Land your first Software job in 2025

2025 is almost here.

If landing your first software job is one of your goals, let me break down a clear, actionable path to make it happen.

PS: I work as a software engineer specializing in Big data analytics in Accenture, I landed this job in 2023 itself, and there's a specific path I followed to get here.

But before moving forward:

Here’s the hard truth: Most people fail because they waste time on the wrong things—too many courses, random projects, and no focus. But that should not be YOU.

I want you to know one simple fact: If you have clarity, if you have a goal, if you have the will to work hard enough, you will get there.

Sooner or later, but the goal is guaranteed to be achieved if you have the wit.

I will break down my own journey into a few steps.

So even if you have made some progress in your own, you can just follow the remaining steps and progress.

Step 1: Master the Basics​

You don’t need to know everything. Focus on one language (Python or JavaScript or C++), one tech stack, and a few core concepts like:

Problem-solving (I started with LeetCode).

Debugging (VS Code is your best friend).

APIs (practice fetching and displaying data), specifically if you're working with MERN/MEAN.

I started my programming journey with C++, practiced over 130 questions on Leetcode, day and night, and built real-world projects, because of which I landed a job in my first 10 job applications itself.

Step 2: Build Real-World Projects​

Forget “Hello, World” programs. Build things that showcase your skills:

A to-do app.

A weather app that uses an API.

A portfolio site to show off your work.

Nothing wrong with smaller projects, in fact, mini-projects are the best way to practice and get better at your craft.

But they aren't going to serve the purpose in your resume.

Follow my method: 2-3 bigger, stronger projects that showcase your skills are better than 4-5 small scale projects.

Step 3: Focus on aptitude

I neglected this, thinking that practicing 8th grade math is probably a wrong idea.

I couldn't be more wrong, many coding problems in interview do involve basic math and aptitude reasoning.

Won't elaborate much on this, practice it for 10-15 mins on a daily.

Step 4: Prepare for Interviews​

Focus on data structures, algorithms, and behavioral questions. Practice coding problems and mock interviews until you’re confident.

I gave many mock interviews before sitting for in-person company interviews, they train you to become less nervous when facing the real deal.

This email is getting way too long, so I thought why not collect all of the info that helped me bag a job before even graduating, and put together it into a simple checklist.

So I did exactly that, spent around 9 hours figuring out the best steps to get you from 0 -> hero in coding.

And to make this happen:

I put together a Coding Checklist that outlines every step you need to take to go from zero to job-ready in 2025.

It’s simple, actionable, and proven.

Reply to this email with a Hi, and I will send you exactly that.

Keep coding,

​Atharva