Many freshers want to know how to secure a job by learning an in-demand language. They rush to learn a language in a few days, jump into interviews, and face rejections. When they fail, people tell them to practice more. They do practice, but keep failing, which leads to frustration and self-doubt.
My Early Mistake
I will share my personal experience. When I started programming decades ago, I made the same mistake. I couldn’t get through interviews and didn’t realize what I was doing wrong for years. Now, with more experience, I know the best way to learn a new programming language.
Understanding the Basics
First, understand the scope of the language you’re learning. Most basic books cover:
- Main Syntax: How a program begins and the essential syntax.
- Control Structures: Concepts like if-else, while loops, and for loops.
- Data Types: Different types of data you can work with.
- Functions and Basic Examples: How to create and use functions with simple examples.
These books also cover advanced topics like “Data structures”. Most candidates consider this too advanced and don’t practice enough. When they face interviews with this gap in their knowledge, they often get rejected. When candidates see they aren’t ready, they try to study more. But they still have trouble and don’t do well in interviews.
Here’s the problem:
Imagine the people who interview you. They have a lot of experience and know their projects well. They’re looking for someone who fits their needs. What they see as basic skills might be different from what you think is basic.
Suitability of Different Programming Languages
Each programming language suits specific domains. For example, C is the main language for embedded systems, kernel development, and device drivers. While everyone knows this, they often don’t think about the implications of how it is used in the practical world.
Moving on to C++: For large-scale system development, organizations prefer C++ over C.
Python, on the other hand, is a preferred language for AI, DevOps, and test automation. It’s easy to use, helps solve problems, and is faster to learn and apply. But, it might not be the best choice for programming low-end sensor projects. For implementing AI in embedded projects, you might need to use C++ instead of Python in some cases.
Embedded Systems
In embedded systems, there is no external programmer who will re-program the software. The biggest challenge is to have maximum control over the system resources like memory, peripherals, etc.
C language is used in embedded systems. Bare metal programming without any RTOS, would use C. The interrupt service routines, microcontroller applications, I/O management, etc., are done in C. More complex systems consist of RTOS or other embedded Operating Systems. In these cases, embedded device drivers, multi-threaded applications, and other system software may be written in C or C++. One big challenge is optimizing the memory usage in small devices with limited memory.
Application Domain
If we move to the application domain, the applications may be written in C#, Java, or other similar languages. In these, the memory is managed by the system. Most of the time, there is no concern about freeing the allocated memory. However, the challenges are in the design of large applications.
High-Level Tasks
.NET and Java are used for higher-level tasks like web services and UI applications. In these cases, memory management isn’t the main concern.
Python Specializations
Python also has specializations. After learning basic programming, you can explore different domains. So, we should look at each programming language based on the domains and industries.
Market Demand
This affects how much people need different programming languages. If you hear that there’s a lot of demand for .Net, it means Microsoft is doing well. So, if Microsoft is doing better, expect more demand for their technologies.
If many new consumer devices and IoT devices are released, there will be a high demand for embedded systems development, which means a need for C language skills. This is a simple way to understand which skills are in demand.
Application Domain and Interviews
How does the application domain affect a programming language interview? Even if you don’t have experience in a specific domain, it can still matter. There are no formal boundaries for what gets asked in a programming language interview. Interviewers who know the language will ask questions to test your problem-solving skills. They might ask both easy and hard questions. In a C language interview, the interviewer might think about micro-controllers or device driver architecture.
Rise of Agile Development and DevOps
Lately, with the rise of agile development, there’s a bigger need for DevOps. Python, an older language, is a very good fit for the programming needs. As a result, many Python libraries for DevOps have emerged.
At the same time, data science has also become important. Then there’s test automation. Python developers are lucky because their skills are needed in many industries. That’s why the demand for them is increasing.
But, it’s hard to find good Python developers. I get many resumes but often reject them because they lack skills. Many don’t understand how Python is used in real life. They don’t know that their code should solve real problems in specific domains. Without this understanding, they can’t tell what is basic or advanced in Python skills.
Understanding Practical Application
Programming language is about which domains it is applied to. If you don’t know how a language solves real problems, you can’t be sure of your skills. Even if you don’t have experience, knowing how the language is used in real life can make you confident.
Steps to Follow
Here’s what to do:
- Choose a Field: Choose a field you like and want to work in for a long time.
- Pick the Language: Pick the language that is best for that field.
- Get a Book: Get a book that teaches the basics of that language.
Practice and Application
Practice the language by using it for real-life problems in your chosen field. Practice is key to getting better and understanding how to use the language well. Choose one of the paths above and start learning right away. Keep going without doubting yourself.
Choosing the Right Developer Laptop
If you need to buy a laptop for coding, look for what makes a good developer laptop. It will help you choose the right one.
Hiring Experience
As a manager, I once hired a Python candidate for DevOps, but he didn’t show up on the first day. So, I tried finding DevOps people with different language skills, but that didn’t work either. Then I looked at related fields, like test automation, and found candidates who used Perl scripting for test automation. Though I did not have a hands-on background in both languages, I could decide that Perl guy could fit Python’s needs. It turned out well.
Conclusion
Knowing how a language is used in different areas is very helpful. Choose the right language for your desired field, practice it with real-life problems, and understand how it’s used in the industry. This approach will help you secure a job and excel in your programming career.
