Frustration. Fulfillment. Insomnia. Zen. Imposter syndrome. Belonging. Red-Bull. Cookies. More red-bull. Questions. More questions. Merge. Revert. Merge again. Crossing fingers. Knowing when to walk away from the screen.

January 2019 marked my first year in software engineering. Someone recently asked how it went. Instead of answering, I had an out-of-body experience. One filled with all the above. But in reality, I answered:

“It’s been pretty cool and stuff.”

I’ve now had a couple of months to absorb it all. And it follows.

studying != doing

My college experience was all business. No seriously, I studied business. I mean there was:

an astrology course
accidental philosophy course (the topic of a future post).
The never-ending search for free food
And the other 83% aka earning a degree in accounting. It’s cold out here without a degree.

Accounting offered a stable meal ticket. My aunt did it. The hometown comptroller praised it. Plus, I was okay at math. And rules. So why not?

After 4 years, I got that degree, and a pretty cool job to boot. Senior year, I accepted an offer as a corporate accountant at Target Corporation. Finance was the aim. So the accounting angle didn’t immediately excite me. But there was a caveat. This was a technology accounting gig.

The first year as a technology accountant was a proving ground. Proof of what? That I was great at studying accounting, but, wouldn’t find fulfillment in debits and credits. The team was great. And through the accounting work, I learned a ton of transferable skills. Like “thou shalt not reply all” and “the office microwave should be exempt from fish.” The biggest lesson; my passion wasn’t in accounting, but the technology I was accounting for.

It came down to the flow of energy. After work, I’d spend hours researching tech jargon I heard from partners. During the day, I accounted for the jargon. The nights gave me energy. The days took energy away. It was at that point I decided to make the leap.

networking is hard

In the beginning, all I studied was computer stuff. Programming, algorithms, systems, and of course networking. I had a 9 to 5 then a 5 to 9, hitting the books and the inter-webs. The came a failed attempt at a junior dev role. Something became clear. I was studying the wrong networking. My focus was on the things I could do on my own, in a silo. But what I needed was a network of allies, sponsors, mentors. Now asking for help has never been my strong suit. But, doing so allowed me to level up more than I ever could alone.

A team assembled. I found folks who cared, and more, who kept me humble. There were:

loads of engineers who shared with me the ins and outs of their roles
Internal HR folks who helped me get an inside look at the recruiting process
Coworkers and managers helping me navigate the politics and workload of a job change
And of course friends willing to get me out for a drink, to avoid sulking over setbacks.

The biggest game changer came in the form of a mentor, Dan. Over the course of a year, he brought me from budding script kiddie to sharp tacked junior dev. This wasn’t through rote assignments. Well, there were assignments, sure. But, so much more. He offered organizational insight, networking opportunities, direction, and motivation. What I needed was out there at the University of Google. And a lot of it was already inside of me. But Dan helped me bridge the gap, and leverage skills I’d already honed as an accountant.

but I'm still a young dev

My career in tech began in January 2018. The first paragraph offered a stream of thought description of the year. But now it’s time to elaborate. What have I learned in a year as a software engineer?

code is just a tool in the belt

One tool does not make the belt. One tool should not be the solution to every problem. It’s okay to grow attached to your’ handy wrench. But it’ll get rusty. Know when to walk away. Know when to mix it up. And know that the best tools are nothing more than paperweights without a blueprint.

communication

Google is great. But ask questions. Talk through a bug. Take opportunities to speak up...or even speak at a conference. The software craft-persons table can deliver some pretty cool stuff. But, when you create in a silo, systems break, and no one knows how to fix em. Also, your’ coworkers are cool. They know various obscure facts. One of em may even have Siberian husky pups. Let the bonding begin.

imposter syndrome is too real, for the wrong reasons

You’re already there. No point in questioning why. Most people around you are doing the same. It’s almost a right of passage. So get over yourself. Be great.

curiosity is a double-edged sword

Keep learning. The only guarantee in knowledge is that you’ll never know it all. And that’s okay. But it’s not an excuse. The amazing thing about this field is that change is it's only constant. But it’s easy to spend way too much time on fringe topics. There’s a compromise. Understanding both sides makes a hell of a difference.

take breaks

Life happens. It doesn’t wait for you to finish learning java. Go outside. Pet your cat. Call your’ mom. Technology enhances the simple things in life. Things that mattered before computers existed. Embrace those things. Bugs ruin days. Sometimes nights. Taking breaks ensure they won’t ruin your life.

pay it forward

Teaching is a dope way to learn. Selfish, sure. But when done right, someone else benefits. Seems like a fair balance. Technology is becoming more widespread. More accessible. But, most of the people creating it, don’t look like most of the people using it. Tech professionals need to acknowledge their privilege. Myself included. The journey may have been hard. But we’re here. So we owe something to those who aren’t...yet.

Mentor a junior engineer. Look out for the intern. Volunteer for recruiting events. Don’t only ask candidates about a bubble sort. Step outside of your bubble. Learn about their background. What drives their interest in the field. Humanize the industry, before it’s too late. It used to be damn near impossible for most to understand or join the field. But now, we’re standing on the shoulders of giants. Make them proud. Give someone a chance. Lend your shoulders.

tough love

Nowadays I'm following my energy. And time willing, I'm giving energy back. Some days frustrate my soul. But I love it. The challenge keeps me engaged. I can't imagine it any other way.