5 Tips to Land the Right Software Engineering Job

During my software engineering career, I've been both - the interviewer and the job-seeker. Many of the actions I took to get a new job weren’t impactful. But here are the things that helped me most in getting the right software engineering job.

1. Research The Job Market

If you've decided to get a new job, it's important to first define the kind of role and company you want to target next. Especially before you start reaching out to employers. Here are some questions you find answers to: 

What positions are available and where?

What skills and experience do they require?

What is the compensation range?

Once you have a list of companies that you could see yourself at, read the job descriptions to get a better idea about the employers' needs.
Now you know the kind of programming languages, tools, and development methodology that the job requires or prefers. You’re now ready to fill in any gaps. Once you do, you can tailor your resume to the job description to increase your chances of getting an interview.

2. Start a Side Project

If you don’t feel like you have the right opportunities in your current job to prepare you for your next, work on your own project. It doesn’t have to be the next big thing. It’s more of a learning experience. This was the way I transitioned from an embedded engineer to a full-stack software engineer. I wrote embedded software in C and Assembly in my day job and worked on a web application in Javascript on the side.

3. Take an Online Course

Taking Andrew Ng's Machine Learning class on Coursera was really helpful when I was looking to work on a project in the ML space. I remember when I was rusty in python, taking a data structures and algorithms course in python helped me feel like I could write python fluently again. There are plenty of resources on Coursera, Udemy, and other online learning platforms for a small fee.

4. Learn From YouTube Videos

And if you don’t want to pay for learning, there are a ton of free interview advice videos on YouTube. One of my favorites is Gaurav Sen's System Design Youtube Channel.

5. Get More Involved in Your Current Job

This is important, especially if you're losing steam at your current job. Sometimes the opportunities right in front of you could help you land your next job. Take advantage of your current job in whatever way sets you up for what you want in the future.

Final Thoughts

Even if you still don't feel like a 100% match for the job after prepping, I encourage you to still apply. Employers often reach high, and so should you.