I am Rajdeep Chandra, a Software Developer.

I spend most of the time in learning new technologies. I’ve a keen interest in open source technologies. A geek of robotics and robotic wireframes design, working with Raspberry Pi and Arduino.

I like sharing my knowledge and writing my own blog. A huge follower of Google, Tesla and I believe in small things and they makes me happy!

Key Points

• Front End Engineers with strong object oriented programming concepts will be high in demand in the future. Be strong in Javascript and take any one framework to bundle it.

• Maths, Data Structures, Algorithms, JavaScript, C Language and your Communication skills will take you to places.

• This is a field where you have to care to learn, and you have to be willing to re-learn everything on a daily basis.

• It’s hard being a front-end developer, and it’s even tougher keeping up, but there is a lot of demand.

Who is a Front End Engineer?

A Front End Engineer to me, is someone who can sell your product/service to customers with a good look and feel and make your product look wow on the website.

What did you want to be when you were in higher secondary school?

When I was in High School I was very passionate about computer games and I always wanted to be in the gaming industry. I used to play games like Prince of Persia, Call of Duty and I wanted to built one such.
I also have a very good interest in Ethical hacking and I have hacked few of my friends email accounts.

What is your typical day like?

My typical day starts with some jogging and then planning my day early in the morning, so that I can start doing my work. After checking emails, I try to finish my assigned tasks as soon as possible and start reading blogs in techcrunch, solving problems and building apps on javascript frameworks.

Being in a service based company I have got the exposure in multiple verticals like fintech, ecommerce, social community and travel. So I am used to different workflows and different use cases of problems.

I learn for 6 hours and work for 8 hours everyday.

What steps did you take to land in your present job?

• I worked hard.
• Brushed my Data Structures skills and my Communication.

What did you learn about the career after you started yours?

I started as a fresher as a Business Intelligence Developer where I was not truly satisfied with my day to day activities.

Therefore, I went home and started making websites on my own. So the basics of web development is self taught.

Fortunately my skills got recognized in the present company and I was switched to the front end team where I really wanted to go.

Since then, there was no looking back. I worked hard also during the weekends to gather as much knowledge as I could and polished my javascript basics and data structures.

Most of knowlege came by doing side projects.

Lesson : Not satisfied with what you are doing now?

Use your evenings and build your own apps to gain knowledge. Do side projects. Stop complaining. 

What’s your advice to your younger self?

Set your goal what you want to be.

If you want to go into web and app development, always get your basics of Data Structures right. Then pick up any one server side language of your choice and start making CRUD applications.

For Front End: Be a champ in javascript.

Code.. Code.. and Code. Trust me this works.

What do you love about your current role?

My flexibility to work and come to office whenever I am willing to and the support of my boss.

What are the challenges you face in your career?

Pay is a bit on the downside right now. But that’s manageable once you get 3-4yrs of experience. It jumps up according to your skills.

What type of software engineers will be high in demand in the near future?

Front End Engineers with strong object oriented programming concepts will be high in demand.

Be strong in Javascript and take any one framework to bundle it.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Learning new technologies, trying to find their use cases, listening to music and taking photographs.

Can you please summarise your career journey?

I took Science in my high school, because I loved Physics and Maths.

I didn’t do well in my JEE mains, so didn’t get into a best college in WB.  Finally, got admitted to a new college in IT department. Everyone told me to give the exam next year as they knew the campus won’t be good in a new college. But I was focussed and believed in myself and therefore I got admitted.

My present company is my first job. I didn’t do any professional certifications as such because they don’t matter so early of your career.

Just get your basics right and code a lot.

Future Aspiration:

I want to build my own product and I am currently working on it whenever I get time. Probably yes in the next few years I want to start my own journey.

What sort of experiences helped prepare you most?

There was time I saw most of my friends studying in reputed colleges getting 2-3 offers in their placement where I didn’t have one. But, I didn’t break down because I knew I studied hard for 4 years for nothing. So I brushed my skills day and night and I finally got my first job after 7 months.

There will be times in MNC where they will put you in projects you won’t like. My suggestion would be don’t crib, try to make the most out of it. Nonetheless it will be a learning for you.

The work you do in your 9-5 job doesn’t decide your future but what you do after your 9-5 job decides your future – Jack Ma

What are the skills required to be a Software Engineer in 2020?

• Maths, Data Structures, Algorithms, Communication.

• The most critical thing is your determination and love what you are doing.

I am 17 and I am planning for a similar career path like yours. What advice you have for me?

• Understand each and every line of code.
• Ask more why? than what?
• Read more books.
• Make a goal and work hard for it.
• Connect with people and try to attend seminars, meetups and hackathons.

What do you think potential recruiters look for in a fresh Software Engineer?

Extracurricular activities and the projects they have done during the internship and final year.

What kind of person will be a good fit for this career?

If you are a computer geek then this is the right career for you. It doesn’t matter if you have or haven’t done engineering.

Any recommended resources for students who are interested in Software Engineering?

• Udemy for paid courses.
• Coursera for Data Structures.
• Codecademy to get your basics right.

What do you think everyone leaving higher secondary school should know especially those who want to be in Software field?

Should know how a website works and the basics of programming.

To be industry ready you should be getting C programming book ready.

Any final thoughts?

Do what you love. Do it with passion. Keep doing it.

Thanks for reading! 🙂 If you enjoyed this article, leaving your comment below would mean a lot to me and it helps other people see the story.

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