Dozie's* story is a breath of fresh air. He shares an interesting story of self-learning fullstack software development while in school, finally landing a job that's absolutely worth the wait.
How does a typical working day look for you?
I work remotely, though my company has a physical office. My typical day starts on or before 8 AM with a stand-up meeting, where I share the previous day's tasks including the to-dos for the current day. After the stand-up, I prioritise and tackle various projects, which can include updating websites or building APIs. I assign timelines to each task to stay organised and efficient.
We have a one-hour break daily. I enjoy coding a lot and get excited about software projects, which makes my workday fulfilling and engaging.
So, software engineer, yeah? Frontend? Backend? Or fullstack?
Fullstack.
Interesting. Give me an idea of your journey to becoming a fullstack developer.
I was self-taught. It's a long story. But it's been a great journey.
And I want to hear it.
My coding journey began in my second year of university back in 2015, where I studied Computer Science. Interestingly, before gaining admission, I intended to study Petroleum Engineering. After passing all my WAEC exams in SSS2, I wanted to take a gap year before university, so I enrolled in a 6-month computer training program. This training sparked my love for computers.
The following year, I took the JAMB exam and decided to pursue Computer Science. One significant influence was my older brother, who is a software engineer. Watching him build projects inspired me greatly. He taught me Visual Basic Programming before I went to university, and I was determined to excel in Computer Science.
My brother graduated with distinction at a Polytechnic, where the emphasis was on practical skills. However, in my first year at university, the focus was mainly on theory.
By my second year, I realised I needed to take control of my learning. I started learning web design basics, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP programming. This self-directed learning was challenging, involving long hours of debugging and trial and error, but it paid off in the long run.
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By my third year, I was selected to join a team for a university project, where we developed the university helpdesk system. I built the frontend of the application, marking my first experience collaborating with a team on a software product. This experience was instrumental in my growth, and I began teaching my colleagues as well.
This is interesting. Please, go on.
For my final year project, I developed a proximity mobile application that helps users locate shops within a market. After graduation, I continued to expand my skills by taking courses in various programming languages like Node.js and Python, as well as JavaScript frameworks for both frontend and backend development.
Learning on my own wasn't easy, but having mentors who guided me through projects and provided inspiration was incredibly helpful. Over time, I have worked with several technologies, built scalable projects, and collaborated with multiple teams, all as a self-taught developer.
Let me stop here. This is only a summary.
What was going on in your head all the while you were building and learning, especially regarding life after school?
After school, I had several plans in mind. While still a student, I started training other students in programming. One of my goals after graduation was to establish a tech hub to continue this training on a larger scale.
Although circumstances prevented me from starting it immediately, it's still something I'm passionate about and plan to pursue. My vision is to create a unique training centre in Nigeria, focusing on innovative approaches to learning. Additionally, my goal was to become one of the solution-providing engineers globally.
One challenge I faced after graduation was the demand for extensive work experience by many Nigerian software companies. As a fresh graduate, it was disheartening to see job postings requiring five years of experience. Although I had some experience through freelance work, it wasn't the same as formal work experience. Despite this, I continued freelancing until I secured a position with a great edutech company, where I am now.
So, getting a job wasn't easy? Disappointing, I believe. I believe you had a different expectation.
At all. It wasn't easy. They were asking for years of experience, even when I had those experiences. But I think that has changed because now they are more concerned about skills than years of experience. They want to see projects you have worked on, not really how many years. Like my current job, I got it based on capstone projects I have done.
How long before you eventually got a job?
Two years. During those two years, I was freelancing.
Let me digress here. Freelancing or 9-5, which would you recommend and why?
For me, any arrangement works as long as I don't have to go to a physical office. I don't see the need for software engineers to be physically present in an office. If at all, it should be once a week or occasionally, maybe just to bond with the team.
We don't need a physical office to deliver at all. I have been working remotely for over two years now, and I've successfully completed several large and small-scale software projects. I've collaborated with various teams, all from my tech space at home, and some of these products are actively in use.
If I were to recommend one, I would suggest freelancing. It provides the opportunity to gain a broad range of skills because you work on diverse projects across different niches.
In a typical 9-5 job, unless the company primarily focuses on software development and services, you might be confined to a specific aspect, which can limit your knowledge in that area. Freelancing allows you to explore and engage with all kinds of projects.
As software engineers, we rarely focus on just one thing. We often work on and switch between various project-based applications.
No too loud am o 😂
It's true sha. But really, I have become so vast in my knowledge because I worked on several projects. And the beauty of it is that you can use what you learnt on a project for something else. Many things are reusable in software engineering.
I get you. So, you got a job after two years. Was it worth the wait?
It was worth the wait, big time! I built more experiences that are project-based and met some of my mentors in those two years. In fact, it was that network that brought the link to the job.
That's nice! What's your general outlook about working with or for people?
I enjoy working with people because it provides numerous learning opportunities. I firmly believe that collaboration is essential in any career path, as no one can succeed alone. Building connections with those who have more experience is invaluable for personal and professional growth.
In terms of working for people, I think it's a good starting point. It takes time to launch something independently, but working with or for others gives you a solid foundation if you decide to start your own venture later.
How long do you see yourself working for people before you set up your own venture?
There is a point and level I want to get to before I stand on my own. Right now, I have not gotten there.
Can we get an idea of the 'point and level'?
Based on my level of experience and network. The level where you have built one or two applications in almost every sector and you have one or more solutions to provide no matter the sector or niche.
Cool! Quite ambitious, I must say. We've not really talked about where you currently work. Seems like such a great place. What stands out for you about the company?
There are many aspects that make my company stand out, but the most important is having a boss who is genuinely passionate about impacting employees. I work in a place where everything needed to advance in my career is provided. We regularly get opportunities to attend capacity-building events, including international ones.
For example, my first trip to Ghana was organised by the company. Although it was for a software pitch, my boss emphasised the importance of learning and networking with developers and industry experts. This commitment to mentorship and supporting employees' growth is what truly makes my experience here exceptional.
Beautiful! And it's even great that it's the first place you're working officially. Is it safe to say you're going to be there for a long time?
Yes oh. Who leaves such a place😄? Even though I get better offers outside I won't leave, I will only add to it. Since it's even remote work
I see your cheat code.
One of the good things about the place is that there is a salary increment every year. Actually. My salary has been increased three times. So it's really a good place.
In two years? Amazing!
Surprisingly yes.
Seems a lifer has been spotted. Startup or corporate?
Corporate. The company has been around for more than a decade actually.
What have you seen or heard about where people work that you can't stand?
I don't like toxic environments. I have heard people talk about that several times and how the level of work they do is not commensurate to the pay. One thing I have also seen with some Nigerian companies is that most just want to use you and not concerned about your growth.
I won't work in a place if there are no opportunities to build capacity in the same thing I am doing to provide solutions for the company because I will be limited.
It might not be the same for all kinds of work, but in terms of tech which is always evolving and things change, software engineers must always stay up to date with industry standards.
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