is off a bit in his statement here:


This is such a lie it's not even funny. I graduated HS with a 2.1 and went the CC route (now I go to a T15 school)
I have only done like 2 projects max in my life and most of it is AI code and I can talk about them for days on end and the interviewer will straight up believe me.
I have gotten a SWE (Software engineering) internship as well this past cycle. \
This statement doesn't make sense cause to know if someone is a good canidate you look at there resume, BUT ; everyone is legit larping on the resume so than how can we differentiate a good canidate over another than ?
Easy
School Name
and it goes back to this again like a never ending cycle and each year it gets harder to get into a good school with percentages of acceptance rates dropping, more people are going into college than every before, and more people are graduating with higher GPA's than ever before with AI as well so there is not other way to differentiate.

Now yes there are some things that also matter but here is a list of copes:

1. "I am gonna be a quant" you usually know if your going to be one or not by the age of 16, IQ Pill is brutal

2. "Just do more projects bro"

3. "jus network bro" - Now why would someone take the time out of their day to get to know you and they dont get anything in return and the only reason they know your talking to them is cause you want a referral but most the time, this does not benifit them or it may make them look bad when you fail the interview

4. "Just get good grades" - this only applies to you If you planning on going to grad school (most companies dont even verify GPA during the Background check n if they do, dont send them a fake document, my homie got caught)

5. "do a bootcamp" -the biggest waste of time and money

6. "Just reach out to startup's" - there going to make you work for free and overwork you and no one will care since its not a company listed in the S&P500 and hold 0 value or credibility of your skills, now I get trying to get experience but everyone is larping experience anyways so its close to irrelevant.

7.
View attachment 4297107

This says it all

 

[Deleted member 261623]

that should be more of a reason to get some experience under your belt, since it means your local competition won't have shit besides their education. If you don't have any barriers on taking a year off (scholarship tied to being full time, student loans, etc), 100% take the gap year to get industry experience.

issue is, im taking a foundation year because i failed one of my previous subjects which means that ill be in uni for a year longer than normal. and if i take an industry year thatll be another year, which just means even more debt. and i fucking hate the debt, i was genuninely not considering going in the first place. like if i land a good job, which im gonna try to apply to a bunch soon as im gonna take some courses on the side, im dropping uni purely because of the debt.

 

[babyshan]

I attend an Ivy, one of the better ones for cs.
Despite this, school name does not matter as much for SWE- much less than your recent experiences.

I agree and disagree. Your experience definitely matters more than your school when someone evaluates your resume. But the school you go to impacts your network. If you go to a mid tier school hardly anyone's gonna be landing good companies from there. It's gonna be way harder to do if you haven't even seen anyone from your school do it, and you don't know anyone who can give you advice/referrals. Going to a good school also makes it way easier to get your 1st and 2nd internships when you don't have a lot of industry experience yet, and you need those to get into big tech.

This is such a lie it's not even funny. I graduated HS with a 2.1 and went the CC route (now I go to a T15 school)
I have only done like 2 projects max in my life and most of it is AI code and I can talk about them for days on end and the interviewer will straight up believe me.

I think there might be a little bias on your end because you accomplished something that very few people can do for where you were coming out of high school.

- You transferred to a T15 from community college. There's still a finite number of spots available so acting like anyone who went to a cc can do it is insane. My guess is that you transferred to a UC or similar. If we're talking about becoming SWE out of Canada specifically, it's not possible to transfer to a good school here (even from other universities).

- You are clearly a strong student who didn't try hard enough in high school. Just being able to pass 3rd/4th year CS exams at a T15 proves that. You may be from an area where students are better on average. Where I'm from (Ontario), 99% of students are retarded which is why I said that you should be the best student in your high school.

- You can tell who's a good candidate by interviewing them, not just from a resume. Maybe your interviewer only asked you about your projects or leetcode, but there's a strong chance that your lack of industry experience would get exposed in a system design interview, or on the job when you're working in production environments. Maybe you did actually get some internships when you were in cc, but again, it's a lot harder to get your first internships from cc than it is from a good university.

I think it's safe to say that outside of extreme cases, someone who wasn't an excellent student in high school won't suddenly turn everything around and transfer to a good university, be able to pass all the upper year courses and land a big tech internship.

Now yes there are some things that also matter but here is a list of copes:

I agree with these

 

[Andremln]

Mechanical and Electrical engineering mogs tbh

 

[jbc445]

im too ND to get big role in any club, do u know any other ecs

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

im too ND to get big role in any club, do u know any other ecs

find the most autistic cs prof and pitch an idea to them, you guys will prob mesh very well

bonus points if it's related to their area of study. Search for any profs with interests HCI or UI/UX or education. They're the easiest to do industry-relevant projects with

 

[jbc445]

find the most autistic cs prof and pitch an idea to them, you guys will prob mesh very well

bonus points if it's related to their area of study. Search for any profs with interests HCI or UI/UX or education. They're the easiest to do industry-relevant projects with

i forgot to mention im sophomore in HS not in uni, i don't have experience with making projects - or any idea of what projects I could make. the biggest skill i know rn related to software is oop, mirin bro thanks for the help

 

[halfbreedmixedcel]

i forgot to mention im sophomore in HS not in uni, i don't have experience with making projects - or any idea of what projects I could make. the biggest skill i know rn related to software is oop, mirin bro thanks for the help

GitHub - codecrafters-io/build-your-own-x: Master programming by recreating your favorite technologies from scratch.

Master programming by recreating your favorite technologies from scratch. - codecrafters-io/build-your-own-x

github.com

high school clubs are mostly about your relationship with the current president, since they usually choose who to give the position to when they graduate

uni clubs are usually more credentials-based. You can have a great head start if you try out some of the projects in the above github