3 Simple (But Effective) Pieces Of Advice I’d Give Anyone Starting In Software Development
I have been working as a software developer for over a decade.
These are the 3 simple (but effective) pieces of advice I’d give anyone starting out (or who wants to get started):
Advice #1: Maybe Don’t
I run an online coding school and have worked at various coding bootcamps throughout my career, in addition to being a full time software developer.
I’m always curious what led people to learn to code, so I ask.
When they say “money” (and nothing else) — I get nervous.
Let me be clear — there is NOTHING wrong with changing careers to get more money. Last time I checked, we live in a capitalist society.
I know a few software developers who don’t enjoy writing code outside of work and crush it. One was a tech lead at a former company who now works in big tech.
This is NOT the norm.
68% of developers code outside of work as a hobby, according to a 2024 Stack Overflow survey.
Tech moves fast.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve gone through no less than 5 tech stacks, 3 programming languages and have moved between 6 companies.
In order to get to the big bag you’re after, you will need to work weekends, nights and study outside of work. If you’re a career changer from a non-technical background, expect your first year to include a lot of work outside of work just to keep up.
I’m not saying this to discourage you. It’s just the most likely scenario.
BTW — if a big salary is all you’re after, there are other ways to get it that don’t require a degree or late nights of debugging your janky-ass code.
Other tech-adjacent roles worth exploring:
- Sales
- Product management
- Design
- Marketing
These 4 functions are usually present in tech orgs and are equally (or more) important than the engineering department.
Advice #2: Do What Scares You
I started off learning to code at 30 with zero prior experience with computers.
At first, I just wanted to be an HTML and CSS developer. I tried JavaScript a bit and it scared the hell out of me. It just didn’t click.
Then I got my first job where I had to learn SQL, C#, JavaScript and .NET
Whoopsie.
It certainly wasn’t easy but it also wasn’t impossible.
Turns out I had set my sights too low.
A lot of early-career developers and people learning to code do this too. They only want to learn front end or back end. Maybe you want to avoid data structures and algorithms because it sounds too math-y.
Don’t do this.
The best meta advice I can give you is to chase uncomfortable-ness.
Take on projects just outside your comfort zone.
When you brush up against concepts that seem magical — make them plain.
Newsflash: most software engineers are not geniuses. All this stuff is learn-able. The University of YouTube has at least 100 videos on any topic you can imagine when it comes to computer science or how to center a div.
Apply this same approach to public speaking, offering suggestions during a meeting or volunteering to investigate a tough bug. This is the cheat code to accelerate your career.
Advice #3: Make (kinda) Safe Bets
There’s too much to learn.
A new framework to replace the old one.
Obscure algorithms for your interview.
Ooh, a new AI tool just came out.
If you chase every shiny new technology you will become a Swiss Army Knife developer. You can do a little of everything… poorly.
Identify mega vs micro trends in software development:
Recent mega trends include Kubernetes, NextJS TypeScript and Gen-AI.
Micro trends might include tRPC, edge computing and micro-frontends.
Use side projects to gain experience with technologies that make up mega trends to keep your skills relevant.
Gamble a bit with the micro trends. If you’re lucky, some of them will become mega trends and you’ll have first-mover advantage.
Basically, this means you’ll have more opportunities because the pool of candidates is still small. This can mean a higher salary, quicker trajectory and a chance to become an early expert.
Some Corny Advice… That’s Also True AF
I run an online coding school, Parsity, and have helped too many people break into tech to count.
There is one singular trait that separates those who got hired versus those who don’t.
Some quit while others don’t.
Seriously. That’s the only factor I have identified after lots of reflection and looking over the data. Obviously just being awful at coding and not giving up is not a recipe for success either.
All successful career changers I’ve worked with had grit, kept up with their coding and projects and re-calibrated their approach when it wasn’t working.
The surest path to failure is inconsistency.
I don’t care if it sounds corny — it’s true: stay focused, stay persistent, and you’ll achieve some level of success.