About the Author
First, let me introduce myself. I graduated in 2022 from a 211 university with a degree in Civil Engineering, and started working at a state-owned enterprise, the legendary China Railway. After enduring the hardships of a 007 job and a minimum wage of 9 yuan per hour, I finally got a good opportunity to resign.
I have always aspired to the life of an urban elite. My imagined city life includes commuting by subway, working near skyscrapers, and enjoying meals and outings with friends after work. I envisioned weekends where I could invite friends over for fun, but all of this was just a fantasy in civil engineering. Thus, I was eager to return to urban work and life.
When I resigned, I was determined to leave civil engineering behind. I had identified nine potential career paths, and ultimately chose to switch to programming, partly because three of my college classmates had successfully transitioned into this field through Wangdao. They planted a seed in my mind in 2023, which unexpectedly sprouted in January 2025.
Choosing Wangdao
The reason for choosing Wangdao is that, as mentioned, three of my college classmates successfully transitioned through Wangdao (one in Shenzhen earning 19k*12, the other two in Chengdu earning 15k*15 and 12k*12 respectively). After a brief introduction over the phone, I made a hasty decision to choose Wangdao.
Once I arrived at Wangdao, the courses were conducted in a fast-paced manner according to the schedule.
Oh, by the way, there is one important thing, I was truly a beginner with zero foundation, having only studied basic computer courses in college. Therefore, I had to self-study some courses on Bilibili in advance, but I didn’t finish them. I only completed 20 problems for the homework before the semester started. As a working novice, everyone should not follow my example.
To give you a spoiler, I graduated from Wangdao with a job offer in Chengdu worth 175,000 yuan per year (13.5K*13 salary)!
A Message to Fellow Students
I remember reading this post the most while studying at Wangdao, so this first section is dedicated to those who are currently striving at Wangdao!
Keep studying and never give up, every note you take at Wangdao could become your insight into the industry later. The last few days of job preparation classes are extremely important, so do not underestimate or ignore them.
The course instructors expect you to meet their requirements before raising the bar. You will never understand the value of the connections and job assistance from the class teacher unless you experience it, so make sure to listen to your class teacher. I would like to especially thank Teacher Annie for her repeated patience and help!
The second section is for those who are currently job hunting!
Let me share my experience. I was unable to complete the offline part of the last project at Wangdao, and I knew my coding skills were poor and my coding mindset was lacking, so I had to know how to play to my strengths during interviews. I spent three days writing my resume, and my personal suggestion is to make it two pages long. This is based on my observation sitting next to HR at work; a one-page resume is often skimmed over quickly, lacking the desire to read more, which makes it seem like you have little to offer.
During the first week of job hunting, I reviewed for a week. This review was not about memorizing formulas but rather going through my resume point by point. When reviewing, I pulled out class notes, teacher handouts, a few pages of mind maps, and key classic questions from the formulas to look over.
Before scheduling interviews, make sure to simulate an interview. Don’t hesitate to ask HR for the key points of the interview. In-person interviews will usually provide some insights, while outsourcing will definitely give you 100% of the information. This way, you won’t get stuck or pause during the interview. Some students think they know everything and have done it before, so they feel reviewing is unnecessary. However, when faced with questions during the interview or on the phone, if you pause for three to five seconds, it can easily reveal your nervousness.
I started scheduling interviews on Wednesday of the second week. This week, I mainly wanted to gain interview experience and see what questions are asked for C++ positions in the computer industry. Therefore, I submitted my resume without any specific requirements, just using a plugin to submit 200 applications on a job site, focusing only on online interviews. In two days, I interviewed with seven companies. I felt quite comfortable with the process and ended up rejecting the last two interviews.
Some interviews were intense, some were casual, and some tested my boundaries. Most of the time, they asked me questions based on my resume, so it’s crucial to write a good resume. It’s like someone using your exam syllabus to ask you questions.
Make sure to record each interview; it’s very important. You might need to review it later. Also, immediately search for answers to any questions you didn’t answer well after the interview; this is extremely important and insightful.
After finishing the online interviews that week, I casually went on a week-long trip. Haha, it was fun, but I clearly felt that my knowledge and interview skills had deteriorated after returning. However, I didn’t want to spend another week reviewing everything in detail, so I suggest that everyone find a job first and then have fun. Don’t be like me and take a break in the middle; otherwise, the first interview back can be quite a blow to your confidence, haha.
By the fourth week of job hunting, I spent one day reviewing and another day applying, and on Friday, I scheduled two interviews. By this point, I had a total of three in-person interviews in Chengdu. Thanks to my ENFJ personality, being cheerful and lively, I was able to adapt and successfully secure a position.
On Monday, I was notified of the results, and I negotiated my salary from 12k*13 to 13.5k*13. I was very satisfied with all aspects, so I started work on Tuesday.
Regarding the salary negotiation process, I had already thought of several related questions after the online interview and before the in-person interview. This doesn’t require too much preparation. Those who need it can directly ask AI for questions or consult previous students; the questions and techniques are usually the same, so there’s no need to be anxious. You can even ask HR to send a message, and you can have your class teacher help you respond.
The third section is for those who are still hesitating. If you are reading this article, you may already be considering resigning or restarting your life. Since life has been tough, why not invest in yourself and give it a try? If you have a resilient attitude and mindset, following the methods of Wangdao, everyone can find a job. You can definitely believe in yourself.
Necessary preparation is essential. Wangdao will cover all the knowledge, but if you have no foundation, it’s easy to fall behind, so self-study is extremely important. If you are determined to start over, please take it seriously!
Final Thoughts
Continuously reviewing without taking action will never reveal your true strength. If you review until you are thoroughly familiar but find that you cannot apply it at work, you will have to relearn everything. Therefore, there’s no need to bury yourself in study; sometimes, you need to look up and see the path ahead, take a step forward, and life will gradually fall into place.
One needs positive psychological reinforcement. When you feel that everything is improving during this period, seize any opportunity you can grasp. I felt good during the online interview and rejected an offer of around 15k from Shanghai. Three days after rejecting that offer, I met a Shanghai girl who caught my interest. After returning to Chengdu, I unexpectedly discovered she was from Sichuan and realized that she might return to Sichuan after graduating from university.
The hardest part is not the push from Wangdao or the frustration of not being able to complete projects. Everything requires you to showcase your true abilities and personal charm during the probation period. Working doesn’t require you to be perfect in every aspect; sometimes, it also depends on fate and connections. So, boldly move forward, and things will naturally fall into place.
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