Hello Codeforcers,
I find myself facing a challenging situation in my career and I would like to share my story. I graduated from uni about two years ago with a major in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. However, during my time in university, I realized that my true passion lies in algorithms and computing. So, I decided to take a risk and pursue a career as a programmer/software engineer while simultaneously completing my major coursework. I worked hard and managed to secure internships immediately after college. I was fortunate enough to be hired by big tech company X. After working there for a year, I sought new challenges and applied to Amazon, where I was hired as a entry-level(L4) software development engineer.
Initially, everything seemed to be going well and I was grateful for my hard work and self-motivation that led me to where I am today. However, things took a turn for the worse. After a few months at Amazon, I was assigned to a project that proved to be extremely challenging. Even senior members of my team were unsure how to tackle it, and even I nailed it at the very end. But it felt like a politically driven decision by my manager to manage me out of the company. Additionally, I realized that I hadn't fully integrated with the team due to the nature of the project. At times, I feel that my situation is unfair, but I have come to accept it as part of life's challenges.
To regain my passion for coding, I registered an account on Codeforces. I enjoy the platform and the problem-solving it offers. However, I am currently facing some difficulties. I have applied for several jobs, but haven't heard back from any of them. As an international worker on a visa in the UK, finding a job that sponsors me is particularly challenging, especially considering my limited work experience. I can't help but feel inadequate compared to my former Amazon teammates, which makes me question whether I meet the required standards. I would appreciate your suggestions on the matter. Should I pursue a master's degree? Since I have self-taught myself all the software engineering concepts and coding practices, obtaining a master's degree might improve my chances of securing better job offers after graduation. I am confident in my abilities, but the downside is that I would have to wait a whole year to begin my master's studies (which I think I could do more stuff like sharpening my skills on here, learning more stuff, or just career break for one year), as it is already June. Alternatively, I could continue searching for a job, but that presents significant challenges, as only a few companies are willing to sponsor foreign workers like me. I am not ready to return to my home country just yet, and I am feeling lost at the moment.
I would greatly appreciate your advice on this matter. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story.
I am sure someone else could advise you what to do in the meantime, but for master's my two cents is to definitely still apply for masters this end of year. As a rule of thumb, whenever the economy is down or you're unemployed, studying for the time being does not hurt (considering the degree isn't too expensive). Getting a Master's will be a plus point for jobs and will extend your UK visa. You can also do many internships during your study (which gives you even more experience to add to your resume). Try bootcamps and moocs till your masters starts.
On a side note, consider applying for a Master's in the USA. Their economy is much better, and you will also get a US visa, so you work there which is more lucrative.
Still, take my opinion with a pinch of salt and I hope others respond. Good Luck
Thank you for your advice, I will seriously consider it. Regarding the Master's degree, I will research and apply, maybe Germany would be a better choice for me (0 tuition fees) since I don't have much budget for further studies. Especially as a non-CS background programmer, master degree from German school usually takes 2 years, which I believe could be a better choice to consolidate my knowledge.
Yeah sure, Germany is a wonderful country. Though, whenever you pick the country where you get the master's, make sure to ask: Do you want to work here? A student visa is the easiest way to work/settle in another country and once you graduate from Germany, getting visa sponsorship for other non-EU countries may be difficult. (As you mentioned, you don't want to go to your home country)
Also, about the 2-year master's, some US masters are also 1.5-2 years. It's UK master's that is typically 1 year. So, US masters can also give you plenty of opportunities to work and learn other things.
If you want to work/settle in Germany / EU, you should study there. Consider the zero fees as just a bonus. Also, if you want to go there, I would strongly recommend getting good in German. Although most masters are taught in English, you still want to integrate into German society and get a good job/internship — for which German is crucial. Good luck!
Thank you very much for your advice. I've discussed this with my parents who are also supportive of my decision, including financial backing. While I'm still deciding on a university, meanwhile I've already started learning German. I appreciate your suggestions!
Good luck with your decision. Remember to focus on your German (it is almost necessary). You still have quite a few months in your hand before your study starts, have you considered what you'll do then (except learn German of course)? Maybe something like boot camps, internships, side-projects to add to your resume, CP, MOOCs?
Also, don't stop applying to jobs: apply to as many jobs as you can. Apply to as many Canadian jobs as you can find since they are much more lenient with their visa. (Or any other country where you think you can get a visa easily) Make a LinkedIn account if you haven't already and network a lot.
You can either follow in the footsteps of your Da-Vinci variant and start painting, or you could go down the path of your Di-Caprio variant and start acting.
good point, maybe I will. thank you for your advice.