Advice for those students who learned nothing in their 4 years of college, but now wish to work at Google/Facebook

The 4 years of college are the best time to explore and learn new things, the reason being that you do not have any responsibilities and so, you can put your heart and soul into learning. However, given that you have already wasted the college years, you should effectively “re-live” them.

A typical template for a Computer Science student looks like the following:

• Year 1: Basics of Computer Science and Programming. The year typically starts with a couple of introductory programming courses where the key objective is to learn the fundamentals of Computer Programming in at least 1 well-known programming language. Typically, most colleges teach C/C++, Java, Python, etc.
• Year 2: The focus during the 2nd year is in developing ‘problem-solving’ thinking. Key courses include Data Structures and Algorithms, Discrete Mathematics and possibly a course on Probability and Statistics. Most good colleges also have a course on Software Systems Lab which is a hands-on course where you get to explore your ‘hacker’ mind and try out dozens of new tools. The key objective of the 2nd year is to develop a problem-solving mindset and learn effective Google Search.
• Year 3: The focus during the 3rd year is to learn the basics of Operating Systems, Databases and Computer Networks and at the same time, get a flavor of basic Software Engineering - Web Development, Mobile App Development, etc. The aim is to complete at least 4 good projects, 2 each in Web and Mobile Development. The 3rd year often ends in a summer internship where you can apply what you have learned so far in a real-world scenario.
• Year 4: The focus during the 4th year is to learn advanced skills and technologies, particularly those around Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or any other technology that is new in the market.

Keeping the above template in mind, if you feel that you have wasted complete 4 years of college, you can follow the following steps to come back:

• Budget 12 complete months of your life in learning and self-improvement. During these 12 months, you would be implementing a “shortened” version of the above 4-year long template.
• Since you are squeezing 4-years of learning into 12 months, focus solely on executing the template. Do not take up a job in parallel, unless you see a future in the job. Do not prepare for a competitive exam in parallel unless you see a future in it. Spend 12 continuous and dedicated months.

Now, let’s see how these 12 months would look like:

• Month 1 and 2: spend time learning the basics of Python Programming. Python is simple and easy to learn. Here are some suggested courses:
• Introduction to Python Programming
• Python Programming - An Expert Guide on Python
• Month 3 and 4: spend time in learning Data Structures and Algorithms. A good starting point would be Algorithms Part 1. The course may be a bit slow, but you can always fast-forward those parts which you are able to understand quickly. Spend time reading the book provided along with the course. Through this course, not only would you learn about Data Structures and Algorithms, but also you will learn the basics of Java. Parallelly, start solving problems on SPOJ. Solve at least the first 50 problems. Aim for 100.
• Month 5, 6 and 7: once you are through with the basics of Programming and Data Structures and Algorithms, move to Web and Android Development. Here are the resources I’d personally recommend:
• Django Girls Tutorial
• Projects in Django: Learn Django Building Projects
• Android Development for Beginners
• Month 8, 9 and 10: now that you know the basics of programming, problem-solving and development, you are in the right position to move to advanced technologies. Here are the recommended resources:
• Machine Learning
• Learn Machine Learning by Building Projects
• Month 11 and 12: by this time, you’d feel a lot more confident about your skills and you will also have great projects to showcase on your resume, thanks to the courses above. You’d be in a position to apply to various companies. During these final 2 months, you should spend a lot of time in preparing for interviews and applying to companies. Here are some great resources for interview preparation:
• Cracking the Coding Interview
• InterviewBit
• LinkedIn: a great platform to build your network
• AngelList: an excellent platform to apply for jobs at startups

If you wholeheartedly follow the above 12-month-long plan, you surely can develop the right skills in Computer Science and Programming and start with a tech job. You may not necessarily land at your dream company, but you can get a great start. Later, as you learn and progress and build your network, you can consider moving to larger tech companies - Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, etc.

To summarize, I’d say that rather than focusing on Google, Facebook or any other tech company, focus on building the right skills. Focus on improving your problem-solving skills and your fundamentals in Computer Science. Work on projects that you can talk about during the interviews. Work hard and you will succeed.

A quote I love

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

Further reading:

• How are people earning 55LPA/24 LPA at the age of 24-27? I am 23 years old. I earn only 24k per month working in an MNC. What should I do to get on par?
• How could a B.Tech CS student avoid getting caught in a trap of mass recruiters like Infosys, Wipro, TCS, etc.?
• After getting a CS degree from a Tier 3 college in India, which had no resources, how should I hone my programming skills and knowledge within 6 months so as to secure a job in a good company?
• How do I learn machine learning?
• What one should do to prepare for placements?
• How do I build a strong resume?