People think your first software job is exciting.
Mine was stepping into a world I totally wasn’t prepared for.
I’m writing this to be transparent about this early stage of my career because I know some of these lessons will help you too, whether you’re studying, switching fields, or just figuring out life.
1. Ask questions, but don’t ask blindly
Questions are necessary. They’re how you grow. But every question you ask also takes time away from senior engineers who are juggling real deadlines.
So before asking:
- Try once on your own
- Google or check documentation
- Ask a precise question, not a vague one
A good question doesn’t make you look clueless, it shows you’re thinking before speaking.
2. Understand what you’re actually building
When you don’t understand the “why”, you write code slowly and blindly.
The moment I learned my codebase properly, where things lived, the utility functions sitting around unused, how services are connected, everything changed.
Understanding the system speeds you up more than any tutorial ever will.
3. Programming is not only skill to improve
You can write clean code and still be stuck.
As you grow, the real difference makers become:
- System design
- DevOps fundamentals
- Networking basics
- Communication
AI can help you code, but it can’t replace judgment. Seniors and leads get paid more because they understand the “bigger picture”, not just the syntax.
4. Certifications are not as valuable as you think
Certifications look good on paper, especially if your company has partnerships with AWS, or Microsoft.
But outside of that?
Experience wins.
It matters more that you can:
- Deploy a VM or EC2
- Configure IAM securely
- Set up pipelines
- Work with cloud services confidently
Certs open doors. Skills keep you inside.
5. Always look out for yourself
This ones you may already know but:
Companies just see you as an asset, someone there to help make them more money.
You can be easily replaced. That’s the nature of business.
So:
- Protect your growth
- Don’t stay somewhere that drains you
- Don’t feel pressured to be “loyal”
- Changing jobs is usually the fastest way to increase your earnings.
Move smart. Move for your goals.
6. Don’t overly rely on AI to think for you
ChatGPT, Copilot, all these tools, they are assistants, not replacements.
Use them to:
- Break down concepts
- Explore approaches
- Speed up repetitive tasks
But don’t copy-paste blindly.
Your value is in understanding the why, not just the what. Always double-check with official docs.
7. Have a life outside work
Tech can consume you if you let it.
Don’t let your whole personality be “the guy who works in tech” or the “the guy who knows how to code”.
Go gym. Talk to people. Play sports. Touch grass. Have fun.
Life is too short to let work drain all your joy.
Final Thought
Corporate is a game. We’re all trying to level up, skill-wise, money-wise, and mindset-wise.
But levelling up doesn’t mean losing yourself in the process.
Find balance. Protect your peace. And build towards the future you want, one lesson at a time
