Becoming a software engineer is the goal for many, but the path can be challenging. I’ll share what I learned about the struggles of becoming a software engineer and what I would have done differently if I started today.
Embrace failure and learn from it.
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
If the greatest basketball player of all time had multiple failures in his career, then failing while becoming a software engineer doesn’t sound too bad.
Failure is a natural part of the journey to becoming a software engineer. Rather than having fear of failure, embrace it and accept that it is important (perhaps even necessary) to become a successful software engineer.
When I first started coding, I struggled with understanding even the basic concepts of programming. What is a variable? What does iteration mean? What’s an API? Looking back, these questions sound stupid now. But questions I definitely had, especially when I was teaching myself how to program.
I had trouble understanding the programming syntax as it was such a new concept for me. Inheritance was an incredibly difficult concept for me to grasp. I made a ton of mistakes along the way while getting my application to work.
But instead of giving up, I used those mistakes as a learning opportunity. I googled intensively and found that other people had the same issues as I did. The more I worked on my project, the better I was able to find answers to my problems.
Slowly my questions begin to evolve as my skill set evolves. How do I host my application to the cloud? How can I scale my application as my user base grows?
Think of programming like a child learning to walk. A child will fall a lot when first learning how to stand. A child won’t be afraid to fall again and will try and try again to walk.
The same goes for programming. Learn to “walk” as a programmer, so you can later run.
Don’t be afraid to fail, embrace it and use it as a stepping stone to success.
Seek out mentors and ask for help.
One of the most important lessons I learned on my journey to becoming a software engineer was the value of seeking out mentors and asking for help.
I’m not talking about asking for help in terms of solving a bug in your code.
Ask for help in terms of building relationships that nurture what you’re trying to become. Surround yourself with other people who have the same goals as you. With others who are passionate about software engineering.
You can reap the benefits of just being around software engineers. It tricks your mind into believing that you are a software engineer as well.
While I’m sure most of us can learn to program alone, having others to work with elevates your learning capabilities exponentially. You learn how other programmers handle problems when they have a bug in their code.
I’m not saying to go make friends with other programmers for the sake of your own benefits.
But if you do so genuinely, you will see that you will begin to build a network of successful software engineers. As they say, you are who you surround yourself with. So surround yourself with software engineers!
I took a lot of pride in being able to figure things out on my own. However, not asking for any help at all hindered my career early on. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance, it can make all the difference in your success as a software engineer.
Practice, practice, practice.
Becoming a successful software engineer requires a lot of practice.
If you want to be good at something, it takes practice. If you want to be a better basketball player, it requires tons of practice and repetitions to be able to throw the ball in the hoop.
The same goes for programming. Unlike school, you don’t get penalized when you make mistakes when you’re practicing how to code. So make tons of mistakes and practice away!
It’s important to not only practice coding and programming, but also to practice problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Take on challenging projects and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Each mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve.
Set aside time each day to practice and work on improving your skills. With dedication and hard work, you can become a skilled and successful software engineer.
-Bao
Read my other articles
How Programming in C# Jumpstarted My Career
How to become a back end developer
Software Engineer Entry Level: how to become one (step by step)