Hello, fellow students! Today, I would like to share some learning and job-seeking advice, discussing how I transformed from a programming novice into a slightly more skilled beginner.
1、Be Bold in Trying: The first year of college is the easiest year of the four, and it is also the year with the lowest cost of trial and error. By continuously experimenting, you can discover what you are good at and set your goals. When I first encountered programming, I started with the C language, but I couldn’t understand it at all and considered giving up programming. Later, I realized that there are many paths to success, and I didn’t have to limit myself to just one programming language. So, I began to explore and eventually chose Java as my programming language.
2、Build a Strong Foundation: The stability of a tall building depends on its foundation. If the foundation is weak, the building will shake. When learning technology, we must establish a solid foundation; only then can we navigate future learning with ease and quickly resolve issues when they arise. If the foundation is weak, even if others help you solve problems, you will only understand the surface, and you may still struggle to resolve similar issues in the future.
3、From Specifics to General: When learning a technology, do not limit yourself to just knowing how to use it. Understand its principles, why it is done this way, the benefits of this approach, and the problems that arise from not doing it this way. Only then can we truly grasp a technology and clearly resolve issues when they arise.
4、Seize Opportunities: During the job-seeking process, many people may think, “I am not fully prepared yet; I will start when I am ready.” However, the truth is that by the time you feel ready, the opportunity may have already passed. You must seize opportunities; regardless of success or failure, be bold in trying.
5、Review in a Timely Manner: Throughout the job-seeking process, we will experience many interviews. Each interview is a learning experience, and after each one, we should review it promptly, focusing on key points and addressing weaknesses. This way, we can achieve a transformation from quantitative to qualitative change. For example, I attended nearly 100 interviews, and after each one, I would review my performance. With continuous accumulation, I found that answering interview questions became as easy as reciting multiplication tables, and sometimes I could even anticipate the interviewer’s next question.
Through continuous accumulation and review, I received 6 job offers from different companies, completing the transformation from quantitative to qualitative change.
6、Perseverance: Job-seeking is also a “long-term battle.” Resumes sent out may disappear without a trace, interviews may leave you speechless, and the offers received may not meet expectations… These frustrations can easily lead to self-doubt and abandonment. But if you give up, you are giving up; why not persist a little longer? I am a true example of this. When I failed to convert my internship into a full-time position, I felt like the sky was falling. I kept sending resumes and interviewing, sometimes having interviews five days a week, with two interviews a day at the start. After the interviews, I had to wait for long results, and fatigue set in. Some advised me to change direction, but I felt I had come this far; why not hold on a little longer? In the end, I also received my desired offer. I believe job-seeking is like running a marathon; the true winners are not those who sprint the fastest at the start, but those who can maintain their pace and not easily stop, even when tired. As long as the direction is correct, persisting will create the possibility of winning.
Finally, I want to say that everyone’s growth does not have a standard answer. Just like I went from not understanding C language to being able to respond calmly in interviews and receiving my desired offer, every step I took was filled with the anxiety of trial and error and the clumsiness of perseverance. But it is these seemingly imperfect processes that bring us closer to the person we want to become.
In four years of college, technology is constantly updating, and opportunities are flowing. The only certainty is that every effort you put in today for your passion will be rewarded in some way tomorrow. Do not fear the awkwardness of starting, nor be anxious about temporary setbacks—there is an old saying in programming, “First implement, then optimize.” Life is actually the same. First, boldly do, try, and accumulate; what does not break you will ultimately make you stronger.
I hope you can carry this spirit of “daring to try, willing to settle down, and good at reviewing” to root in your studies and break through in your job search. Remember, what we call “proficiency” is merely the accumulation of countless “clumsy” attempts; what we call “luck” is simply “persistence” meeting “opportunity.” May you all gradually become better versions of yourselves on the path you choose, and may we meet at the peak!