I recently graduated with a computer science degree, but I have to be honest: I relied on AI for most of my coursework and didn't build a solid understanding of programming. I've now been working in help desk for more than three years and would like to move into a role where I can actually use my degree. I know I'll need practical skills and a portfolio, but I'm not sure where to begin learning or what subjects and projects to prioritize. Would applying for entry-level or junior developer positions several years after graduation look unreasonable, or can my help desk experience still help me make the transition?
5 Answers
Your help desk background can be a useful entry point. See whether your current company has development, automation, systems, or internal tools work you can contribute to. Start with small scripts that solve real problems, such as log processing, account workflows, reporting, or help desk automation. That gives you practical experience and lets you build relationships with technical teams while you study.
The situation is recoverable, but it will require consistent practice and an honest change in how you study. Work through a structured programming course or book, solve problems without immediately looking up solutions, and regularly build things from scratch. Don’t spend years collecting tutorials; set a schedule, finish projects, and get feedback from other developers. A degree can help open doors, but your demonstrated ability will determine whether you can move through them.
You’ll need to treat this like rebuilding the foundation rather than trying to jump straight into job applications. Pick one language and learn the basics without having AI write everything: variables, control flow, functions, data structures, debugging, object-oriented concepts, testing, Git, and basic databases. Use AI as a tutor or for hints after making your own attempt, not as a replacement for writing and understanding the code.
A good rule is to explain every line of a project in your own words and rebuild parts of it from memory. If you can’t do that, the project is still teaching you rather than demonstrating your skills.
You don’t necessarily have to become a software developer. Your current experience could lead toward systems administration, DevOps, identity and access management, vulnerability management, or other infrastructure roles. Those paths still benefit from scripting and programming, but they build more directly on the skills you already have. Explore them before assuming a complete restart is your only option.
Applying a few years after graduation isn’t automatically disqualifying, but employers will care much more about what you can do now than the date on your diploma. Expect to compete for junior roles and be prepared to demonstrate your skills through coding exercises or projects. Build two or three complete applications, document them clearly, and be ready to discuss tradeoffs, bugs, and improvements.
Your help desk experience can actually make you stand out if you connect it to software: troubleshooting, communicating with users, documenting issues, and understanding production problems are all valuable in development work.
Even small automation projects count if you can explain the problem, your design choices, and how you tested the result. It’s a much stronger portfolio story than a collection of unrelated tutorials.