u/ProfessionalCare5031

I am a full stack developer and I don't have any prior experience working in a company. I just build stuff, and recently I built AI powered applications, and then I applied to an AI engineering position just to test if I'm qualified for this job, so they surprisingly accepted me.

Although I am a developer and I sure built some projects that are AI powered, like some AI agents and all, but I didn't go that deep in AI engineering, and I'm not a CS student, I started learning web dev as a self taught that's all, but I went through a technical interview and I actually passed and got hired!!

Now I feel stressed as much as I feel happy, because I'm not familiar with their tech stack, they use docker, clay, and other stuff I know nothing about, and I'm totally new in the work environment, I never worked before in a company with a team. I'm going to start working this Sunday, with really low knowledge in this field, so I'm so afraid I'm going to mess it up, and I'm so stressed about this I can't even sleep.

Is anyone here went through a similar experience so he can give me some advices 😢

I'm a self taught full stack dev who started in this field in 2022, knowing that i was studying digital marketing at the university so it has nothing to do with cs.

I got a bachelors degree and then stopped my digital studies in 2025 to finally focus on software engineering, the problem is, when I first started learning web development, I directly started focusing on coding and building stuff rather than understanding the basics and fundamentals of the software engineering field in general (like DSA, system design, databases, problem solving skills, the why behind the code...) that's true that I built some strong projects that helped me build a strong profile as a full stack dev and it got me 2 interviews after applying massively to jobs, and in those 2 interviews I was rejected because of a clear thing: I'm weak at the fundamentals of this field, I dont have the basics, I dont know why my code works that way or how to optimize it or anything...

which lately led me to force myself to take a decision, which is I either learn it the right way now (start learning system design, DSA and other important things) and then apply again, or leave it and focus on digital marketing again because at least i have a degree that will help me find internships.

the problem is that all that rush was to find a job, not because i need it ASAP honestly, but because i feel late, I'm 22 years old, and I have big dreams and big goals that i want to achieve in my life, and to achieve those goals i need money, and i feel that i'm already late so i'm rushing, i wanted to get a job first and then build more knowledge cz i thought that this is possible that i will find a company to hire a junior like me who just wants to work and keep learning and the same time, but I've been searching for that kind of job since 2025 and yet nothing.

So, in short, I feel so stuck and I don't really know what I should exactly do now, I purchased a system design course today honestly and I'm ready to study more for this field because i want to keep going, but tat the same time i really need a job, so, if anyone who reads this who had the same experience as me, i would like to hear some advice from you.

I'm a self taught full stack dev who started in this field in 2022, knowing that i was studying digital marketing at the university so it has nothing to do with cs.

I got a bachelors degree and then stopped my digital studies in 2025 to finally focus on software engineering, the problem is, when I first started learning web development, I directly started focusing on coding and building stuff rather than understanding the basics and fundamentals of the software engineering field in general (like DSA, system design, databases, problem solving skills, the why behind the code...) that's true that I built some strong projects that helped me build a strong profile as a full stack dev and it got me 2 interviews after applying massively to jobs, and in those 2 interviews I was rejected because of a clear thing: I'm weak at the fundamentals of this field, I dont have the basics, I dont know why my code works that way or how to optimize it or anything...

which lately led me to force myself to take a decision, which is I either learn it the right way now (start learning system design, DSA and other important things) and then apply again, or leave it and focus on digital marketing again because at least i have a degree that will help me find internships.

the problem is that all that rush was to find a job, not because i need it ASAP honestly, but because i feel late, I'm 22 years old, and I have big dreams and big goals that i want to achieve in my life, and to achieve those goals i need money, and i feel that i'm already late so i'm rushing, i wanted to get a job first and then build more knowledge cz i thought that this is possible that i will find a company to hire a junior like me who just wants to work and keep learning and the same time, but I've been searching for that kind of job since 2025 and yet nothing.

So, in short, I feel so stuck and I don't really know what I should exactly do now, I purchased a system design course today honestly and I'm ready to study more for this field because i want to keep going, but tat the same time i really need a job, so, if anyone who reads this who had the same experience as me, i would like to hear some advice from you.

I'm a self taught full stack developer and I started with web dev 3 years ago, but I wanted to become a real programmer and a real software engineer not only a coder.

I studied digital marketing in the university so it has nothing to do with programming and I couldn't get into computer science field, thats why i decided to become a self taught.

Recently I have been job searching, and I got interviewed and rejected 2 times, in those 2 rejections, the clear why is that I dont have the basics and the problem solving mindset, I didnt build the fundamentals of full stack development and software engineering in general, and i feel like all those years were a waste of time, because I only focused on the results more than the science behind it.

So I want to do better, I want to start strengthening my skills and learn the right way, but at the same time I need to find a job and thats why i have been rushing all those years, to find a job ASAP, unfortunately this is only leading me to rejections.

What do you suggest? and how should I start learning after all those years that felt like a waste and I feel dissapointed at myself honestly, if anyone had the same experience or felt the same in his tech journey and figured it out, or you just want to help, I would like to hear your suggestions.