Hey everyone! I'm a 14-year-old developer from Hyderabad, India, and I kicked off my coding journey at age 10. I'll skip the backstory, but here are some highlights of what I've accomplished so far:
- I ranked in the top 30 out of 300,000 participants in the 2023 SIH Hackathon, where I developed a terrestrial mapper that creates detailed sketches of large structures to save time for people using CAD software.
- I snagged 3rd place in a competition focused on diabetic wellness, where I created an IoT device that weighs insulin bottles to ensure patients are taking their medication on schedule (won 10,000rs!).
- I traveled to IIT Delhi for a grand finale competition, where I presented a mock-up of a nonprofit app designed to help restaurants and grocery stores donate surplus food through NGO volunteers, built with Flutter.
I don't have plans to pursue competitive programming as a career; instead, I'd prefer working for a solid company with good pay. I'm looking for ways to gain exposure, maybe through freelancing or internships, to develop my skills further. I've got good proficiency in Python, especially in AI/ML, and I've completed several React projects. I am also pursuing a MERN certification. Any advice on how to get started and gain real-life experience would be super helpful!
2 Answers
Just dive in and start working! Theoretical knowledge is great, but real experience is what counts. It doesn't have to be a big company; even starting with internships or small gigs can help you learn a lot.
You should consider applying to larger companies! They often look for young talent, especially if you have substantial programming experience, even if it's mostly academic. Just make sure your resume highlights your projects and achievements!
I definitely want to, but I have concerns. For one, I'm worried about lacking actual experience, which is why I'm thinking of starting with a smaller startup first. Plus, how do I even apply to these big companies?