Acutely Realizing My Current Standing in a Technical Interview and Challenging Competitive Programming

Hello, this is Haruta Watanabe.

First, I apologize for the delay in this post.

While I usually develop mobile apps and websites, I have now completed the 33rd week of my studies with a view towards a career as a software engineer and data scientist. This week was a very tough and meaningful one, where I faced my own technical abilities head-on.

Week 33 Reflection

This week, continuing from last week, I proceeded with taking the “Matsuo-Iwasawa Lab DL Fundamentals” course and studying algorithms in parallel.

Also, as part of my job hunting, I took part in an interview where my technical skills were deeply probed. As a result, I was made to acutely realize that I am still overwhelmingly lacking in ability when it comes to my technical understanding and my ability to logically explain it. I felt extremely frustrated, but experiencing firsthand the “high resolution of technology” required in a professional setting, and being able to clearly recognize the gap between my current standing and the level I should aim for, is an invaluable takeaway for my future growth.

Week 34 Goals

In week 34, I will immediately translate the frustration from the interview into action and aim to strengthen my implementation skills and logical thinking abilities.

• Continued Study of DL Fundamentals, Algorithms, and Data Structures I will continue advancing my input of advanced specialized knowledge and my study of the foundational theories that form the basis of everything, without stopping.
• Starting Competitive Programming To practically forge the “ability to derive and implement accurate and efficient algorithms within a limited time” required in interviews and coding tests, I will newly start learning and practicing competitive programming.

Going Forward

I will continue to post a summary of my previous week’s reflection and my goals for the current week every Monday.

Thank you for your continued support.