What was your first paying job in the comp world like? did you have the skills needed then? what advice can you give?

I've been in the tech/software industry for some time now, and getting started is tough especially when you don't have the confidence or knowledge about what's out there. My advice would be to attend meetups or conferences in your area and network with people in the companies you would like to work for. This is a great way to have a conversation with someone about what their experience is like and to also let them know where your current experience level is at, and also to get their thoughts on if you may be a fix with that company in some capacity. I've seen this open many doors for people, and it's much easier to have this type of conversation than starting out your experience with an interview.