From Novice to Tech Lead
In the vast and evolving realm of technology, my journey from a fresh-out-of-college junior developer to a seasoned tech lead has been both enlightening and challenging. In the decade-long expedition through the multifaceted realm of coding, creating, and leading. This article encapsulates my reflections on a developer’s journey in the tech sphere. In my other articles, I talk more in-depth about my journeys.
Crucial Steps on the Tech Journey
The first pivotal learning I stumbled upon early on was the crucial act of articulating what you learn. The tech world is huge, and there’s a lot to learn about different programming languages, frameworks, and tools. As you learn new things, it’s important to take some time to think about what you’ve learned and to be able to explain it to others. In the ever-evolving tech landscape, mastering a skill or a technology today doesn’t guarantee its relevancy tomorrow. Thus, the cycle of learning, applying, and documenting one’s knowledge is crucial.
Documenting Your Journey
Once you’ve grasped a concept or a technology and have practically employed it in a real-world scenario, take a moment to jot down or even vocalize your understanding and experience. This act engages a different dimension of your intellect and helps reinforce your comprehension. It’s not just about doing; explaining what you’ve done and how you did it is equally vital, creating a solidification of knowledge and understanding.
The Corporate Ladder
As I voyaged from a junior developer role to more senior positions, the lens through which I observed the corporate landscape evolved. The path to the senior developer or even a tech lead position is not solely anchored in technical skills but is significantly intertwined with how one navigates through the corporate structure. Big corporations often hold an unspoken expectation for you to take the helm of your career progression. Initiating projects, owning a new feature, or navigating through stringent corporate policies to introduce a new tool or library are the hallmarks of stepping into senior roles. It’s a more proactive arena where waiting for opportunities to knock won’t suffice.
Discovering Your Tech Niche
My transition into a tech lead role bestowed upon me the responsibility and the platform to improve the onboarding process for new developers. I’ve learned that it’s important to invest time and energy in onboarding new hires so that they can learn the ropes quickly and start making a positive impact on the company. Unlike in college where guidance is often handed on a platter, the corporate sphere can sometimes hurl you into the deep end with an expectation for you to swim through.
As a tech lead, I take it upon myself to introduce new team members to our tools, environments, and systems, aiming to alleviate the steep learning curve that often accompanies a new job.
Discovering Purpose
Lastly, as I found my footing in the tech lead position, I realized that the purpose is a developer’s true north. It took me a while, but discovering my desire for teaching technology was a monumental personal breakthrough. I realized the essence of perpetually learning, growing, and improving lies in aligning with what ignites your enthusiasm. In the tech domain, the tides of technologies are ever-changing, which implies an innate necessity for continuous learning. However, finding what resonates with your purpose can funnel this relentless learning journey into a more fulfilling and fruitful endeavor.
Navigating through the vast avenues of technologies, the iterations of my roles from a developer to a senior developer and finally to a tech lead have been instrumental in honing my technical and interpersonally perspective. As I reflect, what I’d like to impart is enveloped in three core principles:
- Perpetual learning
- Proactive engagement in one’s career
- Aligning with your purpose
These tenets have not only steered my journey but have significantly enriched it, and as I continue on this endless expedition of learning and growing in the tech realm, I carry these lessons as my guiding light. I encourage all tech enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the boundless ocean of learning, where you can find the pathway to not only personal and professional growth but also to a more fulfilling and rewarding career.