Find someone senior and talk to them about basic software architecture. If you know the difference between tight and loose coupling; know what the single responsibility principle is; and have a healthy dislike of copy and paste code; then you're good to go, frankly.
Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
11–20 of 29 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#12Why would having an education make an idea or decision any more valid? A good idea is a good idea is a good idea.
Also I really shouldn't have to list the famous tech entrepreneurs who dropped out of college or lack degrees entirely because its pretty much a cliche by now.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#13I have the engineering degree and resume, and I still feel it.
Well shoot. I guess this is just part of the territory.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#14they don't actually teach software design to any meaningful degree in higher-education classes. your gut might still be wrong. its a very hard thing to judge. but you don't have a real handicap here.
That's good to know. I think in some cases I know the concept from experience but just don't necessarily know the official term.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#15You don't. You use that feeling to improve every day. At some point you just have to jump into making certain decisions. And as you gain more and more experience you'll see that you make the right ones most of the time.
Yeah, I think I had enjoyed being comfortable in my skillset, but I can see how that can be the exact moment you stop improving.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#16I suggest you dabble ... go buy a textbook and have a read. Once you get a sense of what you don't know, it won't scare you as much. Or at the very least you'll know what you don't know.
This is a great idea, thanks for the advice!
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#17Realize that you've been in this situation before and that as you got more experience you developed a sense of competency. It's not "fake it till you make it". It's you taking whatever knowledge and skills you have right now and applying them to the best of your ability with the idea that if you find yourself completely out of your depth on all some part then you'll simply ask for help. Even someone who has taken all…
Asking for help is something I'm trying to force myself to do more and more. It's hard to shake the paranoia that you're revealing a weakness that will eventually come back to haunt you, but I know that's an attitude that's antithetical to success.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#18Find someone senior and talk to them about basic software architecture. If you know the difference between tight and loose coupling; know what the single responsibility principle is; and have a healthy dislike of copy and paste code; then you're good to go, frankly.
Awesome, I think I know this stuff but just not the exact name for it. Thanks for the help.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#19Might I suggest that maybe having imposter syndrome is not such a bad thing. You could interpret it as being keenly aware of gaps in your understanding. It's also much better to admit when you don't know something than to act as if you do. It's also important to recognize that just because you're competent in one aspect of software engineering, doesn't mean that you would be in another. That being said, maybe you're…
Yeah, I think I need to keep that in mind -- that some of the "softer" skills are just as important. I can see how leadership pushes you away from some of the nitty-gritty of the code.
Re: Ask HN: How to deal with impostor syndrome when you don't have tech degree?
#20Whenever I feel like an impostor, I like to go to github and look at other people's code. Turns out, most of us are pretty bad at this job. You're a human with a cool brain and an incredible capacity for learning. Anything you don't know is just an idea whose name you don't know yet. You're gonna be fine.
Yeah, I think there's a tendency to assume that everyone else is so much more competent than you are. I have to say that being brought in to fix other people's code has helped a lot in building my confidence as at least a decent engineer.