How can I grow as a software engineer and achieve my career goals?

7 principles I’ve learned the hard way that helped me level up in my skills and grow rapidly to the next level in my career.

So many times in my own career, I’ve needed to learn new skills, and level up as I’ve looked forward to new positions or onboarded into new jobs.

I’ve struggled to find the best way to grow as a #softwareengineer.
Besides just watching 1000+ hrs of youtube on “how to master the systems design interview.” 🙃

I’ve learned a lot through trial and error.
Which has resulted in exciting career opportunities and even 2x pay bumps. 💰🤯

Being in over your head with a new technology, or trying to level up into a new position you’ve never been at can be scary and difficult.

Here are 7 things I’ve found that have been really helpful to level up my skills and grow rapidly to the next level in my career.

1. Study consistently

Write down a list of everything you need to improve in:

• MySQL

• Redux

• Unit tests

• Clean code

• Whatever it is...

Spend 15-30 mins a day consistently studying on those topics.

In 6-9 months you’ll be unrecognizable. 🔥

I started so many courses and rushed through the beginning of them only to never finish them. Now I realize that slow and steady wins the race. 🐢.

Show up everyday. Be consistent and patient.
Learning is not linear, but little wins always add up. 📈
And yes – the tortoise always wins the race 🐢.

Here’s a post I wrote that takes you into more detail on how I approach quickly learning new coding technologies or frameworks.

2. Ask for help

If you are stuck, ask for help. Yes really, it’s ok to ask for help.

Especially if you are newer in your role or position, people expect you to need help, and they are happy to help you get unblocked.

I’ve had so many times where I’ve banged my head against the wall on a bug or local build issue for 8 hrs straight, and when I shared that with a senior engineer on my team, they said: “You should have told me! Where are you stuck? Let’s get you unblocked.”

Your teammates are likely busy with their own work. So here are a few tips I’ve found are helpful to respect their time when asking for help:

1. Put in the work to understand as much as possible on your own

2. Have specific questions to ask and areas where you can show them you are stuck

3. If you are pair-programming, ask to drive the screen so that you build up your familiarity with new areas in the codebase as you learn

4. Document anything you learn, and write down any areas that you need to dig into deeper later

5. Thank whoever helped you once you finally get things working

Seek out peers & mentors that can answer your “dumb questions” without judgement. You will go far with them.

3. Make friends with growth-minded people.