5 min read · Nov 27, 2023
What is Crio and how I came across it?
Crio is an online learning platform that takes a learning by doing approach to teaching. Here you will get to work on projects similar to your workplace.
Their goal is to give hands-on experience instead of just learning theoretical concepts. There are mentors who take weekend classes to help you solve weekly tasks. Additionally there is an online portal which helps you discuss your issues with your cohort.
My friend underwent the same course and recommended it to me. He completed the course and through their referral got a job at RazorPay.
What courses did I take and when?
I took the backend development course back in 2020. I was trying to switch from a service based firm to a product based firm.
The course was almost 6 months long. Initially I had a 2 week free trial session where I got to see what the course will be like.
Every week we had a set of tasks to complete. Couple of Leetcode questions and concepts. And during the weekends there were 3 hours calls with the mentors, where they went through all the tasks we were supposed to complete. They would solve each of the tasks in the DSA set and hold a QnA seesion for the batch. Here we got a chance to clear our doubts.
After the DSA set was completed, there were 2 mini projects. These projects had modules which we had to complete. There were Todo comments mentioned in the project and we had to complete those tasks. This can add to your resume as its like building components on a real project.
Post this there were classes training us on creating our resume, linkedIn profile and prep for interviews. There were also mock interview sessions provided.
Finally after completing 80% of the course, they started referring us to firms they had tie ups with. Here we got a chance to interview with firms mentioned in the list below.
How I switched my job?
Crio got me an interview from vogo. Meanwhile with the new resume including crio projects and ramped up skills I also asked my friends to start reffering me to their firms.
One of my friends had an opening for a backend cloud engineer in their team. I got an interview thorough his refferal and went through 2 technical round of interviews. Here I got the same coding questions which I had completed while going through the Crio course. So I was able to solve it with ease, and also I optimised the solution. I got through both the interviews and was offered a role.
I decided to move ahead with the backend cloud developer role and didn’t interview for VOGO.
Don’t join the course if -
- You are not self driven
- If you need some one to keep you accountable and tell you how to do everything then this is not for you
- If you are not self driven you might not follow through or get discouraged when things get tough and you are feeling left behind
- You need to be resilient, no one’s keeping tabs on your progress — it’s your journey to own and conquer. - If you don’t have 15 hours time every week (including the weekends)
- This is long format course and if you are a working professional you would need at least 15 hours to study and complete the tasks per week
- You need to keep doing this for the entire course of the program and not give up, if you slack off one week make sure to catch up the next - You don’t specifically need a structured roadmap
- If you can compile information from YouTube and other websites to create personal projects, this course may not be necessary.
- The course serves as a structured roadmap, curated by experts and ex-software leads. It offers an essential guide to tackle challenging interviews and gain valuable insights but with ton of resources one can do it on their own - Financial resources are scarce
- There is a huge cost on some of the courses and you will have to pay them either upfront or after getting the job, so if you are in a tough spot you should not go through - No coding experience
- The backend course which I was enrolled in was for people with 1–3 years of corporate experience. I was already working in the same field and had the basics in place.
- I think there are courses for absolute begineers but I have not enrolled in that and can’t vouch for it.
Things you should do before you join Crio?
- Enrol in trial session
- Read the agreement carefully
- Try to get a scholarship with them
- Get a referral discount by a crio alum
Is the money-back guarantee real?
While I can’t speak from experience, a close look at the agreement is your best guide. Go through the agreement as they will clearly mention the money back guarantee their and you can hold them accountable for it.
What I didn’t like about the course?
- For the backend course, most of the task within the mini projects were in Java wheres I was working on python prior to this and preferred it over Java
Overall my experience was positive, as I was able to transition from my service base company to a product based company.
Conclusion
Embarking on a journey with Crio.do is a strategic investment in your learning and development. The project-based approach, hands-on mini-projects, comprehensive algorithm coverage, and self-driven learning i contributes to a unique and valuable learning experience.
Remember, this course may not be for everyone. If you lack self-motivation, resilience, or the time commitment needed, it might not suit your preferences. However, for those willing to own their learning journey, the structured roadmap and valuable insights provided by experienced mentors make it worthwhile.
In the end, my positive experience with Crio resulted in a successful transition from a service-based to a product-based company. Investing in your continuous learning and development is one of the best long-term decisions you can make for yourself. As you navigate this educational opportunity, keep in mind the inspiring quote: “Your commitment to learning today will shape the opportunities you encounter tomorrow.”
