i'd ask younger me
"do you want to work long hours sitting at a computer everyday until you're dead?"
Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
11–20 of 88 posts
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#12Surround yourself with people smarter than you. It's the best way I've found to improve quickly.
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#13New frameworks/tools/libraries are fun and cool, but wait until it has widespread adoption before choosing it for a large project. It's OK to be a late adopter of new technologies.
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#14* Don't strive to be a senior engineer. Strive to solve peoples problems through technology
* Always be solving problems
* Make mistakes, and learn from them
* Just because something didn't work 5 years ago doesnt mean it wont today
* Don't buy into hype
* Be passionate and excited about things. You're not a robot
* Don't feel guilty about wasting time.
* Don't overabstract every problem
* The quickest solution is generally the best solution -- or at least help you understand the problem better. Don't design a large solution to a problem, solve lots of smaller problems.
* Do things that align with your strengths
* Know what your strengths are
* Build relationships with people. Be their friends. Talk to them about non- work related things
* Keep meetings to 30 minutes. Always have a takeaway from a meeting
* Have a life outside of work
* Set goals for yourself. Set goals higher than you think you can achieve. Make a plan for achieving the goal.
* Hold yourself accountable
* Don't be an ass
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#15Don’t ever bother learning or using object-oriented programming.
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#16[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#17Don't let imposter syndrome hold you back - it's not bad to check yourself, and imposter syndrome can certainly help you as well - but when it prevents you from even trying to get ahead, it can delay your career trajectory significantly. Be confident in what you do know.
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#18- don't only worry about code or getting features shipped, but about the process, how to deliver quality. - behind any given reason, there is a complex network of real reasons. You don't need to second-guess any decision/order/suggestion, but it helps understanding. - most user stories / user requests are raw diamonds waiting to be polished. ("What do they really want me to solve") Essential reading list: - Clean Cod…
I really didn't enjoy the clean coder. There was a strong feeling of "Management is trying to screw you over, this is how to protect yourself from them". If your really working in that environment, you should probably just leave rather than having to resort to tricks and techniques to manage management. There seemed to be some other silly advice (I.E. I used to listen to music and code until 4AM and then not remember what I wrote. Clearly the music was to blame.)
I'm sure that Rob is a great employee, and the book does have a few good points, but I'm not sure I took away a whole lot from it.
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#19Thou shall not work in a company where there is no career path/1o1s/generally good management.
In the interview ask how to verify what is being offered.
Thou shall not never ever work overtime unless it is clearly appreciated and/or compensated.
Re: Ask HN: Senior developers, what would you tell a younger you?
#20It is a team sport. Learn to recognize when to ask for help and who is the best suited to help you.