I'm a 2025 graduate currently at a payment processing company. I was excited about my interview since they asked if I was comfortable with Rust, as I enjoy functional programming and low latency development. However, when I joined, my manager informed me that there wasn't much demand for Rust on our team (they primarily use Python), and I got shifted to an infrastructure team instead. I thought I'd be doing interesting work with Linux, but I've mainly been creating helm charts, editing values files, and migrating applications to ArgoCD. Now, all I can put on my resume is a line about migrating apps and possibly saving some costs. I'm eager to switch to another company, but I'm worried about being considered for a Software Engineer role. Any advice on how I could make this switch? A bit about me: I graduated with a major in AI and Data Science, I'm very skilled in competitive programming, have won hackathons in machine learning, and I'm proficient in C++. However, I'm concerned that high-frequency trading firms may not give me a chance because I didn't go to an IIT. After my graduation, I worked for 4-5 months at a bank, and the payment processing company was my first job switch, which came with a significant pay hike.
3 Answers
I totally understand the frustration! This feels more like an infra detour instead of actual SWE work. Start applying now! Lean on your C++ skills and other projects, and try to present your current role as platform engineering. Set a short deadline for yourself; if you don't see a real coding path, it might be time to move on.
You might have to embellish your resume slightly, but you'll be okay. For instance, instead of saying, "I migrated apps and saved some costs (maybe)," you could say, "Migrated a monolithic service to an event-driven microservices architecture, saving $655k in annual hosting costs." Just think of a few more impactful bullet points, and you'll be golden!
Thank you so much! This seems doable and a great strategy.
If you're not happy, then definitely consider making a change. What you're doing now doesn't seem to provide much valuable experience; it sounds more like intern-level tasks. You deserve better, especially if you have the skills you're mentioning.
Exactly! Unless your previous experience was at a higher level, they probably see you as new and still learning.
Got it! I'm definitely leaning towards making the switch now.