Francisco's Journey: From Uruguay to the USA on eBay

What was your educational and professional background before joining the Engineer Game?

I studied for a degree in computer science in the United States, where I worked in two internships while pursuing my degree. Later, I began a Master's in Software Engineering in New Jersey, where I also worked as a research assistant in the university's artificial intelligence department. It was truly a phase filled with mixed feelings, both very positive sensations from meeting many people and expanding my knowledge, but also negative feelings due to not being able to perform successfully in interviews as a Software Engineer. I studied a lot of LeetCode and System design, but I wasn't good enough yet.

What originally sparked your interest in engineering?

It wasn't initially on my mind. I started studying economics because I am fascinated by macroeconomics, and I always greatly admired Javier Milei (the current president of Argentina), whom I met personally, which encouraged me to pursue economics. However, in May 2021, after finishing my third semester of university, I wanted to stay in the United States to teach tennis, but the university did not approve my work documents because I still had few academic credits. Because of that, I returned to Uruguay, and there were hardly any activities to do since it was winter, and we were still dealing with the pandemic. As a result, I felt curious to do something productive during those months, and programming had always intimidated me: “People who do that must be very smart and disciplined,” I thought. It was a field that I felt had status; not just anyone becomes a programmer, so I decided to give it a try. That summer, I remember taking many web development courses. By the end of the summer, I liked the subject so much that I called my academic advisor to ask how much I would fall behind if I switched my major to Computer Science. “You would have to take some extra classes next summer, but if you do that, you would graduate in the same timeframe,” he told me. At that point, I didn't hesitate, and since August 2021, I started studying Computer Science.

What motivated you to take your career to the next level?

I feel that I have a chance that I cannot waste: being in the United States as a student and what that entails: having a 3-year permit where a company does not need to sponsor a visa to hire me (OPT). I always compare the technology profession to soccer: for a soccer player, the most prestigious place to play is in Europe. For a programmer, the place where they can earn the most money and where their career can grow the most is in the United States. When I was finishing my undergraduate degree, I interviewed with over 25 companies without being able to pass a single interview. I felt that the opportunity I so desired was slipping through my fingers, so I decided to start the program, having a mentor who was already where I wanted to be.

Was there a specific mentor that stood out to you?

Alejandro always helped me a lot and made me feel very comfortable in the program. I always felt I had a close relationship with him; I know that whenever I go to ask him something, he will be there to help me, and that is a great plus because I feel I have a strong support system in case I need career advice.

Your senior partner was Adan Zweig. How did he help you throughout your experience in Engineer Game?

Adan was the partner I was closest to. I also think this happened due to cultural reasons: he is from Argentina, I am from Uruguay, our cultures are very similar, and that likely influenced our connection. Additionally, Adan is a person with over 15 years of experience working for companies in the United States, so I felt I had to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from someone with such experience. We had several one-on-one calls, where he gave me career advice, and I tried to help him with building his personal brand on social media. It was truly rewarding to learn from Adan, as I feel his advice will help me a lot in my future as a programmer.

What do you think of the Engineer Game technology platform?

It is really well done, and you can tell that Alejandro is constantly trying to improve it and thus provide more value for the students. The content is very well implemented and organized. I believe it is a great platform for learning.

How did your interview skills improve with your training in Engineer Game?

I truly learned a lot in many areas. But what has helped me the most in this aspect is being very detail-oriented in interview preparation. It taught me that every interview is different, to really understand the needs of the position I am applying for, and to dive deeply into the requirements they asked for. I think understanding that attention to detail was what I needed to prepare better. Additionally, we did many mock interviews with Alejandro, where he helped me identify many of my weak points that I needed to improve to become a better developer.

What team are you on in your new role?

I will be working on the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) team at eBay.

"Quick Responses"

First code you implemented?

A Hello World program in C++, in my first programming class at university.

Moment of greatest pride?

Receiving the offer from eBay. The months following that offer were very tough. A lot of preparation and study for interviews, and I had not been successful in any. That offer was a reward for the effort and never giving up.

Biggest mistake?

Not having found a mentor earlier. It is possible to be successful without a mentor, but having someone who is already where you want to be will save you a lot of time on the path to where you want to go.

Favorite session group?

The behavioral interview sessions. I really enjoy the world of communication, and I have always found it interesting to see how others communicate a story and how to optimize that communication.

Biggest surprise about Engineer Game?

The great community it has and the networking opportunities available. It is truly incredible to have the chance to build relationships with people in our field all over the world.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

The goal should never be the result, as it has components that we cannot control. The goal should always be to feel that we did everything within our reach to achieve the result. If we can repeat that for every goal we set, we will accomplish many objectives, and most importantly, we will never have to wonder what would have happened if we had pushed ourselves a little harder.