From college dropout to Software Engineer
Disclaimer: Before transitioning, I had already held other roles in tech, just not software. Take what is written here with a grain of salt.
The hardest route to take is arguably the non-traditional one. Sprinkle in navigating a new language and culture, and you have a challenging trajectory.
TL;DR
- Focus on depth. Pick a domain (web/mobile/etc) and stick with it.
- Learn by doing. Create personal projects or contribute to others.
- Don’t ask for referrals. Engage in meaningful conversation. The referral will come.
- Teach others. This is not only the altruistic thing to do but it will help reinforce your knowledge.
Background
I started college right after high school. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I had always liked working with computers, so naturally, I chose Computer Engineering as my major. I excelled in my courses, made the Dean’s List, and was involved in extracurricular activities.
My grandmother passed away when I started my second year. She was like a mother to me, so it took a toll on my mental health. Unable to process the present, I became disinterested in the future, and my grades tanked. I was eventually placed on academic probation and decided to go on hiatus.
I worked odd jobs: Hunting Associate at Bass Pro Shops, Call Center Representative for a local auto dealer, Consultation Agent for Geek Squad, and Sales Consultant at Best Buy. Eventually, I was referred to work at Subway as a Help Desk Technician.
Even though I was answering calls for the majority of the workday, I dove deep into the technology the company was working with. I talked to anyone who would lend an ear about networking, cyber security, and programming.
I saw an internal opening for a Systems Engineer role a year later. I had no business looking at the job description since I didn’t meet the requirements, but I couldn’t help myself. Later that day, I told my wife about the open role, and she told me to apply. The worst they could say was “no.”
I submitted my application and received a request to interview that same week. To put it into perspective, we were expecting our first child, and I did not meet the requirements listed in the job description. I had been paid hourly at every job up to this point, and throughout the interview, all I could think about was how much I needed this and how it would change my life. I was honest with the interviewers about my lack of experience. I also shared that I was confident in my knowledge and ability to pick up different technologies quickly.
I got an offer the following week.
After a solid year and a half of working as a Systems Engineer at Subway — shortly after my son’s first birthday — I was laid off. The worst of it was that we were expecting a second child, which pinned me mentally. The words legacy, passion, and fatherhood kept rotating shifts in my mind.
Legacy
They say you die twice: once when they bury you in the grave, and the second time is the last time that someone mentions your name. I wanted to prolong this second death as much as possible, and I knew that I was not happy with my professional background.
Systems Engineer might have sounded impressive back in 1995. Nowadays, it was a vague, misplaced title, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue down this path.
Passion
I wanted to be in a role where I was excited to start the day. I hadn’t experienced that. I feared I would never experience it because my passions had been scattered up to this point. I loved learning above all. Networking, cyber security, web development, systems administration — anything that involved using my mind.
My ideal work environment would allow me the flexibility to be present in my personal life, not take a toll on my mental health, and pay well enough to not have to think about picking between putting gas and buying groceries. The trifecta.
Fatherhood
Most important to me was the opportunity to be a present father. To see my children grow up. See them reaching their milestones without asking my wife if she recorded a video of them taking their first steps.
Do you know how the movies (and some of our lives) portray children craving their parents' approval? I want my children to be proud of me. Proud of the person I am. Proud of my scars and trophies. I want them to see me as a symbol of resilience and for my stories to carry them through dark times.
I was fortunate enough to land a remote role with Under Armour as a Retail Technology Engineer, which used a lot of the skills I picked up as a Systems Engineer at Subway. Two months later, I was promoted to Associate Product Manager. I fucking hated it.
I do not understand the infatuation with product management, but being in meetings for 12 hours a day with strangers and having no idea what was happening half the time felt like an absolute waste of potential. This was amplified by the fact that I was micromanaged to the point that I felt like I held the title by proxy; a marionette.
I knew I needed a change of pace, and my day-to-day made me want this transition more than breathing. My oasis was spending time with my wife and kids because I was fortunate enough to work remotely.
I realize all of this comes from a place of privilege, but honestly, everyone has the right to complain, and this is my Medium post. Deal with it.
The Hero’s Journey
Departure
I decided to pursue software engineering relentlessly. I had given it the ol’ college try in my first year — pre-death-of-a-loved-one — but I felt I hadn’t truly tapped into it.
I started to Reddit everything, picking up as much information as possible about technology. It felt like eating leftovers because I was so far behind and technically malnourished compared to other candidates. My first lesson was depth over breadth.
It’s so easy to get lost in the ocean with the abundance of information trying to become job-ready, but covering all the fundamentals you missed by not acquiring a four-year degree is not the right approach.
One thing most people don’t realize is that learning the basics of many things does not make you as marketable as someone who learned one thing in-depth. The truth is that someone who learns deeply can transfer what they picked up to different areas of engineering, ultimately making them stronger.
Pick a domain and stick with it.
Initiation
I decided to dive into mobile development with a focus on Android. I joined a free course in Android development run by CodePath — a non-profit that aims to prepare people from minority backgrounds for a tech career.
After completing the course, I focused all my energy on becoming as well-rounded as possible by:
- Keeping my resume, LinkedIn, and GitHub up to date as I learned new skills, technologies, and libraries.
- Joining tech community channels in search of networking and opportunities. I am Hispanic, and Techqueria was my go-to channel on Slack.
- Building a project portfolio to showcase my skills to employers. Degree holders have a formal education to back them up, but I had to prove I knew my craft through personal projects.
- Volunteering my time to tutor others in Android development. This was not only helpful for others, but it allowed me to reinforce my knowledge. This was key.
Eventually, this experience led to a contract role at Facebook (before it became Meta) as an Android Intern Lead for the Facebook University program. I was in charge of instructing and facilitating an Android development course for incoming interns.
After Facebook, I landed another contract, this time with Google, as an Android Tutor for the Tech Equity Collective’s pilot program, aimed to increase black representation in tech. This was a change of pace since the people I was teaching also came from non-traditional backgrounds, which was even more rewarding.
And yes, I was still at Under Armour. I worked two jobs while wrangling two kids and a terrible work-life balance. I am just incredibly grateful for my wife’s support throughout this.
Return
After finishing my tutoring gigs and learning more about Android development, I was ready to apply for jobs. But I knew that sending resumes to software engineering roles was like tossing a mega-bouncy ball into a carnival jar. Too hard and too random.
I searched for opportunities on community tech channels every day. I contacted anyone who posted a role that suited me. One day, I found an opening for a Mobile Software Engineer at Marco Polo on the Tequeria Slack channel. The job description didn’t mention a specific number of years of experience, so I messaged the recruiter. The recruiter set up a call with me… the rest is history.
Reflection
It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you look like, how wealthy your family is, what school you went to, or if you pour milk before your cereal (please don’t do this). What matters is how strong your resolve to get what you want out of life is.
Life is way too short to be dwelling on what could’ve been. Pursue your dreams relentlessly and unapologetically. Take control of the pen and write your story.
