Dear new developer, A few months ago I asked Marie Chatfield, a front end developer and advice columnist, what her one best piece of advice for new developers was. She wrote a great response. From the post: For the self-taught programmer: I am amazed at your dedication and perseverance and ability to learn from different … Continue reading Contextual advice for new developers
Tag: advice
Context is king
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 … Continue reading Context is king
Are you ready to work remotely?
Dear new developer, Remote work is fantastic. You avoid a commute, have control over your work environment, and save money on lunches. However, it has downsides. You need a fast internet connection, you must be disciplined, over communicate and stay on task. You have to be OK with relative solitude. My desire to work remotely … Continue reading Are you ready to work remotely?
A bunch of career advice from a new developer
Dear new developer, This post has a lot of great career tips including how to select companies to apply to, what to do in an interview if you don't know the answer to a question, and how to challenge yourself in a new job. This piece of advice in particular resonated with me: Show how … Continue reading A bunch of career advice from a new developer
How to start blogging
Dear new developer, I was asked about how to start blogging during the Q&A portion of a talk I gave. I had offhandedly recommended blogging as a great way to make connections and to be both credible and findable (locatable?) when looking for a job. I started to spout off an answer using WordPress, and … Continue reading How to start blogging
On surviving your first year as a developer
Dear new developer, This post covers some great tips on getting through your first year. It starts off ominously: The first year as a programmer is one of the most frustrating things a homo sapien can experience. You're thrust from the world of ambiguous human communication into the icy waters of cold, hard correctness. There … Continue reading On surviving your first year as a developer
What is HackerNews’ Best Advice to New Developers
Dear new developer, I have previously written about joining an online tech community. My personal go to right now is Hacker News. I find it has a nice mix of tech, startup/business and other interesting content for me. Here's a thread from a few months ago with advice for junior developers. Here are a few … Continue reading What is HackerNews’ Best Advice to New Developers
Letters To A New Developer 