Dear new developer,
I put this image in almost every presentation I do.
There are two reasons.
- It’s a striking picture, and funny.
- It reminds me that context is important. In some contexts, a pumpkin is a decoration. In others, food. In others, a frickin’ boat.
On that note, I recently posted my letter on admitting weaknesses in a shared slack. Some of the feedback was that this would be counterproductive to your career if you’re a minority or female.
Whenever you get advice, whether written or verbal, it is always worth considering the source. Here’s some context for me: I’m a white, heterosexual cisgender male. I have been a developer for 20 years. I have worked in the metro Denver area for my entire professional career. I have worked about half of my career in consulting companies and half in product companies. I have worked about half of my career as a contractor and half as a full time employee. Though I have worked for companies as large as Oracle, the vast majority of my experience is in companies with under one hundred employees.
What that means is that if you are looking to join Facebook, or if you are a female person of color, my advice may not be useful. While I still hope you find some nuggets of usefulness, some of it may be less helpful.
You wouldn’t ask a doctor for legal advice or a developer for medical counsel. It’s always worth considering who is giving you the advice and where they are coming from.
Sincerely,
Dan
Letters To A New Developer 