How Smart Software Developers Start Strong At New Jobs

Congratulations! You’ve worked hard to learn the programming languages and skills you will need to land a new developer job. But what else do successful software developers need to know?

Here are the strategies smart software developers use to excel and impress in their new roles.

Savvy Developers Expect The Learning Curve

Even though you might have all the technical proficiencies that qualify you for your new job, you’ll likely need to spend some time getting up to speed. Your environment and processes will all be new, and each team of software developers structures their workflows and systems differently.

It can be tempting to try to start making suggestions immediately to prove how much you know, but take a little time to observe how your new team does things first. Listen carefully at standups. Observe the rhythm and dynamics of the team and take internal notes.

When a process strikes you as inefficient, take a moment to learn why things are done that way, instead of assuming you know better and immediately trying to overhaul the process.

They Make a Checklist Of The Tools and Systems They’ll Need

You might think “Shouldn’t this automatically be part of my onboarding?” In an ideal world, absolutely. But, in reality, many software developer teams are moving at light speed and may not remember all the systems you’ll require.

This can lead to a rough start while you wait for access to key systems, hindering your progress. Give yourself an advantage by proactively asking other software developers on your new team what they think you’ll need for your development environment.

Ask what tools they find most helpful, and ensure you’re familiar with – and have access to – the frameworks, debuggers, and testing libraries they favor. Asking more than one team member covers your bases, so that if one team member has forgotten an important resource, the other may recall it.

Don’t forget to ask for the most recent developer guide (if one exists). While you’re reviewing the guide, remember to ask if any processes, tools, or frameworks referenced are now outdated.

Ideally, software developers would be updating their documentation frequently, as soon as significant changes are made. In reality, however, busy teams can forget to update guides when they implement updates or discover errors.

They Get Curious About The Jobs Of Other Developers On Their Teams

Cultivate genuine curiosity about the developers and engineers you will be working with. What are their specialties? What kind of projects do they prefer to work on? What resources do they turn to when they’re stuck? Which frameworks and libraries do they prefer? What resources do they use to practice coding in their free time?

Not only will these details build your own resource library, but you’ll also begin forging connections with your new team.

They Aren’t Afraid To Ask Questions…

New software developers or developers new to a team often make the mistake of struggling to solve every issue on their own. They waste days struggling with a bug or access problem, when asking a simple question would have saved them hours of frustration.

New developers or new team members often fear looking foolish to their new colleagues, but might actually be advertising a lack of confidence. In fact, experienced engineers might actually begin to worry if the new team member isn’t asking enough questions!

…But They Try To Find Their Own Answers First

Your mentors will appreciate that you’ve done the legwork to try to find an answer on your own before coming to them. Explain what you’ve already tried and what roadblocks you encountered.

Striking the ideal balance between independent problem-solving and asking for help may take some practice at first. One helpful strategy is to allow yourself a set amount of time to be ‘stuck.’ Tell yourself that if you haven’t found a solution in an hour, day, or week (depending on the problem), then you will ask for help.

They Embrace Code Reviews

As a new software developer, or in a new role, code reviews can feel intimidating. But it’s vital to treat them as the priceless learning opportunity they are.

Developers who can teach themselves to look forward to code reviews and come prepared to listen receptively and engage actually improve leaps and bounds faster than developers who resent reviews.

Best Entry-Level Software Developer Jobs

Now that you have a sense of how to excel as a software developer at your new job, consider where to get your foot in the door. It might seem to make more sense to target smaller startups, but they are often searching for highly experienced developers who are able to wear many hats at once, each fulfilling multiple roles. These busy developers may simply not have the time or focus to spare on mentoring a newer developer.

Instead, try building your skill at larger or more established companies with structured internal processes for onboarding and training junior developer talent.

Finally, consider taking contract-to-hire positions, as these are often excellent launching points for software developers to launch their careers.