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Step 1
Get a degree. One mistake budding software engineers make is thinking it isn't as labor-intensive as other forms of engineering. This just isn't the case, and due to the competition from other software engineers, having a degree in software engineering is imperative. Software engineering takes a lot of study in a number of different fields, such as programming, operating systems, data management and math.
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Step 2
Find a focus. For any software engineering degree, you're going to be taking general computer science courses, but you should have some idea about what wing of software engineering interests you most--games, business applications or portable media, among others. Again, taking specialized courses can help you get a job in your chosen category. So look to get a specialized software engineering degree as opposed to a general computer science degree.
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Step 3
Become an intern. If you're interested in game design, you'll be much more likely to have a career in the field if you initially take a job with no pay. It's not all about securing a good job in the future, but learning about the field and being the best engineer possible. You may find that a certain type of engineering isn't what you want to do, or it may fuel your ambition further.
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Step 4
Work on your own side projects. You'll be designing software through lab work in a degree program, but you should also be working on independent projects such as freeware programs. A person with a very impressive independent portfolio can sometimes bypass a degree program.
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Step 5
Start at the bottom. Though you can get a better job as an intern, you're probably going to have to do some grunt work when you get your first paying job. You can't expect to jump into full-fledged software design right out of school. Becoming an apprentice to a top-flight designer is a possible dream job.
