Goals to be a SWE
02 Sep 2025
Why is your goal to be software developer?
Software development to me offers so much creativity, and problem solving. Many things that I never knew I had an interest in. Over the past couple years I have built many connections with real software engineers, some retired and some similar to me, young and with a passion. Seeing those around me pursue tech has not only motivated me, but gives me something to strive for. I know it is a trend right now to see the job market for Computer Science majors and think there is no hope when that is completely false. Those with no hope are the ones that lack in not wanting it bad enough. However for me with my passion in coding, I want to work for big tech and inspire as well the latin community to pursue STEM as a whole, as Latino representation in the field of Computer Science is heavily lacking.
Community and Representation
Expanding on what was previously stated, seeing my heritage being underrepresented in the Computer Science space only motivates me to try harder for a good career in this field. Being apart of such a small percentage of coders inspires me to not only build on my own skills, but also open the door for others. Later in my life I eventually want to educate and mentor younger students, volunteering at coding camps, and represent both my Filipino and Latin heritage in tech spaces everywhere. Being much more involved within the community as a whole is super exciting to me as well, as being a transfer from a community college has given me the opportunity to communicate and network with others that have similar passions to mine. One of my newer goals is to gather passionate group of coders, and enter a codeathon, and win.
Continuous Learning
The life of a software engineer offers so much learning, even as you master other languages you still can always build on the fundamentals even more. As more and more university classes build on different coding languages, rather than being frustrated with understanding them all, I embrace it and realize that in order to improve on where I am now, I must first accept new ideas and concepts. Keeping up with new frameworks, cloud platforms, AI advancements, and open source contributions, all of these only motivate me more to become a developer. The usage of AI especially has given me a new perspective, as instead of fighting it, I should build and learn alongside it. Something as simple as solving one coding challenge, leads me to learning at least 10 new things I didn’t know previously. Rather, this excites me rather than demotivates me.
Career Goals
Eventually within the next 5-10 years, I see myself successful, and being independent. With a career in the tech field, I hope that I will gain the experience and build the resume needed to eventually build my own business in tech. Whether it be a brand new idea for an app, or a website that solves a unique issue, whatever it is I hope to develop it. As for my short term goals currently, it is most definetely internships, personal projects, and mastering backend development with languages in C, C++, Python, and Javascript. However, my long term goals like previously stated, are to eventually build something that impacts the community, and benefits those around me. Possibly starting my own company or initiative would also be an amazing goal for me, as running my own business and making my own money is something I have wanted since I was little.
Personal Growth
Overall, I believe that beocming a software developer will bring me new perspectives in the way I think of resilience, discipline, and creativity. The path to become a SWE is difficult, and sometimes even demotivating, but the difficulty is what makes it meaningful. Just like other challenges in life, software engineering challenges us, allowing us to leave our mark on the world. That is why I want to become a software developer, to make an impact on not only those around me, but the world as well.