Physics BS, but trying to break into SWE
Hi Everyone, I’ve been coding in python for ~4yrs now, but I realized that all of the internships/jobs I’ve had didnt really prepare me for actual work as a SWE. I picked up the basics like Git, working with a team etc.., but I’m lacking a lot of core Data Structures/Algorithms experience that companies test on during interviews I’m currently back on the market after my buddy and I couldnt raise funding for a startup, and I was wondering if anyone here has had a similar experience trying to learn CS Fundamentals from scratch w/o a CS background? Frankly, I’m pretty overwhelmed/anxious rn so I’m wondering if it worked out for anyone, and if so, what advice could you give to someone struggling with these concepts and with standing out in the market? Thanks
You earned a physics degree, so you can definitely learn much more difficult things than the fundamentals of CS, you’ve already proven it. Just keep at it, and follow a similar approach to what works for physics, solve lots of problems and try to grasp / identify the core principles involved. I came from a similar background and have found that it has served me very well, as once I got the CS stuff down, I had a distinct advantage. My best advice is to early on, focus on roles that leverage your physics/math background. Finance in particular loves people with a physics background. Also look for jobs that involve signal processing, sensors, scientific computing, and that sort of thing. Machine learning as well, as you almost certainly know more stats and linear algebra than most people who majored in CS. Keep at it and feel free to DM if you want some more specific advice.
Find an algorithms book or web course.
I did it. DM me for advice, I enjoy passing on help to the kiddos.
All the physics majors I've seen in the field have been excellent coders and great at ML. You might want to try a little longer. Try to join a startup to pick up more responsibility.
The last piece of puzzle is leet code to unlock the magical TC
If u looking to start ds/algo from scratch u should def start here: 6-046J by MIT (https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/id495066198) https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/id495066198
Leetcode is your best bet for now, and there are a lot of resources to teach you the fundementals online.
EE here, trying to do the same. Seems like companies nowadays just want to just have you churn leetcode. Hell you can land a SWE job with hardly any coding experience if you’re able to pass their whiteboard/tech interviews. I’ve been studying basic web stack with JS and beginning to study DS and solving entry level toy problems. Maybe someday I’ll feel ready enough. Seems like it’s possible for people like us to break in the field but with a ton of grind, the field is super competitive. Following this thread.
Yeah I’m on that Leetcode grind rn lol. Hopefully we can both pull through!