Don’t Follow Crowd as An Engineering Student in 2024

In the competitive field of engineering “everyone’s doing it” can be hard to ignore. Remember the times when everyone was doing DSA or even now for getting placed at FAANG companies? Although these companies were hiring in bulk and asking DSA questions a very small percentage of students could get a job. Then came the trend of Full Stack developers and everybody started preparing for the same.

These days AI/ML and data Science have seen a boom and everyone seems to be going for this. Now the question arises whether chasing the hottest trends can be the definite path to success. Probably the answer is no as the crowd gets too big, the competition too fierce a very small percentage of these aspirants get a high-paying job or any job. This article is going to help you discover your niche, build expertise, and stand out in a crowded field.

Risks of Following Crowd

Being among the best is no easy task when you are competing with equally ambitious individuals. You must have realized it with your IITJEE preparation the struggle to stand out in a crowd of brilliance. The harsh reality is that only a handful secure positions in the desired domains leaving the majority either unemployed or making careers into non-tech roles. Many engineering graduates end up doing non-tech jobs like sales, marketing, operations, HR, etc. So what you should do as an engineering student aspiring for a tech role?

Carving Your Own Niche

In the vast and ever-changing landscape of the tech industry, the appeal to follow a popular domain can be captivating. However, the key to long-term success often lies in deviating from the norm and carving your own niche. The popular domains have high demand but fierce competition too. Aspiring engineers can find their unique career trajectories in the less explored domains of technology. The alternative career paths would test the patience and commitment of the student. Hence you should invest at least one year to cultivate a deep level of understanding of your selected domain.

Unexplored fields

There are many unexplored fields in the realm of technology, offering great opportunities to those who are willing to defy the crowds. Areas such as Teaching, content writing, Testing, DevOps, Cyber Security, Product Design, and Data Analysis may not be in the spotlight, but they present unique opportunities for niche specialization. These domains may not attract the mainstream attention that the tech giants do but they have the potential for the growth of an engineering aspirant who will use their technical knowledge in one form or the other. The crucial step is to identify a niche within these domains ensuring your expertise is not less compared to the masses.

Choosing Your Path

You should think considerably before choosing your niche, it requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Instead of blindly chasing the latest trends invest time in identifying the real business challenges faced by businesses and founders. Do not just analyze the tech giants and their business needs but you can do an analysis of small businesses which present equally compelling challenges. Gaining insights from these we are going to create our expertise to address practical needs, significantly enhancing our relevance in the job market.

• If you like to break down complex topics into simple words and can easily communicate yourself then teaching technical things such as DSA, system design etc. then teaching may be your calling.
• If you can easily explain or articulate technical stuff in an engaging manner then you can consider going into technical content writing.
• Software testing is often overlooked which is one of the crucial steps in the SDLC cycle. It ensures the quality of the software and tries to find any bugs or errors in the codebase before releasing it to the end users.
• With an increasing threat to digital data, data security is of utmost importance, if you are passionate about data security then cyber security can become your niche.
• Data Analysis is also a popular field that is growing in demand. The primary aim of data analysis is to gain insights from vast datasets.

Building Expertise

To truly distinguish yourself in your chosen field, start building projects that directly address specific business problems. The projects could range from small tools to large solutions. You are free to make use of open-source libraries, which will speed up your development cycle. Remember that you might not end up succeeding in the first attempt, but failing and trying again matter. Merely writing code should not be on your agenda; you should be creating tools that will really solve real-world issues.

For example, if you have chosen cybersecurity as your niche, consider developing tools that will enhance the security features of a local business, or if software testing is your chosen domain, try testing a small-scale application and finding bugs. The emphasis should be on practical solutions that demonstrate your ability to solve real-world challenges within your niche.

Engineers Who Created Their Own Niche

• Patrick Collison: Back in 2008 when everyone was chasing big data, Collision saw a simpler, faster way to process payments online. At just the age of 19, he cofounded Stripe a payment processing platform that now powers millions of businesses worldwide. His bold decision to carve a niche for himself made him one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the world.
• Stephanie Boyle: In a male-dominated field like electrical engineering Boyle found her interest in the world of prosthetics. By focusing on developing affordable and visually pleasing artificial limbs she founded “Limbitless Solutions” a company that provided custom-designed prosthetics for children and adults. Her dedication to an overlooked need led to the creation of something which brought life-changing results for many individuals.

Conclusion

In the ever-changing field of technology following a well-established path doesn’t always guarantee success. As an aspiring engineer resist the desire to follow popular trends and create your own niche. Try going into the field which you are passionate about and build expertise in it. Your focus should be on continuous learning, growing and solving real-world problems doing so will not only be financially stable in your career but you will have a fulfilling career as well. By doing the above things you will stand out from the masses consequently enhancing your chances of job selection.

FAQs

Why is it important to deviate from the popular trends in the field of engineering?

Following popular trends can lead to fierce competition which can make landing up a job difficult. Instead if you carve your own niche it can offer unique career paths and long term success.

How do I identify my niche in the less explored domains of technology?

Think about your passion, interest and skills consider domains like Teaching, Content Writing, Testing, DevOps, Cyber Security, Product Design, and Data Analysis. Invest time to understand each domain and choose the one that best aligns with your interests and skills.

Why should I consider unexplored fields instead of popular ones like AI/ML and data science?

It is true that these domains have high demand but they also have fierce competition. Unexplored fields provide opportunities for growth allowing you to stand out in the masses.

How do I choose the right niche for myself?

Analyze the business needs of real businesses and founders. Do not only consider the needs of tech giants but also focus on small businesses. Choose a field where your technical expertise aligns with practical business needs, increasing your demand in the job market.