Picture a software engineer. What are some characteristics? Are they approachable? Are they willing to be helpful? Are they eager to ask for help? Some people would answer no to many of those questions. When I started my journey as a software engineer, I also had an image of an anti-social, unapproachable individual as a stereotype for a developer. But as I have continued farther into the industry, I have found the opposite.
A healthy Software engineering industry requires connectivity. A more connected industry leads to more knowledge shared and better programs and during my career as a software engineer, short as it may be, I have met far more approachable developers than unapproachable developers. While that may be just the nature of entering a new industry and meeting more approachable people, I also believe it is because the best developers are the ones that are the most connected to their peers. These developers ask the most questions and are willing to take the time to help solve other developers' issues. This has changed my stereotype of a software engineer from an isolated individual, to a hyper-connected teammate. If I want to continue to progress as a developer, I will need to stay as connected to my peers as I can.
This can mean more than just asking for help, it can also mean sharing knowledge, encouraging others, initiating help to new team-members or new developers. Actively connected to peers may not feel natural or comfortable, but it is important to maintain a healthy and vibrant developer community.
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