3 Things I learned as a Month Old Software Engineer
Hi Guys!
I hope that all of you are well , and doing incredible things from around the world. It’s been a little over a month of me being a Software Engineer, and I felt that I may have certain insights that can help the others.
So please bear with me as I reveal the fruits of my failures , that will save and benefit you , and to give a realistic slice of the life of a software engineer straight out of college and into corporate.
1. Develop Googling as a Skill
I am not joking! The amount of time and effort that effective googling can save for you is no joke. Every time you google and spend a couple of hours on your search you are decreasing your productivity. Bluntly typing in the problem statement may not always help. You will be surprised how with understanding the actual problem that you are trying to solve , understanding the placements of related keywords can benefit you rather than just copying the error and pasting it on Google.
2. Having Patience , Practice and No Panic
The number of times I have hit and smashed the glass to press the HELP!!! button in my head is limitless in the past one month. As soon as the smooth ride had a speed bump, one run not working , postman acting weird? , unexpected amount of errors in the code when all you did was reopen the project , dealing with testcases , sitting and realizing how each subject of your engineering days come alive to run this world of software is surreal and intimidating. I won’t lie about the number of times I have felt hell froze over and the sky crashed because I thought I wouldn’t be able to deliver or I am not progressing.
For all those times , I can just say that have patience, give yourself the benefit of doubt, have faith in yourself , back your thoughts and suggestions. Learn from your mistakes , be sincere in the effort and don’t panic dear, millions go through this with you everyday. :)
3. Don’t Underestimate Soft Skills
Good communication skills , pleasant demeanour , an upbeat vibe brings the right attitude on the table. You have to take praise and criticism in a graceful manner. Don’t overcompensate with words and fillers , rather show work , put in the hard work. Try different bizzare things , it gives you so much exposure and knowledge. Enjoy the process, don’t be judgemental and understand the why on the existing process before suggesting an improvement. Under no circumstances disrespect someone , make your peers your mentors , don’t lose focus of the bigger picture. Life in corporate is also more than just completing your pile of tasks, it’s up to you to take it and flourish in it.
These are often spoken about and everyone talks about it, I am just here re-instating the facts. Also , don’t overtime and burnout , give time to friends, family , health and hobbies. Sending loads of positive vibes and wishes!🥰
