From Economic litigation consultant to Tech Lead: My Journey
Hi there! It’s Shraddha Jain again, and today I want to share another chapter of my career story—how I transitioned from studying history and economics to pursuing a career in software engineering. It’s a journey that came with its own set of challenges, doubts, and realizations, but looking back, it was one of the most pivotal decisions I’ve made.
The Wrong Fit: Realizing Consulting Wasn’t for Me
In college, I wasn’t very serious about my career. I loved history—The deep dives into fascinating historical events were so intellectually engaging that I didn’t even realize I wasn’t enjoying my economics classes as much. Sure, I did well in my Economics courses, but it lacked the same spark for me. I didn’t think much of it at the time because my overall college experience was great. I (thought I) had it all figured out: I was studying history because I loved it, and economics because it promised a secure future. So, when graduation rolled around, I applied for analyst and consultant positions. That seemed like the logical next step, right?
I landed a job at a boutique consulting firm specializing in litigation consulting. On paper, it was a dream job, but once I started, something felt off. The work was detailed and methodical, but I did not enjoy it. Worse, I didn’t really understand the significance of what I was doing. I felt disconnected from the impact of my work, and as a result, I performed poorly.
A Spark in the Code: Finding My True Passion
Around that time, I started exploring other interests in my free time. Lucky for me, I stumbled upon coding through some online courses (thank you, democratized education!). Coding provided an instant gratification I hadn’t experienced in my consulting work. You write some code, run it, and immediately see the results.
You write some code, run it, and immediately see the results.
Coding just made sense to me. The logical, mathematical nature of programming felt reliable and safe in a way that consulting never did. I became more and more intrigued by its potential and spent most of my free time learning to code. It wasn’t something I was doing with any clear goal in mind at first; I just genuinely enjoyed it. The more I learned, the more I felt that maybe—just maybe—this was the path I had been looking for all along.
Taking a Moonshot: The Leap to Penn’s MCIT Program
Despite my growing interest in coding, I didn’t think I could fully pivot into software engineering. I didn’t have a computer science degree, so I started applying to information management programs as a middle ground. I applied to a few programs that seemed like they fit that compromise. The only exception was one wild-card application I sent to the Master of Computer and Information Technology (MCIT) program at the University of Pennsylvania. It was a unique program that accepted students from non-computer science backgrounds. It was my moonshot!
When I got the acceptance letter from Penn, I was thrilled! But along with the excitement came a lot of anxiety. I was about to invest a significant amount of money, time, and energy into pivoting my career, without fully knowing if it was the right path for me. What if I didn’t enjoy it either? Besides, I was going to be surrounded by brilliant students at Penn. What if I couldn’t keep up?
The Grind: Surviving Two Years of Nonstop Learning
The two years at Penn were, without a doubt, some of the hardest in my life—intellectually, mentally, and emotionally. Imagine learning basics like, what is boolean, one day and building computer vision algorithms a few months later, oof! My brain felt like mush most of the time. To this day, when people ask me what I liked about Philadelphia, my answer is always “the inside of Penn’s library” because, honestly, that’s all I really saw!
But I made it through, and I didn’t do it alone. The professors, my classmates, and my friends formed the backbone of my support system. We were all going through the same transition, and the shared experience created a bond between us. We spent countless hours studying together, quizzing each other, and offering comfort through the inevitable breakdowns. The pressure to secure internships and jobs started almost as soon as we joined the program, which felt overwhelming. I remember thinking, “Why would anyone give me an internship? I have nothing to show on my resume.”
Imposter Syndrome: A Battle Worth Fighting
And then came the imposter syndrome, which hit hard. I constantly questioned my abilities and my decision to make this career switch. Imposter syndrome never fully disappears, but you learn to recognize it as noise and push through.
Imposter syndrome never fully disappears, but over time, you learn to recognize it as noise and push through.
Back then, though, I didn’t have that skill. I spiraled, wondering if I had made a huge mistake—worried about the money, time, and energy I had invested, compounded by the stress of being on a visa and racing against the clock to find a job before I’d have to leave the country. The panic was inhuman.
If this resonates with you, please reach out—I’m here to listen and help however I can. I know how isolating that fear can be.
What kept me going was that, despite everything, I truly enjoyed coding. It clicked with me, and I knew I had found something that finally felt right. And even though the pivot was difficult, knowing that I had taken the leap gave me a sense of peace.
Advice for Others Considering the Switch
Trust your Gut: If you want to pivot, at the very least, give your gut a chance to explain itself!
Dip your Toes: there are endless free resources to help you learn coding. Build something, even if it’s small, and see if it feels right to you.
Be honest with yourself: If you’re making the switch purely for the job security or financial gain, please reconsider. I tried that path with economics, and it didn’t fulfill me. You can only stick with something you don’t love for so long.
Understand it’s hard work: This isn’t an easy journey. You have to be fierce in your drive to learn and be ready to put in the effort to grow your skills.
Leverage technology to learn technology: ChatGPT (et al) is a smart, affordable tool, that’s usually correct! It’s a good teacher and assistant - I use it every single day at work.
Build a support system: This field is competitive, and transitioning from a different career can be brutal. Protect your mental health—whether it’s through family, friends, hobbies, or self-care. Trust me, it makes all the difference.
From Junior to Tech Lead: How It All Paid Off
Today, I’m proud to say I’m the only female tech lead at a successful FinTech company. In just four years, I went from junior engineer to tech lead—a trajectory I’m proud of. It wasn’t easy, but it was absolutely worth it. There’s always more to do and new places to go, but when I look back at how far I’ve come, I feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction.
Choosing to pivot into software engineering was the right decision for me. The challenges, the anxiety, the late nights spent studying—it all paid off. I’m here, and I’m excited about the future.
Resources on career in tech
Online Coding Platforms
freeCodeCamp: A free platform offering full courses in web development, data science, and more. Great for beginners.
Codecademy: Interactive coding tutorials on a variety of programming languages.
Coursera & edX: University-backed courses that offer both free and paid options for learning computer science fundamentals.
Communities for Support and Networking
Women Who Code: A global community for women in tech, offering mentorship, job boards, and events.
The Mentoring Club: Free mentoring sessions from industry professionals to help guide your career switch.
LinkedIn Learning: Offers courses on tech and career development, great for honing skills in software and leadership.
Tools for Practice and Problem-Solving
HackerRank: A platform to practice coding problems and improve your skills.
Cracking the Coding Interview: The go-to book for preparing for coding interviews, filled with 189 programming questions and solutions.
LeetCode: Practice coding problems, especially for interview preparation.
Books on Tech Careers and Growth
The Pragmatic Programmer by Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas: A must-read for anyone entering the software field.
Clean Code by Robert C. Martin: A must-read for any developer aiming to write clean, readable, and maintainable code.
Atomic Habits by James Clear: Helps you build sustainable habits for learning and personal growth.
