For a long time, I had been aware of the importance of learning .NET, but I never had the motivation to dive into it. However, as I started applying for Software Engineering Internships, I noticed that many job postings listed .NET as a required skill. This realization made me feel the urgency to learn it.
Despite my lack of .NET experience, I continued applying for internships that required it. One day, I applied for a Full-Stack Developer Internship at a company that used ASP.NET for backend development. To my surprise, I was shortlisted for the first interview.
Facing the Reality: The Interview
During the interview, the interviewer reviewed my projects and skills. Then, he asked me a crucial question:
"How much experience do you have with C# and ASP.NET?"
At that moment, I had to admit that I had zero experience with C#. I had never even written a single line of code in it. The interviewer then gave me a piece of advice that changed everything:
"Learn C# and ASP.NET as quickly as possible and contact us again."
That was the turning point. Until then, I had no strong motivation to learn .NET. But after this interview, I suddenly had a clear goal—to learn it as quickly as possible and prove myself.
The Learning Journey: Two Weeks of Intense Study
Determined to take on the challenge, I started my learning journey:
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Learning C# – I began with W3Schools, which provided a structured way to grasp the basics. Since I already had experience with Java, C, C++, and JavaScript, I found C# relatively easy to pick up.
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Learning ASP.NET – Once I felt comfortable with C#, I moved on to ASP.NET, learning through YouTube tutorials. I focused on understanding basic CRUD operations and connecting a backend to MS SQL Server.
Within less than two weeks, I had built enough confidence to develop a simple ASP.NET backend.
Putting My Knowledge to the Test
After completing my self-learning, I contacted the company again and informed them that I was ready for the test. They scheduled a date for me to visit and complete it.
During the test:
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I wrote C# code to solve various tasks without any external help.
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In the Full-Stack Development test, I built a backend with ASP.NET and connected it to MS SQL Server.
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I answered every question confidently, demonstrating a solid understanding of the code.
The result? I passed the test! 🎉
Lessons Learned: The Power of Motivation
This experience taught me a valuable lesson:
When we lack motivation, many things seem difficult. But the only thing we truly need is the desire to learn. Once we find that drive, any goal becomes achievable.
If you’re hesitating to learn a new technology, just start. You might be closer to mastering it than you think. 🚀