During Working Hours

Let’s focus on aspects of your role that are visible to your supervisor.

1. Avoid the "Throw Over the Wall" Mentality

   What differentiates junior developers from their more experienced counterparts? Senior developers maintain a broader perspective. Always consider how your work interacts with the overall system, how others will utilize your contributions, and the testing processes involved. Take ownership of your tasks; don’t just pass them off to others.

2. Communicate Clearly

   Never assume clarity in your tasks. While it's fine to use your judgment, don’t expect it to align with your colleagues' or management’s views. Discuss uncertainties upfront, as surprises are generally unwelcome in software development.

3. Be Supportive

   Offer assistance to your teammates, particularly those who are newer to the field. Sharing your knowledge can enhance your relationships and may also lead to personal growth. However, be cautious—encourage independence in your colleagues. The most valuable learning often comes from their own experiences, and you must also allocate time for your own responsibilities.

In Your Free Time

Accept that the technologies you work with are constantly evolving. There will always be new information to absorb, and your working hours often won’t suffice. Prepare to invest some of your leisure time into learning.

1. Keep Moving Forward

   Once you’ve mastered a set of technologies or programming languages, don’t become complacent. Continue to learn, even if you don’t see an immediate need. You never know what might come up in the future, and being prepared is invaluable. Knowledge is your strongest ally against engineering challenges. Moreover, you’ll find that programming languages and tools share more similarities than you initially realized, which can greatly simplify your work.

2. Engage in Practice

   Long-term work on a single project can lead to stagnation. To prevent this, initiate a personal project where you can experiment with emerging technologies. If you lack inspiration for a full project, consider solving challenges on platforms like HackerRank.

Tip: While practicing, try using programming languages that are unfamiliar to you. This will foster your learning and mastery without the constraints of your workplace.

3. Participate in the Community

   Engaging with a broader community can provide diverse perspectives on your work. Create an account on platforms like Stack Overflow and contribute by helping others. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to seek advice. Additionally, explore specialized forums, such as Apple Developer Forums for iOS/macOS developers.

4. Read Widely

   Don’t confine your learning to blog posts. While they are helpful for grasping new technologies, foundational knowledge comes from classic literature—books that have laid the groundwork for many contemporary articles.

Tip 1: Choose well-regarded books on technologies outside your daily focus. For instance, if you are proficient in Swift, consider reading Java classics like J. Bloch's Effective Java. Such different perspectives can enrich your programming techniques.

Tip 2: Continue exploring literature related to your field, even if you consider yourself an expert. There’s always more to learn, and different viewpoints can enhance your skills.

5. Start Writing

   Launch your own blog to share insights on what you’re learning. Teaching others is one of the best ways to solidify your understanding.

Here’s a starting point if you’re unsure about writing your first post:

Conclusions

Acquiring knowledge of several technologies and landing your first job may seem sufficient for getting by. However, if you aspire to advance your career and stand out in your field, be ready to go the extra mile. Commit to continuous learning, refine your skills (including soft skills), and consistently deliver more than what is typically expected.

Happy learning! 🦖

More on the topic:

…or you can just buy me a coffee! ☕