I think it is definitely possible if you are smart and motivated. This is my career path that worked for me - - Started out at a small research organization af

I think it is definitely possible if you are smart and motivated. This is my career path that worked for me - - Started out at a small research organization after college. The pay was very low but I got to have a lot of autonomy and own interesting projects - Moved to a old fashioned manufacturing company doing software (think the complexity of a microwave). Tried to learn some backend engineering on the side while there by proposing new projects. - Got a remote job at a startup which was growing. I think this helped me the most get relevant experience in system design. - Applied and got interviews with 3 FAANG companies (2021 was great...). Was able join in 2021 during the rush. The nice thing about large companies is that they are more likely to take a flyer on non-traditional backgrounds. Your evaluation is based a lot on your interview performance, which you can study for! And you should have good behavioral round answers in whatever career you've had. Good luck!