Can I realistically switch from Customer Service to SDE?

[u/Ok-Suspect-1193]

Sorry about the long read. Your suggestion would mean the world.

I’m 27 and recently left my Customer Service job at Amazon. I graduated in 2022, but my degree has nothing to do with CS or tech.

I’ve always wanted to get into software development, especially backend development, but for a long time I couldn’t really afford to take the risk because of financial responsibilities.

Things are in a better position now. I live alone and my brother supports my family, so my main expenses are basically my rent, food and feeding my cats. I also go out and deliver food for Zomato around 3 days a week.

It makes enough to cover my rent and food and lets me save a little without touching my existing savings. I have around 1.5 years of savings if I need it.

The main reason I finally left Amazon is that I felt completely stuck. The growth opportunities were honestly pretty shit. I was told by my manager about a program called ATLAS that Amazon had to help non tech employees move into tech roles.

I thought this was finally my chance, so I stayed for another 2 years hoping I would eventually get selected.
Never happened. No exams, no interviews, nothing. Every time I asked, I was basically told the slots were filled.

This went on for years and I eventually realized I was just wasting time waiting for something to happen.
So now that I’ve left, I finally have time to actually invest in myself.

I’m currently working through Java fundamentals then plan to cover OOP, DSA, SQL, Spring Boot, REST APIs, databases, Git and eventually building proper backend projects.

But I honestly have no idea if I’m being realistic here.
Can someone who has actually worked in tech or made a similar transition tell me if I have a real chance of getting an SDE job in the next 1 to 1.5 years?

If yes, how would you spend that time if you were in my position? What should I focus most on and realistically, what are my chances if I actually put in the work consistently?

I know the degree situation is probably going to make things harder, but I’d rather hear the harsh truth now than waste another 1.5 years.

Thank you so much for reading.

[u/a_newbie_menace]

Being brutally honest, you have a very little chance to get into SDE. The market is f*ed up. People having CS degree from reputed colleges, skills, projects and still not able to get interview calls, after applying to 100+ jobs. Right now, market not only demands these basic Java, Spring boot, n all, they want you to be able to build and scale apps. You must be able to work with AI. And for java specific roles, it’s already harder because companies what experienced candidates having at least 2 years experience. I am not demotivating you, I am saying this because that’s what have seen. I had to switch because CS market is highly saturated, and companies aren’t hiring as many as they used to.

[u/masterofaiml]

Software industry is like a public toilet dude, anyone can get in and pee, as long as your bladder is holding something, you can always get in🤪

Haha JK, you can always switch between jobs and profiles, provided you acquired sufficient knowledge to manage things until you get good grip on the work you are doing. There’s no limit, you just need to be aware of your own stuff before you make a move.

[u/77rushi77]

It's possible, but nobody can promise 1 to 1.5 years. Juniors are having a hard time right now, especially without a CS degree.

What I'd do:

Build 2 or 3 real projects, not tutorials. A Spring Boot REST API with a database, tests and a clear README on GitHub beats any certificate.

Learn Java, SQL, Git and enough DSA for easy to medium problems. Don't spend 6 months on DSA alone.

Apply to QA/SDET and support engineering roles too, not just SDE. They're easier to get into, you still write code, and it's a common route into development. I've worked on both the QA and Java dev side.

Start applying around month 6, not at the end. Interviews show you what's missing.

[u/nian2326076]

Your plan to switch to software development in 1 to 1.5 years is totally doable if you stick with your learning. Work on mastering Java, OOP, and DSA, as they're key for backend work. Building projects can also help you create a solid portfolio. Since job listings can change fast, keep checking online for new opportunities.

LandOffer.ai lets you search jobs by role and location, which might be handy as you look for software development openings.