Mechanical Engineering to Software Engineer: My Journey

Earlier this year I finished the 18-month graduate programme at dunnhumby as a software engineer. When I think back to how inexperienced I was when I started at dunnhumby, I realise it has been an interesting journey, and I decided it was worth sharing my experience for anyone thinking of applying in the future.

I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when I finished university. I graduated in mechanical engineering, went travelling for a few months, and started applying for jobs all before figuring out I was interested in software. I felt obliged to apply for mechanical engineering jobs but my uncertainty at the time meant I was never putting my all into the applications and they were never successful (something I am now thankful for). Once I discovered software engineering roles, I knew I had to change my approach but it wasn’t going to be straightforward given my mechanical engineering background.

My inexperience came to light during a technical test where my attempt at the solution was shambolic. I wasn’t completely inept, but the test was restricted to a language I had never used. For my interviews I needed to be self-assured on my coding logic, insistent on my problem-solving skills, and able to demonstrate that I was a confident, quick learner. Most importantly, I had to believe in myself, which is the biggest key to any success. I landed myself a place on the graduate scheme at dunnhumby and was excited to start.

To read the article in full, check it out on our data science & engineering blog here.