What Does a Software Engineer Actually Do?
Becoming a software engineer is a long journey, filled with small successes and many failures.
I began this journey in 2021, when I decided it was the right time to leave my home country and move to the Netherlands to study Computer Science. At that point, I had only limited experience in the tech world. I knew some basic programming concepts, mainly in C++, from high school, but I quickly realized that wasn’t enough.
Later on, I came to understand what a software engineer really does. It’s not just about writing code, it’s about communicating with stakeholders from different backgrounds and finding the best solutions for them, often without getting into technical details. A good software engineer must be adaptable to new tools and concepts, and, most importantly, in my opinion, should be eager to keep learning continuously.
The Roadmap to Becoming a Software Engineer
There’s no magic formula to becoming a software engineer, just a lot of passion and hard work. Here are six steps you can follow to reach your goal:
Start applying for internships and jobs: These opportunities are some of the best ways to learn and grow because you’ll be working alongside experts who can guide and support you.
Learn the fundamentals: Start with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for web development. If you want to be a more generalist, consider learning Python or C#.
Pick a specialization early on: This will help you choose the right tools and programming languages to focus on. Most software engineers begin with web development before moving on to more specialized areas like mobile development, AI, or game development.
Learn version control: Get comfortable with Git and GitHub, the most widely used version control tools.
Build real projects: Create things like personal websites, blogs, or to-do apps to apply what you’ve learned.
Develop a strong portfolio: Showcasing your projects is crucial.
What I Wish I Knew When Starting
Starting your journey to becoming a software engineer can feel overwhelming. Looking back, there are a few things I wish someone had told me early on, and I hope these insights help you avoid some of the struggles I faced.
One of the biggest challenges is accepting that you won’t know everything, and that’s perfectly fine. Technology evolves fast, and even seasoned engineers don’t have all the answers. The key is to stay curious, keep learning, and be comfortable with not having all the knowledge right away. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Feeling like you’re “not good enough” or that you don’t belong in tech is incredibly common. Almost every software engineer experiences impostor syndrome at some point. The important part is to recognize it for what it is, a feeling, not reality, and to push through by focusing on your progress, not perfection.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a formal computer science degree to become a successful software engineer. Many great developers come from self-taught backgrounds, bootcamps, or alternative education paths. What truly matters is your passion, dedication, and the projects you build along the way.
