From a Software Engineering Graduate to an SEO Specialist, My Journey So Far

Sometimes, your career doesn’t start the way you planned.

You graduate with a degree, start applying for jobs, and expect things to move forward. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, nothing seems to work.

This is a story about how my career journey took an unexpected turn, from Software Engineering to Oracle, and eventually to SEO.

And honestly, I’m still learning.

🎓 Graduating in Software Engineering

In 2024, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from COMSATS University.

Like many fresh graduates, I was excited to start my professional career.

I started applying to different companies and going through interviews, hoping to get my first opportunity.

But things didn’t go as I expected.

For almost a year, I kept trying.

Company after company.

Application after application.

But unfortunately, I couldn’t get selected.

At some point, I became really disappointed.

I had already spent years studying Software Engineering, and now almost another year was passing without a proper start to my career.

I started asking myself:

“What should I do now?”

💻 My First Professional Opportunity, Oracle Internship

Eventually, I got an opportunity to intern at a textile mill as an Oracle intern.

It was a four-month internship, and although it wasn’t exactly what I had originally planned for my career, I decided to take the opportunity seriously.

And I’m glad I did.

During those four months, I learned a lot about working in a real-world software environment.

Some of the things I worked with included:

• Oracle Database fundamentals
• SQL queries and retrieving data from databases
• Practical exposure to PL/SQL
• Oracle Forms Builder
• Oracle Reports
• HR & Payroll-related reports
• Understanding and modifying existing forms and reports
• Database-driven enterprise application workflows
• Working with DBA and development teams
• Debugging and problem-solving in a real-world environment

More importantly, I learned what it actually feels like to work inside a professional technical environment.

It was very different from university projects.

You have real users, real requirements, existing systems, deadlines, and problems that need to be solved.

That experience taught me a lot.

😔 When the Internship Ended

After completing my internship, I hoped there might be an opportunity to continue working there.

Unfortunately, there was no vacancy available.

So once again, I was back to searching for a job.

I started reaching out to HR departments and applying to different companies.

But the response rate was extremely low.

And honestly, it was frustrating.

I had already spent almost a year trying to start my career, and I didn’t want to lose more time waiting for the “perfect” opportunity.

I needed to do something.

🔍 Then SEO Changed My Direction

During my university years, I had also learned SEO online and developed an interest in the field.

So I decided:

Why not give SEO a chance?

I didn’t want to sit at home waiting for a Software Engineering job while more time passed.

I wanted to learn, work, gain experience, and keep moving forward.

Eventually, I got an opportunity to join a software house as an SEO professional.

And this became another important turning point in my journey.

🚀 From Opportunity to Permanent Position

I started working on the company's website and focused on improving its SEO.

At the beginning, I was still learning.

I made mistakes.

I tried different approaches.

Some things worked.

Some things didn’t.

But I kept learning.

The company appreciated my work, and eventually I was offered a permanent position.

Alhamdulillah, today I’m a permanent employee, and I’ve now been working here for around a year.

I’m grateful that I didn’t let that difficult period stop me.

📚 Still Learning Every Day

One of the things I appreciate most about my current workplace is the people around me.

I’ve had the opportunity to learn from experienced seniors who have helped me improve my skills and understand things from a practical perspective.

And, of course, I’ve learned a lot from my own mistakes too.

I believe mistakes are a big part of professional growth.

You make a mistake.

You understand why it happened.

You fix it.

And hopefully, you don’t repeat it.

That process has taught me more than I expected.

🌱 This Is Only the Beginning

I’m still working, still learning, and still figuring things out.

My journey hasn’t been perfect.

I didn’t get my first job immediately after graduation.

I spent almost a year searching.

I had an internship that ended without a permanent opportunity.

I had a very low response rate from job applications.

And eventually, I found my way into SEO.

Looking back, I think every part of that journey taught me something.

Maybe the path wasn’t what I originally planned, but it brought me to where I am today.

And I’m grateful for that.

👋 Why I’m Sharing This on DEV.to

I’m thankful to DEV Community for providing a platform where people can share their experiences, knowledge, failures, and lessons.

I want to gradually share my SEO journey here, not just the things I’ve learned, but also the challenges, mistakes, experiments, and lessons along the way.

There’s still a lot of my story left to tell.

I’ll talk about the projects I’ve worked on, the SEO challenges I’ve faced, things I learned from my seniors, mistakes I made, and the lessons I’m still learning.

One post at a time.

One lesson at a time.

And hopefully, I’ll have the opportunity to learn from this community and also contribute something useful to others.

Thanks for reading my story. ❤️

This is just the beginning.