Launching Your Future: A Guide for Computer Science Students During the Job Waiting Period

Whether you’re a self-learner or enrolled in college, if you’re currently waiting for a job, internship, or opportunity, don’t just sit still. Instead, take this as an opportunity and start your project.

Follow these steps, regardless of your existing knowledge:

1️⃣ Create a repository on GitHub (this is a crucial step, don’t skip it!). It’s essential for collaboration and showcasing your work.

2️⃣ Write down your product vision, I like to do that on a slide deck to review it easily and always be ready for any presentation. Try to have an idea that needs both a frontend and a backend, it could be a web app, a mobile app, or both.

Now build a backlog for your project using a simple spreadsheet or a tool like Jira. Start adding user stories and consider working in sprints if you’re disciplined. If you’re not familiar with these terms and the Agile methodologies, take some time to learn about them.

3️⃣ Explore using a relational database model (SQL) for your project and check your relational data modeling skills. While the choice of a specific RDMS product isn’t crucial at this stage, as you are likely going to use an ORM, consider using a free one like Postgres.

4️⃣ Begin implementing your user stories using your preferred tech stack. If you haven’t learned Python yet, this is a fantastic opportunity to dive into it. You can even leverage tools like ChatGPT to assist you in writing code.

5️⃣ Testing! Yes, I don’t like it either but it’s crucial. Embrace it.

6️⃣ Deploy your project using any cloud service provider. Consider exploring the available free plans before committing to any paid services at the moment. Several providers offer free plans that can fulfill your requirements.

Here are some options worth considering: Firebase, Render, Deta, Neon… etc.) Remember to deploy frequently, right after completing a task. This way, you’ll showcase your progress and keep iterating.

At a later stage, explore using VMs and containers from providers like Digital Ocean, AWS, Azure, and GCP. Read now more about DevOps.

7️⃣ Track your progress and share your learnings throughout your journey. Whether it’s a blog post, social media updates, or simply engaging with the community, let us know what you’ve discovered and accomplished.

While your project is growing along with your skills, you will be more prepared to explore advanced topics in architecture and infrastructure but first, start and you will find your way.

Remember, this project is not just about gaining experience and honing your skills. It’s also an opportunity to showcase your passion, determination, and ability to deliver.

So, don’t wait any longer — start building, now, RIGHT NOW.

Good luck, and enjoy the journey!

Follow me for more on programming Sari Lakkis