Dear new developer, I remember when I started out, I thought meetings were a waste of time. All those people in a room (now a Zoom), discussing an issue. Folks would go back and forth, and at the end of the meeting you'd hopefully have a decision. But often the output was just more research … Continue reading Meetings are work
Dear new developer, Avoid toxic workplaces. I wish I didn't have to write this, but there are enough stories out there (here's a few on HackerNews) that I feel I should. How do you know? If you have to ask if an environment is toxic, it probably is. There are levels of toxicity, of course. … Continue reading Avoid toxic environments
Dear new developer, A few years ago, I suggested you over-index at your first month or two on the job. I stand by that advice. Extra effort up front will earn you a reputation as a good employee. I also think that first impressions matter; plan to make a good first impression with your team … Continue reading Set your boundaries
Dear new developer, Here's a great quote: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.Unknown I spent a little bit of time trying to track down the original source, but my google skills failed me. But no matter the source of the quote, it is worthwhile … Continue reading Plant a tree
This is a guest post from Akira Brand. Enjoy. Dear New Developer, Be a mentor. Seriously. Find someone a little bit behind you in their journey and mentor them. All you need is an hour a week. Heck, even an hour a month. Work through exercises and projects with them. Tutor them in an Udemy … Continue reading Be a mentor
Dear new developer, Shut off your notifications. There are so many interruptions in your workday that it can be hard to find the time to dive into deep work. Disabling alerts from communication programs can help you stay in the zone and avoid having distractions pushed to you. Here is a list of the software … Continue reading Turn off those notifications
This is a guest post from Landy Simpson. Enjoy. Dear new developer, This year has put everyone’s mental and physical health to the test, including yours truly. There’s the ongoing pandemic, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, the 2020 American elections, the End Sars movement; the list goes on. This year, I’ve dealt with an … Continue reading My experience with burnout
This is a guest post from Dagny Wise. Enjoy. Dear New Developer, Even when your GitHub is a work of art, your portfolio is up and running, and your resume is looking good, it can be rough to get hired as a career-changer who’s never worked as a dev before. Before you throw your money … Continue reading Fewer Applications, More Interviews: How Professional Allies Can Help You Land Your First Jr Dev Role
Dear new developer, One time I was working with an application framework that had poor documentation. I was trying to figure out how to use it to support a client's project. But it wasn't working. I was less experienced and so had no idea why we'd chosen this application framework. I was simply tasked with … Continue reading Keep pushing through
This is a guest post from Taylor Desseyn. Enjoy. Dear new developer, Finding a job was hard for a new developer pre-pandemic…now during a pandemic it is just as hard but add in the fact that you can't meet anyone! It can be daunting. Here are my thoughts on how to find a job FASTER … Continue reading How to get a job faster
Letters To A New Developer 