After graduation, I noticed that many fresh grades were struggling for land jobs. It was not because they lacked efforts or ability. The real problem was that what we learn at the university is not fully similar to those who are looking for employers. Now, with the rise of AI coding and the growing competition of the tech job market, junior software engineers face even more obstacles.
A recent Harvard -backed studies Of the 285,000 firms, it is learned that the roles of junior software engineering have decreased by 23 %, while senior roles have increased by 14 %.
One of the reasons is that many graduates come out of the university with similar educational results. A good CGPA is important, but by itself, it rarely shows employers how you will perform in the real work order. At the same time, with the production capacity of AI, companies often see more importance to pair of senior developers with AI tools than to hire juniors, which still require time to adapt.
That is why hackathins are important. They provide students with the opportunity to show that they can solve real problems, work with real technologies, and create solutions that increase the value of AI. This is one of the obvious way to build reputation and open door in the market where traditional first jobs are difficult to get off.
I did not start with any major international hackathon. My first hackathone was a little on the campus, and if the truth, I didn’t go almost. I never made anything out of class assignments, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be so good. Finally I signed up anyway, though I didn’t have the whole team and I didn’t know what to expect.
This earlier experience showed me that Hikathon is not about being an expert, he is ready to learn on the spot. I made mistakes, but I also raised new skills and met people who were nervous and curious like me. The point is that Hikathon is to learn and experience, just like the university, just here you have to do this in a layout near the real world. Realizing that he eliminated the pressure and later gave confidence to join the major competitions.
When my team “Switzerland” joined it Halti IT Competition 2024 With the support of my University, Asia Pacific University of Malaysia, this was not the usual hackath. Instead of the weekend, it continued for months. We had time to research, design the system, develop it, and finally pitch it.
This process was harsh, but he gave us real exhibitions that rarely provide the lectures, and he opened the doors that I never expected. Even I used it as a solution to my last year’s plan, which later received the Best Project Award during graduation.
Why do I believe here that every student should try to participate in more and more hackathone during his college/university days.
The table of content
You meet people who care like you
One of the best parts of Hikathon is the people you meet. You are surrounded by others who are so excited to solve problems and are ready to work for your thoughts. Everyone brings their own strengths, whether it’s coding, design, research, or pitching, and you quickly see how much energy and passion fills the room.
I remember that in their previous hackathone, some teams were experimenting with VR while others used machine learning, all were dealt with in a very different way from the same topic. It is a pleasure to see how different people can bring the same problem. And when the community is small, you often find similar partners in different hackers.
This joint drive produces a certain type of contact. People with whom you suffer from a brain storm at 2 in the morning or distribute food quickly between the sessions, often become friends, companions or teachers after the hackath is over. It’s not just about to compete, it’s about finding a group of people who are curious and determined like you.
From case studies to real solution
At the university, most projects come with fantasy case studies and directed indicators. The hackaths are different. You have been given a theme and you have to detect the real problem behind it, designing a solution that in fact fits how the company/industry works, and to ensure that it is viable with a clear return on investment. School work turns this change in your view by solving real -world problems.
On the way, you solve problems under real obstacles, using the industry standard tech stacks, and how to advance the self -doubt of the past. When you see a lot of excellent ideas around you, Impossar Syndrome is common. Our brain is made for survival, so it naturally reacts with fear when encountering something new and uncertain. The thing that helped me was to overcome this fear is not proof that I was not concerned, but as a proof I was stepping into a new area. Breaking difficulties in the small win, asking open -hearted questions, and remember that the most confident people in the same room will feel the same. Over time, the progress you are seeing in yourself increases the best confidence.
Teamwork and feedback
The most surprising thing I was in Hikathon was that the team is of vibrant importance. I usually worked on the front end or as a complete stack developer, but I quickly learned that only the code would not take the project. The original challenge was to move parallel to research, design, coding, and slide preparation. Over a limited time, you can’t afford to wait for a job to end before starting another, so a clear delegation and trust are important on the role of each team partner.
A good partner is not just skilled, but determined. The teams that were developing were the ones where people showed permanently, commonly joint ideas, and as long as the energy sank. Particularly in long hackers, perseverance is more important than raw capabilities.
Teachers’ opinions also changed how I thought about solving. In a hackathone, a guardian asked us, “What is the basic feature in your solution?” He hit me, because we had created a system that had done a little, but nothing came out. After that, we focused on an important feature that we had researched, which we knew about can have the biggest impact for business. We spent most of our time improving this flow and only briefly mentioned the small features.
That lesson was stuck. As software engineers, it is attractive to show how many features we can produce, because our mindset often “more features more skilled, which means more likely to win.” It can work for school projects, but businesses care about ROI. They want to know if your solution is so strong that to justify the resources that will take the take. Focusing on this feature not only made our pitch clear, but it also changed how I think about software engineering as a whole. This is not just about writing the code, but also about producing the value that is important to the business.
Opportunities and growth
Hackson opens doors in ways you can’t expect. When I started applying for jobs, it was easier to stand on my CV with the experience of hacking. The recruiters saw it as proof that I could solve the problems under pressure and cooperate with others.
Some opportunities also come in unexpected forms. For me it was becoming prominent StarThe national Malaysian national newspaper, which showed me that Hikathon could give you self -esteem and credibility beyond competition.
Most importantly, Hikathsan changed my mindset. After competing, I said yes for more opportunities and found my comfort area forward. And once I did it, I kept doing it. Every step gave me more exhibition and confidence, because the last time I did it, he gave me a life -changing experience. Once I started working, it benefited me in many ways. When we are young, we have time, energy and less promises. At a time when we take risk with the lower directions, growth can be efficient.
It’s just fun
The most important point is that Hikathon is also fun. You meet people, you get Swigs, you increase your portfolio, get cold hard cash, and sometimes you travel. And of all the hackers, for me, that meant a journey to Switzerland, which I never thought the student would bring to Hikathun. And if I was given the same choice again, I would not change anything.
Where to find Hikothons
If you are ready to try someone, here are some platforms that regularly host a student friend Hikathon.
Major League Hacking (MLH): Online and personally global students.
Deofolio: A center for hackathone in AI, Web 3, Fantric, and more.
Dupost: Famous for online hacking with international participation.
Hexathon dot com: World Directory of upcoming events.
He is also capable of monitoring the hecturns run by universities, or by companies like Google and the AWS. Sometimes they have students’ ambassadors who organize hackathone on campuses, and many of these events are open globally. These entry points may be to start the experiment.
The final views
If you have never joined the hackathone, the question is easy, what do you have to lose? The answer is nothing. There are no benefits down and there are only benefits. You get skills, exhibits, and experiences that you will take for a long time after graduation.
Turn back, I am sorry that I have joined my university in four years. Even the handful I made, the effect was huge. It surprises me how much I can learn and experience if I was more involved. Every hackath brings something new, this lesson, connection, or even an opportunity you have never seen.
Don’t wait until you feel ready. Sign up, show, and find it along the way. Your future will thank you yourself.