How to shift from Service-based to Product-based company

In my last 2 years as a software engineer at Microsoft, I have worked with many colleagues who have started their careers in service-based companies.

In this post, I want to discuss things that they focus on that helped them the most in making this switch possible.

Without taking much time, let’s dive straight into this.

1. Focus on learning the right skills

knowing exactly what skills are expected from you in an interview will help you a lot in structuring your preparation. This will also save you from spending your time on skills that are not important from a tech interview perspective.

The skills required to crack tech interviews are:

• Problem-Solving skills in DSA: Given a hypothetical problem ( that may occur in real life ) how would you approach problems & solve them correctly and efficiently. This basically revolves around mastering Data structures and algorithms and using them to solve problems in the most optimal way.
• Ability to architect Scalable systems: If you work at a decent company, then it’s your job to build services that are able to scale well. You have to make the decisions that can help a company reach 100 to 100 million users or just break. Therefore, companies care about this & hence, it’s an important part of their interview process.
• Development capabilities: This revolves around your ability to quickly develop an app or website ( like the bare minimum of zomato )

If you are spending time anywhere else other than these 3 topics, then you are basically spending time in the wrong direction. In case you have any doubts here or need more clarity, shoot me a “hi” on LinkedIn. I will be happy to help.

2. Consistency, Discipline & Hard-work is the key

The process of learning the above mentioned 3 skills is not going to be easy. It takes time to master problem-solving skills and System design.

The journey is long & you need peers to motivate you and help you on this journey. Surround yourself with equally motivated peers who push you to do more, who motivates you to give that extra effort consistently.

3. Get the most out of opportunities

Let’s be fair and true to ourselves, opportunities are hard to come by & so you should grab the opportunity with both hands when it comes.

The first step in the journey is building the talent, and becoming capable & then look for opportunities.

Use this strategy for unlocking opportunities for yourself:

• Prepare a mix of 100+ companies (a good mix of startups and MNCs)
• For every company, connect with 2–3 recruiters and senior engineers on LinkedIn
• Prepare a self pitch for both recruiters and engineers. Ask them for the opportunity to interview. Mention that it’s OK for you to take a test.

Always remember this famous saying, “knock on 100 doors and 1 will open.”

4. Switch is a one-time process

Knowing that your career is a 40+ year journey. Investing the time & resources to switching is a one-time process, it’s OK to invest in that.

Conclusion

I will just conclude this by saying, “ Whether you are 1-year experience, or 20 years of experience, what I have seen is, it’s never too late to get started!! The journey is always almost the same. You first have to be capable and then opportunities will start coming to you.”

Feel free to say me a “hi” over LinkedIn in case you have any doubts.

PS: If you are looking for a step-by-step roadmap & the resources from where you can learn these skills, come to my free masterclass ( Google form link: https://forms.gle/qLu51pLYJg4pUqNZ6 ) where I discuss the whole roadmap to make this switch easier and possible.

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