Have you ever thought about what it takes to be in a senior position? Well, it does take blood, sweat, and tears to reach that level. With position comes accountability and ownership of your deliverables. In this blog, we will get to know about one such individual who happens to be a part of Coding Ninjas’ alumni community.
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About Rahul
Rahul Maurya has completed his Bachelor’s in Technology from Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam Technical University situated in Lucknow. After college, he also went to the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing. Currently, he is associated with Ola as a Senior Software Engineer.
Before getting into Ola, even though he was working, he didn’t feel confident enough while giving the interviews. Somewhere he realized that he lacked confidence. His friends suggested he should opt for courses from Coding Ninjas.
Today, after completing his course, he felt more confident and upskilled. He is thankful to Coding Ninjas for boosting his confidence to a great extent. Moreover, clearing interviews with top companies like Ola and Tekion has enhanced his self-confidence drastically.
Journey with Coding Ninjas
“I didn’t have excellent technical skills. I had a basic knowledge of android programming but wasn’t very good at coding. One of my friends suggested I should get myself enrolled in the Coding Ninjas course. Once I started with the course, I realized how beneficial the videos were. The interviews which I gave after completing the course went pretty well. I owe this to Coding Ninjas’ well-structured teaching process, which helped me understand the topics clearly”.
“I remember during college, we used to struggle to get answers through books or blogs, but here at Coding Ninjas, the videos are more than enough. A huge thanks to Nidhi and Ankush for their utmost guidance.”
Are the lessons learned at Coding Ninjas still helping you?
“Definitely! Without any second thought, I would say it improved my coding skills. Earlier, I used a simple array list for solving most of the coding problems, but now I am utilizing most of the concepts that I have studied. Be it related to Java, logic building, or data structure.
Also, I am at a level where I have to work on architecture. Using all the concepts wisely becomes very important for me. You will be amazed to listen to that. Even today, I use the same code on some days. Moreover, I can say that the lessons learned are still helping.”
What did you do differently to bag an offer from Ola?
“I focused on building a network through Linkedin of like-minded individuals from across various domains. I joined the Google developer’s group and attended a few hackathons physically and made sure to attend some of them virtually too. To add on, I even made connections with HRs who in return guided me in improving my resume. After correcting those mistakes, my resume started getting shortlisted for top companies like Walmart, Ola, and Teckion.”
What does a typical day at Ola look like?
“At Ola, as a Senior Software Engineer, before release, it’s quite tough and hectic like any other company. On top of that, I am associated with Ola scooters which is now a part of Ola cabs. Therefore, when you know that you have to build an application that is going to be used by live users, you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders. Thus, leaving a single bug can lead to a major downfall of the product and the brand image”.
“Hence, as a Senior Software Engineer, I have to take ownership of the particular module which shouldn’t fail at all. If something fails, I have to be answerable to the higher authorities. I can only say that being in Ola comes with taking every day.”
What makes you unique?
“I am keen to learn new skills. It’s not only about technical skills but everything. I keep my arms open to gather knowledge, coming from anywhere, be it my colleagues, juniors, or seniors”.
What are your strategies to overcome challenges?
“I remember an incident while working with one of the well-known US-based companies when their credentials got leaked. I had saved them in my codebase as I didn’t know the whole procedure. Someone with the help of reverse engineering hacked it.”
“I was aware that the next day was going to be very critical for me. I prepared a presentation to make them understand how, why, and what happened and how we can manage it; and didn’t blame anyone rather, I accepted my mistake and provided them with a solution by which nobody can ever hack the system.”
“The higher authorities were quite impressed with the solution that I had provided them with. Instead of terminating me, they promoted me. I was left amazed. The only strategy I used was that I tried to use the situation in my favour. So, whenever you’re stuck in some problem, try to analyze how can you fix it instead of blaming one another.”
Career building ideas for budding coders
“First and foremost, while preparing your resume, always keep in mind; not to include any fake information. Try to keep it real. Another thing is that it is very important to build a network that can guide and assist you whenever in need. Lastly, I would recommend giving quality interviews as it will help you boost your confidence level.”
Your success mantra in life
“Don’t be timebound. Whenever you feel like coding, do code and maintain your consistency. Make small targets and try to complete those targets on time. This way, when you will be halfway there, you will get the motivation within yourself to reach the finish line.”
Message for the Ninja family
“To students, I will recommend watching the videos religiously, following the study materials, and completing the assignments with utmost honesty. Ultimately, it is going to reward you by you getting placed in your dream company. Above all, try to follow your instructors, and success will be in your court”.
Summing it up!
Hope you enjoyed reading Rahul’s success story. If you wish to share your journey. Do write to us at – alumni@wordpress-blog.centralindia.cloudapp.azure.com
