Software Engineering abroad

Lessons learned from 🇨🇦🇩🇪

Juan Rodriguez

Brian Ramirez

Software Engineer

(Level Access)

(Getir)

Agenda

University, a booster 🤓
Graduation done ✅. What's next?
Remote from 🇨🇴 vs relocation
Not all sunshine and roses 😵
What we are working on now 👀
Open mic: questions/comments ❓

University, a booster 🤓

Coding Projects
Networking
Hackathons
When to start?
ESL
IT Industry is growing fast, very fast

Coding projects

Classroom Projects

Meet fellow students
Showcase your skills
Meet professors

https://donkeygame.herokuapp.com/

Side Projects

Same as above + fun

Networking

Meetups

Barranquilla JS
Python Barranquilla
Ruby Baq

Uni events

Student groups
Department talks
Postgrad talks

Hackathons

Free food + networking + challenges

Companies are looking for good talent
Technologies
A taste of internal processes (CR, culture)

When to start?

TLDR: now

Git is our best friend
Github + Medium
Open Source (intimidating but fun)
Freelancing (let's get our hands dirty)
Volunteering

Documentation
Community (reddit, discord, confs)
Free content (lectures, books)
keep you up to date
Professional growth

English as a second language

IT Industry is growing fast

Too many frameworks, libraries, languages 😰 (npm question)
Carrer path: roadmap, 100daysofcode
Newsletters: techcrunch, tldr
Youtube: Fireship, TheNetNinja, programmingwithmosh, Freecodecamp

Graduation done ✅. What's next?

Professional status after U
Maintaining a good pace
Making the most of the outsourcing phenomenon
Applying the STAR methodology to grow
The trap of the hustle culture

Professional status after U

You will probably have one or two years of work/internship experience.
Be aware of your seniority at that point: entry level.

Know your strengths even if you are a junior.

Programming language domain.

Maintaining a good pace

Stay focused - Move fast when you're ready.
Keep in mind that IT is a dynamic field that is continuously changing.
Don't let your comfort zone make a lazy version of yourself.

Keep improving your problem-solving skills

Leetcoding
Hackerrank
Contributing to OP projects
Continue to enhance your initial approaches to code problems

Making the most of the outsourcing phenomenon

IT companies/agencies working with foreign companies.
Perfect place to boost your English level.
First steps in working with international engineering teams.
Broadening your perception of software engineering.

Applying the STAR methodology to grow

Being more proactive
Developing your inner leader
Learning how to mentor
Taking ownership
Soft skills

Situation
Task
Action
Result

The trap of the hustle culture

Code quantity VS Code quality.
Do you want to move up the software engineering career ladder? Start being the decision maker.
Beware of the "coding hard" culture.

Remote from 🇨🇴 vs relocation

How to choose a country
Net salary vs Qualify of Life
What's a good job offer?
I'm ready 🏃🏽‍♂️, where to apply?

How to choose a country

Cost of living: Barranquilla - Berlin, Barranquilla - Toronto
Rankings
Tech hubs: Job market, Big techs, Startups
Location: Confs, meetups
Language barrier

Net salary vs Qualify of Life

Your growth vs the country's growth

Life quality index

What's a good job offer?

Insurance, health & wellness: Dental insurance, Vision insurance, Life Insurance
Financial & retirement: Stock options, performance bonus, 401k/retirement plans.
Family & parenting: Work from home, maternity & paternity leave, flexible/reduced hours.
Vacation & time off: Paid time off, volunteer time off, sick days.
Perks & discounts: Free Lunch or Snacks, Employee Discount, Mobile Phone Discount, Gym Membership.
Professional Support: Professional Development, Job Training.

Total compensation = gross salary - taxes + benefits

I'm ready 🏃🏽‍♂️, where to apply?

Honeypot
VanHack
Relocate.me
LinkedIn
Ask for a referral to a friend 😉

Not all sunshine and roses😵

Homesickness
The time zone headache
The hell of the seasons
The visa journey

Homesickness

Mental health is as important as physical health.
Being away from home is not always a happy experience.
It is important to face it in a responsible way.

The time zone headache

Be prepared to deal with considerable time zone differences.
Communicating with your loved ones may be a nightmare.
It may take you some time to get used to the summer time (Daylight saving time).

The hell of the seasons

Winter can be really really cold (below 0 °C).
"Longer" days in summer while "shorter" in winter.
You may consider reinventing the way you dress according to each season.
Frequent cloudy days can take a toll on your mental health.
Social activities vary depending on the season. Be prepared for it.

The visa journey

Be prepared to spend time and money on it.
It may take a few months or even a year depending on the country and the current political situation.
Be aware that not everyone is eligible.
You will likely require visa sponsorship.
Applying for a visa could be a tedious process. That's why it's best to plan well ahead.

What we are working on now 👀

Level Access/Essential Accessibility 🇨🇦
Getir 🇩🇪

Level Access/Essential Accessibility 🇨🇦

"eSSENTIAL Accessibility is a comprehensive digital accessibility-as-a-service platform. We help organizations create inclusive web, mobile, and product experiences through digital accessibility testing, evaluation and remediation" - Taken from the official website