The hardest part of being a junior developer

I like the advice! I think giving such a specific figure (one hour of spinning your wheels) might seem arbitrary to some people, but I can think of several folks right now (even myself in the past) who would have really benefitted from some kind of loose framework like this, instead of just “feel free to ask a question anytime”

I give all my juniors a score from ~2-4, which is a multiplier on the estimate for any task they're assigned.

If it would take me N hours to do something, I expect them to take no more N*M hours to finish the task, and if at any point they feel that estimate is wrong they should let me know.

Usually it takes them 2-3 tries to realize that this system is in place to help ensure:

1. They understand the scope of the task

2. They don't spin their wheels too long on any one thing.

When hiring juniors (mostly interns to direct hire), the two biggest things I look at are:

1. Do you do things outside of your coursework to enrich yourself?

2. Do you ask a ton of questions in the interview?

The best intern we ever had (he is at Apple now) asked so many questions during the usually 45 min interview that I think it went to almost 2 hours. He was a phenomenally conscientious hire and managed his own time impeccably well.

This one hits home for me.

Early on in my career, I had a "mentor" tell me to try it on my own before asking any questions only to swear under his breath when I messed up. It was a massive source of anxiety balancing between asking a question and the risk of messing up.

When working with junior engineers nowadays, I go out of my way to let them know that any question at any time is acceptable. I'll put down what I'm doing and help them through a problem and then celebrate the solution with them. I never want them to feel the fear of work and failure that I did.

Agreed, but with the caveat of not making every single problem you encounter become your team's or your manger's problem. I've seen this especially with some interns, where given the (valid) advice of not being afraid to ask questions, go overboard and make every single task they might have everyone else's task as well.

I had a mentor at my last job who clearly really didn't want to be one. It was to the point that I would sit paralyzed behind him, loathing turning around to get his help. In all fairness, I had yet to learn a good way to get help without interrupting his hard work. I'm not sure he ever fully knew he was my mentor, but without his help I was completely blocked on making any progress on the deep-end project I was thrown into.

What we both needed was the company setting very clear, explicit expectations. "X is your mentor. X's main job is to mentor you and help you swim in this deep end." Though I think the entire company was learning a ton of stuff at that phase.

Thanks X for all your tolerance over those years. You have no idea how much you saved me, despite my loathing to bother you yet again.