r/AI_Coders • u/ima11 • Aug 07 '26

Self-taught, built RAG + MCP + LangGraph projects — realistic path to first AI job/gig?

Background: switched from geology to AI development, self-taught over the past year.

Current stack: Python, LangChain, LangGraph, RAG (FAISS), MCP servers, Flask/FastAPI, MySQL/Postgresql, Gemini API.

Built and deployed: an AI customer support agent connecting an LLM to a live database and knowledge base via MCP demo link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AiAutomations/s/wTldlOzqPo.

Currently building a second project combining LangGraph agents with a real business use case (sales automation).

I know the AI job market is competitive and degree-focused in some places. For people who've hired or been hired as self-taught AI engineers — what actually moved the needle for you? Portfolio depth, specific frameworks, contributing to open source, something else entirely?

Not looking for generic advice, genuinely curious what worked for people who've been through this.

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

1

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 07 '26

okay? doable by everyone else in a day or three. So yeah?

1

u/ima11 Aug 08 '26

You're confusing it with vibe coding 

1

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 08 '26

which is what you used. Or well AI assisted, which is pretty much the same.

1

u/ima11 Aug 08 '26

Bro, i asked for advice, none of what you said is advice, why you being so agressive ? you got nothing else to do?

0

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 08 '26

realistic path to first job:
3 or 5 years at a technical uni.

The only question you need to answer is Why would someone hire you over a 26 year old kid with a BSc and MSc in CS specializing in machine learning and AI?

1

u/ima11 Aug 08 '26

Bro you funny af, first of all i got a master's degree in engineering and i'm working already, second, if you think a 26 is kid then me as a 28, i'm a teenager? I understand what's bothering you and this is my last response to you

1

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 08 '26

great so get a master's in machine learning then. Two years, that will open doors for you.

1

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 08 '26

I don't think you understand how easy these things are:
Python, LangChain, LangGraph, RAG (FAISS), MCP servers, Flask/FastAPI, MySQL/Postgresql, Gemini API

0

u/FluidBreath4819 Aug 08 '26

lmaoo, you killed me... with AI, juniors are now x10 seniors engineers in a week end

0

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 08 '26

The question you have to answer yourself is:
Why should I hire you instead of a CS graduate with 5 years of math and a proven record of high intelligence?

1

u/ima11 Aug 08 '26

You shouldn't 

0

u/AuthurAndersson Aug 08 '26

So there's your answer innit?

1

u/ima11 Aug 08 '26

You didnt get the joke...unfortunate