I am the quintessential example of an average Indian engineer: a guy belonging to a middle-class family who has been told that the only way to sift through life is to follow a well-laid doctrine set by Indian society.
My brother was preparing to become an engineer when I was growing up. Needless to mention, I went in the same direction, knowing that I will have a good guide.
I realized soon after college that an engineering degree was just a raw product and I had to upskill to make it a finished product. My education needed a booster; so did my skills. I used to focus on getting into a good company. But not anymore: now I want to become a better software developer and person.
So, in the city of Kanpur, a place like no else, lived I, a person who wanted to personify its vibrance. As life would have it, I am very fond of gardening, so my aesthetics match the city’s aesthetics too! I have a small garden of my own at home. Incidentally, this used to help me cope with the stress that exams, assignments and interviews would bring in my life.
It was my plants who helped me go through my graduation at Jamia Milia, in New Delhi. I was the last batch that got into college through their internal ranking system. I got placed at TCS from college.
However, I did not want to join TCS. My ambition was to work at a product-based company. Incidentally, before I joined Scaler, I sat for Amazon placements and they asked questions about DSA, about which I knew very little. Naturally and quite sadly for me, I got rejected during the early rounds itself.
But as people say, rejection often becomes the factor that pushes you through a difficult time. I wanted to prove my abilities to myself and this failure pushed me to grow beyond my college education.I was going through the training period at TCS and they were teaching us to write emails and prepare PPTs. The job scope was so mechanical that I knew I’d drown and not have fun with my life anymore.
It was then that I joined Scaler academy. We used to prepare for mock interviews very religiously. We were taught to be consistent because life is a compilation of everyday behaviours and doing something every day ensures finesse in whichever field a person is practicing in.
Initially, it was very hectic for me. We used to solve ten questions every single day. Despite coming from a background where I had no idea what LLD and HLD were, I was able to grasp the curriculum quickly once I picked up my speed.I have learned that I have to stay close to my subject every day. And I have followed all my mentors’ advice religiously.
Another such mentor, but more like an inspiration, was a senior from college, Harsh Vijay. He has cracked Microsoft and he was very proficient in programming. I looked up to him so much and wanted to be like him as well! Now, I realize I have come close to who he was. That was the dream and I’m just steps away from achieving it! You’ll hear about it from me when I do!
Connect with Amish Gupta on LinkedIn