HACKER Q&A
📣 Romanief

Need suggestion on what to do next


Hi, this is Fred.

I have been studying to change my career from healthcare to software development for about a year and a half now. I started with CS50x and CS50w courses to learn the basics of computer science and web development, then focused on building full-stack projects. I created a portfolio featuring mainly React/Next.js/Django applications.

I started looking for entry-level positions or internships with poor results, so I then completed the CS50 AI course and made some Python projects, such as a neural model, a reinforcement learning project, and a simple AI tic-tac-toe game.

I am now unsure of which direction to take. I have good fundamentals in TypeScript, React, Next.js, Node, Python, Django, TensorFlow, and knowledge of some AI algorithms. I do not have a specific field of development I want to specialize in, as I have enjoyed everything I have tried so far.

So my question is, what would be the smartest list of skills/projects to develop to land a job? What strategies can I use to stand out from the thousands of other applicants?

For reference, this is my portfolio. I am working on new projects as the old ones did not have the quality I know I can deliver: https://its-fred.vercel.app.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

  👤 AnimalMuppet Accepted Answer ✓
Apply to healthcare companies, but as a software developer. Your healthcare background will help you understand the background for the programs you write. It will give you a leg up on other applicants.
👤 clgong
Any industry preference? You've an advantage in healthcare. If you're trying to get out, then pretty much apply to any industry (even big tech, though it will be extremely competitive). AI skills are in very high demand so keep learning it and make projects. Try contributing to open source might help you stand out. Getting really good in a specific area will help you stand out for that area. So you might decide if full stack is for you or prefer a specialization, like front end guru, backend or ML engineering expert.