How to actually become a professional programmer???

[BustinJustin]

I graduated with a BS in Computer Information Systems in May 2012. I really didn't know much about computers until I started the university in 2007. I like to think that I'm a pretty good programmer, I may get stumped on syntax now and then, but logic is kinda my thing. I took courses in C#, Visual Basic, Java, and COBOL. I was on the first place Arkansas State Collegiate Programming COBOL Division team.

But I still don't feel that I can become a professional programmer. I love programming even more than I love computer hardware.

I don't know if anyone here is a programmer of any particularly high caliber, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[plague_dog32]

I've been in the games industry as a tools programmer for about 6 years. If you really love programming all you need to do is just immerse yourself and learn as much as you can. Side/personal projects are a good way to keep your skills sharp and can make good examples of what your capable of to potential employers. Really the big thing is you need to find what type of programming you want to do and focus on that. Find out what tools/languages/apps are the best in that field and learn them inside and out. Hope that helps.

[NeoZeon]

Get a job with an industry giant such as HP, Cisco, Sun, IBM, Apple, Google. You are a recent graduate so getting into an entry level programming job won't require you to have a portfolio, but it will require you to pass their tests. Most technical jobs have tests to see how fast you can problem solve.

I have often toyed with the idea of quitting grad school and applying to work for a company like Wolfram or Matheworks.

[Ssoele]

Get a job with an industry giant such as HP, Cisco, Sun, IBM, Apple, Google. You are a recent graduate so getting into an entry level programming job won't require you to have a portfolio, but it will require you to pass their tests. Most technical jobs have tests to see how fast you can problem solve.

I have often toyed with the idea of quitting grad school and applying to work for a company like Wolfram or Matheworks.

Please go work at Wolfram and improve the licencing system. Last time I tried to get a program from them, it took me 2 hours to find the correct link (I had to download it from a torrent website because I couldn't find it on their website) and it took me like 15 minutes to find the right key (they send me like a million keys where only 1 from worked).

[deafboy]

Just start applying places... it's not a whole lot like school, it's way more fun and feel like you're making a difference. Coming straight out of school, if you haven't done internships they will presume you do just know the basics so check out my technical interview thread about dealing with the interview process and prepping. Getting the first job is the hardest but you will learn a bunch in a short time, even just going through the interview process can be helpful.

If you can, try and get in on a start up. You'll dive right in and be constantly learning about a bunch of different aspects of the industry.

Don't stress and just be yourself.

[christianhahn]

As a system/firmware programmer for a mixed-signal IC start-up, I can definitely say that the expectations for a new-hire at a start-up are higher than that of a larger, established company. Start-ups have much slimmer margins and as such cannot afford to hire unqualified people.

However, as the above poster said, working for a start-up does provide near transparency of the entire design, qualification and release process. (You will be exposed to many different facets of the industry that would otherwise be obscured in a large company.)

Although, I am fairly young (mid-twenties), I have interviewed people that are 20+ years older than me. From this, I have picked up several notes.

1. Experience is not everything. A candidate with 10+ years in the same position should immediately be scrutinized. Why has he not been promoted (or made senior)?
   
2. Some candidates are good at saying what they think you want to hear. It is best to say as little as possible and let them lead (e.g. “Impress me...â€)
   
3. When in doubt…take them to the whiteboard. 90% of all meeting rooms have whiteboards. (Not only are they decorative, but also highly functional.)
   
4. If there was ever the right time to ask a question: now is the time, not after you hire them.
   
5. Problem solving and debugging are paramount. Some interviewees just don’t have the basic analytical skills to debug complex systems. Solutions must be time-efficient and plausible.
   

To this date, I have only had one person leave an interview prematurely (and he was courteous enough to excuse himself and save me the remaining 40 minutes.)

I also recommend you immerse yourself in a few side projects. Since you enjoy computer hardware, I recommend you work your way down to at least C-programming. (C is considered a must have.) You can expand your passion for digital logic by picking up Verilog (alternatively VHDL).

Don’t stress about syntax too much. If an interview hinges on syntax then you probably don’t want the job anyways. (As long as the interviewee can navigate the right resources and resolve syntax issues.)

Even if you don’t get hired, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback!

Best of luck in the New Year

-CH

[christianhahn]

Please excuse the sequential post, but I forgot to mention something.

It is extremely important that you research the position & department you are applying for.

This is the question I always lead with and sets the mood for the entire interview. You would be surprised how many people don't do their due diligence and prepare. (Especially considering that I take the time and read their resume before the interview.)

Thanks

[HewinFM]

If you want to do something professionally you have to do it as a job. The beginning of the word basically gives it away, "profession."

[GoodBytes]

If you are doing an interview for a full time job or part time (e.g: not intership). You MUST know your data structure at 100%. All software development interview question has a data structure question. If you don't have it, then forget, you'll most likely not get the job. Data Structure is used pretty much everywhere. Complex or large scale software, or gaming, even cell phone game.

At the interview you have to show your knowledge, it's also good to express your thought process as you think. This allows you to interviewer to sometimes give you a "second chance", for example, lets say there is a problem on the board, and due to stress you are not thinking straight, so you come close to the solution, but not quiet there yet. As you explain your though process, the interviewer (unless he is jerk, or had something better qualified then you), can use the benefit of the doubt and assume you got it, especially if you are not much experience, and especial if you show them a or some personal projects.

Personal project is a big key in helping you put a string foot at the door. As it shows that you do things for yourself, you know how everything works, you have some level of experience in programming and designing a software... while it might be good in reality, it is still experience non the less, as for sure you experience downfalls in your way of thinking or planning process, and even coding. You also prove that you know how to program, and can also present something that you can't really present in an interview: that you have originality and creative ideas to problems, especially if your program is fairly unique, or has a twist to it that other programs don't do or have, which make yours better. Now the idea is not sell your software to the interviewer, you are not a sales man, but it does show that you can be valuable during brain storming session when it comes to new products or new version of a software that the company that you want to work for might have later on. Also, doing a personal project shows motivation in your field to the company, and most importantly: Greatly boost your moral, and confidence in yourself.

You must remember that, when you'll start, you'll be considered a junior developer. This means that the company expects you to have a hard time adapting to their software, especially if you just come in the middle of it, and not start from scratch. And also that you don't know much.. at least not yet. You'll have mentors and helpers ready to assist you. If you have the opportunity to get an internship, that is the best learning experience ever, as you can bug your mentor all day with questions, he is there to teach you as you do real work. He paid for that, especially if you have an internship in a large company like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, etc.

Oh another thing with the interview, you need to be able to connect with the interview, to show that you think like the company or the team that you are planned to work with.

Also, please remember, that you'll always fall with pricks, who he will ask you impossible questions to show himself or herself to you... usually they don't hire and wastes everyone time and company money. But such is life.

[AMICLG]

Get a job with an industry giant such as HP, Cisco, Sun, IBM, Apple, Google. You are a recent graduate so getting into an entry level programming job won't require you to have a portfolio, but it will require you to pass their tests. Most technical jobs have tests to see how fast you can problem solve.

I have often toyed with the idea of quitting grad school and applying to work for a company like Wolfram or Matheworks.

Google is absolutely hell to work at as a programmer.

[Reconciliasion]

do a side project - make a program for a forum

you will learn as you go along until it becomes second nature

source: expierience